Handlebar options - M696?

[spotcom]

G'day all

As I mentioned in my intro post, I've bought a Monster 696 to go racing with.  It was a repairable write-off, and one of the bent bits was the handlebars.

I've got a new set on order, but guess what? There's NONE in the country.  The ones I've got on order were ordered over a month ago, and apparently are being brought by slow row boat from Italy.  It's almost guaranteed that I won't get them before the first race day on 3 July.  I was also hoping to test it this weekend at Eastern Creek...

I tried a spare set of bars I had lying around for the Suzuki DRZ400. Unfortunately, dirtbike bars have to great a rise in them, and sweep back more than the stockers. The impact of this is that the cables (throttle, clutch) are too short, and bind when turning on full lock.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Are there clip-ons that would fit, for instance?  Any other suggestions?   

I was planning to take the DRZ bars around the various stealerships to see if there's a flatter option...

Here's a pic, by the way, of the bike before I stripped it this weekend.  I'll post up some more when I get it back together.


Oh, and one with my garage helper.  He's about 60kgs worth of helpfulness and farts.

[mattyvas]

I think Dez has some dirtbike bars on his 695. Can't remember what brand but I'm pretty sure they are dirtbike's.

[Jukie]

Hmm I think I have some handlebar that came out of my stomach but they are now bent too sorry

[suzyj]

Your dog looks concerned.  I suspect he's worried that you'll try to ride the bike with bent bars and then there'll be nobody to feed him.

I'm replacing my bars with clip-ons - you're welcome to my old bars once I pull them off, but that's unlekely to be for several weeks.

[monstermick58]

G'Day er.. Spotty

                         I have a set of stock bars off my '97 900M, you're welcome to use these if they suit your needs.




                                            Mmick

[spotcom]

It looks like I may have the problem solved. I talked to the Renthal distributer today, and have a set of "streetfighter" style ultra low road bars coming my way now.  If they don't work... well, back to the drawing board! 

Your dog looks concerned.  I suspect he's worried that you'll try to ride the bike with bent bars and then there'll be nobody to feed him.

I'm replacing my bars with clip-ons - you're welcome to my old bars once I pull them off, but that's unlekely to be for several weeks.

Thanks suzyj! Yeah, he gets worried over the slightest little thing.  Thanks for the offer - hopefully I'll not need to take you up on it.

By the way - LOVE your photography work.  Have you ever snuck out to Eastern Creek to snap some of the bike in action and in the pits?

                         I have a set of stock bars off my '97 900M, you're welcome to use these if they suit your needs.

Thanks MMick. I'll PM you if the Renthals don't work out - it could well get me out of trouble for the first round, but hopefully I will be right now.

Hmm I think I have some handlebar that came out of my stomach but they are now bent too sorry

Ouch.    There's a story there somewhere... hope things are okay now Jukie.

I think Dez has some dirtbike bars on his 695. Can't remember what brand but I'm pretty sure they are dirtbike's.

Hopefully Renthals!   

[suzyj]

It looks like I may have the problem solved. I talked to the Renthal distributer today, and have a set of "streetfighter" style ultra low road bars coming my way now.  If they don't work... well, back to the drawing board! 

Awesome!

By the way - LOVE your photography work.  Have you ever snuck out to Eastern Creek to snap some of the bike in action and in the pits?

No, I'm not really sure what the protocol is with photographing at EC.  I wouldn't want to get in people's way.  Also I generally don't take photos of people without their permission.

I'd love to do so though.  Perhaps when you're at EC next time, if it wouldn't be too much offputting to have me point lenses at ya...  Same goes for all you mugs, BTW.  I really like taking photos, and bikes make such pretty subjects.  It'd give me the perfect opportunity to use my thumping big 300mm lens, too...

[spotcom]

Well the "protocol" at EC is that they don't let people other than the official photographer get to spots like on the pit wall or the outside of Turn 9, etc.  But that doesn't stop others getting some great shots - you can get in near Turn 3 & 4, for instance. With the 300mm you'd be fine. I took a 200mm there once, and got some good ones. 

As far as getting in people's way - no chance! People wander through the pits all day long taking photos. Nobody minds having their bike photographed!

I'll be there on Saturday, as will Dockstrada. He's usually got a bike worth photographing. 

[Betty]

Ouch.    There's a story there somewhere... hope things are okay now Jukie.

Well there is more than one thread dedicated to the subject.

The incident thread:
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=24996.0

The trip thread:
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=33454.0

The recovery BBQ thread:
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=26053.0

... and my little thank you thread:
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=28906.0

Not that you really wanted to know all that ... shows that this mob aren't that bad though.

[suzyj]

I'll be there on Saturday, as will Dockstrada. He's usually got a bike worth photographing. 

Awesome - I'll see ya there then.  What time do you expect to arrive?

[craigo]

Turn 2/3 is where it's at if you just rock up to take photos. 200-300mm should do ya just fine. Here is a set I took last year: clickety

I might rock down on Saturday and take some pics. I'm not gonna be riding anywhere as it's double demerits.

[suzyj]

Thanks for that Craigo, I had a looksie through your photos to see what focal length etc you were using.  My camera is 400 less than yours, so with the cropped sensor I might be going a bit long with my 300.  I think I'll pack some shorter lenses as well...

[mattyvas]

IMO take the longest lens you have and stand as close as you can.
The action and faces are always in tight. Here is the inside of turn 4, plus a little set from the last day I was there.
Set of pics here.

[spotcom]

Hey I've got to thank you all again for your kind offers. Craigo even offered to lend me his set of bars if I ran into trouble.   Makes a newbie feel very welcome.      

The Renthal bars arrived today.  If you're thinking of ordering some yourself - they're Renthal Ultra-Low Road Bars.  Cassons are the distributor - I phoned them direct, and they were very helpful. Once I explained what I needed, I then phoned a retailer, told them who to call at Cassons, and they were shipped straight away. Can't beat that kind of service!  
Part number is 7581S - on this page: http://www.cassons.com.au/IN_Listing.asp?vid=00000002MW00000007ZP&catid=00000002MW000000081L

Here's the photo with them fitted.  (I still suspect that they're slightly taller than the Monster originals, but they'll do the job, and the OEMs will arrive some time in July...)


Now for the bad news...

I went to adjust the steering stops - they're a bolt with a nut on the lower triple clamp.  I loosened the nut on the left hand nut (the side that had been laid down), then went to undo the bolt. To my surprise, the bolt twisted right off with no effort at all - leaving the stub in the alloy triple clamp.  Oh well, I thought, I'll just fix it later, and turned my attention to the stop on the right-hand side.  SAME THING!  

I've now got to get some easy-outs onto the bolts, and make up some new ones.  Won't be that hard - just a nuisance.

Here's a photo of the offending part - I've just laid the broken nut & bolt stub next to it so you can see what I'm talking about.


Thankfully I've got Friday off to finish this bike, ready for its first trackday on Saturday.  (Fix this issue, put new tyres on it, fit the new rearsets that I've got coming from CIA, put some fuel in it, and GO!)  

[Nickati]

Hey can't you use vice grips or a stud extractor on the exposed end of the bolt and wind it through ?

Should be easy enough.