Bar risers

[Sadolf]

Hi everyone. Just bought myself a nice y2k R1100s in black.
At 65 years I am finding the bars a little too low. I see that many people reposition them above the yoke and wondered what's involved in doing this.
I guess I have to remove the BMW roundel to access a nut underneath it.
How do I remove the badge?
Are the various looms and control cables long enough to allow this mod?
My bike does not have a centre stand, can this be done with the weight still on the front wheel or will I need to support the weight of the bike?

My seat is pretty uncomfortable but I am guessing that the vinyl has just gone stiff with age.

Thanking you all in advance.
Sadolf.

[ckcarr]

See that guy in the Show your Pets thread named Rapid Dog? Contact him. He is the master of R1100S bars.

[duckbubbles]

No need to remove the top triple clamp. Loosening the top pinch bolt on the fork tube will allow you to slide the fork tube up through the triple clamp so you can use whatever risers you choose. Consider the routing of wiring, cables and hoses. You may have to rearrange some things to make everything work seamlessly.
Pretty simple job overall.

Frank

[sgoodwin]

If all you want is to move the bars above the triple tree loosen the bar clamp screw & remove the one under the mount. Then loosen the top triple clamp bolt. At this point remove the wire clip at the top of the tube & you can slide the tube down to remove the bar mount then push the tube back up through the triple clamp high enough to mount the bar on top. Reinstall the wire clip & pull down enough to touch the bar mount then tighten the triple clamp bolt, align the bars where you want & tighten. Note, only do one side at a time as the front wheel will turn when you pull the tube out of the triple tree & you'll have to force it back into position to push back into the triple tree. Danger, if you loosen both sides the front will fall. The wires & brake lines on my '99 are long enough to reach without replacing anything. Precision Machine used to make a clamp that attached the underside screw to them & and the triple clamp but it isn't necessary if you tighten everything down good. I just moved mine above as I damaged my shoulder & decided to raise them again.

[Swamper]

Doing the above (#4) makes a big difference comfort wise. Pretty simple really to try.

[mgp steve]

Sadolf,
Welcome to the forum. R1100S Clip Ons come in at least two types. Could be year related. Do your ‘02, below-the-clamp, Clip Ons have inboard ears cast to the upper perimeter? If so, drilled through-holes allow the ears to be fastened to the underside of the top clamp’s threaded holes.

To move this style CO to the top requires an anti rotation “C”- strap from the underside of the top clamp (fastened to the clamp’s threaded holes) to the bottom of the COs’ ear.

A second type CO for above the clamp mounting, has an anti rotation key that is received by a slot in the top clamp. This slot is at the same o’clock position as the pinch-bolt slot for the fork tubes.

I don’t trust this key and slot design and, when moving my bars to the top, use the anti rotation straps.

I will attempt to insert photos.

[mgp steve]

[mgp steve]

Busy photo, but look closely at how the same type of clip on can be used top or bottom with straps.

[sgoodwin]

Those anti-rotation straps as you call them are the Precision Machine parts I referred to above. I have them but don't feel they're necessary to move my bars above the triple clamp as the clamp will hold the bars in place & without the strap you can adjust the bars to different positions forward & back using the tank & fairing as your limits. I've never had the bars slip or even slightly move doing it this way. I suppose if you're running into stuff or dropping it regularly the additional support might help. As a note I've moved the bars back under as I find it more comfortable.

[mgp steve]

I had a moderate low side spill on a 2004 1100S. The bike slid about 150 feet. The last 10-feet of the slide ended up with the bike upside down in a grass-lined, three-foot deep ditch. The left Delrin valve cover guard was ground down to the valve cover. The city lid and 52l GIVI top box were ground off on the left side. The tube frame of the main fairing was bent and the right mirror stalk was bent straight down, parallel to the forks. The left Motolight was ripped off and hanging by its wiring. The left clutch lever was curled and the left bar end weight lost about 1/2 inch.

The forks were tweaked hard enough that when, a month later I was trying to remove the front wheel to replace the fairing-frame, the front axel would not budge. It was necessary to loosen the bottom clamp and do the old motocrosser’s trick of plunging the forks hard with the front brake applied to release the twist.

With a motorist’s help I got the bike out of the ditch. The clip ons were on top and had the anti rotation straps in place. In this case, which is pretty much textbook low side I doubt that just the clamping force of the clip on’s pinch bolt would have kept the clip on from twisting. There is very little slack in the push pull cable, wiring and plumbing especially when the clip ons are moved to the top of the top clamp.

The bike would have been disabled if the left bar and cluster had twisted and ripped out the above mentioned stuff. I was about 200 miles from home and had another 300 miles left on my trip. Since the clip on held, I was able to zip tie, lock wire and muscle all the damage back into place in about 1/2 hour and be on my way. That the clip on didn’t rotate acted as an upper crash bar and saved the left upper main fairing from damage. The tube frame was bent when the mirror stalk was yanked down. No fairing plastic was damaged.

The anti rotation straps are a very low cost of avoidance item in the scheme of things. If I was sure I’d never crash, I wouldn’t wear a helmet either…

[sgoodwin]

Somehow, I don't see the comparison of a small aluminum "strap" & wearing a helmet but, do as you feel necessary to make you feel safe.

[mgp steve]

SG,

It’s not a matter of feeling safe. It’s a matter of best practice.

I’ll admit using “wearing a helmet” is an over the top example of cost of avoidance. But it is an example of the point I’m trying to make. The clip ons on all the race bikes I’ve ridden and built had two forms of clamping; two sets of clamp bolts per clip on. The below the top clamp-S clip ons follow this principle; one pinch bolt and one anti rotation screw. The top-mounted clip ons with one pinch bolt and an anti rotation key are also an example of the two forms of safety though I’m not crazy about it. BMW has been making motorcycles a long time, I tend to trust their judgement on safety of operation.

In my career of designing, technical writing for, maintaining of and operating gas turbines, “jet engines” the rule of two forms of safety on critical assemblies was always followed. Torque and lock nut or torque and lock wire were examples of the principle. Multiple fasteners were required on control systems. Handle bars fall into that category.

Steve

[mgp steve]

Sadolf,

The S seat was uncomfortable from the get go. Really painful around 100-miles. The covers, especially with 30-inch or less riders, wore out around 10,000 miles. There are some really good replacement aftermarket covers for sale on eBay. They install over the old cover. The old cover is glued to the foam padding and destroys the padding if the cover is removed. So don’t remove the old cover. I made an air seat from a Thermarest pillow and a Camelback hose. I can control the pressure while riding. Very comfortable-I did a 700-mile day every year for about five-years and stayed comfortable. I may have a recovered spare seat. If I do, I’ll sell it if you are interested.

If you raise your handle bars, you may want to get a taller windshield. Is your windscreen 12.5 inches tall (vertical dimension from center Torx fastener)? See photos. The top of top clamp configuration from BMW came with a 17-inch tall “comfort” windscreen; PN 46.63 2328359.

The S is pretty durable if properly maintained. One failure point is the five mounting holes for the windscreen. You may want to check their condition. BMW’s windscreen assembly stack-up included “top hats” made of a nylon-like material to provide cushion and flex between the metal Torx screw’s head and the windscreen. If the windscreen is removed the top hats are easy to miss and lose. I’ve included a photo of the top hats.

Check your S’s windscreen’s five holes for cracks radiating radially outward. If you see cracks there is a good chance the top hats are missing. It’s a good idea to stop drill the cracks.

If you need a taller windscreen several aftermarket screens are available. MRA makes a really high quality screen. Not too pricey (around $115 USD) but can take 6-months from order to delivery.

I’ve got a clear MRA that is in perfect condition (see photos) for sale for $70 plus shipping. I also have a new aftermarket clear, knockoff comfort windshield that I will sell for $60 plus shipping.

Whether you replace your windscreen or not, do remove it and check for the top hats. It will be easier to R & R the windscreen the first time if you remove the mirrors (if mirrors are fairing-mounted).

Steve

[ckcarr]

I still find this the best hack. Not that I've done it yet...

[mgp steve]

Ckcarr,

Wow! Instant death! I had a ‘90 Kawasaki Concours to which I did a similar mod. It was explained in a Concours forum (so it had to be correct and safe). A particular John Deere, yellow o-ring was just the right size to fit around the outboard end of the throttle twist grip. While riding, it could be rolled into the space between the grip and the bar end weight. Worked great: strong enough to hold the throttle open but weak enough to be overcome and allow closing the throttle with small effort.

While on a ride one summer day, I attempted to engage it to allow me to zip up the cuffs on my jacket. I rolled it to the gap and took my hands off the bars. Unfortunately the o-ring rolled back onto the grip and the bike decelerated abruptly. Being a geometric widow maker by design, the Concours immediately entered an uncontrollable tank slapper. I was sliding down the street on my butt watching the Concours slide into the oncoming lane.

Fortunately the closest oncoming car got stopped and the Concours ended up a foot in front of the car. The visibly shaken driver jumped out and asked me if I was alright. I asked if there were any hits on my helmet. He said there weren’t so I said was OK.

Here is a motorcycling tip that has come in handy more than once: Many bikes are heavy and hard to pick up. Such is the Concours and with my bad back, I would have injured myself if I attempted to lift the bike by myself.

The driver was so pumped up on adrenaline that his eyes looked like saucers. They were bugged out so far you could have knocked them off with a stick. I figured this guy will have a few seconds of extra strength and asked him if he would help me pick up the bike (laying downhill). He instantly picked it up-without my help. I picked up my foot peg and hurried away before the authorities came…

["A"]

Rubber O-ring, 100% throttle control, on & off.