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Bar Backs Slightly Pulling Brake Lines & Electrical Wires

88bmwjeff

88bmwjeff

SF Bay Area
Lucky me, I had a pair of SW-Motech's Bar Back's https://sw-motech.us/bike/BMW/R1200GSLC/2018/1G12+-K50-/products/ergonomics/handlebar/bar+back/4052572026984.htm available to try on my 2018 R1200 GS. SW-Motech claims extending the cables and brake lines are not required; however, it appears that the brake lines and electrical wires are being pulled slightly when the handlebars are moved to either the extreme left or right. While it's rare to move the handlebars that much, it does happen. Anybody else have this issue? I'm not sure it's best to leave them on; as such, I'm tempted to take them off. What are other's thoughts here?
 
Last edited:
Check options for rerouting cables and/or clipping zip ties to gain enough slack? Bar backs are always touchier than just risers—I have 40mm risers on my 2018 GS and cables are not an issue.

Best,
DeVern
 
I think it was Jim Bade who had a video about mounting Rox risers on a wet head. Move the electrical cables and brake lines from between the forks to outside the forks. One side at a time, loosen the top of each stanchion from the upper triple tree and move the cables. I’ve done this on all three of our LC GS/GSAs without an issue.
 
So, someone posted about Rox SpeedFX's instructions on moving the cables/hoses from the inside of the forks to the outside by removing the top nut and moving the tube down. The instructions seem good except that they do not indicate the proper torque spec for the top nut. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0735/5123/t/2/assets/bmw-reroute.pdf I looked through torque spec sheet under the resources, but I wasn't 100% sure which bolt and torque spec applies. http://www.jvbproductions.com/Wethead%20Torques%204.pdf Can someone let me know what the appropriate torque spec is for that bolt?
 
So I tried rerouting the brake line/clutch line/electrical cables to outside of the forks. However, the right side did not work. No matter how I moved the cables/lines , I could not find a place were the forks did not hit the lines or the lines would have been somewhat kinked. It's a bummer. Consequently, I removed the bar backs. Back to the drawing board. I'm thinking just plain bar risers and not bar backs may work.
 
I think you are worrying too much about how the cables are touching things. I’ve run bar-backs on three LC GS/As with the cables outside the forks and had no issues.
 
akbeemer said:
I think you are worrying too much about how the cables are touching things. I’ve run bar-backs on three LC GS/As with the cables outside the forks and had no issues.
Click to expand...

You're probably right, but I'd rather be over cautious given my limited knowledge. Also, there's a difference between touching and being pinched between two things. Granted, I'm no expert here, and I'm not sure how often I'd be full lock to the right. Anyway, it didn't feel right to me at the time.
 
88bmwjeff said:
You're probably right, but I'd rather be over cautious given my limited knowledge. Also, there's a difference between touching and being pinched between two things. Granted, I'm no expert here, and I'm not sure how often I'd be full lock to the right. Anyway, it didn't feel right to me at the time.
Click to expand...

A majority of the time, going with your gut is the right thing to do. Like everything else, no two bikes are exact copies. Some have lesser or more cable length, be it by manufacture or placement.
 
Motodan said:
A majority of the time, going with your gut is the right thing to do. Like everything else, no two bikes are exact copies. Some have lesser or more cable length, be it by manufacture or placement.
Click to expand...

Point well made. In '93 Harley received some faulty wiring harnesses with positive coil wires that were too short causing some to disconnect during use.

E.
 
So, my 40mm risers arrived today and I went out and installed them. Since the top triple tree is on an angle, the bars were raised ±37-38mm and moved back ±12-15mm. While standing it feels really good, but perhaps a bit high. Since the bars are rotated upward 10 degrees, I can always rotate them closer to zero if I need them a little lower. Although the handlebars were moved back ±12-15mm, it really doesn't seem like that much and is a reasonable compromise. Time will tell while riding though. Cables all good.
 
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