Handlebar issue

[Mike the Impaler]

Hi,
I was riding the other night and there was a lot of play in my handlebars. I took off the light fixture and tightened it up from the top and the bottom. There is still some play though. More play than I remember. Is it possible that the rubber bushing is bad? The bushing below the risers? I have no idea what it's called. The handlebars go back and forth about 1 1/2 or 2 inches. Not too much, but I must have never noticed it before if it's normal.
Mike

 

[glider]

Mike

That's a bit excessive. You may want to replace the riser bushings, possibly with some urethane ones to firm things up.

 

[wilks3]

Bushings could very well be bad. I would replace with the poly bushings and use new bolts, grade 5 at least.
wilks3

 

[Mike the Impaler]

Ok, thanks. I'll run out and pick some up. I have not heard of them going out much but my bike is 11 years old and I live in southern Arizona so the heat probably breaks it down too.
Mike

 

[BUBBIE]

Ok, thanks. I'll run out and pick some up. I have not heard of them going out much but my bike is 11 years old and I live in southern Arizona so the heat probably breaks it down too.
Mike

***************************
On my 2000 the bars would always go Up and Down from new,,, Hope that is what you meant by back and forth,********* IS Up and down...

If NOT you do have a problem.

They Do absorb a lot of the Negative Vibrations and Loved them.

Being careful to Not get too tight or you will ruin the soft spacers Quicker , regardless of the material...
My stock ones also Loosened with age.... Not enough to redo tho..
Almost everybody would comment saying------- Hey,, Noticed your handle bars are Loose.....
Yep is about all I would say back and ,,,, Thanks..

signed....BUBBIE

 

[R_W_B]

Bushings could very well be bad. I would replace with the poly bushings and use new bolts, grade 5 at least.
wilks3

+1 on the above and torque them to specs when you install them.

I've heard of these bolts breaking, don't risk reusing the old ones. You can find the Poly bushing kits everywhere on the net. But the bolts don't come with most of them. Just take the old bolts with you to a Fastenal shop or Ace hardware and replace them. I would use grade 8 but grade 5 would be sufficient if you are not using real high bars that emit a great torque on them.

If you tie your bars to the garage ceiling with eye hooks and rope it will make the job at lot easier.

 

[JBC2565]

Welcome to the forum Mike.
Replaced mine with poly bushings. Tightened up the bars and as a bonus, cuts down on the front end vibration as well.

 

[Mike the Impaler]

Thanks guys. IT was actually easy to change those out. That was exactly what the problem was. The rubber on the old ones had really deteriorated. The bike is 11 years old so it got a lot of use.
Mike