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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Handlebar construction?
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Message started by Redfire_05GT on 07/04/06 at 18:24:26

Title: Handlebar construction?
Post by Redfire_05GT on 07/04/06 at 18:24:26

Is anyone familiar with what's inside the S40 handlebars? It looks like some sort of solid core. Anyone know if it's removeable? I'd like to retrofit handlebar end weights from a C50 if possible!

Thanks!
Daniel

Title: Re: Handlebar construction?
Post by WD on 07/04/06 at 20:00:28

Those are welded in bar weights. I've swapped my bike to apehangers, with NO bar end weights or internal dampening (sand, birdshot, barsnake, etc). Trust me, you do not need the weights from a functional standpoint.
-WD

Title: Re: Handlebar construction?
Post by Savage Librarian on 07/05/06 at 13:10:14

I'm with WD on this one. I swapped out for apes with no weights, and I can't say that I've noticed any real difference.

Title: Re: Handlebar construction?
Post by sluggo on 07/05/06 at 15:15:08

i changed to drag bars with no weights, and have felt no difference.

Title: Re: Handlebar construction?
Post by lancer on 07/05/06 at 23:23:24

Yep. ;)

Title: Re: Handlebar construction?
Post by Ed_L. on 07/06/06 at 07:48:49

Same here, no weights no difference.

Title: Re: Handlebar construction?
Post by Savage_Rob on 07/06/06 at 08:27:52

Hmmm, guess I wasted $5 and about 30 minutes (including the trip to Sprawl-Mart) filling mine with BBs and sealing it with epoxy. Oh well...

Title: Re: Handlebar construction?
Post by Savage Librarian on 07/06/06 at 09:45:43

I have both a C50 and a Savage, and I'm fairly certain that it would be quite easy to switch out grips and ends. I believe I saw one that someone else had done that to.

So if it's not making a difference in whether it's weighted or not, I wonder why Suzuki bothers? Seems like they could save a little on productions costs that way, and possibly pass that on (ok, probably wouldn't happen, but we can dream, can't we?). I dunno, maybe it's some obscure manufacturing law that all bikes sold new in the US have to have weighted handlebars or something. Wouldn't be the first time a government has had something ridiculous like that...

Title: Re: Handlebar construction?
Post by Redfire_05GT on 07/06/06 at 13:48:43

Savage Librarian wrote:

I have both a C50 and a Savage, and I'm fairly certain that it would be quite easy to switch out grips and ends. I believe I saw one that someone else had done that to.

I have both in my garage as well. The S40 is my g/f's. The C50 bar end weights need about 2" inside the end of the handlebar. The weights inside the S40's bars are welded about 1/2" from the end. I tried my C50 without the end weights and they do provide some vibration damping but even without the weights there's far less vibration than her S40 with it's welded-in weights. I was thinking the C50 bar end weights might work better than the welded-in weights but I'm not so sure of that now...

Title: Re: Handlebar construction?
Post by Ed_L. on 07/06/06 at 15:45:24

I test drove a C50 during bike week and noticed the lack of vibration in the handlebars, thought it was the V twin design. I know the C50 has a spring type weight in the handle bars cause the right handed weight kept falling out during the ride. Good old Suzuki quality control, the bike had maybe 600 miles on it :-/. I really noticed my big thumper on the ride home, the vibration felt good, like a bike should. :D

Title: Re: Handlebar construction?
Post by WD on 07/06/06 at 22:23:27

The grips on my unweighted FLH bars on the Vulcan barely shimmy. The grips on the Savage pendulum 2-3 inches when the machine is idling, hands off the bar. Going down the road? Both sets of grips feel the same, a slight buzzing, nothing more, nothing less.

And the bar ends are there for looks first and foremost. The sets I sell at work are potmetal, people add them, and swear they work. Um, no they don't...they are a placebo. They are another "shiny trinket" to entice people into parting with their cash.
-WD