Handlebar Balancer

Tonckawa · 06-15-2008, 09:16 PM

The Balancer on the throttle grip had come loose while driving. Tried to screw it back on, no luck. Balancer is there. Long screw is there, no nut or grommet or whatever is there. Had to remove and put balancer and screw in saddle bag. Anyone know anything about this? I use it to maintain my speed. The number 1 in pic below is pointing to it. Throttle grip is OK, no problems there.

**jonathan180iq** · 06-15-2008, 10:25 PM

That's commonly called a bar-end.

If there was no nut on the back of the long bolt, that's your problem. You can either get aftermarket ones for cheap or get a lon skinny something and try and fish out the nut that goes on the end of the bolt.

When working properly, as you screw in the long bolt the rubber part behind the thing expands and keeps the bar end in place.
You can use any expander type bar end as long as they are 7/8"

patrick_777 · 06-16-2008, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

get a long skinny something and try and fish out the nut that goes on the end of the bolt.

Good luck with that.

Maybe you could take off the other side and fire compressed air though the bars? Without aiming at anything that is.

Easy Rider · 06-16-2008, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tonckawa

The Balancer on the throttle grip had come loose while driving.

Tricky little devils they are. They are weighted bar-ends and are used (mainly) for vibration dampening. The missing parts are probably still in there. I'm betting the replacement comes as a whole assembly; I can't imagine them being TOO expensive............if you can't fish out the parts inside the bar.

They need to be VERY snug but will never really tighten like a regular bolt and nut; you will see why when you see the part inside.

The one on the right side is particularly handy 'cause with the addition of a 75 cent O ring, it becomes a cruise control !!

Tonckawa · 06-16-2008, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

They are weighted bar-ends and are used (mainly) for vibration dampening.

When I did have it on there, it was broken. My hand would start to go numb sometimes if there were no stops or red lights after awhile, :lol:

I figure something out. Thinking about getting rid of bike for a bigger one now. Wife is always wanting to ride with me. DAMN!!

**jonathan180iq** · 06-16-2008, 01:49 PM

You're already thinking of a bigger bike?

Is that just because your wife wants to ride with you or are you feeling the need for more grunt?

If it's the latter I'd suggest sticking with this bike for a little while longer just to make sure that you aren't making an impulse decision.
I can understand if you feel like you'll be riding two-up more often than not.
But the overall ease of operation of this bike and almost nill daily expense makes it worth much more than any larger bike could ever be.

5th_bike · 06-17-2008, 09:48 PM

Well when you unscrew the long screw, the end weight; the screw; a piece of rubber; a metal tube; and maybe a ring come off and out. Another piece of rubber (the piece that expands between the ring and the nut) and the nut will stay in the handlebar.

Today I finally fixed the right bar end, with a piece of aluminum (?) wire about 1.5 mm thick, bent a little hook at the end and I managed to get the rubber out, although it lost a few large fragments... To get the nut out I had to lay the bike on its right side (on the grass) and hammer ('tick') the handlebar until the nut fell out.

Put it back together, but it should have a new piece of expansion rubber (edit: aha, it's the 'expander', part number 56272-44500) as this one is somewhat damaged now and I can't get it 'really' tight.

Badbob · 06-18-2008, 06:12 AM

I took my bars off and dumped the hardware out. That was after I used a long lag bolt to pull out the rubber part. I put some lock tight on the screw when reinstalling. It's been in there two years now with out coming off.

Tonckawa · 07-05-2008, 06:10 PM

Well...I kind of got embarassed. I was going to a place called Harbor Freight Hardware store (love that place) and just happened by the Suzuki dealer and decided to stop in and tell them about the Handlebar Balancer and can't get it back on no matter what I have tried. The mech took the bike and 10 minutes later he comes back and says, "I got it on".

WHAT!!!!!!!!

He said he just screwed it back on. I TRIED THAT SEVERAL TIMES!! Oh well, at least it is back on and I will keep track of it's tightness from now on. On a side note, I told them the signal indicator (green light by speedometer) stopped working after only having the bike a month. They said it is a bulb and NOT part of the warranty and they would have to charge for it. Bulb is $1.50 but a flat rate of $80 an hour for labor. $81.50 to change a bulb.

WHAT!!!!!!

I bought the bulb and replaced it myself. GEEZ!!

**jonathan180iq** · 07-05-2008, 07:37 PM

If it takes them a whole hour to change a little bulb I think you might have a different problem altogether....

06-15-2008, 09:16 PM	#1
Tonckawa Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 55	Handlebar Balancer The Balancer on the throttle grip had come loose while driving. Tried to screw it back on, no luck. Balancer is there. Long screw is there, no nut or grommet or whatever is there. Had to remove and put balancer and screw in saddle bag. Anyone know anything about this? I use it to maintain my speed. The number 1 in pic below is pointing to it. Throttle grip is OK, no problems there. __________________ [ Login or Register to Remove Ads
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06-17-2008, 09:48 PM	#7
5th_bike Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: HoCo, Maryland Posts: 1,349	Well when you unscrew the long screw, the end weight; the screw; a piece of rubber; a metal tube; and maybe a ring come off and out. Another piece of rubber (the piece that expands between the ring and the nut) and the nut will stay in the handlebar. Today I finally fixed the right bar end, with a piece of aluminum (?) wire about 1.5 mm thick, bent a little hook at the end and I managed to get the rubber out, although it lost a few large fragments... To get the nut out I had to lay the bike on its right side (on the grass) and hammer ('tick') the handlebar until the nut fell out. Put it back together, but it should have a new piece of expansion rubber (edit: aha, it's the 'expander', part number 56272-44500) as this one is somewhat damaged now and I can't get it 'really' tight. __________________ 2005 "Saturn Black", stock + tach
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06-18-2008, 06:12 AM	#8
Badbob Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tallahassee FL Posts: 945	I took my bars off and dumped the hardware out. That was after I used a long lag bolt to pull out the rubber part. I put some lock tight on the screw when reinstalling. It's been in there two years now with out coming off. __________________ My GZ250 Blog Facebook Pinterest Google+ Tumblr YouTube Lumber Jocks
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07-05-2008, 06:10 PM	#9
Tonckawa Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 55	Well...I kind of got embarassed. I was going to a place called Harbor Freight Hardware store (love that place) and just happened by the Suzuki dealer and decided to stop in and tell them about the Handlebar Balancer and can't get it back on no matter what I have tried. The mech took the bike and 10 minutes later he comes back and says, "I got it on". WHAT!!!!!!!! He said he just screwed it back on. I TRIED THAT SEVERAL TIMES!! Oh well, at least it is back on and I will keep track of it's tightness from now on. On a side note, I told them the signal indicator (green light by speedometer) stopped working after only having the bike a month. They said it is a bulb and NOT part of the warranty and they would have to charge for it. Bulb is $1.50 but a flat rate of $80 an hour for labor. $81.50 to change a bulb. WHAT!!!!!! I bought the bulb and replaced it myself. GEEZ!! __________________ [
	0

06-15-2008, 10:25 PM	#2
jonathan180iq Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 3,996	That's commonly called a bar-end. If there was no nut on the back of the long bolt, that's your problem. You can either get aftermarket ones for cheap or get a lon skinny something and try and fish out the nut that goes on the end of the bolt. When working properly, as you screw in the long bolt the rubber part behind the thing expands and keeps the bar end in place. You can use any expander type bar end as long as they are 7/8"
	0

06-16-2008, 01:49 PM	#6
jonathan180iq Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 3,996	You're already thinking of a bigger bike? Is that just because your wife wants to ride with you or are you feeling the need for more grunt? If it's the latter I'd suggest sticking with this bike for a little while longer just to make sure that you aren't making an impulse decision. I can understand if you feel like you'll be riding two-up more often than not. But the overall ease of operation of this bike and almost nill daily expense makes it worth much more than any larger bike could ever be.
	0

07-05-2008, 07:37 PM	#10
jonathan180iq Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 3,996	If it takes them a whole hour to change a little bulb I think you might have a different problem altogether....
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