Help for Bent '92 K75S Handlebars

[jconway607]

I would appear to me that the previous owner somehow managed to bend one side of the handlebars on my 92 K75S. I don't know how people do this stuff. It is the right side, and seems to be about 1" lower than the left. What are some suggestions to fix this? Ebay seems to have a few bars, but they look pretty rough and seem to be mostly from RTs, which also have a notch on each end that I don't recall seeing on the S bars. Plus, I think they may be too high for the stock cables. BMW affers three different bars for the K75. Are the two non-RT bars the same, even though they have different numbers? Will the K100/1100 bars work also? A slightly higher bar would be okay, with a more upright rider position.

Has anyone tried to bend these bars back? If so, what is the best method? I think I would do it off the bike to avoid any damage to the mounting clamps, etc. I'm not sure how tough the bars are. This is actually the first time I have owned a bike that someone managed to bend the bars. Are there any aftermarket options?

 

[pglaves]

The "T" and "RT bars have a 6 inch rise. The "C" bars have a 3 inch rise. The "S" bars are not totally flat but do not have much rise - an inch I think.

Your bike appears to be a K75S. The C bars will work, the RT bars are way to high for that bike's cables and lines.

 

[mlytle]

Easy to bend in a vise.

 

[drneo66]

As Paul said, the "C" bars will mount right up without any worry about changing cables, and give you a more upright riding position.

Some riders (mostly on dirt bikes) will take off the grips/throttle and slide a big pipe over the end of the bar, using the leverage to bend the bars back to the proper position. The problem is that now your fatiguing the metal even more, so the chances that you'll find yourself riding down the highway at 70mph with only one handlebar attached to the bike is much greater.

 

[mlytle]

if you are not on motobrick.com already, you need to sign up. S bars come up for sale regularly.

 

[98lee]

The S dash pad will not fit properly on the C bars.

You can easily straighten minor bends with a vise and a length of pipe. There is no problem with weakening the bars as long as you don't bend them back and forth several times for large distances. The bars are mild steel tubing. They were originally formed by bending. But, if they are kinked or bent much more than an inch or so at the tip, you might want to put a wanted ad in the marketplace.

In looking at your photo, it looks like your right lever perch is not fully slid on to the bar. There should not be that gap between the master cylinder/lever perch and the dash pad.
There is an allen bolt on the lower rear of the perch just below the master cylinder. Loosen it and whole lever perch, master cylinder, and throttle grip assembly will slide in and out on the bar. That looks to be your problem. They might not be bent at all.

Another possibility for why the dash pad appears to fit so poorly is that it already has C bars installed. S bars are made from 3 pieces welded together. C bars are made from one piece.

 

[075038]

"find yourself riding down the highway at 70mph with only one handlebar attached to the bike is much greater."

Sounds scary doesn't it, probably true too even though "much" might be an exaggeration.

If the chance of half your handlebar falling off is one in 10, 000, 000 years and bending and straightening it makes that chance one in 7, 000, 000, 000 years, the statement quoted is true, not something I'm worrying about though, as I've straightened out my used K75S bars with a slipped on pipe and enjoy riding that bike.