Wilsons Sandbox

I just got off the horn w/ Renthal - The 613 series Dakar Bar is NOT to be SOLD in the USA. *^$%%^#%^$@# SO PLAN B - the 757 bar is in - The 613 is out. text below edited to reflect the Renthal market restriction- I just completed more research. I kept looking at my bars and scratching my head - no way can they are the desert bars - to much like MX bars - SO screw the paperwork I got w/ my KLR - I cleaned off the dust on the top-center of the Renthals and AHAH - they are Renthals Yamaha YZ MX bars - part number 966, not 666 Desert bars... I called Dual Star and pressed for the part number they sell but although they don't know the part number of the Renthal bar (haha), they did say that they think they were selling a Quad bar for the KLR. Whatever I didn't push it.... Remember that the stock bars are 810 wide, 75 end and center rise, 205 center width and 100 sweep (pullback). The 966 bars on my KLR are 803mm wide, 92 end rise, 56 center rise, 210 center width and 57 sweep. A bit taller at the ends, a great sweep variable, but certainly to close the the triple clamps for me. THE GOOD NEWS - Now it makes sense to get the number crunching done. The Renthal 666 Desert Classic bars are in the running (840mm wide, 118 end rise, 85 center rise, 205 center width and 78 sweep), However, the even taller Renthal 757 bar - 797mm wide, 132 end rise, 112 center rise, 170 center width and only a 63 sweep looks better. This bar looks good - the end and center rise numbers mean the bar will not arch upward as steeply, the sweep is shallow, and the bar rise places it in the same class as the wider, and not available in the US, 613-04 Dakar High Bend bar. Of course, several ATV bars are on the market with rises of 160mm and much more, but I not found one of these big rise bars on the web that was not to big in sweep and/or to short in width; maybe they are out there but I didn't find them. If you like the sweep of the stock KLR bars, then this solution may be right up your alley - Renthal makes a 160mm rise bar ( that is 3.5" higher than stock) - part number 615 - it is only 770mm wide, but worth a look if the factory-like bar sweep (pull back) and shorter length are OK for you. Ok, some math - the stock bars have a 75mm end and center rise - (lets ignore using eagle risers for now), so, by installing the 757 Bend bar, we would have about stock width w/ less sweep than stock, and a bit over 2" of additional bar height. Add the half inch from the installation of the bar risers from Fred and we have bars that are about 2.5 inches taller, about an inch wider, and have one inch less sweep than stock bars; all good things for my ergonomic preferences. BTW, these bars are receiving positive reviews in lots of MX and desert riding forums, so browse at your leisure. In my situation, the 757 Bend bar made the final cut and I will mount them on my Eagle risers from Arrowhead (Freds place). http://www.old-site.africanqueens.de/_html/prod_d/kp_speci/kpsrl010.php3> Ok, the price I went on a hunt for the Renthal 757 - here is what I have found so far - BTOsports, out of California. These guys offer Renthal 7/8" bars at $64.99 - I called Justin at 1-888-613-3393 and he stated that they would charge $10.99 for S/H and charge no tax, unless ya live in CA. The 757 is listed as the Mini-High 757-02 on their website, in the mini-offroad handlebar sub-section. http://www.btosports.com/c/Renthal (If you guys find a cheaper source for these bars ($76 incl S/H) let us all know. NEXT - footpeg location mod, if applicable to your configuration - The only other mod I can think of that is not a costly mess is what others have done on MX bikes - modifying the IMS and similar design footpeg/mount relationships. Stock IMS peg mounted - http://lasvegasrider.smugmug.com/gallery/69225/1/8857113/Large The IMS footpeg spring barrel is designed to support the return spring on the bottom - relocate the spring-support barrel from the bottom of the footpeg body to above it, along with a then modified spring. This will drop the mounting point of the peg about a 1/2 inch and move them back the same amount - of course that means that we have increased the distance from the bars to the pegs, allowing taller guys a pinch more room. Hey it isn't much, but it all adds up. This will also allow a superior brake pedal relationship for braking while standing up. You taller guys may want to look at the footpeg situation in an even more aggressive manner, including having a shop create custom lowered/more rear-set peg mounts. Ok, thats all folks! Mike Torst A16 aka lasvegasrider [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]