changing handlebars...tips?

[littlecat]

ok, I need to change the slightly bent bars on kittys er5...have a new set of renthals here , and pretty sure I can manage it.. anyone got a brief running order...what do I take off first , in what order , what to watch out for etc etc

[Tango]

Disconnect battery,

Remove both handlebar switchgear units.

Remove front brake lever and reservoir unit and secure it with string or something so the reservoir doesn't turn upside down and let some air into the lines (very unlikely to happen......but better to be safe.... )

Remove bar end weights.

Remove clutch lever and perch.

Remove clutch side grip.

Undo handlebar clamps

Loosen throttle unit and slide it off the end of the bar......but you may need to slide the bar across to the left side of the bike to allow it to clear the end of the bar because of the throttle cable.

Refitting is the reverse of this......but.......wrap a single layer of insulation tape round the bar where the switch gear units sit. The switch units may have a small pip on the inside surface that locates them into a hole on the bar to stop them rotating, but the Renthal's won't have the locating holes in them......so, either file the small pip off the inside of the switchgear units, or carefully drill a small locating hole in the new bar in the correct place........me? I filed the pip off the switchgear unit.....

Make sure that the front brake hose is not tight......and the clutch and throttle cable routing are ok and you can turn the bars lock-to-lock without the revs going up or the clutch cable pulling and causing the clutch free play to disappear.....

[Stu]

Just one thing to point out on top of that is to extend the forks to check the lines as the don't want to be pulling tight on full fork extension

[littlecat]

cheers guys, got her in the garage now, so hopefully start on it tomorrow night.

tango, that's brilliant mate thanks, id probably not have thought of disconnect the battery

[Grumpy Old Git]

One thing Tango did not mention in his excellent brief:-

First - Check beer is in the fridge for the 'sucess party' after the rebuild.

[littlecat]

good point GoG... though im pretty sure the garage beer fridge is empty , and has been for a while

[littlecat]

actually, now I think about it... I think I gave it away to some hard up students