RE: Handlebar risers - 3

Have just checked the R1200R on cycle-ergo. What I really want is that bike, in a RS fairing and windshield!

Is there a thread around of what is involved in putting the R handlebar on the RS?

LSL will provide bars and clamps at reduced price compared to BMW original. If you are a home mechanic with a reasonable tool set the conversion is easy and the range of adjustment you gain is vey useful as you can rotate bars in clamps. NOTE its also best to re route clutch hose to different side of frame tube to prevent straining at bar end and to allow bar rotation as desired.
Fish through this forum I'm sure its covered and if no luck respond here and I will step it out for you if required.

I did conversion to improve wrist angle that was all wrong for me with the original bars original and like you I wanted the benefits of a decent fairing the RS offers. A additional benefit is the feeling of extra leverage you have over the steering plus the ability to obtain a suitable angle for a relaxed forearm and wrist/ hand.

Apologies. Have just realised that my post of yesterday in this thread misstates saddle height by a whole 100mm! (I must learn to multi-task better!!)

Standard seat heights are:

840 mm
820 mm
795 mm

I cannot edit that post. Hence correcting my error here

Chris

^ Thanks, if the R1200RS works out I'd probably find a 795mm seat and fit peg lowering links (or does it have adjustable pegs?).

Considering the R1200R replacement bar option; have found a few threads on that. Also that Wunderlich make replacement bars.

If I were to go with the bar risers (rather than a replacement R bar), is it possible to double up on the bar risers? e.g. fit the MV 35mm back+25mm up risers, then fit an additional set of 20mm up risers? I've played around on cycle-ergo and that would be enough for me. Actually cycle-ergo allows setting a forward-centre of seat-rear of seat sitting option and if I sit forward, the MV risers by themselves may be enough.

I'll go sit on a real R1200RS next month, once Coronavirus lockdown here ends.

The standard pegs are not adjustable. You might be lucky and find one with HP pegs on which have up to 1" adjustment. They are not cheap so may not sensible to factor in as a farkle but there are other brands.

You might find something used to sit on that has some mods. I think you are more likely to find something used fitted with bar risers than lowered pegs. All BMW dealers will have a range of seats they can swap for a test ride (or test sit) so bar risers and lower saddle will tell you what you need to know and you can mod the foot pegs yourself as needed.

I loved my local RS test ride but knew straight away I was going to have to put bar risers on. Riding back from the Midlands on my low mileage new to me 1250RS having haggled a purchase and trade in I thought I had made a big mistake. The weight on my hands was OK but the strain on my neck was uncomfortable. It was about a week before I realised I had the 840 mm seat which explained my discomfort! The bar risers sorted that. I rode 3k plus miles mainly touring Europe on my 1250 last summer with that 840 mm saddle and MV bar risers. I was perfectly happy with that set up averaging 350 miles a day without discomfort. My only problem was reaching the ground. I was on the balls of my feet and thus pot-holes, a camber or a loose surface were unsettling when coming to rest (I made good use of the electronic suspension to reduce ride height which helped).

I have only really made use of my 820mm seat this year after ordering my lowered pegs). So I have only shopped and pottered to date. I plan a decent ride out Monday. That may tell me whether my new configuration is better. I can tell you that with bar risers and the 820 mm I can ride comfortably and without muscle strain with both hands hovering over the bars (I do that intermittently on all bikes to check for problems) and I am short on arm length.

I think 830 mm would be my optimum seat height. That would give me just a bit more purchase on the ground and avoid the feeling of emulating a horse race jockey when under way.

Chris

This is all almost funny, going the opposite direction.

I have an R and am just about to fit recently purchased RS bars on it to see how that works out - a sort of inexpensive version of a long test ride on an unfaired RS as it were. If I like the position, that's another push toward trading the RT for an RS.

I understand that the 2021 RSs & RTs can be ordered with easily changed tubular-ish bars anyway with "regular" bar holders to facilitate changes, which is a couple of step in the right direction to my way of thinking.

Zitat von Ady im Beitrag #32

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LSL will provide bars and clamps at reduced price compared to BMW original. If you are a home mechanic with a reasonable tool set the conversion is easy and the range of adjustment you gain is vey useful as you can rotate bars in clamps. NOTE its also best to re route clutch hose to different side of frame tube to prevent straining at bar end and to allow bar rotation as desired.
Fish through this forum I'm sure its covered and if no luck respond here and I will step it out for you if required.

I did conversion to improve wrist angle that was all wrong for me with the original bars original and like you I wanted the benefits of a decent fairing the RS offers. A additional benefit is the feeling of extra leverage you have over the steering plus the ability to obtain a suitable angle for a relaxed forearm and wrist/ hand.

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Hi Ian,
I disconnected my clutch cable to fit the MV risers. When you reconnect you just have to keep pumping the lever until pressure is restored, it can take some time.

Ian, from what I've read, if you're careful and follow already describe procedures to verify, most are ok. I'd probably worry about air in the lines and bleed it, so I knew it was solid. I believe GS-911's can be used for brake fluid flush, not sure about clutch fluid.

I installed my Heli Bars last night. After the new seat and 400 miles that left me with comfy ass but shore shoulders/neck and staring down a ~3k mile trip coming up and waffling back and forth on installing now... after... during... I just decided to do it, under the logic that if I was grateful I did it, I'd be patting myself on the back the first night. And if not, it'd be way easier to take them off on the road, then put them on. especially since I'd been fearing the dreaded clutch cable conundrum. ;)

I'm glad I did it this way, as I'm not totally crazy about the looks.... but they feel mighty comfy in the garage. The install took me about an hour, cause I read the directions thrice, panicked about the clutch cable at one point, and swapped out an unrelated gizmo I should have done with the bars off. I'd expect many could do it in less than 30 minutes.

Clutch cable: it's tight, but not taught and I did not add a spacer on my 1250. Without any adjustments, imo, it's way too tight and Heli Bars recommends two key adjustments that make a substantial difference: pivoting the metal clip by triple tree and rotating the clutch lever assembly down a bit. I added a third, which is to snip the zip tie down by lower triple tree and allow clutch cable to run to the side of it, which permits a little more flexibility at full right lock. (see photo). I should note, that zip tie is not around the clutch cable, rather the "zipper" part is just big enough to help keep it behind it. I found zip tying it, even off to the side as show, created a bit of drag on the overall flex. The forth mod I made was to not include the clutch cable in the third/last/lowest rubber cable ties going down from the handlebars. Because all the other wires bend back towards the steering stem/center, this pulled the clutch cable that way and created extra tension. So I have the clutch+wires bundled together on first two, but only the wires in the third.

I tested it enough I turned the bike almost 90' on it's center stand it looked to hold and not start to pinch or be overly taught. As others have said, I hope to not be at full lock that frequently, but I also don't want something to worry about. I also then inspected the brake side several times, but it's magically fine, like you did nothing. I hope to do another short test ride this weekend.

Thanks for the replies guys, guess its a case of trying it, if it works happy days if not bleed it through.
I have the full step by step procedure from BMW in PDF form. It is very long winded as I believe this id the way they change the fluid rather than just bleed it.
It entails filling it from the slave cylinder which appears to be hidden by the starter motor.
They empty it with a syringe and then fill it with a syringe through a nipple on the slave cylinder.
Even doing this it still needs the lever to be pumped.
I suspect that if I cover the bare end of the pipe whilst I move it and don't pump the clutch lever I will get away with it, there is only one way to find out !

Heli risers on my 161200rs, came with the bike. I've had them on a GS before this and would have had them installed had they not already been put on the motor.

Bleeding it is a piece of piss. Reconnect the hose, remove the reservoir cover and slowly pump the lever. You will see a steady strem of tiny bubbles rising from the fluid port. Keep pumping, pausing for a second or two between strokes, until the bubbles stop. It should take a couple of minutes max.