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OK, so I'm getting older and less flexible and ride the baike less which all adds up to increased wrist discomfort etc....

So recently I have been considering the options and thought I'd ask for suggestions and feedback from the experts.... and you lot

The easiest I suppose is to reposition the clip ons above the yoke and I may give this a try to see how it feels but I don't want to alter the geometry so perhaps that rules this out long term. Plus I'll still have the same wrist angle and only one possible height adjustment.

Next come variobars or similar which seem to have the benefits of offering a wide range of options to allow for experimentation but they strike me as ungainly and bloody expensive. (I know, I know, could have had a bargain Seb but bad timing)

Finally there is the changed top yoke with traditional brackets for handlebars. This is also expensive but tidyer in my view and does offer some variability if you try different bars. For some reason I think that flat bars with this arrangement would offer me the best compromise between the current head down position and a horrible bolt upright position.

All of these options would be limited by the fairing I reckon so I had an idea. I may try and raise the fairing subframe an inch of two to allow me to keep it with higher bars. This ought to offer more protection to a more upright rider and retain the look / balance of the fairing.

Of course I'd run into problems where the upper fairing meets the mid sections. Got to work on that but it must be feasible.

Feel free to comment or point out where I'm going wrong.

Do what im doing. Flat bars, and remove fairing all together. Nice and mininalistic. And make sure you do it before i do, so i can see how ya did it

I think that popping the bars over is the cheapest/easiest solution

ergonomically it makes a lot of difference - or at least it did to me - the angle of your back is slightly raised, and the shoulders/wrists are in a better line

as I said elsewhere, pop along to mine one day and have a seat on mine to see if you think it worthwhile doing

(Obviously you would not want to ride mine as then you would realise just how shocking the sachs shock is - bonus points for attempted alliteration?)

And as Aladinsaneuk's is black (the bike), Fausto will not be surprised by the power of red.

next thing will probably be moving the footpegs more forward...




speak softly and carry a big stick, you will go far

Looks to me like any conversion to traditional type flat bars will necessitate fairing surgery - cutting off the portion aft of the mirror mounts and then the screen to suit.

I have seen a site that sells wedges that fit between the fairing and the mounts (underneath) which lifts the back of the fairing about an inch, possibly enough to clear a flat bar conversion, whilst still allowing it to marry up with the mid sections but I don't recall where I saw it. - Shouldn't be too hard to knock a couple up though. Smaller, lower mounted brake/clutch reservoirs would help too.

Alternatives for the bar mounts range from drilling the original yoke to take risers thru' to custom top yoke or one from an earlier Tuono (Not the later one as these are for 51mm forks instead if 53mm - as I found to my cost)

Chabby wrote:
I have seen a site that sells wedges that fit between the fairing and the mounts (underneath) which lifts the back of the fairing about an inch, possibly enough to clear a flat bar conversion, whilst still allowing it to marry up with the mid sections but I don't recall where I saw it. - Shouldn't be too hard to knock a couple up though. Smaller, lower mounted brake/clutch reservoirs would help too.

So in effect 'flexing' the fairing to both meet the mid section mounts and clear the bars at the screen ?

I have arthritis in my hands so I've been considering these for the best of both world, ConvertiBar Kit http://www.motohaus.com/acatalog/Conver ... illia.html.
Anyone else fitted them? I suspect they will need new longer brake and clutch cables and I wondering if when they are raised if they will cause the brake and clutch reservoirs to come into contact with the fairing? Seem pricey too but could be worth it in the long run

Hmmm.... linkee not workee for meee

tommy wrote:Do what im doing. Flat bars, and remove fairing all together. Nice and mininalistic. And make sure you do it before i do, so i can see how ya did it

but what will you do about the headlight/clocks/wiring?

I did see a pic of a naked Falco with a KTM headlight that I liked.

Personally I think I'll always appreciate some sort of screen for those longer faster journeys.

Here it is...

OMG ...... YellowDuck - come back, all is forgiven.

Definitive evidence that Yellow is not the worst colour for a Falco

This is what im basing mine on. KTM duke 2 headlight. All wiring should fit here. Or i'll bring it through frame to where airbox was (High under tank as to not interfere with air flow)

btw, with switching my bars to over the risers I did not have to change any cables/hoses or anything, and by using my fettlers fung shui I avoided cutting the fairing etc....

just a thought from the original cheapskate - so cheap, i begrudge the water to wash it....

You just missed my old Convertibars sale. They are dogs nutts. You can change from Mille position to Falco to Tuono within 1 minute and using one allen key.

The range of hight adjustments is huge, probably about 8 inches, all the angles are adjustable, too. You don't have to change/cut wires/hoses/fairing if you don't go further than 1-1.5 inch up, obviously you're seriously limited then (just like with any other option). It's by far the most flexible bar conversion on the market.

Lifting the whole top fairing is going to a massive bodywork job, you'll need to change the intakes' possition as they're part of the fairing, so they won't meet up with the intake holes in the frame. You'll also need to bridge the gap between the bottom of the intakes and the top of the mid panels somehow. Much much easier to change the bars.