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View Full Version : K8 Heli-Bar Installation


Warchild
12-30-2007, 09:43 PM
The Heli-Bars for the K8 are quite similar to the ones on the Gen I Busa, but apparently have the small holes (for switch housings, etc) drilled in slightly different positions.

http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/package.jpg


Otherwise, the install is a pretty straightforward business, however there are two somewhat important items that the Heli-Bar instructions FAIL to point out for the K8 install, so I'll include them here in this write-up.


CLUTCH SIDE:

Start by removing the bar end weight and the two phillips-head screws that retain the light switch housing. Note the longer screw is closer to the headlight; the shorter screw is aft towards the rear of the bike (red arrow points to where the short screw is located in the housing):


http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/clutchFasteners.jpg


Take a 8mm socket to remove the clutch lever/hydraulic cylinder bolts, and now you can easily access the two socket-head bolts that actually retain the clip-on. Use a 5mm allen wrench to remove these two bolts. Below, you can see the large dollop of white paint in the socket-head recesses - this is done on the assembly line to indicate that bolt has been torqued to specs:


http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/clip-onSocketBolts.jpg


You only have to loosen the inboard socket-head bolt, but the outboard bolt needs to be completely removed. This is due to the clip-on having a large furrow (circled in red below) that the bolt actually passes through in order to retain and orient the clip-on. The Heli-Bar has an identical furrow in it.

http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/RetainingSlot.jpg


Below is the installed left Heli-Bar, with the socket-head bolts torqued to factory specs of 7.5 ft-lbs (which is not a whole lot of torque, mind you):


http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/BareClutchSide.jpg


Now here is the first of two OMITTED STEPS in the Heli-Bar installation instructions that I personally feel are kinda important to note.

When you orient the switch housing retaining tab into its attending hole that has been pre-drilled into the Heli-Bar, you will find the wire harness needs to be stretch to an alarming degree. Worse, upon a full lock left turn, the strain put on the wire harness is fairly extreme, and may eventually prove problematic. You need to obtain more slack in this wire harness.

Fortunately, this is fairly easy to do.

Remove the lower instrument dash piece (piece of cake: one small socket-head bolt in the center, two common push-pull pins on the outboard ends of the dash piece) and this will reveal the plastic wire tie (pointed to be red arrow below) that retains the wire harness in question (and a couple others as well). This is a re-usable wire tie clamp - do not cut it!


http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/ClutchCableTie.jpg


Below is another shot of this wire tie. To "release" the tie in order to gain slack for the wire harness, you want to move that small black tab outward (in the direction the red arrow below is pointing to), and push a small portion of the main tie wrap back through this catch, creating the slack you need.


http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/ReleaseWireTie.jpg


Once the wire harness has sufficient slack, you can orient the switch housing in its proper place, re-install the two phillips-head screws, and and the two 8mm bolts retaining the clutch lever/hydraulic cylinder housing. Re-install the grip (or a grip of your choice, as I have done below using a BMW "Sport Grip"), and re-install the end weight. Clutch side.... DONE! :thumbs up:


http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/clutchInstalled2.jpg


The astute Busa owner will notice I am using a different Bar End Weight... the heavy "Top Gun" weights from FJRGoodies.com. :thumbs up:


Below is a photo that attempts to show the different orientation between stock (throttle-side) and the Heil-Bar (clutch-side) when installed. Sorry for the flash and relatively poor photo... it's hard to appreciate the difference, but you can see the Heli-bar on the right is definitely higher than stock, and is wider as well:


http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/HeliBarComparo.jpg


THROTTLE SIDE:

This is quite similar to the clutch side install, though you will find that the phillips-head screws are the same size, so no need to be concerned of which screw goes where. You remove the brake lever/master cylinder just like you did the clutch side (un-hooking the brake light switch connectors first!). Remove the stock clip-on, install the Heli-Bar, and torqued to specs as before.

Here now is the second item the Heli-Bars doesn't mention in their instructions....

When the throttle sleeve is re-oriented into its Heli-Bar position, you will find the two throttle cables themselves are much more taunt than before. As you did with the clutch-side wire harness, you need to create more slack here for the cables. Again, fortunately, this is extremely easy: simply remove the throttle cable clamp on the right side of the steering neck using a 8mm socket, and just leave the clamp off. The cables will remain in position just fine:

http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/ThrottleCableClamp.jpg


Now re-install the rest of the hardware, and do a lock-to-lock check to ensure no component strikes any adjacent area. In my case, my Pazzo brake lever touched the upper dash piece in the area pointed to by the red arrow below. Simply loosen the two 8mm bolts holding the brake lever, and rotate the lever assembly downward, such that it clears the dash pieces.

All done! :thumbs up:


http://www.heavybus.com/busa/images/photos/HeliBars/BrakeStrikePoint.jpg


Time to kick back and admire your work, and have a beer..... :cheers:

Tybalt
12-30-2007, 09:47 PM
:surprise: Wow great job, well done:cheers: -Duane p.s i am liken the BMW grips, anymore info on them and why?

hottrodd7
12-31-2007, 10:47 AM
Hey Warchild---Great write up, THANKS!. I'm thinking of installing them on my new '08 as well. A couple of quetions: Did you get 'em directly from heli-bar? Also, I'm a little concerned about removing the throttle side grip & assembly. Any hints or tricks? Thanks!

Warchild
12-31-2007, 11:45 AM
Hey Warchild---Great write up, THANKS!. I'm thinking of installing them on my new '08 as well. A couple of quetions: Did you get 'em directly from heli-bar?

California Sport Touring (http://www.casporttouring.com/store/merchant.mvc) is where I got them. These are good peeps.

Also, I'm a little concerned about removing the throttle side grip & assembly. Any hints or tricks? Thanks!

Worry not. It is candy, seriously. In fact, the easiest of any bike I have installed Hel-Bars on... and thats a fair number of bikes.

You un-do the two phillips-head screws that retain the throttle-side switch housing, and it "unhinges", completely freeing up the throttle sleeve . The throttle pulley and cables remain behind as one unit. You can now slide it up/down the clip-on freely. You'll see what I mean once the switch housing is removed. :thumbs up:

hottrodd7
12-31-2007, 12:27 PM
Thanks for the info. I had a GenMar on my '06, but I think I like these better. Gonna have to get me some!!!!

mr8ball
02-12-2008, 10:27 AM
Have you road it much after doing this? I have thought about doing this to mine but wasnt sure if it would help with my acking body parts or not. Do you notice a $190.00 worth to do this? I had my seats done by tobin and have only road once and it wasnt to bad but i still have my arms bothering me some. Could you please post on how much differance it made in you ride? Thanks in advance, Doug

Warchild
02-12-2008, 10:36 AM
Do you notice a $190.00 worth to do this?

Oh, HELL YES, it was worth every penny!

I got about 1000 miles on the bike since I installed them, and between the Heli-Bars and the Footpeg Lowering brackets, the bike is now almost as comfortable as my Blackbird (not quite, but almost).

For serious long distance touring, the K8 really has a somewhat lengthy reach to the handgrips in its stock configuration. The Heli-bars help with this tremendously, but it is still a little bit of a reach.

But it's a lot better than it would have been without them, that's for sure! If you plan on racking up the miles, the $190 will pay for itself in short order.

mr8ball
02-12-2008, 04:25 PM
Thanks for the imfo, I jusr ordered them and i was told i have a 30 day guarantee if i dont like them. That is nice of them. I offer the same thing on my website and i think everyone should. Its hard to say how much junk i have because after i got it it didnt work. Anyway i will let you know how it works. Thanks again, Doug

mcbean
02-14-2008, 01:33 PM
Great write up , interesting comment on the Blackbird, i fitted Helis to mine and it transformed the bike more leverage less stretch, and i removed them when i traded and sold them for 2/3 rds of what i paid - for any Uk boys i bought direct by ringing Heli they arrived within one week and no duty couldnt have been easier - just for the BB you had to grind a bit of the handlebar casting which was nerve raking with a dremmel :cheers:

mr8ball
02-15-2008, 04:20 PM
Thanks to Warchild,I got my Heli-bars installed in less then 30 minutes. This was about as easy as putting my two brothers exhaust on. I road it a little (The road is muddy LOL) and it really feels good. I cant wait until i can go for a good ride. One thing i would suggest. I did not have to take the panel off to get to the wire tie. I was able to reach it and just pull the little tab and release it. I am sure that saved me a lot of time. Thanks again, Doug:banana:

Tybalt
02-15-2008, 04:25 PM
Thanks to Warchild,I got my Heli-bars installed in less then 30 minutes. This was about as easy as pitting my two brothers exhaust on. I road it a little (The road is muddy LOL) and it really feels good. I cant wait until i can go for a good ride. One thing i would suggest. I did not have to take the panel off to get to the wire tie. I was able to reach it and just pull the little tab and release it. I am sure that saved me a lot of time. Thanks again, Doug:banana:
:cheers: looks fantastic, nice job, Warchild will be proud:thumbs up: let us know how you find the ride

-<RedRocket>-
02-15-2008, 11:57 PM
Excellent write up fella's, Duane sent me this way., Had dropped him a line regarding the group buy on the ss brake n clutch lines. Question is: I had done the heli bars on my 07 and ran in to the slack issue and complete turns would also run the choke up a lil. Well i did the slack deal kinda like you described and all is well. So ordering these ss lines. Do I just wanna do stock length or get one's with a lil more. Any help or suggestions Greatly Appreciated.

186000mps
05-08-2008, 08:46 PM
Thanks alot for the help and great photo's gonna fit them to mine!

Geriatricintraining
05-09-2008, 10:38 AM
Fitted mine in about 45 lazy minutes, no probs at all with removing either grip, throttle side is in fact easier as it slips right off. The difference is night and day, a much more relaxed position, an inch and a half dont sound much but is it sooo comfy. An inch wider makes for more leverage and has lightened the stearing considerably.If anyone has reservations about fitting these, don't worry they are worth every penny

Falconer
05-09-2008, 02:43 PM
As Usual A Great Write Up War!

lolo50460
07-29-2008, 02:38 AM
hi i'm french lives in france ,and i ordered these helibars last week should received them today just wondering about mounting them correctly?

i've seen the photos in the 1° page of this post but not really understand all technic words ! not easy to translate anybody to help me???:umm:

many thanks for all anyway whithout this forum i couldn't find these hellibars ! and as i'm ill , muscular desease this is the only way for me to keep riding my k8 busa , as everybody says a more confortable position than stock! i trust you guys!

see ya........:cheers:

Tybalt
07-29-2008, 08:48 AM
hi i'm french lives in france ,and i ordered these helibars last week should received them today just wondering about mounting them correctly?

i've seen the photos in the 1° page of this post but not really understand all technic words ! not easy to translate anybody to help me???:umm:

many thanks for all anyway whithout this forum i couldn't find these hellibars ! and as i'm ill , muscular desease this is the only way for me to keep riding my k8 busa , as everybody says a more confortable position than stock! i trust you guys!

see ya........:cheers:

What specifically do you need assistance with?

lolo50460
07-30-2008, 01:08 AM
What specifically do you need assistance with?

in fact i would have need a translation of how to mount the bars , but seems very difficult !

yu might answer me , is it a Screwdriver yu need to take off the Handles

and for the 2 screw under handles , yu take them off whith a screwdriver or whith this in the image , by the way give me the name in english please many thankshttp://www.informatiqueconsulting.fr/yaya/clef.jpg

busakid
07-30-2008, 05:41 AM
Triangle thingy and bent bar

montaņes
07-30-2008, 05:36 PM
Hi guys,
Well I'm another one that is now think in buying this bars (for a K7) cause have only one problem with my busa:
My hands
I live in a zone with many ascents and slopes, when I have to down for a long time or retain throttle a lot I fell rally pain at my hands.
You have a very well explained post :thumbs up:
***edit
I bought just an hour ago from HELI.

Thanks

lolo50460
07-31-2008, 10:39 AM
Hi guys,
Well I'm another one that is now think in buying this bars (for a K7) cause have only one problem with my busa:
My hands
I live in a zone with many ascents and slopes, when I have to down for a long time or retain throttle a lot I fell rally pain at my hands.
You have a very well explained post :thumbs up:
***edit
I bought just an hour ago from HELI.

Thanks
shipped to france less then 5 days, next i have to install them !........not so easy it seems to......

montaņes
07-31-2008, 04:58 PM
I think will be installing for 1 or 2 hours... (i'm desiring)
From Heli say me that handlebars for Busa are now in production, it's possible that at the end of agost will be at home -I hope ;) -