When I purchased my 2002 Stone, the only thing I really did not like was the handlebar placement - I felt like my hands where resting on my knees!. What's a guy to do? Well, I decided to make my own risers. I made a 21mm tall spacer out of 1" drill rod per the drawing shown HERE. Any machine shop should be able to make a set (you need 2 of them) for you for pretty cheap. As far as color, if you have a Stone, Krylon Gloss Black works great. For all other bikes with silver/alloy clamps, Harley Davidson Bead Blast Silver (comes in a spray can from a HD dealer) looks pretty good. Also, feel free to make the spacers any length you want. Now look at the assembly picture I have HERE (this is a stock photo and my spacer is NOT shown!). The spacers go in-between parts #4 and #5 with the chamfered end of the spacer seating up into part #4. The stock bolt (part #3) is a class 8.8 M10x60mm long hex head bolt. I noticed that none of the bolt sticks thru the nut (part 10), so I purchased some new M10x90mm long bolts. You can get these from www.mcmaster.com They are part number 91280A656. You can also get these at any local nut and bolt house. The local hardware stores will usually only carry 80mm long (too short) or 100mm long (too long). Then again, if you choose to make the spacer taller or shorter, you can use a different length bolt. On my Stone, I also needed a longer brake line. Measure your existing brake line from where the banjo fittings are crimped on at either end - not all the way to the end of the line, just where the hose actually goes into each crimped on fitting. Now, go to www.denniskirk.com and order up a new Russell or Goodridge universal brake line at least ONE INCH longer than the measurement you just made. While you are at www.denniskirk.com order (2) banjo fittings part number 19-1338. These are 10mm banjo fittings for #3 brake line and they are bent to a 35 degree angle. One goes up at the master cylinder, and the other goes down on the caliper. Note, YOUR particular bike may not need a longer brake line. I put a set of these spacers on a 2002 Special Sport using the stock brake line (ask Jim in Dublin at the wildguzzi forum, he likes his spacers!). Also, make sure the 35 degree bend looks like it will work, it should but check anyway (worked for me). If the 35 degree bend looks like too much, Dennis Kirk also sells a 15 degree bend (19-3604). Many Harley shops (independent shops, not authorized dealers) usually carry an assortment of fittings and universal hoses. Also, for banjo washers, go to a regular Harley Dealer and get 10mm banjo bolt washers. You will need 2 up at the master cylinder and 2 down at the caliper. The Harley ones are a rubber and steel piece that work a lot better than copper or aluminum crush washers. Note, Harley has 12mm and 10mm banjo washers. Make sure you get the 10mm ones!
Now for disassembly. If it looks like you needed a new brake line, replace that first and bleed it (easy to do, don't ask me for instructions, please). Now pry off the cap (part #38) over the handlebar clamp screws - I use a small flat blade screwdriver I thinned way down on a grinder. Then loosen the (2) 10mm nuts below the fork clamps (part #10). You must loosen these while everything else is still bolted together. It helps if one person holds the handlebars while you loosen these 10mm nuts as they are on there pretty good (or at least they should be). Now , while one person holds the handlebars, remove the handlebar clamp screws (part #35) then remove the previously loosened 10mm nuts (part #10). Now remove the handle bar clamp, risers, and bolts (parts #2, #4, #3). Replace the long bolt (part #3) with your new M10x90's and place your fabricated spacer between the stock riser (part #4) and the chrome cup washer (part #5). The chamfer on the spacer should go up into the riser (part#4). Spin the 10mm nuts (part #3) back on from underneath, set the handlebars back in place, replace the clamp (#2) and screws (#35), adjust the angle of the bars to your liking and tighten down all screws (#35) and nuts (#10) and replace the caps (#38). Please don't e-mail me about torque values, I just used standard ones off of some standard list I got somewhere. Also, there are 2 schools of thought on the handlebar clamp. One school says the front of the clamp should touch the front of the risers. The other says you should have an equal gap all the way around between the clamp and the risers. Look how yours is put together before you take it apart and out it back together the same way! Now go for a ride and enjoy your newer higher handlebar position! It should only take about 15 minutes to do this, maybe 45 minutes of you have to replace the brake line.
See pictures of Jeff's install here:
Picture 1
Picture 2
Jeffery H. Brannen
mid_ohio_jeff@yahoo.com
