Anyone modify the Handlebar Position to be more forward?

[Tim Anderson]

Just curious if anyone has used the procedure in the service manual (attached) to rotate the handlebar risers so that the bars are a bit more forward.  Looks like you can gain an inch or so...  Looks pretty straightforward with the exception of gaining access to the bolts that hold the risers in place that have to be loosened. I'm going to try this as I'd like to get a bit more forward lean and I have long arms.  

If there are other/better solutions to move the bars forward or down, I'm all ears on those as well. Since the bars practically hit the top of the tank at full lock, there doesn't seem to be much leeway to lower them. 

Thanks,

Tim

 

[texscottyd]

Hi @Tim Anderson- This looks like exactly the same process as the earlier model FJ09…. It’s quick & easy, other than needing to figure out how to get to the nuts underneath the triple clamp.   A swivel socket and long combination of extensions did the trick for me.   It’s a noticeable improvement in riding position, but not a massive change.  

On my 2015 FJ, I ultimately installed a set of 60mm Rizoma risers, which lowered the bar another 1 inch or so.   I have details posted somewhere… I’ll see if I can find the link & post back into this thread.   On my bike, it’s the absolute lowest you could go with the stock bar and still clear the bodywork at full lock… the clearances are VERY tight.    

[Tim Anderson]

Thanks @texscottyd, appreciate the feedback. Glad to know that it does provide a noticeable improvement. Yes, I also did a quick try with a deep socket, swivel socket, and 2 extensions to get at the riser nuts, and it looks doable but quite fiddly.  Have not given it a patient try yet though.

So your 60 mm 'risers' are actually 'loweres' since they would be shorter than the OEM risers it looks like. 😄

 

Tim

 

 

[texscottyd]

24 minutes ago, Tim Anderson said:

So your 60 mm 'risers' are actually 'loweres' since they would be shorter than the OEM risers it looks like. 😄

Exactly!   The 60mm Rizomas are about 1.25 inches shorter that the stock FJ09 bar risers.   +/- in mixed units of measure… lol. 

[texscottyd]

Take a look at this post, and scroll through a bit so see the discussion and results.    The post-install photos are six or eight pages forward, so be patient as you scroll through ramblings about hurricanes, tornados, and the early stages of global pandemic… 😀

EDIT:   Odd link behavior, and you may need to scroll back a page to get to the specific post… March 29, 2020.  At the top of page 382 in Safari on my iPhone.   

The final ‘after’ pictures, including tank clearances, were posted April 25, 2020 in the same thread.  

[PhotoAl]

I did this on my 2020 Tracer 900GT and liked it.  I'm an ex sport bike guy so like a bit more forward position particularly when riding curves.

Bar position in terms of downward angle was set by the fuel tank - just to clear it and would bump into tank bag at full lock.

Edited September 25 by PhotoAl

[Tim Anderson]

Thanks @texscottyd!!  Excellent source of info... Lots of scrolling but I went thru all of your updates on the bar mod.  Quite a diligent effort to get it the way you wanted! I see the Rizoma AZ403B risers are still available, so now here is my final question:  How much better was the Rizoma mod vs. just rotating the OEM risers? Because now I'm wondering if I should skip the rotation effort and just go straight to the Rizoma units.  A bit of background... my last 30 years of riding were on Honda VFRs ('94 and '98) and a 2010 Kawasaki Concours. The VFR has significant forward lean and puts a fair amount of weight on the wrists.  The Concours a little less but still some. Both have a 'sporty' feeling position.  When I first rode the Tracer 9, the near vertical seating position and high bars were a bit of a shock... kinda felt like I was sitting at a desk with my hands just resting on the bars, felt like no weight on the wrists at all. I've adjusted, and have been able to ride at a spirited pace with other sportbike friends, but it still feels 'odd' to have no lean on the bars. I suspect you may have a similar background and that is why you pursued this mod. So back to my question, how would rate the helpfulness of the riser rotation vs. the Rizoma mod?  I know its subjective, but give it a try 🙂.

Thanks again for the excellent reference material!

Tim

   

[texscottyd]

On 9/25/2024 at 1:12 PM, Tim Anderson said:

I suspect you may have a similar background and that is why you pursued this mod.

Spot on… sport bike background.  Road racer & track day instructor for many years.   Street bikes including VFR750F, SuperHawk 996, Aprilia Mille R, etc.  

So to me the FJ seating originally felt more like a dirtbike than anything particularly sporting.   Then upgrading the suspension (Ohlins/RaceTech) just made it even more apparent that I wanted a bit more aggressive ergos.   A little more weight to the front really helps me with steering feedback and reading what the front tire is doing.    I’ve gradually morphed my FJ from the pseudo-ADV bike back towards its FZ9 routes:   CalSci shorty windscreen, no hand guards, these Rizoma shorter risers, etc.   It works well for me as a 350 mile spirited day trip bike.  

So to (finally) answer your question:   The really noticeable change comes from the Rizoma risers.  Rotating the stock ones moves the bar forward, but not down at all… it definitely helps, but is kind of a baby step for what I think you’re ultimately looking to achieve.   Also, be aware that the Rizoma risers have the same reversible offset design as the stock ones, so you still the option to go forward or backward from the riser centerline.   I went low and forward as far as I could, and interference with the bodywork ultimately limits the final adjustment.    I like it this way, and suspect you would, too.   

[Tim Anderson]

54 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

A little more weight to the front really helps me with steering feedback and reading what the front tire is doing.    

Yes, absolutely! And that is what I feel is missing on the Tracer.  Thanks for the reply... its what I was expecting, that the the OEM riser reversal was a small improvement but the Rizomas were the big step. I will plan on trying those out and will let you know how it goes!

Sounds like you've owned some awesome bikes, its cool that you are happy on the Tracer after all those. I bought mine in March this year, and since then 2 other riding friends have also moved over to the 9 GT as well... the word is getting out! 😀

 

[tgas]

18 minutes ago, Tim Anderson said:

Yes, absolutely! And that is what I feel is missing on the Tracer.  Thanks for the reply... its what I was expecting, that the the OEM riser reversal was a small improvement but the Rizomas were the big step. I will plan on trying those out and will let you know how it goes!

Sounds like you've owned some awesome bikes, its cool that you are happy on the Tracer after all those. I bought mine in March this year, and since then 2 other riding friends have also moved over to the 9 GT as well... the word is getting out! 😀

 

Good luck with bar tinkering.  It is a great bike so I hope you can find a position that is to your liking.

[texscottyd]

On 9/26/2024 at 4:01 PM, Tim Anderson said:

Sounds like you've owned some awesome bikes, its cool that you are happy on the Tracer after all those

There’s something about the character of this bike that just really connects with me.  I have modified it fairly extensively for my own personal tastes & preferences.   Especially with the early bikes (mine is a first year 2015 FJ), they were sort of a ‘starter kit’ that you could modify in whatever direction you wanted.    I’ve looked at newer bikes as a replacement, but haven’t found anything that really speaks to me.   

It’s one of three bikes in my current stable, and still gets ridden regularly as part of the rotation. 

[2and3cylinders]

On 9/26/2024 at 2:58 PM, texscottyd said:

Spot on… sport bike background.  Road racer & track day instructor for many years.   Street bikes including VFR750F, SuperHawk 996

You had a SuperHawk / Firestorm and let it go?!!!

Scotty I'm flabbergasted!

As my bod disintegrated, I morphed one of my VTRs into a Gentleman's express sport tourer.  I got the FJ because I needed more relaxation but tried lower bars as it seemed SO Aupright; then went the other way to the extreme. 

I'll stop riding my SH when the uncurl my cold lifeless fingers from the handgrips!

[texscottyd]

19 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

You had a SuperHawk / Firestorm and let it go?!!!

I did… I actually bought the very first VTR1000 SuperHawk to arrive in Texas for the 1998 model year.   

It was a great bike, and I probably should have kept it.   I ended up selling it when I bought my Aprilia Mille R, which I used when I was instructing with a track day program.    In retrospect, spending some money to upgrade the marginal SuperHawk suspension would have been the better play.   

Live and learn, right? 

[texscottyd]

On 9/26/2024 at 4:01 PM, Tim Anderson said:

I will plan on trying those out and will let you know how it goes!

Good luck with it, and I hope it works out well for you.   

Just a couple of final thoughts here: 

- This worked great on my FJ.  With the significant updates and restyling of the new T9GT models, I can’t guarantee you’ll have the same amount of room to work with…  proceed at your own risk  😀

- I had already long removed the hand guards on my bike when I did the risers, so don’t know if they would fit.  My gut instinct is they won’t, and you’ll have to remove the hand guards in order to get the bars all the way down towards the tank.   Again, your mileage may vary, but wanted to make sure you were aware.   

- If you haven’t already, raise the seat to the taller position.   This effectively lowers the bars in relation to the seat height, and feels more natural to me.   I’m 6’1”, so the extra seat height isn’t an issue with being ‘too tall’

Post back with updates if you decide to give it a try.

-Scott  

[AndyW]

On 9/24/2024 at 7:39 PM, Tim Anderson said:

Just curious if anyone has used the procedure in the service manual (attached) to rotate the handlebar risers so that the bars are a bit more forward. .....

Thanks Tim.... what manual is that page extracted from? And source please 😉

Cheers