| Author | Message | ||
     1324 |
I know some people have narrowed/shortened up the factory clipons, but I can't find anything through the search. I'm thinking of doing this to get my hands out of the cold wind. Before I go moving and drilling, I'd like to know how much of a difference it makes in wind blast, steering feel, etc. Also, did you cut the bars or just temporarily slide everything in? If you cut the bars, did the bar vibes get unbearable? Thanks in advance. | ||
| Zac4mac |
I drilled another set of holes in the bars, no cutting. I move the grips in all the way for Winter and back out to stock for Summer. I also change the bar-ends with the moves.   | ||
| 1324 |
Thanks, this is what I was looking for. How did this help with wind protection? Your body still fit in a full tuck w/o any odd positioning? How was steering feel? | ||
| Zac4mac |
Steering feels no different. Wind protection is noticeable. Things do not change much, the grips only move 1/2-3/4 inch but it makes a big difference on cold days. Z | ||
| 1324 |
Excellent. I'll give this a shot. If I like it, I'll probably cut the bars to make it more permanent. I can use the warmer fingers...between the huge fairing, grip heaters, and my winter gloves, I should be good to ride to the low teens! | ||
| Jaimec |
I really don't want to come off sounding like a smart ass here, but I HAVE to ask: What's wrong with just getting a warmer pair of gloves for the winter? Wouldn't that be a LOT easier?? | ||
| 1324 |
I have winter gloves - and pretty good ones at that. Most other sport bike fairings don't give you the envelope the 1125's does. May as well exploit that to keep my digits as warm as possible. | ||
| Jaimec |
I'm just surprised with winter gloves AND the heated grips that you're still looking to perform "surgery" on your bike to move your hands out of the wind. I'm not familiar with the climate in Easton, PA but is it really that much more harsh than it is here on Long Island? I have the Buell heated grips and even on the low setting it gets too hot to hold onto after awhile on the LOW setting. I can't imagine using the high setting unless I want to light a buddy's cigarette or something. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Moving the grips in the little bit that I do has a big effect when riding in the Winter. I don't cut the bars tho because it is cooler in the Summer with them moved back out. I love the R's fairing and pods especially in the Winter. Z | ||
| Zac4mac |
Just to add, the coldest ride I have done so far was a 20 minute jaunt into 14 degrees. The heated grips were on high then... Also I put 130 grams of #8 birdshot in each bar, in a heavy ziplock. no buzzing. Z (Message edited by zac4mac on November 23, 2009) | ||
| 1324 |
Thanks for the help, Zac. This is on my short list of modifications. | ||
| Jaimec |
Coldest ride (non-Buell) was the Crotona Midnight Run many years ago. Thermostat on the bike showed 9 degrees Fahrenheit. We lost our way and bailed before the halfway point. I SHOULD have done it this year when the temperatures were above freezing the whole night. We'll probably never have better weather. Froggy entered and I believe he even finished, too (and got his finisher's medallion). | ||
| Drhodes1970 |
Would'nt changing the bar width really muck up the handling of the bike? | ||
| Froggy |
Yep, that was a great ride, and there was a handful of Buells!   Road salts a bitch.  | ||
| Jaimec |
David, no, it wouldn't affect the handling at all. It would make the bike marginally harder to steer since shortening the bars reduces the mechanical advantage but I don't think most people would ride THAT aggressively in the really cold weather anyway. For one thing, it takes longer for the tires to get up to optimum temperature (if they ever get up there at all). Plus, the extra layers of clothing one wears in the winter can also limit your mobility as well. |
