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Problems with new handlebars

  • Thread starter Thread starter rallygabe
  • Start date Start date
R

rallygabe

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(everything relating to a 79ish gs750)
So I got tired of the "antlers" that were on the bike when I got it, I assume the original bars. They were also a bit tweaked. So I picked up a $30 superbike style set. The feel and steering is WAY improved so I want to keep them, but I am having concerns about the fit of the controls. The new bars are narrower and much closer to the triple-clamp and the cables, wires, and brake hose don't fit very well in the space left for them.

So my question is- what have other people done about this? I'm not going to purchase new cables as they do work, just fit poorly now.

Feel free to add pictures if possible! :)
Thanks all!
 
You'll find, especially so if you have an "L" and got rid of the hideous L bars, the control cables are now too long. This can actually cause a bit of bind in the sleeve and make them stiff, or hard feeling. Most guys will buy cables for a GS that had lower bars on them to begin with. You might see if Nessism will post up what he did, I think he found cables from a couple of different GS models that are shorter, and thus are better suited for lower bars like yours... Post up some pics of that ride too!!
 
I'm thinking about getting a set of superbikes here shortly when I place my next order from Z1. I currently have the stock antlers that need to go (bike looks REALLY awkward from the side) Do you have any before/after pictures of the bars?

TCK is right, some creative cable routing should help you out, even if it is only temporary. I just put new cables on mine so I'm a bit worried about this myself.
 
I have a couple pics from the install that I have yet to upload from the camera. check my picasa in a couple days- http://picasaweb.google.com/RallyGabe/1977SuzukiGS750?feat=directlink

Just as an update to my own question (since somebody will hopefully find this is a search some day!). What I ended up doing (for the moment at least) is I took my headlight and instrument pane off and pulled the brake hose and throttle cables completely out form behind those two items and they now hang out in front of my turn signal. The brake hose still has some pretty crazy bends in it, but I figured it will not move much so I left it at that. The throttle cables I am still a bit nervous about out there BUT the throttle works much better without all that cable bind! :D Shorter cables would be nice but I am not hip to making cables and don't have a clue where to start looking for shorter OE's.

D-VO- I definately suggest different bars! the steering and general feel (to me) is WAY better now. The superbike bars I got have maybe an inch or two of rise, so I get a pretty sporty feel, but it is harder on the wrists. Even on the couple short rides I've been on I can feel it a little. Perhaps a Daytona style woudl be better? (I think that is usually the same bend but with more rise? correct me if I'm wrong please!)

The stock bars are good for cruising but not much else IMHO. :)
 
Perhaps a bicycle shop could shorten the cables up for you. Just a thought. They make custom cables all the time for people.

Thanks for the feedback on the superbike bars. I definitely want a sportier feel, and those seem to provide it, my wrists be damned. Can't be looking like an old fart on an old bike (no offense of course). Sitting upright on the highway at 70mph with no wind protection is getting old.
 
I once went to shorter bars on a bike with braided metal brake lines. I don't have pictures handy but I twisted the connection where the line goes into the fluid reservoir on the bar so that the line pointed straight up. It then made a small loop that took up the excess length before it ran down toward the calipers.
 
The 1979 GS1000S has VM style carbs and low bars from the factory, so you might want to check out those cables for use on an early 750. For the brake hose, if you still have the stock rubber hoses you are WAY overdue to replace them since Suzuki specifies changing the lines every 2 years. Earl's lines can be built quite inexpensively so that's a good option.
 
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I went from the bars on my 650 L to Daytonas. Its the same deal youre in, Bars are narrower and have less pull back on them. I didnt change my cables and if it doesnt bother you to see that extra 6+", then dont worry. You will need to kinda adjust and slide to extra around so as to not have them rest on anything hot or bind
 
Ditto for me on using the opportunity of the Daytona/superbike bar swap> poor routing for the stock rubber brake hose> go to braided steel lines. I've had them on my GS650G for about eighteen years and I wouldn't be without them. It maybe costs a bit more, but as Nessism says, your stock lines are way outdated now anyway. I would definitely bite the bullet and upgrade-I don't think you'll ever regret it.

Cheers,
Ted
 
I have shorter bars on my 850GL

The wires you can pull up under the tank, or loop behind the headlight bucket.

The clutch cable normally passes between the #1 and #2 carbs. Reroute it outboard of #1 to take up most of the slack. The remaining surplus of clutch cable and the extra throttle cable and brake line can be taken up by creative rerouting around the headlight bucket. They will come forward quite a bit before coming back in, probably on the low side of the headlight. You can find shorter cables later as you wear them out.

As for the brake line, you'll get better lever feel if you replace the stock rubber with stainless lines anyway. Depending on how bad the rubber is, you might even get shorter stopping distances. If the brakes are satisfactory now, just reroute the hose and make sure there are no tight bends, rubbing edges, or any section going uphill from the master to the calipers (so it won't trap air bubbles).
 
D-VO said:
Perhaps a bicycle shop could shorten the cables up for you. Just a thought. They make custom cables all the time for people.

Thanks for the feedback on the superbike bars. I definitely want a sportier feel, and those seem to provide it, my wrists be damned. Can't be looking like an old fart on an old bike (no offense of course). Sitting upright on the highway at 70mph with no wind protection is getting old.
Click to expand...

Yeah... shorter bars and use the rear pegs for about 60+ mph wind (depending on the situation, of course). Your wrists might even feel better. Whatever you pick, just make sure you don't have to bend your wrists much to hang on, or pull levers, or whatever. I think mine are closest to Daytona bars.
 
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