Renthal Fatbar conversion.

So Mrs C has hung up her keys and I have kind of treated her to a new car (to her) in lieu of her motorcycle. A very low mileage 2007 Moto Guzzi Nevada 750 ie.





Now it was this very bike (borrowing it to tour Scotland as the V11 has no luggage capacity) that opened my eyes as to how capable the 750 injection small box Guzzi range can be, and on the back of that ride, decided to get my 750 Breva that shares the same engine, frame, suspension wiring loom, injection system.


The reason I went for the Breva is that I did not get on with riding position of the Nevada. The handlebars have too much sweep back for me. They kind of have a wheel barrow feel to them. Lean forward and my elbows feel cramped and awkward, particularly in tight turns. Lean back and my lower spine takes a pounding.





So if this bike is going to work for me, I need to change something. So I had a measure up and then had a look round and chose a Renthal Street Naked Fatbar from their website. This offers less sweep and a less height. It also offers a good straight length (210mm) for the handle bar controls.

http://road.renthal.com/shop/road-products/road-handlebars/road-fatbars

However, Renthal Fatbars (as the name suggests) are fatter at the bar mounts, where the Nevada has traditional 7/8” bars. So I had to measure up the Nevada’s bar mount dims and order a set of suitable Renthal mounts too.

http://road.renthal.com/shop/road-products/road-handlebars/road-bar-mounts

Experience reminds me that Renthal using aluminium to make their bars, they have a thicker wall than tradition steel bars so I would also need some bar ends for the small inside diameter.

http://road.renthal.com/shop/road-products/road-handlebars/road-bar-ends

V-twins being a little more vibby than some, I have also found the Dual layer grips to be good for vibration absorbency and the oversize 32mm grips are good for us folks with long gangly fingers.

http://road.renthal.com/shop/road-products/road-bike-grips/dual-series-road?product_id=2795

 

So I placed my order and they arrived this week.

Getting back from the Salford MAG demo run I thought I’d make a start.
Before starting off, I covered the tank with my flasher mack to protect it from stray bars and levers, and I can tell you it was a wise move.

So first, it was off with the clutch lever perch assemble and the front brake master cylinder assembly.

Next it is off with the bar ends and you can see how the Guzzi bar has threaded lugs in the end to fasten the mount to.

Next is off with the grips. If you get a cross head screw driver and push and twist it between the bar and grip allowing the screwdriver to rotate around the bar you can normally break the glue without damaging the grip. Then squirt some 3in1 or WD40 down the gap and the grip will slide off nicely.


Then it is off with the switch gear, the handlebars and the mounts. Leave the throttle cables on the tube and slide the bar away once released from the mount. Far less fiddly.

 

Comparing the bars I can see I should be in a much more comfortable and controlled position for my height.

Now a days most manufacturers have moved away from cast aluminium switch gear housings to injection moulded resin. As a result they have taken to putting a location lug on the inside of the switch gear and drilled a matching hole in the steel bar.


Now anyone that has had anything to do with aluminium manufacturing will tell you that whilst it’s a strong light material, it also does not like being messed with. Your handlebar is a primary control on your bike. You would not drill a hole in your frame (I hope not anyway), so don’t mess with your handlebar either. Just file down the lug in the switch housing to a pimple.

The pimple will pinch on to the handlebar, but the resin being softer, will deform, not the handlebar.
So then it is a simple case of loosely fitting the Renthal bar mount bases, slide the throttle tube over the Fatbar and loosely assembling the top clamps. Be sure to use copper slip on assembly.

 

The wife’s toothbrush is excellent for application purposes.

Being a fussy git, I want to keep the chrome bar ends. So I took a hacksaw to the brand new Renthal bar ends and cut the insert that does the clamping and used that to mount the chrome ends.

Give the handle bar and grip a good dollop of glue and then smear it around a bit on the contact surfaces. The glue will briefly act as a lubricant until it goes off.

[/img] https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net...cc0f167679228a0786eef08ea1f&oe=54EC1D1C[/img]
Slide the grip on and then bolt the bar end in place, then relocate the grip to suit bar end.


Butt the switch gear up against the grip on the clutch side only.

Repeat on the throttle side and bolt on the clutch lever assemble and front brake master cylinder. Then sit on the bike and orientation the bars to the position you want, noting the markers on the bar to help you locate them left and right, fore and aft.

 

You can see above how far out the levers and switch gear where, by the time I had got the bars where I think I’ll want them. Below I have set the levers and switch gear too.

Glad I did not drilled the bars, as it would have all been in the wrong place.

Lastly, go round every fastening and check they are torqued up or tightened adequately. Roll on spring when I find out how much of an improvement it is.

 

See you STILL havent tidied your work shop then

 

I'm lost for words

 

Good clear writup, lots of helpful tips for newbies or people who haven't done such things before. :thumbsup:

Does the mug make them a set of Tea-bars then? :whistle:

I had the same sort of issue with the locating tab for the Triumph switchgear, but filed the tab too low. A short strip of old inner tube inside the clamp surface on the opposite side to the earthing point for the switchgear will work wonders for keeping the switchgear stable too in those circumstances. Acts as a soft shim to take up the space.

Looks a nice set up, but those sort of grips would be no good for me. The vibe resistance might be good but my tendonitis problems mean I have to have the skinniest grips I can.

Not having mirrors? You'll have to either rotate the switchgear or remove the screen from the look of that to fit them. I've had that sort of issue a few times in the past when changing bars or fitting screens.

 

Looks great.

I strayed from the light grips though and went for the medium compound. Still a light grey but I imagine the whiter ones will get very dirty quickly?

Medium compound grips lasted me about 18,000 miles and I'm only having to replace them now

 

I didnt glue my grips, i just used pentrating spray to lube them up (the smallest ammount) then slid them on. So far theyve held ok.......

Nice write up though, pists like this need pinning!

 

Posts.....

 

Renthal's own Grip glue.

 

Ha ha, Got that covered Scotia.
I am using mirrors from the Moto Guzzi Griso.
They are simple to install.
Just insert the collet into the mirror mount.


Then slide the mirror stem into the collet and tighten.

Then slide the sheath over the collet.

I then took a bit of time getting the levers in a nature place both rotationally and along the bar. Moving the brake master cylinder and clutch perch 5-10mm inbound positions my finger nice in the finger well of the leave and increases the mechanical advantage making it easier going on the pinkies whilst doing a long ride. Lister, you will not understand this concept, at least not without causing an oil crisis.

 

Below is best I can do for you Lee.
You can see the grips are now horizontal rather than drooped.
The riding position is slightly more forward, but by no means aggressive.
Arms are straighter, but not straight. This should give me better control in tight turns.



Sure a 7/8" bar replacement is a cheaper option.
The Fatbar is a stronger bar, but on a cruiser I am hardly likely to need the extra strength.
As I have never seen it done before on a Nevada, it does mark this bike as "Cabernet's Nevada".
It also gives a 2 decade old model a face lift to the trends of this decade and the Griso mirrors in black also set it off.
So yes, I have to concede it is just cosmetics I guess.

 

So similar to old Superdream mounts then. Simple and easier to set than most locknut on a threaded stem too. Nice and easy.

 

love the winter photo kev