My wife is complaining that the aggressive lean often causes some discomfort in her wrists so I am looking into options. The handlebars and/or a riser seem to be the easiest fix but I am concerned about the lack of slack in the clutch and brake cables. A cursory look leads me to believe that a 2" riser is not going to work. Has anyone solved this issue? Aside from that, my wife loves the bike.
Handlebar risers...has anyone?
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
Hi,
I was also doing some R&D with regards to risers since I found the OEM handle a bit short (in width) and also, the lean tends to take its toll on the wrists. I use the bike for daily commute in heavy traffic and hence wanted something that could help give me a slight upright position and also give relief to my thighs that used to grip the tank.
What I found was that the Risers (you get a lot of options from AlieExpress or amazon) are a bit tricky because of the angle in which the instrument console in mounted; which also means the clamps are slightly angled. The 'universal fit' risers might fit - I tried one from LSL (which was available here in India) but that didn't solve my problem. Also with risers, what I experienced was, the vibrations crept up even further (despite being torqued to the specs)
What I did was try on a stock VERSYS X300 handlebar and that worked wonders. The 'rise' of the stock is about 68-70mm (approx) from the base while the X300's 'rise' is close to 90mm. So this makes it a bit more sturdier and upright. Secondly, the width of stock is 680mm (without the bar-end weights) while that of the X300 is 730mm (approx). Huge difference in handling and stability, the lean angle is reduced (which also might make it less sporty) but comfort is excellent. And being OEM, I didn't have to drill holes or anything. The stock cables (brake and clutch) sufficed; they are okay for a rise of upto 2" approx in my view, anything extra and you might need to try and source clutch cables or get braided lines instead.
I've attached a pic with the handlebars vs the stock (that I'm holding). The angle might be a bit skewed - but you can notice the width between the two. Also, the stock has a more narrow 'U' curve (towards the rider) as compared to X300.
PS: You just have to guide the clutch cable out from one of its fasteners (you'll find it on the RHS of the bike). The brake cables are long enough for this 'rise'.
Hope this helps!
I was also doing some R&D with regards to risers since I found the OEM handle a bit short (in width) and also, the lean tends to take its toll on the wrists. I use the bike for daily commute in heavy traffic and hence wanted something that could help give me a slight upright position and also give relief to my thighs that used to grip the tank.
What I found was that the Risers (you get a lot of options from AlieExpress or amazon) are a bit tricky because of the angle in which the instrument console in mounted; which also means the clamps are slightly angled. The 'universal fit' risers might fit - I tried one from LSL (which was available here in India) but that didn't solve my problem. Also with risers, what I experienced was, the vibrations crept up even further (despite being torqued to the specs)
What I did was try on a stock VERSYS X300 handlebar and that worked wonders. The 'rise' of the stock is about 68-70mm (approx) from the base while the X300's 'rise' is close to 90mm. So this makes it a bit more sturdier and upright. Secondly, the width of stock is 680mm (without the bar-end weights) while that of the X300 is 730mm (approx). Huge difference in handling and stability, the lean angle is reduced (which also might make it less sporty) but comfort is excellent. And being OEM, I didn't have to drill holes or anything. The stock cables (brake and clutch) sufficed; they are okay for a rise of upto 2" approx in my view, anything extra and you might need to try and source clutch cables or get braided lines instead.
I've attached a pic with the handlebars vs the stock (that I'm holding). The angle might be a bit skewed - but you can notice the width between the two. Also, the stock has a more narrow 'U' curve (towards the rider) as compared to X300.
PS: You just have to guide the clutch cable out from one of its fasteners (you'll find it on the RHS of the bike). The brake cables are long enough for this 'rise'.
Hope this helps!
Attachments
Joined
·
1 Posts
Great solution, I may try that too.
Joined
·
1 Posts
I'm looking to do the same. I hate the stock bars and you're the first person I've seen who has raised the bars instead of lowering them. Would you be able to post some more pictures of the bike with the Versa bars installed? Would love to see how it looks from other angles.
Joined
·
1 Posts
Hi,
I read your post and the related picture on swapping the stock handle bar with the Versys 300x handlebar. How is the modification holding up and where did you purchase the versys bar from. Is this from the kawasaki dealership or did you order it externally. While you have written that the cables have enough slack even after using the versys bar, could you confirm if you are not facing any cable tightening either turning left or right. I am very keen on this mod but before investing in a handlebar I was keen to know your experience. Thank you in anticipation.
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
