Kawasaki Triples Club

Sorry for all these posts and questions, feel like I'm being a bit "high maintenance"!

US spec handlebars. What is the correct angle to set them at? Mine are set so that the upright part is more or less vertical which makes the grips slope just slightly upwards. My experience is that it's better to have them sloping a bit downwards so they need to rotate backwards a bit.

No matter how many pictures I look at I can't really see what the general consensus is. I know it's all a matter of personal preference and there's no right answer but I'd be interested to hear opinions.

For comfort to me mine slope slightly backwards. But as Wolfie says, set them for your own comfort.

From what I remember the part of the bar you hold ran pretty much level to the horizon. But as others have said, they adjust so set them for comfort.

My advice is just try starting the bike and riding it down the road.

Clearly you`re all missing the crucial ergonomical theory on this ?

A = pie R squared / L A being Angle ( reverse degrees from upright/zero )
L being length of your arm

( To be sure on L. Best measure span and divide by 2 first. Get an average aggregate length.
In case your armlengths vary )

Course you`d have to sit in exactly the same spot on the seat all the time for this to work.

Look at the bike from the side with it on the centre stand and get the upright part of the bars to line up with the forks. Looks neater that way too. Saw your bike on the forum today. Is it a recent import?

Steve, the bike was imported from Michigan only in March this year.

I set the handlebars by the formula suggested. I've made a plywood former that sets my position on the bike each time I mount and I'm finding that this really helps with comfort. Neil, is there a way I can also calculate the angle of the footrests gear/brake controls. (I have short legs).

I see you are doing a scatter gun approach on the forums as mentioned on RB's if you are actually going to ride it fit lower euro spec bars. If you are just going to polish and play with it then obviously it doesn't matter.

Best thing for short legs Bic, is wear platform shoes.
Also improves the handling .

Oxford Bags improve low speed manouvres, but for speed, wear 18" Bell Bottoms. Brushed Denim are best.
And let them flap !

All this is even better if you install a full length mirror in the garage, so you can admire yourself as you pose on the bike and make some vroom neeyahh, ring a ding. noises. You don`t even have to ride the thing then.
Which improves the reliability too.

Is the taking the piss mandatory whenever anyone joins a new forum for single model bikes? Appears to be. That's why I'm posting on more than one - to see where the real help is and where the piss takers reside.

Neil, I bet I've done more miles on this bike in the last two weeks than most triple owners have done in done in the last year. And I'm loving it! Piss takers don't bother me, as long as they know what they're talking about. I always preferred Birmingham bags with six buttons up the front.

Just to add to the riding apparel advice, Two Tones Pants may make other motorists more .
aware of your presence.

Would suggest careful colour matching to the bikes colour scheme to avoid clashes ( not Chinese accidents )

In an ideal world this fashion statement would help lower insurance premiums

Though it would probably set off a series of correct colour/shading arguments by certain anorak types.



Dave

Bic ,
In all seriousness I did not realise that you hadn't started this thread as a pisstake yourself.

There is always genuine help for newcomers to Triples ( all. Models of Triple. This is not a one bike model forum there are a whole load of versions of them )
But the "correct"angle for. US. spec handlebars ??

That's like asking what the average velocity of a Swallow is...............African or European comes the reply !!!

There are all sorts of blokes in this club. most of the old, or,longer term owners,of Triples grew up with them , and learned on the way. And pisstaking is part of your apprenticeship. Ask this lot about their memories of doing apprenticeships way back in the day. And the tales are vicious !!! At least by modern day viewpoints.
But you'll get genuine help for real problems.

Maybe it's part and parcel of the modern google-it world , to ask questions first and think later ?

Point taken mate. To be honest it wasn't such a serious question! I just waned to hear what people said in respnse.

Getting hold of one of these bikes again, it does open a lot of queries and questions. I'm familiar with joining forums and the stick you get, especially with something like this bike. I guess that only time will tell really. I know there is probably a lot of scepticism about new owners, all the people who buy this bike because of its reputation and collectability. But really, me. I just always wanted to own one from when I was 12 so it's just a dream come true

So far it's been an eye opener, just having to revert back to riding habits from 30 years ago, and spending a lot more time with oily hands and spanners. This is why I got it and no regret so far!

I have a modern sport bike that I've had for many years, well sorted with all the upgrades and kit to make it competitive on tracks and road but I haven't been out on it since I got this bike. At moment I'm addicted to nostalgia and the memories!

Double post.

if you wear flares ,be careful they don'ty get caught on the footrest when you put the sidestand doown

The" up "part of the high handlebars should be parallel with the fork stations viewed from the side

I find the American high bars really comfortable on distance rides. The angle? Just go for a mix of comfort and style. It's your eye that has to be pleased. Flat bars on my old S2 and on the current gsxf, I find really UNCOMFORTABLE.
Back in the early 70's I had a fab pair of flares. Two tone Cherry Red and grey. Nice pair of "winkle pickers" and a red waistcoat. Real colourmatch for the S2 and could be now for the H1e. I cant even find a C&A store let alone the clobber! Am I missing something?
Steve r

p.s. The gearchange bends the point on the winkle pickers and the flares got caught up on everything.