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Handlebar, footpeg (rearsets), and windscreen help.

Nerobro

Nerobro

Forum Mentor
After looking around. Clip on handlebars are DISGUSTINLY expensive. So those are kinda ruled out. After a weekend on a TW200 dirtbike bars are looking good.

I'd like handlebars that feel like one of those tw's or the ones on skreemers 83 gs550.

What i've been looking at are bars off a RD350, or a DT50. (dirtbike and sportbike respectively)

With either chose of bar, I'm going to be going out and picking up some 1/4" lexan and making a small windscreen. something on the order of 8x11" and held up on some aluminum struts. it'll be a place to put my Ipass and maybe some intimidating phrase (like that we saw on the back of our instructors helmet this weekend... "15k and 15 miles doens't make you a biker") I got this windshield idea after riding the 83gs. It seems to be "about the right size"

finally, I was going to copy buells idea. they came out with a new model of the xb9r, and put dirtbike handguards on the bike. (along with some other neat things that I dont' care to copy) Have any of you fitted handguards before?

Finally, I rode that (I know this is getting old) 83 gs550 last night, and noted it's pegs were much higher and rearset from what my 1980 bike has. The shifter on my bike is already linkage driven, so I can't imagine moving the peg and shifter would be that large of an issue. Has anyone made? or do they make rearsets for an 80 gs550? Has anyone here made them?

Thanks
-Nero
 
Never heard of the rearsets. Sorry.

How did you plan to make the windscreen?
I'm interested in making something smaller than my current windshield.


Dm of mD
 
Well the windscreen should be done this weekend :-) I'm going to mount it at the headlight and turn signal mounting screws.

It should be a 3-4hr project at most.

Rearsets are plates that move the pegs and controls back and up. actually in my case I think just up would be satisfactory.
 
Let me know about this windscreen also. I'm also curious as to how you are going to make it.

If possible, can you send pictures or some sort of sketch?

Thanks.
 
If you think clip-ons are pricey, just wait till you see some rear sets. :twisted:

If you are somewhat mechanically gifted you can figure out how to do this to your bike.

Good luck,
-=Tim=-[/url]
 
HiSPL That's EXACTLY what I was planning on doing. Aluminum is cheap. The mount points on the bike are EXTREMELY beefy. I just need to get some access to a bandsaw to cut them out. My biggest concern is the rear brake pedal. But I'll sort that out with time.

the windshield should be done this week/weekend. Pictures and all. it's just going to be a flat plate of lexiglass... I'll be happy to post plans and sources for the materials.

As the bike is stock, it's a sedate bike. you sit pretty upright, the pegs aren't far from the ground. it just..... well it's a UJM. I want those lower bars. After some investigating last night we're going to go with drag bars we think. They seem to be the most "sane" layout without disassembling the tripple trees. Cafe racer is the direction I'm going. But the whole all out racing position isn't what I'm looking for yet. we'll see what I have at the end of the weekend.
 
i was thinking of make rearset for my bike as well, we should work on this together this winter, we basicly have the same bike, i am pretty good with a angle grinder to cut up some shapes and i can mig weld and some basic tig. but i need a welder. do you have a drill press?

-ryan
 
I have a drill press, A dremmel, and a lot of skill with both ;-) This sounds like an awesome off season project. The wonderfull thing is for the shifter side, the linkage is already there. so making that work should be braindead easy.

Start thinking about the brake side. We will either need to do a linkage to the existing pedal and cylinder location, or move the existing cylinder and pedal up to the new peg location.
 
Well, after measuring Skreemers bike, and loving the way his bike feels. His pegs are 1.5" higher, and 4" back on his bike.

I have pictures of where the plexiglass is going to be. But the local home depot didn't have the proper thickness Lexan. (1/4".. the 1/8" stuff is nice, but way to flexy)

I was trying to layup the parts last night, but attaching the windscreen to my current bars don't seem to jibe with the setup of the windscreen. :-)
 
Nerobro,

I'd like to offer my two cents about your choice of plastic. I work with plastic extensively in my work and have discovered a few things over the years. There are several different types of acrylic out there.

Plexiglass is manufactured by Rohm Haas and they have a variety of flavors. Plexiglass G is generic acrylic, but you could go with something a bit more durable if you want this thing to take some gravel and keep on ticking. This can be found at a glass or plastics shop. MANY in your area!

Lucite is another type of acrylic commonly sold at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. This is stuff is not too bad, but is meant for replacing broken windows, etc. This is why they only have it in 1/8" thickness.

Now we get to the hard core stuff. First off is polycarbonate. This acrylic is ideal for you application. It has small fibers throughout and is tough as hell. This is what most safety glasses are made of. Secondly, there is Lexan - another acrylic-based material. This is the most hard core you can get. Manufactured by GE, it is bullet-resistent at 1/4" thickness, even more so at 1/2" and completely bullet-proof at 1" thickness. True Lexan is very expensive though because it is tough as nails. It will have a white vinyl masking on it when you buy it with GE's logo all over it in blue. Both polycarb and Lexan can be purchased at a plastics shop or ordered thorough a glass shop. I've seen Lexan at some glass shops here and there, but not that often.

Try to steer clear of generic acrylic, especially stuff with no name on the masking (typically a clear vinyl with green or no color). This can crack under duress and you'd probably like to avoid that. Also, NEVER clean your plastic with any kind of solvents. This includes alcohol. The cracks will come before you know it.

I hope this helps and good luck!
-jon :D
 
Thank you for the advice. when seeking plastic I've been using the name brand lexan. the 1/8 inch sheet I bought IS lexan. Appearantly home depot does carry 1/4 inch lexan. (they said they had it up untill recently) If I'm going to have a windscreen it might as well be able to stop a good sized rock!
 
I put a UV protected Lexan in my Scout after breaking out my second windsheild offroading.

Wow. The stuff was unstoppable!

Hint:
**Danger! Danger Will Robinson! Danger!**
Be very very cautious of washing your Lexan with a gas station squeegee. Especially at truck stops, but anywhere is a risk. Why?

Truckers will put a squirt of diesel in the wash tank at the station, it helps dissolve bugs better, and kind of acts as a water beading agent on the glass.

That diesel is very bad for your expensive Lexan. :x
 
Reminder.

YOU MUST LET US KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT. I'm getting real excited to see your finished product. :lol: :lol:
 
This weekend I tried fitting the windshield, but discovered that using my current handlebars would be ugly. I ordered a set of drag bars, they should be here this weekend. I'm busy this weekend. So I won't be able to cut the aluminum supports.

I need to pick up some music wire, I think that'll look better crossing over my field of vision.

This will be done soon :-)
 
we got the new bars in and I helped Nerobro fit them on. They look really nice and I like where they sit but he doesn't get full "lock to lock" anymore.
He's got pictures of before and after.. but he's procrastinating putting them up for some reason.

I'm trying to see if he's gonna stick with these bars and do the "bug deflector" this weekend.
 
You want pictures? here, you get pictures.

First, for perspective.
oldbarsfront.JPG

Seccond to show the change.
newbarsfront.JPG

I love that I can do this now.
crouchablegs550.JPG

yea yea yea, no windowframe yet. But that should give some idea of what I'm working on.
windshield1gs550.JPG


I'm definitely going to be tossing these bars and putting on superbike bars. I think the plus 1.5" will give me full lock to lock, and it will give me the space to install the handguards I want.
 
Just out of curiosity, where are your front turn signals? :-k

New bars look nice and "fast" though. :twisted:

-jon
 
There were no turn signals on the bike at all when he bought it... at least all the wires are there.

But alas tonight there are at least front turn signals on it now...

We worked out an idea for mounting the rear ones....
The previous owner got rid of dang near anything mounted rearward of the seat. Hence a little rigging here and there.
 
And what about rear ones? the simple answer is that they aren't there. They aren't required in illinois, and the bike didn't come with them. My first order with dennis kirk included a complete set of turn signals. I mounted the front set tonight. sometime next week I'll be making rear turn signal mounts. I have wire here ready to hook them up. I"m just debating what connectors to use. I'm most likely going with deans connectors. They're small, relitively secure (more seccure than those stinking bullet connectors) and they self cleaning and low resistance.

My new turn signals rock ;-)
 
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