slight cafe mod - suggestions?

[Cixelsyd]

I'd go with old skool in terms of the superbike bars, if you're worried about cable length and comfort. They are pretty much as low as you can go and still be comfy, and with these bars you've no need to shorten the cables. (Just stuff the extra down inside the tree.) Btw old skool. I've got the same setup, with different grips.

[old_skool]

I'd go with old skool in terms of the superbike bars, if you're worried about cable length and comfort. They are pretty much as low as you can go and still be comfy, and with these bars you've no need to shorten the cables. (Just stuff the extra down inside the tree.) Btw old skool. I've got the same setup, with different grips.

Cool! show some pics

[Good Times]

Glad you are looking at making some changes while not cutting and making permanent changes. It's too purity for that.

[kawfeedave]

Got a wife or girlfriend who spends a lot of time on the back? If not, you could cut down the hump in the passenger seat to smooth out the looks. Remove the seat cover, it's more or less stapled on to the bottom of the seat pan, and then use an electric knife (thanksgiving style) or a fine tooth coping saw to cut throught the seat foam, and then reattach the cover. It might take a little work to get it to fit 'smooth', but for zero dollars, you should be able to do OK.

The other way is to get a used seat, cut that down, and have a cover made at a local shop. Call around to bike shops and get the number for the local 'seat guy', every town has one. I'm not sure if any other GS seats will fit your frame, but if anyone knows what will work on an L, you might be able to get a G or E seat and just use that as is.

[kb_air]

get an air compressor under those grips to get them on/off. its is easier to just cut them off and blow new ones on. don't lube them up as they will slide around for a week or so as they have no air on them to dry (i guess you could use a compressor to dry them out as well) good luck!

[patrick]

i did get the grips off with no problem.. looking for new ones which will allow for bar end mirrors which i have already purchased. Good idea with the seat, I was searching for a new seat pan in which to do just that.

[patrick]

My GS850GL throttle grip appears to the throttle cam built in, so I'm searching for a 7/8" grip with a throttle cam and an open end grip .. guess what I'm finding? zilch! I do like the old skool grips but not for $100+. Avon grips came close, but not finding any with cams. any other thoughts?

[old_skool]

My GS850GL throttle grip appears to the throttle cam built in, so I'm searching for a 7/8" grip with a throttle cam and an open end grip .. guess what I'm finding? zilch! I do like the old skool grips but not for $100+. Avon grips came close, but not finding any with cams. any other thoughts?

There not built in, the grip actually folds over a lip built into the throttle cam, grab the large rubber ring in the grip closes to the switch, pull up on it, you'll see what I mean, any throttle cam will work as long as its for the 7/8" bars or mm equivalent.

Do a search on "throttle tubes" most gsxr's will work and have the open tubes for bar end weights or mirrors

[patrick]

So before i do irreversible damage and break the sucker off.. this is what I'm looking at (see pic). You're saying the cam is a sleeve that separates from the inside of the grip? that sucker is on there TIGHT if that is the case, I'm afraid i might break it off altogether, causing me to add about 60 bucks onto the job. is it the entire white piece that comes out? (thanks for listening, noobie at this.)

[old_skool]

The gray/white should be one moulded piece, the part that appears white, closest to the grip, is the part I was talking about, but since you don't have the factory grips, they're(the grip) is not covering that part, usually, that's the part the grip is actually pulled up and over as the grip itself has a channel built in for that. You have the old generic foam spongy cruiser grips, you have to slide the chrome collar off first and the rear chrome end piece should have an internal screw, should just unscrew, you have to remove the 2 chrome pieces first, then however you want to remove the foam is up to you, slide with some lubricant or cut it off, sometimes the foam becomes stubborn and glues itself to the tube over the years and you have no choice but to cut it off, the tubes tend to get brittle over the years as with all plastic, so be gentle, if you break it, it will cost you less than $10 to replace on ebay including shipping. But if your wanting to use bar ends or bar mirrors, your going to have to get a different one anyway or cut this one.

[patrick]

found some Avon grips that I believe will work awesome.

@ kawfeedave - the idea of cutting the seat down, its right on, it will fit the profile much to my liking! Because the cover has a tear right in the middle (the bike gets ridden after all!), I think i will go for a complete recover. The photoshop version of it looks great. what could possiblie go wrong?

[old_skool]

Did you get your grips/tube apart ok?

[patrick]

progress as of 4/12, prior to mirrors and seat mod.

[patrick]

@ old_skool: couldnt get the silver collar off, spent much time wrangling it, cut the sucker apart and finally finished it by putting a flat head screwdriver through the brittle tube. Its salvageable but I'm going to start fresh. I might save the current seat and find a new pan to do the mod.. seems smart to hold onto the stock pieces as long as possible.

[old_skool]

This is the exact factory tube you should have had and is identical to the one on my bike.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/180810645448

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