New handlebars on my Svart 701

K

KiwiKev

fast rider
Joined
Oct 31, 2020
Messages
51
Location
Christchurch, New Zealand
I've always felt the stock bars have too much back sweep to them and have been looking for something with less sweep and also a touch lower.
I picked up and installed some protaper bars- stock Husqvarna bend.
I didn't clamp them both up and get any super accurate measurements on the difference, but holding them against each other, I reckon they're about 50mm less sweep and maybe 35mm lower, they're also atleast 20mm longer.

They had some ugly protaper graphics that I removed with solvent.

I went for a ride today and I LOVE them!

I guess you could say I've taken one step towards the vit riding position, but still definitely a lot closer to the svart.

I also like the look of the straighter bar more.

I was going to cut 20mm off of each end but decided to install them first. Lucky I did, as that would have pushed the brake lever clamp around onto the start of the bend somewhat, plus the extra length feels pretty good in the new position.
With a bit of jiggling, I reckon I could maybe take 12mm off each end, which would leave them close to stock length. I might look at this in the future.

I do have a problem though.......
While out on my ride, I noticed the bars were sitting a touch crooked. My left needs to move forward a touch or vice versa with the right.
The bars are not bent.
I never undid the bar clamps from the triple clamp.
I can see that the bar clamps are slightly out of parallel with the front of the triple clamp and the long straight bars exacerbate this.
I'm guessing my stock bars must have always been slightly cocked but I never noticed it.

I undid one of my bar clamps from the triple clamp to see if there's any adjustment. Seems like they screw into a pressed in rubber bush that's set where it is.

Where do you think this out of tolerance could be coming from?
Maybe the casting itself is a touch out?
Maybe the rubber bushes are not quite true?

More importantly, what can I do to fix it?
 
My new Svartpilen bars were crooked too. The dealer just gave them a good jerk and they straightened out. The rubber mount has some give to it.
 
Check your manual, and that both of your bar clamps are oriented the same way. On the Svart 401, the lower portion of the clamp is asymmetrical, relative to the mounting point of the top triple clamp. To give a few mm of adjustment fore and aft. You may have reinstalled with them opposed to each other, therefore the misalignment.
 
Check that the forks aren't twisted too.
It's pretty easy to knock the top and bottom triple clamps out of alignment, and then the forks end up a bit twisted too. Google fork alignment to find the straitening technique.
Something like this...
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But if its just the bar clamps, verify the bolts that hold the bar clamps to the triple clamp are not bent.
edit: some details about the bar mounts here:

WRENCH TECH: PERFECT FORK ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUES

WRENCH TECH: PERFECT FORK ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUES, by Tom Hinz NECESSARY ITEMS: • 10mm socket • Torque wrench • Necessary wrenches TIME TO COMPLETE: • 5–30 minutes STEP 1 Inspect the front of your bike for damage. If the front wheel isn’t aligned with the front fender, then it’s necessary to...
dirtrider.net dirtrider.net
 
Last edited:
Claytonroy said:
Check your manual, and that both of your bar clamps are oriented the same way. On the Svart 401, the lower portion of the clamp is asymmetrical, relative to the mounting point of the top triple clamp. To give a few mm of adjustment fore and aft. You may have reinstalled with them opposed to each other, therefore the misalignment.
Click to expand...
Yeah I noticed this. I actually tried turning them both around. I reckon this changes the bar placement by over 10mm.
 
All sorted. Rays technique worked a charm. There's a fair bit of give in the rubber mounts and it just needed a good tweak.

I've left the bar mounts turned around to there forward most position for now.
I'm really looking forward to going for a decent ride!
 
It should be these ones: https://opracing.com.au/product/protaper-evo-bar-husqvarna-stock/

I bought mine secondhand. They came on a new bike and he swapped them out for an old favorite bend after an hours riding.

I took the graphics off with solvent.

All the sites and tables I've seen them on, just list them as "Stock Husqvarna bend"

I think most aftermarket MX bars would be closer to each other than they are to the stock Svartpilen bars.

I'm loving mine!
Currently running with the bar clamps turned around as well. I estimate this moves them around another 10mm forward.
If I did more commuting than twisties, I think I'd spin them back 10mm. After a long commute with little wind pressure, I can just slightly feel the extra pressure on my wrists, not much and I definitely don't notice it while carving some corners.
 
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