Installing drag bars on a '81 Special

[B Burdine97]

Hello guys i recently got a set of drag bars (27.5" Length, 0" Rise, 3.75" Pullback) from mikesxs for my 1981 special and began to install them. Everything was going great, I rerouted the clutch cable as seen on previous threads, I went to mount the master cylinder, but then began to run into an issue. The master cylinder hits the tachometer, not allowing enough room for the throttle sleeve to be installed all the way on the bars. The throttle sleeve sticks out about an inch, so i need the master cylinder to move in about an inch. I have thought I need to either remove the tachometer, or make some mounts to raise it up a bit, allowing the master cylinder to slide in more. Does anyone have any different ideas or recommendations? Here are some pictures. Thanks!

 

[mrtwowheel]

You can cut some length off of the throttle sleeve, get shorter hand grips. this will allow the controls to be moved further towards the bar ends. Check out some hand grips, some are really short.

Scott

 

[gggGary]

Get a master cylinder that is a better fit, the ratio on the stocker is all wrong anyways, the angled special reservoir is wrong and looks stupid on drag bars.. Welcome to the world of changing "just one thing" LOL

http://www.ebay.com/itm/361646578556

 

[CoconutPete]

Pretty much can't say it any better than gggGary just did. "It's never just one thing".

I bought my 79' Special and went to change the handlebars as the first thing ... ended up being grips, master cylinder, front brake hose and bars.

 

[gggGary]

Not 'xactly whatcha got but that MC on a superbike bar with virago 535 risers. Also has those cushy colorado silicone grips. The torn one has been waranteed. Note; use acetone as a "lube" with a compressed air needle nozzle when installing grips, NO SLIP. Also Rokform phone/ with here GPS mount. 3 watt micro usb charger mounted under the top triple.

This would be about my 8th handlebar configuration "change" I have a set of Radian bars on the way right now. LOL With that small shield 200 miles is now pretty comfortable.
The virago risers mover the bars back and up about an inch. I'm pretty sure the windshield mounts are getting moved to the fork tubes. (which means aftermarket "ears" LOL. The Radian bars coming are a bit higher and narrower. Those are also Radian mirrors I kyped off a bike I flipped.
2cents; the drag bars will hurt your wrists.

 

[5twins]

I like lower bars but I feel drag bars are a bit too much. Besides the lack of comfort, they present many more mounting problems than just normal lower bars, as you're discovering. I've mounted a couple sets for people and they were a real P.I.T.A. I would never consider using them. I'd go clip-ons before that.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi B Burdine,
it's not for this overweight old person but if you like the drag bars riding position, that's fine.
I'd say the quickest fix is pound aluminum slugs into each bar end so all the bar hardware will mount a bit wider.
But that don't solve the problem that Gary noted. Not that I give a darn about what the M/C looks like but yes!
It's piston diameter is plain ol' too effin' big (It's perfect operating my Special's dual disks which tells me that a M/C with
a piston of HALF the area will be perfect operating just the one)
So yeah, it's never only the one thing.
Shop for an 11mm M/C and a stainless brake hose and be amazed at how much better that makes the front brake work.
And who knows, an aftermarket M/C may even clear your tach, eh?

 

[Brassneck]

I'd swap the MC for a better profiled one as GGG described. Plus, it's an upgrade if you're only using one brake rotor.

 

[CoconutPete]

I have the small black master cylinder from Mikes. Looks a lot better and takes up a hell of a lot less room on the bars. It's still kinda snug up there, and mine are tracker bars. I don't see how you're going to get it to work with the big stock master cylinder while keeping your tach.

 

[angus67]

ggg...german goo girls.
I have a11mm mc from mikesxs and it works very good with single disk, and stainless brakeline.

 

[gggGary]

Good Grief Guys, lighten up?

 

[B Burdine97]

Thanks for all the great replies guys! So if i do get a new MC I should get an 11mm one and a stainless brake hose? And this will all work on the bike nicely?
And yes unfortunately it is never just one thing, haha.

 

[B Burdine97]

And mine is a single brake set up if anyone is curious. Also I enjoy the looks of the drag bars personally, dont know why. They feel perfect for me having them bolted onto the bike, but Ill never know till the first couple hundred miles how comfortable they really are.

 

[fredintoon]

Thanks for all the great replies guys! So if i do get a new MC I should get an 11mm one and a stainless brake hose? And this will all work on the bike nicely?
And yes unfortunately it is never just one thing, haha.

Hi B Burdine,
yes, the 11mm M/C & stainless brake hose is the optimum fix to make the stock North American model single front disk work nicely.
That plus drilling the disk full of holes.
Note that XS650 disks are tougher than old boots which makes them difficult to drill.
Some have swapped in a slotted disk from an XS11 rather than face the drilling task.
Then there's the choice of brake pads. Vintage Brake knows best about that.

 

[B Burdine97]

Thanks fredintoon!