homemade handlebar risers

[stevet]

(Don't know if I should have posted this here or in the tech. section. Mod's, move if necessary.)

Has anyone built/fabricated your own handlebar risers?

I have a set of bar risers right now that do a nice job of increasing height just over an inch, and they come back toward me just a little bit, but for my body ergonomics, I need them to come back toward me farther. Back toward me means more than increasing height, I'm finding.

Before I plop down the cash for a Helibar system, I'm thinking of picking up a small stick of 2" wide x 1/2" or 3/4" thick aluminum bar and cobbling something together myself. I'm going to start first with a 2" x 3/4" piece of scrap wood to make a mock-up, mounting it and all, and if the results look promising, then I'll start hacking away on a chunk of aluminum. I can get 6061 bar stock at a local metal dealer.

Due to the fact that the current risers already use up every bit of spare slack in the hoses and cables, I can't simply put a plate below them that would allow me to bring the bars back toward me. It sure would have been nice if Yammy didn't get so overly economical with cable and hose length just to keep corporate bean counters happy...

Or have I missed an accessory maker that has a back-toward-the-rider solution (in block form and not entire upper triple clamp form) that's not something costing north of $300?

Thoughts, ideas, tech advice, photos, etc. would be wonderful and mucho appreciated. Thanks!

 

[FJRay]

I'm sure Patriot will chime in here and show you his stacked risers done without changing cables or hoses.

 

[08FJR4ME]

(Don't know if I should have posted this here or in the tech. section. Mod's, move if necessary.)

Has anyone built/fabricated your own handlebar risers?

I have a set of bar risers right now that do a nice job of increasing height just over an inch, and they come back toward me just a little bit, but for my body ergonomics, I need them to come back toward me farther. Back toward me means more than increasing height, I'm finding.

Before I plop down the cash for a Helibar system, I'm thinking of picking up a small stick of 2" wide x 1/2" or 3/4" thick aluminum bar and cobbling something together myself. I'm going to start first with a 2" x 3/4" piece of scrap wood to make a mock-up, mounting it and all, and if the results look promising, then I'll start hacking away on a chunk of aluminum. I can get 6061 bar stock at a local metal dealer.

Due to the fact that the current risers already use up every bit of spare slack in the hoses and cables, I can't simply put a plate below them that would allow me to bring the bars back toward me. It sure would have been nice if Yammy didn't get so overly economical with cable and hose length just to keep corporate bean counters happy...

Or have I missed an accessory maker that has a back-toward-the-rider solution (in block form and not entire upper triple clamp form) that's not something costing north of $300?

Thoughts, ideas, tech advice, photos, etc. would be wonderful and mucho appreciated. Thanks!

It's a little more difficult with the GenII's. Someone does sell risers for GenII for a lot less the $300 smackers. I forget who that may be but I am sure someone will be along that has bought them. You have to cut the wire stays in order to install them I know.

Edit: after re-reading your post it sounds like you may allready have them.

Good luck with the project. It won't be easy. I have all the resources to machine them and it still looks like a PIA to do. My problem is time. Not enough of it right now.

Note: You may not have much clearance at full turn in. Watch for the tank.

Dave

 

[stevet]

Patriot's setup for Gen I- yeash! https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=140013 Scroll down about 6 messages.

Anyway... Dave- yep, I've already got risers, had to remove the wire loops for the cables and tubes, too. Trying a mock-up from wood should prove what kind of result to expect, but as I sat on the bike in my garage this morning dreaming this up, full-lock clearance to the tank was concern #1, but thanks for mentioning it here as a thought for others, too.

Well, I'm off to spend an otherwise wonderful late summer Sunday afternoon in the garage puttering with motorcycles and woodworking equipment- sounds like a good time, and I could use an afternoon like this! I'm glad I was able to put in about 125 countryside riding miles yesterday in even better weather conditions, wishing the whole time my bars were in a different position.

And yes, before someone offers up Master Yoda's riding exercised and body positioning, I already practice a great deal of that. It helps very much, but if a shirt just doesn't fit right, at some point you gotta lengthen the sleeves.

 

[stevet]

I made a mock-up from a 3/4" thick piece of wood this afternoon. Won't work. Cables and hoses are now too tight, bolting issues, etc. I'm still designing in my head, but beyond a simple piece of constant thickness aluminum stock to make it from, I'm unable to mill a custom shape with complex dimensions and angles, ala a Helibar or similar complex shape. Oh, well. It was a fun way to spend some quality time in the workshop. I may start budgeting for a Helibar. Ouch.

 

[PhilJet09]

That's the conclusion I came to last year. Short of lengthening the hoses and cables, heli did a good job of maximizing their available length while bringing the bars back.

 

[RadioHowie]

Definitive Post to Handlebar Nirvana on a GenToo.

 

[RaYzerman19]

If you don't mind the bars being an inch higher, get some inexpensive riser blocks from various sources on ebay, I've seen in the past $50-90. Then, remove the inboard pin and you can rotate the bars back up to about an inch, but this will narrow them a tad. It is a more natural position for your hands though, and might work. Or, you can also work with your existing setup and remove the inboard pin and rotate. Nothing stopping you from trying the outboard pin if it's not enough, but I would put one pin back in to help you get both sides the same.

 

[Jogle]

Had an eye on some bead blasted risers with longer bolts on e bay at $59.

 

[fljab]

One of the things a Heli setup does is the top triple tree is cut out to allow the cables/hoses more room for the rise and setback. That's hard to duplicate on your own unless you have a machine shop, and even then it's probably still cheaper to budget for a set anyway.

I'm not familiar with other makes of clamps/risers, but there are some out there, and maybe they are better for you, dunno. I got my setup on a group buy through the forum and it helped the budget some.

I have both the risers and top clamp, but I've been thinking I can maybe squeeze another 1/8" or even 1/4" via a homemade plate from some of the aluminum I have laying around. We'll see. It's down on the list of things to do and I'm pretty satisfied now, but I just love to tinker...