Posted by INTRUDN on May 22, 2001 at 09:00:05:
In Reply to: need help with handlebars posted by tj on May 22, 2001 at 04:57:38:
......glad you are OK, 'cept for the missing skin.
Now, how badly are the risers bent? WAAAAY bent, or just slightly? If just slightly, you can probably straighten them without doing further damage. If not, well, then read on....
I just replaced the factory bars and risers on Stef's '97 Savage with Custom Chrome 6" pullback risers and a drag bar. Since I had already replaced the factory bars on my '86 Intruder, I knew what I was in for. This is what has to be done if you go with aftermarket risers on ANY Suzuki cruiser:
To mount them, you will have to make your own spacers/bushings, and you will have to enlarge the hole on the mounting caps to take the larger mounting bolts (Suzuki uses very thin bolts for their risers). A drill press makes this MUCH easier. I took the mounting bolts from the new risers to a local plumbing supply store and bought what they called a pair of "gas pipe nipples" that I could just fit the bolt into. Any pipe that offers a SNUG fit will work. With the gas pipe, it has a weld bead inside the pipe, so I had to use a round file to smooth up the inside of the pipe before the bolts fit properly. I used the gas pipe because it only cost me 65 cents per piece, but any good, strong, thin walled pipe will do. Gas pipe is the easiest to work with though, in my humble opinion.
Next, when you remove your stock handlebars and risers, you will see the bushings that you will need to replace. They are stainless steel and in between the caps which are part of Suzuki's rubber mounting system. I used a hand grinder to shorten my pieces of pipe to the right length (make them the same length as the stock stainless bushings). If you have a hacksaw, that will work fine, too. Next, you will need to enlarge the holes in the caps. I used a drill press, but, if you don't have one, and if you are VERY careful, it is possible to use a handheld drill. Use a low speed setting, hold the drill between your knees or feet with the bit pointing upwards, and, holding the cap on the edges with both hands, slowly press the cap onto the bit using very little pressure, otherwise the bit will grab the cap and twist it out of your hands (ouch). But, that's about all there is to mounting them.
It's really not a very hard job to do. Besides, if you go with aftermarket risers, you will still have to perform the modifications to the mounting caps and bushings because Suzuki uses very small mounting bolts. I mean VERY small.