Clubman handlebar questions

[smiles79]

So I'm gonna cafe my '75 this winter, and I was looking for some handlebar advice. I think I want clubmans, but I was wondering if anyone has any issues with fitting the controls or anything hitting the tank.

Also, does anyone have any insight as far as drop and pullback? Pictures would be awesome!

Thanks,
Smiles

 

[Brassneck]

It's a relatively easy change to make, but with everything...you'll need to "fix" some of the impacts that lowering the bars will require.

So here are some clubman's that I fit onto my '79 special. I got them out of a salvage yard for $10--and they were straight! I'll be getting clip ons down the road--so this was a perfect solution for my current needs. But since they were "found" I can't say what the pullback or drop is, but they are fairly standard from what I recall (I had a set way back in the 90's on a different bike and they feel about the same)...

(Unfortunately, I don't have pics of how I routed the lines...and I'm not home to take any this week--but if you need them, I can probably get to it this weekend.)

With regard to issues, I had to address the steering stops, as the bars would hit the tank. Note: I did switch my tank for an xs750 which is wider, but I am pretty sure the stock tank would have also not cleared the clubmans. I chose to drill into the stock stops and I tapped them to add a small screw which I can now turn in/out to adjust the stops. Kind of a pain to do...but worked for me.
(With clip ons, you may be able to turn them out a bit so they don't hit your tank and not deal with the steering stops at all...I'm sure someone who has them can voice their experience).

As far as cables, if you're currently using stock (Standard) length cables, they should work...but may be just a tad long, and you will likely want to reroute them so their "bends" aren't too extreme... meaning the throttle cable could be re-routed on the other side of the frame taking up a few inches of length that you gained by lowering your bars with clubmans...same with the clutch cable, etc. The brake lines may also be an issue...

For my bike, I started with a "Special II" and high bars, so I switched everything to "Standard" lengths and that seems to work well enough... I haven't changed the front brake hose though, I simply re-routed it and switched the mounting points so that the bends wouldn't be as extreme...but it's still far from perfect. Ultimately, I'm going to get a braided line and go direct from master cylinder to brake, getting rid of the connection point on the lower triple tree...I just haven't spent the $ on them yet.

 

[bergoff]

On my 79 they didn't hit the tank. But the cables were way to long. I had to route my clutch cable a little different and it made the pull a little harder. Also the front brake line was also to long and I just stuffed it down behind the headlight a little bit.

 

[smiles79]

Brassneck, any pictures of your cable routing and your modifications to the steering stops would be awesome!

Bergoff, what was the rise and pullback on your bars? Do you have any pictures?

Thanks!

 

[Uhlaf]

I've hot clubmans on my 81 Special II, real easy to do. The only problem I had was with the MC, the banjo bolt had to be rotated upwards for clearance issues and had to grind down a stop the banjo had.

Took 2 minutes.

Of course after it turns out that was all unnecessary.

On the topic of clubmans I find them extremely comfortable compared to the original and then the euro bars I had on. Forces me knees to either side of the tank and I feel really planted on the bike. I should also mention that mine do not hit my tank, no additional stops needed

 

[Brassneck]

Sure, I'll get pics taken this weekend.

 

[bergoff]

I have no idea what the pullback or rise is. I have some pics of it in my profile.

 

[smiles79]

Thanks everyone! I suppose I'll buy some and see how I like them.

 

[fredintoon]

Thanks everyone! I suppose I'll buy some and see how I like them.

Hi smiles,
and that's the only way to find out. 'Bars is like shoes, you gotta try them on to see if they fit.
Took me a few goes:-
Stock rototillers; look and feel effin ridiculous.
CB750; a lot better look but still too high.
Eurobars; nice look but too low.
'72 Suzuki GT750 bars; goddam perfect solo but a tad too forward for sidecar work.
Finally, who'da thought it? XS11 Standard bars for the sidecar.

 

[FLEA]

don't know where po bought them but the clubmans that came with my bike were adjustable. the hand piece sections slide up and down on main section,never seen them before only solid sets.maybe another option if you look around for them (adjusts riding height)

 

[arcticXS]

don't know where po bought them but the clubmans that came with my bike were adjustable. the hand piece sections slide up and down on main section,never seen them before only solid sets.maybe another option if you look around for them (adjusts riding height)

Adjustable clubman bars would be known as "Laverda bars" here in Scandinavia. Most likely some of the Laverda 1000/ 1200 triples were sold with these bars. 3C1000, Jota 1000, Mirage 1200. All nice bikes, by the way. A stock 1000 Jota would blow a stock Kawasaki Z1000 into the weeds, back in the day

 

[arcticXS]

don't know where po bought them but the clubmans that came with my bike were adjustable. the hand piece sections slide up and down on main section,never seen them before only solid sets.maybe another option if you look around for them (adjusts riding height)

Adjustable clubman bars would be known as "Laverda bars" here in Scandinavia. Most likely some of the Laverda 1000/ 1200 triples were sold with these bars. 3C1000, Jota 1000, Mirage 1200. All nice bikes, by the way. A stock 1000 Jota would blow a stock Kawasaki into the weeds, back in the day

 

[Brassneck]

Hey Smiles,

Here's a few pics that I took of my set up...I'm not sure if this really helps you much, as it's kind of hard to see. With your set up, I'm sure you'll be able to make it work for your needs...mine is temporary until I change out the brake hose, new headlight and gauges, etc...but it works (Not pretty though).

So this is of the banjo bolts connecting to the mid-point on the lower triple tree...I switched how they were connected, so that the line coming from the master cylinder could wind around the headlight and then under the lower triple tree (connecting to position 4). The hose on the left is now going down to the brake caliper... this helped with the sharp bends that would have been present had it remained attached as it was. Again, I was coming from high-bars, so the brake line was much longer than standard length...this may not be as much of a problem for you if that's what you're starting with:

This next one is of the re-routing of the clutch and throttle line... which really can't be seen very well... however, you can see the clutch cable (staring on the right side of the pic) going over the headlight and around the opposite side of the frame...and the same would be true of the throttle cable, but hard to see as it's behind the headlight. (You can however, see the brake hose coming down around the headlight and connecting per the above pic--it's the one with the spring/cover thing):

And finally, here's a pic of the steering stop adjustment I did. This is taken from behind the triple tree (next to the tank) as I couldn't get a shot of it with the headlight being in the way. You can kind of see (middle of the pic, to the left/under the electrical tubing and to the right of the speedo cable) the back of the steering stop with a screw in it. I had drilled/tapped it and can turn the screw in/out depending on how much I need to adjust the stop:

Hope this helps.

 

[smiles79]

Thanks a lot!