Been thinking about switching the big ol' ZX's clipons to handlebars, somewhat just for a change and somewhat for hopefully some comfort ... 54.5 years old and the weight on my wrists is starting to get to me. Does anyone have any experience, comments, recommendations for me?

I guess LSL (https://www.sportbiketrackgear.com/lsl-kawasaki-zx-14r-abs-13-18-handlebar-riser-kit/) or ABM (https://spieglerusa.com/catalog/product/view/id/17141/s/handlebar-conversion-kit-4316/category/60/) are the choices? Both are $427.00 ... Either better than the other?

Oh, and does the bike look OK with bars? Or does it look like the higher bars don't match the OEM fairing?

Thanks!

My arms went completely numb until I bought those spacers under the OEM bars. Solved that issue. There are some with the handle bar kits, but never mentioned any mods to the fairing. Probably the downside are swapping out the clutch ad brake lines. The other would be extended throttle cables. Probably Barnett could match cables for a few inches more. Have to be correct in measuring.

Had throttle cables made and they were a little more than over the counter aftermarket so with that said, see if using the extensions under the OEM bars and those extensions for a first try.

I stacked 2 sets of risers, cables are long enough.
Just got longer bolts , stainless is best.

Totally changed my riding position.
About the same as my old VF1000 Interceptor in comfort.
I WAS going to change out the bars as well, so glad i didn't.

Hope this helps.

had the lsl's on my 2007 14.I mean,they were okay...but they did change the look of the front area there.Took a bit getting used to the look.Steering inputs were virtually the same feeling.If you have wrist problems and such,they might be fine.I took em off cause the clip-ons felt(for me)more sportyish.

My 2008 has regular bars and no more clip ons.

Thanks all ... And if anyone has a side pic, especially with someone seated with hands on the bars, I'd love to see 'em

I've been looking at the MT-07, MT-09 and MT-10 ... none of which excite me, so I'd reeeeally like to make the big ZX more comfortable, and without making it look (too) silly

This is fun to play with involving ergos ergo tool[img]

* Last updated by: chrly on 6/13/2023 @ 8:18 PM *

chrly, That is handy!

Now I just have to decide if I'm really ready to convert the big ZX crotch rocket to a mature Concours

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 6/14/2023 @ 8:37 PM *

I've been looking at the MT-07, MT-09 and MT-10

Oh no, ex. I was booted off a yammie site. MT has clutch problems, driveability problems. I wouldn't touch one. The duc site is a mess, pick any bike. Overpriced crap for sure. HP is in the upper rpm range so it's not even close to the stump pulling power of the 14. Bar up instead.

Ex.. Kind of in the same spot..Dont want to give up racing but every bike "that fits" that I have tried over the last few years just does not stack up against the 14. I pretty much have it so I just change rear tire and sprocket but getting older and lazier so I have tried small bikes and big bikes but always back to the 14. Granted I have not tried everything out there but funds only go so far :)

"and without making it look (too) silly"..long as the parts are black,it won't look silly.I liked my lsl,s,but I preferred clip-ons,so I stacked two riser blocks on each clip-on.Basically almost the same setup height wise and such.The lsl's had a 4"pullback and I think a two to three inch rise.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/15/2023 @ 9:51 AM *

Hub said:

Oh no, ex. I was booted off a yammie site. MT has clutch problems, driveability problems. I wouldn't touch one. The duc site is a mess, pick any bike. Overpriced crap for sure. HP is in the upper rpm range so it's not even close to the stump pulling power of the 14. Bar up instead.

Well that Yami info is interesting news, that I guess I'll keep to myself, as my one riding had an early FZ-10 for a year or so, sold it for a reason he's not sure of, missed it and bought an MT-10 ... loved it but thought it was gonna kill him ... he wheelied it all the time ... so sold it to my other riding bud and just bought an MT-07 last week instead, to go with his FJR. He's been motorcycle crazed all his life and has owned over 50, so selling one he actually likes is not uncommon. The riding bud that bought his MT-10 loves it. So far no problems knock on wood ... and they're so into them I'm not even gonna mention the possibility.

And by the way, early on when the one bud got the FZ-10 I rode it for a few miles, and it didn't do anything for me. Still can't figure out why the two of them are so giddy about it Maybe I didn't ride it hard enough. Plus, it was before he had a windscreen on it so the wind was a lot. Still not sure why you get a naked bike and then put a windscreen on it ... oh well, if I had one I would too. "Naked" must just sound like a cool thing ... until the wind starts. Well, OK, they're usually naked below too, ie no side fairings, so there's that.

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 6/15/2023 @ 10:27 AM *

chrly said:

Ex.. Kind of in the same spot..Dont want to give up racing but every bike "that fits" that I have tried over the last few years just does not stack up against the 14. I pretty much have it so I just change rear tire and sprocket but getting older and lazier so I have tried small bikes and big bikes but always back to the 14. Granted I have not tried everything out there but funds only go so far :)

All this discussion is proving to me that I'm glad I haven't given up on the ZX14 and started trying other bikes, cuz it sounds like I'd be back anyway. I will say, if Kawi would make it in white again, I'd buy one and sell this one!

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 6/21/2023 @ 3:02 PM *

Grn14 said:

"and without making it look (too) silly"..long as the parts are black,it won't look silly.I liked my lsl,s,but I preferred clip-ons,so I stacked two riser blocks on each clip-on.Basically almost the same setup height wise and such.The lsl's had a 4"pullback and I think a two to three inch rise.

I meant silly as far as the look of the higher riding position as compared to the fairing and windscreen which were designed for a low clipon riding position, but more and more bikes seem to be doing that anyway: Typical low sportbike windscreen/fairing but with higher bars. But yeah I'd def get all black parts. Double stacked clipons is another idea, as KINGY2 also said above. That would be a simpler, cheaper thing to try first. Hmmmm ....

Good info on the LSL pullback and rise. I was wondering that while messing with chrly's ergo site (http://cycle-ergo.com/)

Thanks, y'all

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 6/15/2023 @ 10:32 AM *

Good stuff... I am convinced that for me, a second bike for long rides , multiple days will be another gen 2 with soft bags and dble risers . :) Now all I need to do is find another gen 2 that I can afford.

Alright, I've decided the most expeditious thing to try is another set of Heli Bar risers I can add to my current ones, and just placed the order on Revzilla: $10 cheaper than direct from HB, and free shipping, vs $12 shipping direct from HB.

Thanks guys, I'll report back, and if not enough improvement I'll try the handle bar conversion next.

I am specially interested in any clearance issues . I cant seem to see how dble isers would keep from hitting ??

chrly said:

I am specially interested in any clearance issues . I cant seem to see how dble isers would keep from hitting ??

I'll report back ASAP. Admittedly I haven't even actually checked yet to see how close the single layer of Helibar risers comes to causing contact. I figure I'll modify something to make it work, or turn less! Maybe a slightly larger steering stop will be required, which I think one video I watched said comes with the handlebar conversion kits.

Just any FYI for you riser stackers out there ... and this is no surprise ... but I asked Helibars if they sell longer bolts for stacking 2 of their risers, and they replied simply, "We do not recommend trying to stack these risers."

Anyway, I checked the clearance with my currently installed single layer of Helibars, and at full right lock it looks like the additional 3/4" height should make no contact. But at full left it will; it's just a matter of how much the steering travel is restricted, and what adjustments I might be able to make if I feel more travel is needed. Prob will, so stay tuned!

Here are pix of full lock left and right with my currently installed single layer of 3/4" Helibars risers, with a Puig windscreen, but on otherwise stock suspension / steering / fairings:

Full lock right:

Full lock left:

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 6/23/2023 @ 12:17 PM *

I'll try the right side first, just to make sure I can live with whatever adjustment(s) need to be made.

In my worthless opinion, cause I haven't done this, is you will never ever see full lock position outside of moving the bike around the garage.

Even on really tight turns the counter steer input is small

Stack on

cruderudy said:

In my worthless opinion, cause I haven't done this, is you will never ever see full lock position outside of moving the bike around the garage.

Even on really tight turns the counter steer input is small

Stack on

Funny that you say that: I've been riding street bikes for about 35 years, successfully(!), ie no crashes! (knock on wood!), not even a lay down / tip over ... but all that time my U-turns have been pretty awkward, requiring a lot of foot-down action, combined with a lotta no-real-smoothness, and a lack of confidence that results in stress and tension which of course makes things worse ... and recently Google, as Google does, correctly predicted that I might like to watch a video on tight turning a motorcycle, and they were right of course, and after watching this I've tried it several times, and it's amazing! Smooth, super-tight, confident U-turns!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qJXO4CZ9S0

... altho in my case they may all have to be right-hand U-turns until / unless I can get the right side to not contact the fairing!

* Last updated by: extrapolator on 6/23/2023 @ 2:41 PM *

My double stack totalled 2 and a quarter inches . I think i flipped some cables around the bar on the throttle side.
My bars went right to the tank on full lock but would not hit the tank.
Hope this helps.