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I'm toying with the idea of changing the bars on my Falco (I know, I've only had it five minutes). It's not for the usual reason of wanting to have a more relaxed riding position, but for a slightly more unusual reason.

Basically the width of my Falco bars only leaves me an inch or so clearance on either side when I bring the bike in through the gap between the row of terraced houses in which I live. It's a bit nerve-racking trying to avoid scrawping the bar-ends on the brickwork and I was wondering what potential there is for reducing the width of the bike.

Mirrors excluded (they fold away) the bars are the widest point and if I could 'pinch' an inch or so on each side it would make life a lot easier. So I've been looking at these:

http://www.powersportsuperstore.com/Vor ... 7-5396.htm

I'm thinking about dropping the forks through the yokes by about 30mm which should then allow me to mount these puppies on top of the yoke. The actual bars are movable (in and out) in their clamps, so it might give me the extra clearance I'm looking for. Has anyone tried this (he said hopefully)?

Slightly different solution - my brother had a sports car, which he parked in his garage. Being a bit on the large size, he struggled to get in and out of something so low without banging the door on the wall - not good for the paintwork. So, he fixed some carpet to the wall, to stop the door from getting chipped.

May not work, but it might stop you having to tinker with the bike and find you don't like the new bars

2 thoughts on this....

1- if the bike will go through the gap ok but you are worried about cosmetic damage just fit a crap set of bar ends and use them as sacrificial 'sliders' so it would be a no worry trip through the gap each and every time.

2- if you go for these vortex clip ons there must be a limit to how much shorter you can make them whilst still fitting in all the controls etc... Also they may require more exposed fork top to attach to making the yoke dropping a little too extreme ?

I would have thought the problem was the bar snagging and tipping the bike into the wall.

Have you considered moving?

I've considered taking an angle grinder to the wall and removing a course of bricks at the appropriate level, but disregarded it as too messy.

I do like the idea of carpeting the entire length of wall, but suspect it would only provide a happy over-winter home for the voracious slugs that live around our way.

The current housing situation has put the kybosh on moving, so I think it's either mod the bike or make a set of bar-end protectors to gaffa-tape on as I negotiate the entrance.

I've checked with Vortex and the depth of the clip-on clamp is 28mm, so the forks would need to be dropped by that much through the yoke. I think mine are currently about 15mm through, so is an extra 13mm too extreme?