New handlebar install - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

daktruckie99 · 07-22-2004, 02:17 PM

Well as you guys dont know this summer I wanted to put on a new set of bars. I was looking into getting some renthals but a friend gave me a set of ATV bars for free and they will do just fine. So I have these bars on the 1in. riser that was already on there and the rise of the bars is huge.

Here comes the fun: Throttle comes up short, $40 for an extension. Brake comes up short: $55 for a longer line. Had to cut the old grips to get them off to get the throttle off. By cutting into my heated grips I either needed to replace them with another set of heated grips $40+ or a set of regular grips and handguards!!

I bought a pair of silver Renthal grips to match the silver handguards.

So yesterday I go to put the grips on and of course they dont go on easy(didnt expect it to be easy, but not that hard either). Do you guys have any ideas on how to get them on. IE: what should I put on the bars so they slide on easy and then stick good. First off I am going to sand down the bars so they slide easier because the gloss black paint is sticky as all hell. I hope to get the grips on next week, and then once the brake line arrives it goes back together.

Here is the gallery with all the pics of my fun so far(no new pics with the handguards yet!)
http://www.ridonkulous.com/gallery/v...mName=album106

rgoers · 07-22-2004, 03:36 PM

There are special sprays that are sold just for that purpose (just what you wanted to hear - more $$$).

BUT - here's what the bike shop told my son when he replaced the grips on his trick bike... ready??? Drum roll....

Hair Spray! Yup, hair spray. It's slippery when wet, and after it dries for a couple hours, it's sticky as snail snot! You'll have to cut the grip to get it off again. Try it - it works great!!!

rgoers · 07-22-2004, 03:41 PM

Holy Cow! I looked at your project pics. Those babies are "ape hangers". You won't be slammin your knees on the handlebars any more.

BTW, I'm thinking about getting a 2" riser for my ZL550. What should I check for first? I mean for cable lengths, etc. I don't want to have to lengthen every cable in there like you did. What's the typical rise you can go without getting yourself into a mess and having to buy all kinds of new cabling?

daktruckie99 · 07-22-2004, 08:57 PM

1) I had read about the hair spray trick when I put new grips on my mountain bike a while bike so after I sand down the bars that will be the way to go I think.

2) Thanks for the compliments I definitely will like the new setup(I had better for almost $200) lol . But yea they are way up there

3) You should be fine with a 2 inch rise. The sled already had a 1 inch block on it and I had the bars angled way up as you can see in the pics and the cables were fine. If you take into consideration the rise on those ATV bars I have its like 4+ inches so that is why I ran into so much trouble.

daktruckie99 · 07-22-2004, 09:19 PM

so yea my $56 dollar brake line came in. I am not happy that is it red, I was hoping for a chrome(Steel) look so it would match but since I need the 34" I have no choice, oh well

I will be gone this weekend but hopefully Sunday night or Monday afternoon I can get this project over with. All parts needed are in my posession, I need to install the brake line, put brakes back on, bleed brake lines, install grips, then tie down the wires with nylon fasteners so they dont stick out and voila!!! I will have my bars. Pics will follow of course cus the handguards looks sweet IMO!!!

rgoers · 07-26-2004, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by daktruckie99
1) ...

3) You should be fine with a 2 inch rise. The sled already had a 1 inch block on it and I had the bars angled way up as you can see in the pics and the cables were fine. If you take into consideration the rise on those ATV bars I have its like 4+ inches so that is why I ran into so much trouble.

Cool... Thanks! I'll be ordering them soon, along with new sliders for both sleds.

I just need some extra knee room. The stock position is too low for my long legs. I have long legs, and sometimes I can't turn the handlebars because they hit my knees. Not a good situation...

daktruckie99 · 07-26-2004, 10:07 AM

I never had any trouble hitting my knees, I raised em up cus I ride standing up. So after a day of hunching over to reach the bars I was real tired and had a real sore back, either that or I would only use my fingertips to turn which isnt safe. Now they are wayyy up there, ill take a pic with my standing on it when its all together to show you.

rgoers · 07-26-2004, 02:56 PM

Knees... and turning was a problem with me too. I hang over the edge so far, I can barely hang on to the hand grip. Sometimes I even hold the throttle with my hand upside down on sharp turns. I spent enough years riding dirt bikes that I don't much mind squatting while standing. Helps absorb some of the shock...

daktruckie99 · 08-05-2004, 08:49 PM

Here is a little update for you guys. The handguards, grips, and bar hooks are all on in final position.

I have the brake line in my pocession now. They sent me one that didnt fit, then a replacement, and now it just needs to go into the caliper which will be done saturday morning.

daktruckie99 · 08-05-2004, 08:49 PM

I cant post more than 3 pics so here is one more lol

here is what the controls look like, I think the color match came out PERFECT!!!

Thank God I got something good out of all this

rgoers · 08-06-2004, 07:59 AM

Looks real good. Nice job! Seems like a lot of work, but I'm sure it will be well worth it the first time the snow flies.

Wanted to ask you about the end hooks... what purpose do they serve? Do they keep your hand from slipping off? I've seen ball-ends as well. I'm assuming they're for the same purpose. Any preferences - good or bad?

daktruckie99 · 08-06-2004, 08:06 AM

About the bar hooks, the left one(mine is 90 degree) I use when I corner to the left, I can get my hand out on that and I get a lot more leverage on the bars, the right one in all truth is there for looks because it matches, I cant really grab that one and still reach my thumb over to the throttle.

As far as different styles, basically as long as it is shaped different than a handlebar it will work. The basic principle is to be able to get your hand on the end of the bar and be able to get that extra leverage. So these "balls" that you speak of should work fine, as long as it isnt those things that are supposed to help prevent ripping your cover, those are called 'cover savers' I believe. I hope this helps

Oh yea about covers: I dont think mine will fit anymore lol, I'll have to address that when it comes time.

rgoers · 08-06-2004, 08:47 AM

Okay, thanks. Extra grip is good...

Funny you should mention it, but cover-protector balls was one of those things on my "list" that I just got around to making last weekend. I bought a few tennis balls, and cut them along the fuzz-less lines - to create an little "ear" big enough for the handlebar to fit inside the ball. I used a grommet punch to put a bungee hole in the "ear" I made, and also punched a couple strain-relief holes at the end of each cut. I popped them over the handlebars, and bungee'd them together. I'll try to attach a sketch of where to cut and punch...

The only caution I would offer is that the balls I used had some sort of vulcanizing goo inside them, which had to be cleaned out first.