Throttlemeister Bar-end Question

[Guest ratchethack]

While lubing my throttle twist-grip today, I found I was a little dubious about the best way to re-fasten heavy (14-oz.) Throttlemeister bar-end weights. (BTW - mine work extremely well at quelling vibration.)

 

They use a double o-ring internal mounting design that squeezes the larger of the 2 o-rings to secure the device inside the hollow of the bar, which presumably also provides vibration damping. Several times, when removing the bar-end by unscrewing the allen-head mounting bolt, this has failed to loosen up pressure on the o-ring and it just spins. This forces me to twist and pull unmercifully on the thing until the assembly can finally be yanked out, shredding the o-ring. I'm afraid to get any lube on these o-rings, lest all retaining friction be lost, potentially causing the bar-ends themselves to drop out somewhere on the road.

 

Anyone know a proven lube and/or threadlocker technique for the o-rings and/or bolt threads that keeps them in place and also allows occasional removal when necessary?

 

Thanks in advance!

[BrianG]

Use copper-kote sparingly on the center-bolt thread, to keep it corrosion free. If you look close, that center-bolt doesn't move with the throttle-lock so it's not going to back out from use. Another trick when removing the "guts" of these things or others (especially Honda's) is to shoot a bit of Varsol up inside the handlebar before you try to pull the thing out. (Hondas have a hole under the switch-cluster)

[gh67]

ratchethack, I have same heavy throttlemeisters as you though have never had difficulty removing them (though haven't had to very many times). It fact, I have to make sure that they don't fall off on my toes as soon as I loosen the allen bolt. I used standard "blue" locktite (opposed to the heavy red version) that can be easily broken loose with a 1/2 socket.

 

Did you play with different combinations of washers? I wonder if you might need to add more shims.

 

btw...I agree, these worked very well at killing almost all bar vibration.

 

good luck.

[Guest ratchethack]

Thanks for the input, Guys. I reckon there's no silver bullet for this. I had been using a drop of Locktite Blue on the bolt, which no doubt contributed to the problem of spinning the entire assembly when trying to take it out. Next time I check the twist-grip for lube and have to yank the whole assembly out because the bolt won't free up, the o-rings will be toast, as they're about half gone now.

 

O-rings are cheap, well worth the price of keeping the Guz Big Twin bar vibes at bay.

[Guest Mich-Guzzi]

I am very interested in these comments about the Throttlemeister bar-end helping with the vibration issues. I am considering adding them - but I also want to add the CRG style bar end mirrors that mount to modified stock bar ends. I know that the throttle end of the Throttlemeister rotates freely - but would it be possible to use two left bar ends (to gain the higher weight versus stock) and just modifiy them for the mirrors?

 

Any comments appreciated!

 

Keith

[Guest ratchethack]

Keith, Throttlemeister bar-end weights can be torqued down hard enough to resist rotation - but only to resist, not eliminate. I'm using two left-hand ones without throttle control, as you suggested. However, since they weren't designed as an anchor point for mirrors, there's nothing actually preventing them from vibration-induced rotation, especially considering attachment of a *moment arm* of 4 or 5 inches with the mass of a mirror at the end of it. I saw somewhere where somebody had machined a cylindrical cut into one of these to accept a clamp for this exact purpose, but I wouldn't rely on this.

 

CRG mirrors are more positively anchored by design than the Throttlemeister o-ring method, using an internal "ramping" clamp. One more thought. Logically, the mass of the bar-end mirror itself acts to retard harmonics, so using a bar-end mirror, less mass at the bar would be needed than running bar-end weights alone.

 

Let us know what you end up with. Good luck!

[Guest Mich-Guzzi]

I have ridden another 2000 V11 sport with the CRG mirrors and it definetly seemed to have less vibration at the bars than mine. I loved the mirrors - much better view behind than stock - even though they required more of a head turn to use. My goal was to gain even more weight with the heavy bar ends and the mirrors than just the mirrors on the stock ends. From your note, I take that the Throttlemeister left hand weights mount differently than the stock ones??? I have not yet pulled the stockers off to see how they mount.

 

Maybe I should just fire up the lathe and make my own!!!

 

keith