Highway Bars

[Orpheus]

Made my own highway bars for the bike. They're fully functional and look pretty nice (although I think I still need to make them a little more sturdy). Thanks to some innovative thinking by my neighbor and the metal working skills of my local ACE hardware, I can now stretch out while I ride. Stil not perfect, but pretty good for now.

Pictures:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0059.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0060.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0061.jpg

[Water Warrior 2]

Pretty slick mod on the cheap side of life. Like that a bunch. It is amazing how a little snooping in the hardware store can allow one to build a usable item for comfort. I think a lot of members here will be in the hardware store soon. Good pics too.

[Orpheus]

It was really much easier to build than I thought, but I still don't like how it looks like a bunch of random parts thrown together. I'm thinking about getting some black paint and just painting the whole thing the same color as the bike.

[trykemike]

very NICE !!!!!!!!!!

lots of enginuitey there

[Orpheus]

Okay, got the paint and decided to only paint the aluminum parts, keeping the chrome as-is. I think it looks much better, and you can't really notice that it's a redneck contraption at first glance. Here's the updated pictures:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0062.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0063.jpg

The black really matches the color of the bike better than the pictures show; after it fades a little, I think it'll be exactly the color of the footpeg mounts.

Here's a pretty innovative (and cheap) solution that I found while searching the 'net : http://roadstarclinic.com/content/view/164/107/

I might try this in the future if I decide I don't like what I've done here.

[jonathan180iq]

Can someone tell me why I cannot view certain types of images while others come up just fine?

All I see is a white background and I can't even find the section of the post to check the properties of the image.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Easy Rider]

Can someone tell me why I cannot view certain types of images while others come up just fine?

All I see is a white background and I can't even find the section of the post to check the properties of the image.

Any help would be appreciated.

Don't know why.......only way I know to "see" the path to the pics is to start a quoted reply. Copy the full path to the pics and then try to access them directly. These are just JPEG's.

[Orpheus]

Can someone tell me why I cannot view certain types of images while others come up just fine?

All I see is a white background and I can't even find the section of the post to check the properties of the image.

Any help would be appreciated.

Try clearing the temporary internet files in "tools"/"internet options"; this sometimes works. The pics are pretty big, and that might be a problem too. I'll pm them to you and see if they come through that way.

[jonathan180iq]

Ok. After selecting the whole post I can see three pixle sized dots down in the left hand corner of Orpheus' post.

When I look at the quoted reply screen, I can see that there should be 3 pictures. So, why on Earth can I not view a simple jpeg image?

[Easy Rider]

When I look at the quoted reply screen, I can see that there should be 3 pictures. So, why on Earth can I not view a simple jpeg image?

When did this become the GZComputer conference ?? :??: :)

Did you do like I suggested and try to view the individual pictures just by using the URL in your browser, outside of this forum? If you tried that and it still didn't work.........??????

My only guess is a security setting with your browser.
Did you take the other suggestion and clean out your cache?

[jonathan180iq]

Yeah. I cleaned it out and tried to open the direct link but I was blocked out of looking out it by my work server. I guess it's just something I'll have to live with while I'm here in the office.

Sorry for hijacking the post. :oops:

[Badbob]

[quote="Orpheus"]Made my own highway bars for the bike. They're fully functional and look pretty nice (although I think I still need to make them a little more sturdy). Thanks to some innovative thinking by my neighbor and the metal working skills of my local ACE hardware, I can now stretch out while I ride. Stil not perfect, but pretty good for now.

Now that's custom. Very nice.

[turbo chicken]

Cool mod... i was thinking about an engine guard before i saw this... nicely done

[Orpheus]

Just re-did the highway bar. Not quite done yet but I'll post some pictures when I'm finished (probably tomorrow morning). I think it's a lot better now.

[jonathan180iq]

I just finally got a chance to see the photos. I like that.
How about a shot of the bike from farther away?

[Orpheus]

I just finally got a chance to see the photos. I like that.
How about a shot of the bike from farther away?

If you're interested, I can send you the offset brackets and some of the other miscellaneous stuff, or just give you a write-up of how I made it. I just re-did the highway bar using one solid piece of steel and I've got everything from the old one left over except the footpegs and the mounts I fabricated for the engine. I'll have the new pictures up some time today (after the paint dries and I get it reassembled).

[jonathan180iq]

The write-up with photos would benefit everyone.

Thanks

[Orpheus]

Okay, just finished. Pictures first, write-up to follow.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0064.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0065.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0066.jpg

As you can see, the offset brackets and everything are traded for one piece of 1" diameter steel. Although the last setup was pretty comfortable, this setup is much more aesthetically pleasing in my opinion (and just as comfortable). What I did is I took the two flat rectangular pieces of steel that I had from the previous setup and attached them to the steel bar with j-bolts(which were ground down a little bit on the hook end). All the drilling and cutting was done for free at ACE Hardware, so I got away with the entire setup you see for about $30. If I had the tools and patience, I could have probably welded the steel parts together rather than using the j-bolts, but this seems pretty sturdy as-is.

Here's the full description:

I got a long piece of 1/8" thick steel from ACE. I had the guy there cut two 7" lengths out of it, and then drill one hole at the end of them and two holes at the other end for the engine mount bolts to fit through. Then, I got a piece of 1" diameter steel and had him cut it into a 20" piece (you could probably go as far as 24 or so inches before it started to look awkward on the bike). I had him drill two holes (roughly 2" apart) for the j-bolts to go through. I also had him drill holes for the clevis pin on the footpegs to fit through. I then had him grind down the j-bolts on the hook end, in order for them to fit better (not shown; you can just see the tops of the j-bolts coming out of the bar). Basically, I just painted it and slapped it all together for what you see above. If anyone's interested in doing something similar, pm me and I'll give better details. Oh yeah, I need to cut the tops of the j-bolts down a little too.

Things I might change:
As I said, I'd like to get the steel welded (or soldered) together, but I don't have the equipment or experience to really do it well, so I might not worry about it because it's pretty sturdy as-is; over the weekend, before I had everything really tight, one of my idiot coworkers laid my bike down and it rested perfectly on the bar, without scratching anything at all. He didn't fall at speed or anything; I was teaching him how to use the friction zone on the clutch and he lost his balance when he stopped (forgot to put his feet back down).
There's barely any clearance between the mounting pieces and the exhaust, and I think it might start to scratch the exhaust unless I put some sort of high-temp tape or gasket between them.

[jonathan180iq]

That's very clean looking.
It's definately better looking than your first attempt. That's not to say that the first one wasn't good looking in it's own right, but this looks more complete.

Nice work.

I do have one question. Can you remove the exhaust without having to disconnect the highway bars?

[Orpheus]

That's very clean looking.
It's definately better looking than your first attempt. That's not to say that the first one wasn't good looking in it's own right, but this looks more complete.

Nice work.

I do have one question. Can you remove the exhaust without having to disconnect the highway bars?

Yes, but it wouldn't be easy.

[patrick_777]

Nicely done and VERY clean looking. Are you planning on cutting those bolts off and capping them?

[Orpheus]

Nicely done and VERY clean looking. Are you planning on cutting those bolts off and capping them?

Yup.

[gnu88001]

Great setup! Just what I was looking for! I'm 6'1" tall so the GZ is a tad cramped on trips longer than an hour or so. Thank you for the idea.

--Gary :2tup:

[countrydad]

Looks great! I am also a long legged guy and need something like this. Hope you don't mind if I copy.

[Orpheus]

Here's the latest update:

I cut down the bolts and capped them and I think it looks much better now. Here's a pic:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0071.jpg

And here's a close-up of the j-bolts and how the whole thing's attached together:

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0072.jpg

I went on a camping trip this past weekend and I finally got a chance to use it on a long trip, rather than just around-town riding. It was really nice to have a way to stretch out during the ride, and I'd recommend it to anyone who does more than just short, local commuting. I found that it's nice to put my feet on the pegs, but if I totally stretch out and rest my legs on top of it, it's like having an ottoman attached to the bike. If I had some handlebars that pulled back a little more, a seat pad, and a backrest, it would be like riding a recliner. One note of caution, though: my legs are pretty short (31" inseam); if you have legs that are any longer, I'd say that you'll want to make the bar around 22"-24" wide rather than the 20" that I have. Also, the right bar is somewhat close to the brake and if you have big feet, it might get in the way a little; you'll have to make a conscious effort to get you foot underneath the bar whenever you brake (similar to moving your toe under the shifter with your left foot).

[cconleyjr]

have you thought about marketing that as a kit

[Orpheus]

have you thought about marketing that as a kit

It's not really too "professional" but anyone who's interested can certainly copy what I've done. If I had more time and money, as well as some welding experience, I'd really like to see what I could do with this idea; as it is, it's pretty nice though.

[mcintyre_aerospace]

Very Nice

I might try this, maybe with some good solid chrome pipe and just cap it and make the actial pipe the pegs as well, maybe with a lathe or something. It may take a little while, but Ill give it a try.

[Orpheus]

Very Nice

I might try this, maybe with some good solid chrome pipe and just cap it and make the actial pipe the pegs as well, maybe with a lathe or something. It may take a little while, but Ill give it a try.

Yeah, if I had a garage and some power tools, I'd be all over this bike with custom stuff; as it is, I'm stuck in an apartment until I'm done with school, and the only "power tool" I own is a cordless screwdriver.

This type of highway bar that I've made is nice because of its simplicity; a couple of cuts and a couple of holes and bolt the whole damn thing together and you're done.

[emi_ace]

I am going to build a set tomorrow kind of a miz of your design and a few ideas I have came up with. As soon as it is done I will post some pics. Wish me luck.

[blaine]

My homemade highway bars.

[alantf]

What's happening? I've just clicked on the pictures,to enlarge them, & it's sending me back to postimage.org :??:

[blaine]

What's happening? I've just clicked on the pictures,to enlarge them, & it's sending me back to postimage.org :??:


I don't know.Doing the same thing to me.Maybe someone has a answer.Just learning how to post pictures.


I got it fixed.Trial and error. :2tup: :2tup:

[duosport]

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0064.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0065.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm283/taburton/0066.jpg....


Does this pose any sort of danger in a crash, having this single bar jutting out?

[alanmcorcoran]

Assuming it's not wider than the handle bars. When you are lane splitting, especially at low speed, tight fits, it's best if you can assume your bars or your mirrors are the widest thing on your bike.

[duosport]

I am not so much asking if they will cause a crash, but rather if you have a crash, does this single tube jutting out pose a danger to the rider?

[blaine]

I am not so much asking if they will cause a crash, but rather if you have a crash, does this single tube jutting out pose a danger to the rider?
As long as they are built good & strong, they would be the same as ones you buy and pay a lot more for.They will keep the bike from going all the way over & pinning your leg.

:cool: :rawk:

[Water Warrior 2]

Slick simple way to mount the bar and pegs. As for predictioning potential hazards to health in a crash............there is only one true way to find out. Don't go there. Just ride and enjoy your passion.

[duosport]

I am considering a modification like this as opposed to crash bars. What I am interested in knowing is if this simple pipe jutting out constitues a hazzard in a crash.

[Water Warrior 2]

I wouldn't worry too much about the hazard. In a moving drop the square tubing may twist back from the mounting point but the header pipe will more than likely arrest it's travel. If you do not feel comfortable with your set-up you may want to get some MC crash bars and install highway pegs on them.

[alanmcorcoran]

In talking with some other dirt/dual riders, many of whom had fancy shin length boots with fancy buckles, ALL protruding parts of the bike, including pegs (folded and otherwise) brakes, clutch, etc. are potential sources of injury. That's why they wear the knee-length boots.

I think there are big differences between an accident at highway speeds and a basic lay down. I've had three lay downs and I think in those cases, the bars would reduce damage to the bike and possibly make it easier to pick back up. No full speed collisions (yet) but given the kinds of reports I've seen on here of highway speed accidents, I think your odds of both the bike and yourself both being pretty well effed are very high, bars or no bars.

One exception to this would be as I noted - if the bars are wider than the handlebars - which it didn't look like they were. I have also carelessly clipped curbs and other parking lot protrusions with my floorboards - not enough to cause an accident or significant damage, but enough to scare the $hit out of myself. The pegs look a bit higher and probably wouldn't hit anything you wouldn't be normally giving a wide berth to anyway. I have encountered some pretty stupidly placed cement filled poles, water valves, sprinkler pipes, you-name-it in parking garages, gas stations, RV parks and the like.

[duosport]

In talking with some other dirt/dual riders, many of whom had fancy shin length boots with fancy buckles, ALL protruding parts of the bike, including pegs (folded and otherwise) brakes, clutch, etc. are potential sources of injury. That's why they wear the knee-length boots.

I think there are big differences between an accident at highway speeds and a basic lay down. I've had three lay downs and I think in those cases, the bars would reduce damage to the bike and possibly make it easier to pick back up. No full speed collisions (yet) but given the kinds of reports I've seen on here of highway speed accidents, I think your odds of both the bike and yourself both being pretty well effed are very high, bars or no bars.

One exception to this would be as I noted - if the bars are wider than the handlebars - which it didn't look like they were. I have also carelessly clipped curbs and other parking lot protrusions with my floorboards - not enough to cause an accident or significant damage, but enough to scare the $hit out of myself. The pegs look a bit higher and probably wouldn't hit anything you wouldn't be normally giving a wide berth to anyway. I have encountered some pretty stupidly placed cement filled poles, water valves, sprinkler pipes, you-name-it in parking garages, gas stations, RV parks and the like.

I am guessing dirt bikers would know best. Though I am guessing they do a whole lot more flopping around with their bikes, while street riders slide. I am looking to do a mod like this in place of the crash bars. I cannot afford crash bars right now and I want to increase my safety. The foot pegs is not my main focus. I am supposing that this mod will help save the appearance of the bike in a low speed slid and my leg in a medium speed slide. I just do not want the "spear" sticking into my chest at any point.

[Easy Rider]

I am considering a modification like this as opposed to crash bars. What I am interested in knowing is if this simple pipe jutting out constitues a hazzard in a crash.

I always thought it did......to some small extent....as it looks to me like it would be more prone to digging into the pavement and making the bike spin after it went down, more so than a smooth chrome bar would do.

I have no idea if that is really true or not as it is only my gut feeling (ie wild guess).

[duosport]

Obviously if it were made from a thin wall tube it is going to simply fold back in a crash. What I am considering is something much sturdier that will not fold back. You may be right. It may provide a point to spin around from.

[duosport]

I have since looked and found the make "frame savers" or "sliders" for sport bikes. I did not know about these. They are pegs that jut out to help protect the bike in a lay down. so if it is OK to have tubes jut out in a sport bike then it must be OK in a cruiser.

[Water Warrior 2]

Frame sliders are much shorter and mount to a specific part of the frame. Many sport riders have them just in case of an oops. The GZ frame is quite a bit different compared to a sport bike. I might caution about "Really" sturdy tubing for the foot peg mounting bar. Don't make it the strongest part of the bike. If it won't bend then something more costly and vital just might.
Don't think this issue to death. You can't plan for everything so don't try. Riding a motorcycle is a dangerous passion compared to staying home in a rocking chair. Really safe tranportation would be a military tank with a top speed of 5 MPH. Of course the gas mileage would suck.

[mrlmd1]

The frame sliders on sportbikes are only good for a real slow speed or at rest fallover. They are meant to protect the plastics which are costly to replace. They do not provide any real protection for either the bike or the rider at speed. They are usually mounted to specific points on the frame with their own extra frame members where bolts for other purposes are located, and only jut out maybe 2 inches, There are round at the end and covered with a heavy plastic or polyethylene cap. They also have been known to bend a frame in a higher speed laydown sliding along the road. They are probably more cosmetic and hype for the sportbike crowd. If you want protection, you get a good engine guard/crash bar more designed for that purpose. I too would be very concerned about a bar digging into the roadway and spinning or flipping the bike around, You have enough to worry about without making more hazards for yourself. A bad idea in my mind, just IMHO.

[cayuse]

I appreciate the ingenuity shown on these pages and I've got a mind to build something similar, but I'm a little concerned about damaging my exhaust pipes if the bike goes down hard enough to bend the brackets jutting out between them. I'd hate to bust off a header (and break/strip the engine casting). OTOH, if I can walk away from a low-side with my legs intact maybe I won't give a $hit about my headers!

[duosport]

I appreciate the ingenuity shown on these pages and I've got a mind to build something similar, but I'm a little concerned about damaging my exhaust pipes if the bike goes down hard enough to bend the brackets jutting out between them. I'd hate to bust off a header (and break/strip the engine casting). OTOH, if I can walk away from a low-side with my legs intact maybe I won't give a $hit about my headers!
For one thing crash bars mount to the same sets of bolts. Crash bars are attached on top of the frame too, but I think that crash bars also would damage the exhaust in a slide. In examining the mount location I see that one side would actually have contact with the mounting flat bar. Not good. That mount needs to have a little "s" bent into it to avoid contacting the exhaust pipe.

My real concern is for my leg in a slide. if a bar like this would help in that regard, I am all for it. In addition it has already been stated by one of the original posters that his bike was dropped on pavement and it helped protect it. So thats good too.

[Water Warrior 2]

After all is said and done the aftermarket will probably be the best option for crash bars when the money is available. They are made to withstand a fair bit of abuse and offer reasonable protection to the bike and rider in most situations. If you manage to really mash the bars you will be more concerned with your own welfare first. The bike is easier to replace or repair than the human body. Consider the bars sacrificial the same as a crash bumper on a car.

[dannylightning]

verry cool, loos easy to make too

[duosport]

Well I made my attempt at low rent crash bars. I think I accomplished moderately good looks but their effectiveness as crash bars leaves much to be desired.

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/2052/pict0202c.jpg

[duosport]

The support flanges I made from sturdy 1/8" thick galvanized steel. The main tube is a 3/4" solid threaded steel rod with a rubber tube sleeve. The problem is the flanges are flat steel and are only about an inch or so apart. They torque. The right side support required an "S" bend in it to clear the exhaust pipe. I suspect that the other members set ups also flex at the supports a bit too.

I think I will be removing this bar from my bike.

[Water Warrior 2]

Well I made my attempt at low rent crash bars. I think I accomplished moderately good looks but their effectiveness as crash bars leaves much to be desired.

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/3139/pict0202l.jpg
I know you don't want to make the bike look like a bridge project but is there a possiblity you could add a brace from the bar down to the foot peg mount ? That would prevent torqueing and add a lot of strength.

[duosport]

I know you don't want to make the bike look like a bridge project but is there a possiblity you could add a brace from the bar down to the foot peg mount ? That would prevent torqueing and add a lot of strength.
That's a thought. Maybe. I can look into it. Not sure of the appearance of it.

[duosport]

I had a look and there is the bolt for the reflector just north of it all so that is not a bad idea. If it tightens it all up and I paint the mounting hardware flat black it would be pretty invisible.

[Water Warrior 2]

I had a look and there is the bolt for the reflector just north of it all so that is not a bad idea. If it tightens it all up and I paint the mounting hardware flat black it would be pretty invisible.
Right on !! Excellent idea. :2tup:

[blaine]

I had a look and there is the bolt for the reflector just north of it all so that is not a bad idea. If it tightens it all up and I paint the mounting hardware flat black it would be pretty invisible.
Right on !! Excellent idea. :2tup:
That would definitely make things stronger.
:2tup: :cool:

[cayuse]

yeah, duo, you've got to stiffen it up it you're going to leave it on. Getting back to my earlier concern, you don't want an accessory on there that makes a great place to rest your feet but ends up screwing up your exhaust in a 'lame' tip-over. After connecting it to the frame using the reflector screw, try gently laying your bike down on it's side and see if those galvanized bars flex at all.

[SpiritOaks]

Thanks for pointing me to this post Blaine!! I'm definitely putting hubby to work soon.... :crackup Orpheus, those pegs are the original stock rear pegs, right? I plan on removing the rear seat and thus the pegs, so that would save having to buy those. :rawk: I will be coming back to this post again. :2tup:

[alantf]

If I were you, I'd leave the rear pegs on the bike. Think ahead to when you want to sell the bike. Save the rear seat too, for the same reason. :2tup:

[blaine]

Thanks for pointing me to this post Blaine!! I'm definitely putting hubby to work soon.... :crackup Orpheus, those pegs are the original stock rear pegs, right? I plan on removing the rear seat and thus the pegs, so that would save having to buy those. :rawk: I will be coming back to this post again. :2tup:
Read through pages 2 & 3,there are a few other ideas you may like,that don't require removing the rear pegs. :cool: :cool:

[Water Warrior 2]

Susan, if you want to spring for some nice crash bars MC Enterprises makes some really nice ones. You can also get some decent after market pegs and clamps to put on them to stretch out your legs. There is a pic here somewhere with a GZ sporting the MC bars and they do look good.
Lynda has the MC bars on her M-50 and they have a good finish and are very sturdy. A great place to hang pegs and driving lights.

[SpiritOaks]

ALWAYS thinking ahead to future selling...hell just come to my house and see all of the ORIGINAL packaging and owners manuals and receipts we have piled up! :crackup No seats or pegs removed going ANYWHERE...'cept into a safe place.
Yeah, I think the MCs are the ones that I liked the best on eBay...the OEM ones are cheapie cheap looking. Has anyone moved the front pegs and thusly the shifter and brake pedal forward...roughly 6"? I was "farting around" today while riding and trying to get a feel for what spot felt best for my legs...and the placement of the shifter and brake are PERFECT for the front pegs. So now what??? :retard: I have seen the extensions....but how in the heck do you know which ones to buy...that will fit our "babies"?

[blaine]

Has anyone moved the front pegs and thusly the shifter and brake pedal forward...roughly 6"?
Don't think your gonna have any luck in that area.The pegs & pedals are already forward controls as compared to other bikes of this size.
:cool: :lol:

[Water Warrior 2]

You may never find forward controls for a GZ. Not enough of a mass market for them. Wait till after your seat mod and you may find there is a big difference in your comfort and the reach for your legs. I'm sure there is a forward control kit for the hubby's 650 thumper and the bike is very similar to the GZ. There might be a possibility of modifying a kit but I am not really sure if it would be feasible.

[alantf]

ALWAYS thinking ahead to future selling..

What I was getting at, when I suggested not removing the rear pegs, was that to make a neat job, after removing the pegs you'd be left with a pair of ugly brackets that are welded to the frame. The only way to make a neat job would be to cut off the brackets, grind the weld off, then repaint the frame. If you wanted to sell the bike, you'd have to re-weld the brackets, then re-paint them (If you wanted to get the best price, i.e. in original condition) :2tup: :)

[SpiritOaks]

ALWAYS thinking ahead to future selling..

What I was getting at, when I suggested not removing the rear pegs, was that to make a neat job, after removing the pegs you'd be left with a pair of ugly brackets that are welded to the frame. The only way to make a neat job would be to cut off the brackets, grind the weld off, then repaint the frame. If you wanted to sell the bike, you'd have to re-weld the brackets, then re-paint them (If you wanted to get the best price, i.e. in original condition) :2tup: :)


TRUE TRUE!!!! :rawk: