Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: BigSherm on March 28, 2020, 08:59:08 PM
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Hi all.
I’m Scott here in SoCal.
Long time lurker and I’ve learned a lot! First real post.
I’m in love with my new to me ‘08 C14!
While most C14 riders seem to want their handlebars higher and farther back, my long gorilla arms needed handlebars that were just a little lower and further forward for fun riding in the beautiful twisties I live near.
I researched and studied and researched and studied pictures and diagrams and measurements of bars, clamps, and my stock upper triple clamp.
To keep things simple and clean, I used a very simple handlebar clamp that uses M8 x 1.25 bolts to clamp the bars, because I planned to use extended M8 bolts all the way through the clamps, into the aft handlebar mounts holes that are already in the triple clamp.
Those M8 bolts, along with M12 bolts up through the triple clamp (which I drilled holes for), secure each bar clamp to the stock C14 triple clamp. My generic clamps, I believe, were meant for a dirt bike from years ago. I found them by browsing eBay. Their pictures caught my attention.
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These are the bar clamps.
2 pair, one pair slightly taller, for $30 from eBay.
I used the shorter pair, which are 29mm tall from the mounting surface to the center of the bars.
That puts about 9mm of space under the bars and above the raised center section of the triple clamp around the steering stem nut.
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And here's how it turned out!
Those are just black plastic plugs in the now-unused stock handlebar mounting holes that are partially under the front edge of the bar clamps.
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Here's the crazy part:
I wanted to keep the project simple, without complex handlebar clamps, risers, or plates like the LSL superbike bar kit, so I needed a handlebar that was about 4 inches tall, which along with the clamps would put the grips about 2 inches lower than stock.
I wanted to keep the bars about as narrow as the stock setup, which is about 27 inches wide.
I searched and looked and measured bars on bikes, ATVs, minibikes, and aftermarket bars on display at the world's largest motorcycle showroom (Chaparral Motorsports in San Bernardino, CA). I really wanted a nice Renthal or Puig or similar fat bar with a 1 & 1/8" center section, but no one makes a bar with such measurements that will work. I think bends like I need would be too drastic to easily be made with a fat bar.
The nearest I found was a Renthal 7/8' street high bar, but that was about 2" too wide, and a little too low. The extra width made my brake and clutch lever contact the fairing on each side of the gauges, and it just felt slightly too wide and too low.
I needed an 8" straight section for the controls at each end, 4 & 1/4" width at the handlebar clamp area, and a 4" rise.
Here's what worked: a stock handlebar from a 2017-2019 Honda Grom.
Yes, a handlebar from a 125cc minibike.
Hey, they're less than $20 brand new from Honda!
They even have threaded ends for bar end weights and are available in chrome.
That put my hands a couple inches lower, and an inch or two more forward.
Success!!!
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My new bars are just what I wanted!
Of course, they are easily adjustable forward and backward.
Hundreds of dollars less than the LSL Superbike bar kit, too!
All my modifications are easily removed, and the stock parts would cover the two mounting holes I made.
I painted my triple clamp and new eBay bar mounts to match, and the Grom bars a nice metallic charcoal.
The Honda Grom handlebars from 2016 and earlier are about two inches taller, but otherwise very similar measurements, for anyone considering doing something similar.
All opinions are welcome!
Thanks for reading.
Scott
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Do you not find the Grom bars a bit narrow? I found them so on mine and swapped them for a wide Fatbar. Couldn't imagine trying to steer the Rhino with them.
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I think you did a nice job
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I especially like the adjustability aspects of the setup and that you left it so stock parts could be remounted.
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I was trying to think of advantages of the stock bars and could only come up with lighter weight (I assume), stronger resistance to movement, nothing blocking the stem bolt, and maybe aesthetics. While your setup has advantages of being lower (if that is something one needs, I had to add risers, so for me it would be a negative), some adjustability, ability to swap out different bar shapes (assuming they are available), and more "standard" mounting surfaces for other stuff (especially in the center, assuming there is enough space below the bar to have a bar clamp, I can't tell from the photos).
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Do you not find the Grom bars a bit narrow? I found them so on mine and swapped them for a wide Fatbar. Couldn't imagine trying to steer the Rhino with them.
Hi Michelle,
The Grom bars are about 1/2” narrower overall than the stock setup. I like it.
You tried the Grom bars, too?
Here I was, thinking I discovered something new!
The wider bar did very noticeably provide better leverage, though, and I can sure see why people like it.
Scott
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Nice work. What have you mounted to the sandwich warmer lid on top of the gas tank?
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I think you did a nice job
I was trying to think of advantages of the stock bars and could only come up with lighter weight (I assume), stronger resistance to movement, nothing blocking the stem bolt, and maybe aesthetics. While your setup has advantages of being lower (if that is something one needs, I had to add risers, so for me it would be a negative), some adjustability, ability to swap out different bar shapes (assuming they are available), and more "standard" mounting surfaces for other stuff (especially in the center, assuming there is enough space below the bar to have a bar clamp, I can't tell from the photos).
Thanks, Max!
There’s about 9mm space under the bars and above the triple clamp for clamping anything around the bars.
As for finding other bars of a similar shape, the next place I’d start looking is in stock bars from ATVs. Finding measurements for them online seemed very difficult for me, though.
-Scott
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Nice work. What have you mounted to the sandwich warmer lid on top of the gas tank?
Thanks, Pink!
Those are two Scosche Magic Mounts. They’re rubber-covered magnets with thin metal plates you stick on the back of your phone. I use two of them at once (just one holds pretty well on the dash of a car) and It’s held my phone solidly for years, now.
-Scott
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Check these guys if you need different bars.... http://www.flandersco.com/ (http://www.flandersco.com/)
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Hi Michelle,
The Grom bars are about 1/2” narrower overall than the stock setup. I like it.
You tried the Grom bars, too?
Lol. No, my other bike is a Grom. I put wider bars and risers on it because it was a little twitchy.
I suppose if they're only a half inch different that's not as bad as I was imagining. I like that you're thinking so far outside the box. Well done.
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Check these guys if you need different bars.... http://www.flandersco.com/ (http://www.flandersco.com/)
Thanks, Pink.
I did look there.
They do have clubman bars. I’ve tried them turned upside down, on another bike, and that might work for this, too.
Scott
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Well done Scott..
I've started to do similar to my C-10, but never quite got around to it.
I think I even bought a set of the clamps and their somewhere (???) in my garage..
Could you please post what you used to do the search on Ebay?
Or, maybe a shortcut to what you purchased?
Setting here, bored.
I may go back to the project.. :o
Ride safe, Ted
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Hi Ted!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/KDX220R-RHK-7-8-Handlebar-Bar-Mounts-Risers-2-sets-CR-YZ-KX-RM/254495328690?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/KDX220R-RHK-7-8-Handlebar-Bar-Mounts-Risers-2-sets-CR-YZ-KX-RM/254495328690?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649)
Those are the eBay clamps I bought.
I thought it was important to use clamps I could attach to the triple with more than one bolt and a flat bottom surface, so they would be more stable and less likely to flex than just trying to anchor them with one big bolt.
Here are some very nice ones I would look at if I did it again:
https://cognitomoto.com/products/riser-clamps-for-1-or-7-8-handlebars?variant=11513501313 (https://cognitomoto.com/products/riser-clamps-for-1-or-7-8-handlebars?variant=11513501313)
I used ebay to find pictures of the underside of a C14 triple clamp so I could see what was under there and plan my project before I took mine apart.
If anyone wants to use Grom handlebars, they are super cheap brand new from Honda, but a couple days on backorder everywhere I looked.
Scott
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Thanks Scott. That helped my memory.
I went back and checked.
This is what I bought.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253993858593 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/253993858593)
The ones you bought look to be a lot better design.
When I got these, I was looking for something to experiment with. (ie; Cheap)
Never got around to installing them...
So, there "somewhere" in my garage. (ie; Might be quicker to buy new than find them)..
I'll be in contact if I go back to the project.
Currently resurrecting a C-10 for my son..
Good news is; It is now alive.
Working on the plastic.
Ride safe, Ted
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Very nicely done.