Posted by WD on August 09, 2003 at 09:34:45:
In Reply to: z type handle bars posted by Jon D. on August 08, 2003 at 16:46:49:
Paint the bars body tin color, it is not seen that often in the metric custom world, and can look killer if done right. Or, you can give them a wire wheel grind down, and use a matte clear. Or, rechrome, but you can get a set of 1" bars cheaper than rechroming the used ones. Or, wrap them in thin black leather, using a baseball seam stitch on the bottom of the tubing (not seen much anymore either, kind of like the bars themselves).
For your spacers under the control boxes, go buy some copper pipe connectors, they can be reamed and sanded to whatever internal and external dimensions you need. Drill through them at the same time you drill the switchbox locator peg holes in the bars. Sweat solder the bushings in place, or use a set screw opposite the locator pin holes to prevent their rotating on the bars. You'll need to do the same for the grips, or switch to 7/8" grips and throttle sleeve for single cable.
Z-bars look good on smaller bikes like Sportser (any era but iron head is better), early pre-unit Brit bikes, two stroke street Yamahas or Kawasakis, and should look just fine on the Savage. Don't forget to recable/hose if the bars are much more than one inch taller or wider than stock. or, if you are like me, reroute the stockers and don't worry about how the cables look, as free swinging/crossing the tank is period correct for your new bar style.
Have fun, let us see how it turns out.
-WD