angrygirafe Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 Please? Got a great summer internship in the Los Angeles area, and my manager expects me to attend every company related event I can, so that requires a lot of travel. In the Los Angeles area. I haven’t been particularly in love with the yard stick Yamaha calls a bar anyway, and it really limits lane splitting capabilities around here. Anyone got a suggestion for narrow bars that still fit our controls? Ideally I’d like a little more forward lean as well, but that’s not critical. I know I’ve seen aftermarket bars mentioned here (Rizoma?) but I just don’t know what works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member betoney Posted June 8, 2018 Supporting Member Share Posted June 8, 2018 I too didn't like the ultra wide bars on the FJ I have used Rizoma on 2 different bikes and really like them, some riding buddies use Renthal Street Fighter. Go to the manufacturer website and look at dimensions as they offer a few different models with different height and sweep. I measured the controls on each side and cut down the bars a little further on each side and then cut threads in the inside for bar end weights. ***2015 Candy Red FJ-09*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted June 8, 2018 Supporting Member Share Posted June 8, 2018 @angrygirafe - if you haven’t already done so, start by removing the handguards on your FJ. I finally got around to doing that on mine, and was surprised by how much lighter & narrower the bike feels... I realize this is 100% a visual & sensory trick, but now I’m - surprisingly - fairly happy with the stock bar. I run the bar risers in the forward position, with the seat in the tall slot, and have rotated the bars a bit forward in the clamps... I would still prefer a bit more sporting riding position, including slightly narrower bars, but overall it’s not bad. Edit: Forgot to mention that I have the factory saddlebags on my bike, and with the handguards removed the bars are slightly narrower than the width of the bags. That’s an important thing to keep in mind if you’ll be lane splitting with saddlebags in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBB Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 A question on lane splitting as I’m curious. Do you mean riding between two lanes of moving traffic? If so, then will having one or even two inches narrower bars make the manoeuver safer or easier to do? I personally don’t like splitting lanes in moving traffic and am surprised that the difference between wide or narrower bars would change my mind: your still squeezing your vulnerable self between larger objects and having slightly narrower bars means you’re squeezing into an even narrower gap and compromising your safety. If you do it in stationary traffic then you can take your time and I don’t find the wide bars a restriction at all. Certainly easier on the FJ than my buddies on R1200RTs find it ? Red 2015 Tracer, UK spec (well, it was until I started messing with it...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 A question on lane splitting as I’m curious. Do you mean riding between two lanes of moving traffic? If so, then will having one or even two inches narrower bars make the manoeuver safer or easier to do? I personally don’t like splitting lanes in moving traffic and am surprised that the difference between wide or narrower bars would change my mind: your still squeezing your vulnerable self between larger objects and having slightly narrower bars means you’re squeezing into an even narrower gap and compromising your safety. If you do it in stationary traffic then you can take your time and I don’t find the wide bars a restriction at all. Certainly easier on the FJ than my buddies on R1200RTs find it ? When I was living in CA, I would frequently filter between moving cars. At first, its mildly intimidating. However, after a month or two one becomes very comfortable. There's three huge aspects of lane sharing often over looked and why I believe lane sharing is safer than not lane sharing within 15mph of the flow of traffic. 1. You're much much less likely to be rear ended. 2. Its easier for cars to see you because you're right along the edge of the car 3. If someone is so ignorant they won't see another car, there's zero chance they're going to see you. I used other cars to my advantage, drivers wouldn't need to see me, just see the car next to them. '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno12345 Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 For me it's more about sneaking to the front of stationary traffic. Where you can really use an extra inch clearance to sneak past I'm in the UK where that's perfectly normal though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angrygirafe Posted June 9, 2018 Author Share Posted June 9, 2018 I haven’t taken the stock gaurds off, but I’ll give it a try. I’d just hate to end up needing bar ends that end up just as wide. As for a few inches while splitting; yes, it helps. Even if if’s not that close, it means I’ll decide to split through areas I wouldn’t otherwise. Though I have seen a guy on a sport bike split and touch both cars with his legs. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angrygirafe Posted June 9, 2018 Author Share Posted June 9, 2018 And I know everyone has an opinion on splitting, and wars have been fought over the differences, but my philosophy is if I fits, I splits. Don’t care if traffic is stopped, moving, or speeding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smifff Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 a little off topic, but maybe not,............. it's an interesting debate, we all have our different risk limits but sadly little respect for others limits, it's like the ATGATT bloke who runs the cheapest tyre he can get and a $100 helmet, there's nothing wrong with that it's within his risk limit it's like the bloke who says lane splitting is dangerous but rides a motorcycle when he could drive a car, there's nothing wrong with that it's within his risk limit the bloke who thinks wheelies and sliding are too dangerous, so others shouldn't do it I'm a living contradiction, I'm ok to ride in a t shirt but will not ride on shet tyres or crap suspension because I think they're unsafe to some extent we're all living contradictions as motorcyclists, it's just a pity that we try to impose our individual risk limits on others my view, do whatever you are comfortable with as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else, go hard. instead of judging each other I'd rather learn from each other, after all, every other bastard on the road is trying to kill us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Well put smifff. '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chitown Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 With the stock handguards removed you'll save some width. I split on the freeway often. But also on a Gold Wing for many years and the FJR so used to managing tight space.. You could trim the stockers. Say 1" each end, re-tap the ends if you want threads, drill new switch holes etc. Some have gone after market or FZ-09 bars, 2" narrower. New control cables might be required. If you bring the mirrors in there are mirror extenders available. There are threads on various after market bars if you use the search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angrygirafe Posted June 9, 2018 Author Share Posted June 9, 2018 Getting the CCT replaced right now, but I’ll tear the hand guards off later today. I’ll probably need to go for a long ride tomorrow to reassess. ? They do have some Rizoma and Pro-Taper bars in stock here. Shiny. Side note: ~300 bikes on the floor, but no FJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angrygirafe Posted June 9, 2018 Author Share Posted June 9, 2018 Hand gaurds are off. It looks MUCH narrower. It’s nice to be able to see the widest points of the bike (mirrors) where as the wide points of the guards were obscured. I’ll try it out this week and if I like it, I may just throw some bark busters on. Thanks for the suggestions guys. I may get to spend my pennies on other farkles now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member texscottyd Posted June 10, 2018 Supporting Member Share Posted June 10, 2018 Hand gaurds are off. It looks MUCH narrower. I had the same revelation, and now wish I hadn’t waited so long to get rid of the factory handguards. You may notice more vibration through the bars initially, but it’s easy to squash if you just thread in a set of bar end weights from an FZ9. They’re cheap, look clean, and only add marginally to the overall width. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBB Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 my view, do whatever you are comfortable with as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else, go hard. instead of judging each other I'd rather learn from each other, after all, every other bastard on the road is trying to kill us Some great points @smifff. I didn’t mean to hijack the OP request about narrower bars BTW, but the lane splitting question made me want to chime in. I give up my time at weekends to instruct riders in gaining their advanced motorcyclist qualification and I’m just starting on my masters level instruction qualification, so I spend quite a bit of time thinking about and watching other riders. We only really have two aims: to teach how to make “good progress” on a bike (overtaking, lane splitting, etc) and to teach how to ride safely so we survive on the roads. We’re not therefore slow or cautious riders in any way. I hate acronyms, but we use one which is relevant here: SLAP. Is your next overtake/lane split/straight lining of a curve(delete where applicable), Safe, Legal, Achieving something, what is the Perception you leave to other road users. The first two are obvious, but getting bikers to take into account the last two is a challenge, particularly the last one. Lots of car drivers hate us because their last encounter with a bike was negative. So, long-winded way of disagreeing with the “do whatever you’re comfortable with” as this just spoils the perception of motorcyclists for all of us. Red 2015 Tracer, UK spec (well, it was until I started messing with it...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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