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Handlebar risers

khan

New member
Can anyone recommend to me the best procedure for installing the the handlebar risers (clamps) onto the bars? My R27 had low bars installed at some point, with new risers, and I wish to re-install the original US bars. Is it okay to simply spread the risers wide enough to go over the bars without heat or other trickery?
 
I've never needed to do this on my vintage bikes and don't look forward to trying. But I've heard from others who have that say the original risers can be spread if done slowly and "just enough" for the installation. The aftermarket chrome risers probably won't fair so well. If needed, new risers can be gotten from Vech at Bench Mark Works.
 
Spread and Slide

On my R50, I had my risers sent out for re-chrome. When, I took them off the US stock bars.. I removed the control units on the bar ends then spread them just enough to get them to slide off the ends.

I would not recommend opening them up for direct pull out.

I plan to switch the bars to my 750/7 and switch the bars by this means.
It means removing the grips.. soap and water or WD -40 and patience.

I hope this helps.

jrdahl, Ketchikan, AK
 
Crossbar issue

The original bars have the crossbar, similar to dual sport handlebars, preventing me from sliding them off. The original risers don't look so great, needing re-chroming, but the ones mounted on the low bars (presently on the bike) are like new. So, I was hoping to use them with the original high bars. So, while I can slide them off the low bars when I take them off the bike, I will have to spread them to get them on the original high bars.
Thanks for your responses.
 
I had an extra pair chromed when I restored my R69S, but didn't use them. The plater gave them an extra thin layer of chrome to help prevent cracking, and we opened them up to almost wide enough to fit over the bars before plating them.
I fitted euro bars to my bike with a different set of risers.

I used the spare risers last year when I rigged my bike for an offroad trip, and wanted to use the "enduro" style bars with the crossbar for better control in the rough.
After the trip, I took them off and put the Euro bars back on, using the pair of risers that they were originally attached to. I removed the risers completely because I'd mounted them backwards (intentionally, to better position the handlebars to suit me) so that they could be reinstalled the other way 'round.
The spare set of risers showed no sign of cracking in the chrome after one use/removal cycle.
Bending that malleable steel feels really uncomfortable, but I've heard that they can tolerate at least a few on/off cycles before there's any risk of a problem. Mine seem good for at least one more install.
 
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