Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: CJK on August 29, 2017, 11:18:27 AM
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I purchased a new set of thicker grips for my handlebar as I have larger hands and the stock grips are thin and hard on the hands. I went to take off the extenders on the ends of the handlebars and it looks like the allen bolts are stripped....unless there is some special allen key I am suppose to use? But it looks pretty rounded on both ends. I bought this bike used so I wonder if the guy before me had the same idea but stripped the hell outta them. Anyway, does anyone know a good way to remove the stripped bolts and, if I don't put the extenders back on, will this cause any issues with vibration? Also, any recommendations for types of grips? Are heated grips the way to go? Easy to install?
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Those screws were originally a standard metric thread so yeah, it does sound like someone rounded the hex out of them. They screw into an aluminum rod that is the actual 'handle' of the handlebars, and that is replaceable so if worse comes to worse, you can buy the entire ass'y but it will be expensive. Might be some around in salvage yards but handlebars tend to be the first victims in any kind of bike mishap.
The extenders dampen vibration but are not mechanically required for the handlebars, throttle or grips to perform correctly. But they also finish the handlebars; if you remove them, you will see the aluminum rod that is the handlebar, the raw, machined end and tapped hole for mounting the weight.
I tried a number of grips and ended up with BMW sport grips; soft, grippy rubber that is tapered and fits my hands very well.
My grips are not heated as the bike is an '08, and in cold weather I use hand-guards and Gerbing heated gloves rather than heated grips. Installing aftermarket grips is a bit tricky regarding applying the thin membrane under the grip that does the actual heating, and routing the cable from the throttle grip as that one turns of course. I find the gloves are easier, and work much better for me than heated grips, and will continue to work at temps. much lower than a rider could stand with just heated grips.
Brian
I purchased a new set of thicker grips for my handlebar as I have larger hands and the stock grips are thin and hard on the hands. I went to take off the extenders on the ends of the handlebars and it looks like the allen bolts are stripped....unless there is some special allen key I am suppose to use? But it looks pretty rounded on both ends. I bought this bike used so I wonder if the guy before me had the same idea but stripped the hell outta them. Anyway, does anyone know a good way to remove the stripped bolts and, if I don't put the extenders back on, will this cause any issues with vibration? Also, any recommendations for types of grips? Are heated grips the way to go? Easy to install?
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I agree with the conclusion that the stock grips are too thin and too hard. I have smaller hands (well, actually, they are medium hands with shorter fingers... nothing can be easy) so I really didn't want much thicker, but installed "grip puppies" over the stock grips, rather than replacing the grips. It is much easier, cheaper, and surprisingly effective at cushioning. Have had them on for almost 7 years and they have held up perfectly.
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I agree with the conclusion that the stock grips are too thin and too hard. I have smaller hands (well, actually, they are medium hands with shorter fingers... nothing can be easy) so I really didn't want much thicker, but installed "grip puppies" over the stock grips, rather than replacing the grips. It is much easier, cheaper, and surprisingly effective at cushioning. Have had them on for almost 7 years and they have held up perfectly.
+1
and the grip heaters work through them fine
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+1
and the grip heaters work through them fine
It does take longer for them to get warm, but the heaters work through them.
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CJK I removed a stripped bar end bolt, but it was fairly brutal.
I used a drill bit, just smaller than the bolt head. Once the head was off, the bar end slid off. At that point, it left a 1/2, or so section of bolt sticking out. Vice grips took over, from there.
I did heat it with my soldiering iron, and it backed right out. I had to order new bolts. I could not find anything even close to similar in the metric section of the home improvement store.
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+1 on the Grip Puppies if you want to give them a try. My local MC shop also has "universal" replacement grips (black foam rubber) that work well also. Either one slips on fairly easy if you use a solution of soapy water and it dries overnight or you can use a hair dryer to evaporate the water. Just be careful with the heat, you don't want to wind up with over-vulcanized grips! I found that the stock grips tend to harden with time/use/sun exposure so it was inevitable that they would need replacement.
No experience with heated grips tho. I use heated gloves when it gets cold enough to bother my finger tips.
Nice work on getting the bolts out without shearing them. The problem lies in the dissimilar metals between the aluminum handlebar and the steel bolt I think. Some galvanic thing going on. There are, at least, two schools of thought on lubrication as it applies here when you put it all back together. 1. No Lube, just clean the threads prior to re-assembly. 2. Clean the threads. Lightly lubricate the bolt with oil prior to insertion (Easy fellas!). There shouldn't be any need for Locktight in this application but it is a personal preference for most people.
My 2 cents.
Good luck! Safe Riding!
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First off, the 'Easy Boys' should have gone in the first paragraph, right after 'either one slips on fairly easy if you use a solution of soap and water....'. It is OK though, you have to work with it for a while and they you will find all kinds of places to stick that into..... (see?).
The bolts 'self- welding' into the bike may partly be the result of electrolysis (dissimilar metals) but I think the main cause is that damn orange stuff Kawasaki uses: I think it must be named 'Carpe Treadum' (Latin for seize the threads) or something like that. My own personal preference is to use a lubricant rather than any kind or retaining compound (because getting it out is as important as keeping it in <yep, right here is where it would go>) and a properly tightened fastener will not generally loosen anyway. That way, only the first time is exciting and after that, it becomes old- hat to remove any fasteners on the bike. I prefer anti- seize but grease or even oil is far, far better than nothing or worse yet, the remains of that evil orange compound.
And yes, that application is about the silliest one of all the fasteners on the bike; it is a gigantic screw, with several diameters of thread engaged, and you can tighten it like a lug nut if you want; torque alone will hold that thing in forever without any kind of thread retaining agent.
Funny thing but notice they (manufacturers) use that thread galling material all over the place EXCEPT in critical places such as engine / transmission / final drive parts? And they do not seem to be falling out all over the place or even loosening. So we are terribly concerned about a blob of mass on the end of the handlebar but the cam bearing caps are lubricated and retained by simply tightening them, and not all that tight either. Go figure. Oh yeah, and add in the part where they use neither (thread retaining compound OR tightening) to hold the stem cap screw in place.... how many of those have fallen out?
It really is a silly world sometimes.
Brian
+1 on the Grip Puppies if you want to give them a try. My local MC shop also has "universal" replacement grips (black foam rubber) that work well also. Either one slips on fairly easy if you use a solution of soapy water and it dries overnight or you can use a hair dryer to evaporate the water. Just be careful with the heat, you don't want to wind up with over-vulcanized grips! I found that the stock grips tend to harden with time/use/sun exposure so it was inevitable that they would need replacement.
No experience with heated grips tho. I use heated gloves when it gets cold enough to bother my finger tips.
Nice work on getting the bolts out without shearing them. The problem lies in the dissimilar metals between the aluminum handlebar and the steel bolt I think. Some galvanic thing going on. There are, at least, two schools of thought on lubrication as it applies here when you put it all back together. 1. No Lube, just clean the threads prior to re-assembly. 2. Clean the threads. Lightly lubricate the bolt with oil prior to insertion (Easy fellas!). There shouldn't be any need for Locktight in this application but it is a personal preference for most people.
My 2 cents.
Good luck! Safe Riding!
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:offtopic:
Sometimes I wonder why I bother with the cautionary "easy" in my posts. Personally, by the time I have read something that would be even slightly suggestive it's already too late for me. So, I would imagine that the same would apply to anyone else reading the same thing. They read it, the brain performs it automatic functioning, and Poof! we're off to the races.
Sorry about inserting suggestive verbiage. The English language is a slippery slope for sure.
:offtopic:
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All different facets to this. Another favorite of mine is that there is no sentence in the English language into which one cannot put 'When Suddenly' and improve it almost every single time. Once you get used to that, you will find yourself slipping them in all over the place and the studio audience really seems to like it. It becomes anticipated humor and those who are good at it can really make it shine- Henny Youngman was one of the very best IMO; his one- liners were merely a phase of his whole shtick. Never saw the man in person but have seen his entire routines and that is the key- anticipated humor. BTW, the man was actually a concert violinist (really) but ended up performing in some dive somewhere back when elephants were still small animals so he could eat, and when he started playing, the audience 'booed' him. So he interrupted himself and wise- cracked with the audience, mixing it in with the violin. Of course over time, the violin actually went away and we were left with just Mr. Youngman doing the 'better' part of his performance.
I believe humor is an art form, just as important as all the others, and perhaps more-so during hard times. I wish I were more skilled at it but alas, I am just good enough to amuse myself and so that is what I do; you folks are just getting the 'over-spray' of me amusing.... well, me. :-)
And remember, good soldering is like good sex: hot, wet and shiny. And bad soldering is like bad sex: cold, dry and dull. And for anyone who does not believe that, look up what makes a good solder joint and see if that is not 100% true. They are known in the industry as 'dark' or 'dull' joints where the solder did not get hot enough to flow and become shiny (not hot enough so it did not 'wet' and end up shiny). The reference, well, that is just a little mnemonic to help me remember.....
Brian
:offtopic:
Sometimes I wonder why I bother with the cautionary "easy" in my posts. Personally, by the time I have read something that would be even slightly suggestive it's already too late for me. So, I would imagine that the same would apply to anyone else reading the same thing. They read it, the brain performs it automatic functioning, and Poof! we're off to the races.
Sorry about inserting suggestive verbiage. The English language is a slippery slope for sure.
:offtopic:
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I need to replace the grip puppies on my bike, the left has a rip in it.
WAY back when I purchased these they came in different sizes but I can't remember which size the C14 takes. That point may be moot as they seem to only have one size now? Does anyone have any info on this?
Amazon is selling them now but as I said, it seems that only one size is available.
https://www.amazon.com/Grip-Puppy-Foam-Over-Grips/dp/B01GJKYGY0/ref=pd_sim_263_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GC6F7T0QEJYG9FWWEDEK (https://www.amazon.com/Grip-Puppy-Foam-Over-Grips/dp/B01GJKYGY0/ref=pd_sim_263_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GC6F7T0QEJYG9FWWEDEK)
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Sorry about inserting suggestive verbiage. The English language is a slippery slope for sure.
(Easy, boys!)
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Exactly.
Also, 'there I was, reading along WHEN SUDDENLY, Tree was inserting something somewhere'.
Brian
(Easy, boys!)
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I need to replace the grip puppies on my bike, the left has a rip in it.
WAY back when I purchased these they came in different sizes but I can't remember which size the C14 takes. That point may be moot as they seem to only have one size now? Does anyone have any info on this?
Amazon is selling them now but as I said, it seems that only one size is available.
https://www.amazon.com/Grip-Puppy-Foam-Over-Grips/dp/B01GJKYGY0/ref=pd_sim_263_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GC6F7T0QEJYG9FWWEDEK (https://www.amazon.com/Grip-Puppy-Foam-Over-Grips/dp/B01GJKYGY0/ref=pd_sim_263_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GC6F7T0QEJYG9FWWEDEK)
Come to think of it (oops!) I had to replace my puppies after about a year because they both ripped. One of those things that make me think, and I hate that! Maybe I was using the wrong size...
Exactly.
Also, 'there I was, reading along WHEN SUDDENLY, Tree was inserting something somewhere'.
Brian
(Easy, boys!)
What happens when you read for comprehension vs. just blowing through an article and not engaging your brain? You actually get the point, that's what. Motorcycle riders aren't stoopid, we just get distracted by... I forget.
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A small or moderate dose of ADD will save your bacon in many cases. Many LEO's have ADD and it is often NOT a liability. Just like a small to medium amount of psychopathy is not a detriment either in many cases of 'management' or governance. We over- simplify and just call these things 'bad' when in reality, they are all on a sliding scale and a certain amount of many things that tend to fall into the 'bad' category are not only desirable but downright necessary. An obvious example: a ship, or better yet, a submarine commander who does not have the cold, calculating psychopathy to order all water- tight hatches be closed after a hull- damaging event; to wring one's hands while trying to save everyone (pulling those in the flooding areas through the hatches to 'safety') merely guarantees everyone aboard will die. Better to have that cold, un- emphatic streak that will allow him / her to do the 'right' thing rather than the 'nice' thing.
Brian
Come to think of it (oops!) I had to replace my puppies after about a year because they both ripped. One of those things that make me think, and I hate that! Maybe I was using the wrong size...
What happens when you read for comprehension vs. just blowing through an article and not engaging your brain? You actually get the point, that's what. Motorcycle riders aren't stoopid, we just get distracted by... I forget.
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Regard soldiering...Ive done quite a bit of it back when I was into rc cars. Radio Shack sells a solder called "High Tech solder".
I have no idea why its "high tech" but it works extremely well and was easier to use than the others. It make the joints look like a pro had done them, and I am far from that.
This stuff: https://www.radioshack.com/products/high-tech-rosin-core-solder-1-5-oz (https://www.radioshack.com/products/high-tech-rosin-core-solder-1-5-oz)
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I thought Radio Shack was history...
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Maybe but not yet, and they are going down slowly (Easy Boys, they might not even get there).
They filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015 as well as 2017 but Chapter 11 is bankruptcy for re-organization, not shutting the corporation down (I believe that would be Chapter 7). At this moment, they still exist as a national (and I think international) corporation, and still operate many stores throughout the US although not nearly as many as they used to have.
All of that said, I am not really seeing any change in the conditions that drove them to this point in the first place so I have to wonder what will stop this downward spiral.
Brian
I thought Radio Shack was history...
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The bottom..
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There is no bottom....
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I need to replace the grip puppies on my bike, the left has a rip in it.
WAY back when I purchased these they came in different sizes but I can't remember which size the C14 takes. That point may be moot as they seem to only have one size now? Does anyone have any info on this?
Amazon is selling them now but as I said, it seems that only one size is available.
https://www.amazon.com/Grip-Puppy-Foam-Over-Grips/dp/B01GJKYGY0/ref=pd_sim_263_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GC6F7T0QEJYG9FWWEDEK (https://www.amazon.com/Grip-Puppy-Foam-Over-Grips/dp/B01GJKYGY0/ref=pd_sim_263_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GC6F7T0QEJYG9FWWEDEK)
In case anyone is interested. I purchased the above Puppies from Amazon and put them on yesterday. A perfect fit and using my air compressor installation was a breeze.
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Cruelty to animals, Conrad. Never thought you would do that. Those poor puppies. :'(
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Never thought I would hear our own Conrad mention "air compressor" and "puppy" together.
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Never thought I would hear our own Conrad mention "air compressor" and "puppy" together.
I have some other interesting word combinations, would you care to hear (read) them? ;)
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Grip Puppies
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I don't have heated grips so that doesn't apply. I do have large hands so I've installed not only the Grip Puppies but then wrapped them with grip wrap used for a tennis or racketball racket handle.
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I don't have heated grips so that doesn't apply. I do have large hands so I've installed not only the Grip Puppies but then wrapped them with grip wrap used for a tennis or racketball racket handle.
I've been thinking about trying the grip wrap. Always had to do it to baseball bats so why not wrap a handlebar/throttle grip?
Has anyone else tried grip wrap? Pros & Cons maybe?
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Why not try racquet ball grip tape over the original grips? Way cheaper and easily removed if not comfortable.