revtothelimit - motorbike forum

Thinking of changing the MT09 bars. Wanting something lower, so more forward lean. They are 28mm at clamps and 22mm at grips. Been looking at flatter bars with less rise, iykwim.

What do I need to keep my eye on besides bar clearance on lock 2 lock. ?

Trade it in for a Panigale.

I've given up, MT is my friend.

I swapped the stock bars for Renthal Ultra Low - the only other things I can think of o consider are that your control cables/hoses will be a little too long and Yamaha switch gear has little plastic spigots to stop them rotating (so either grind off or drill holes in the new bars.

I think Renthal do a street Fat Bar that fits the MT09.

Skub wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:38 pm https://www.renthal.com/worksfit/

Looked at that last night...haven't a clue.

Dodgy69 wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:45 pm

Skub wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:38 pm https://www.renthal.com/worksfit/

Looked at that last night...haven't a clue.

It gives you a direct comparison between stock bars and the various renthal offerings.

Unless your stock switchgears clamp the bar (most don't) then they need the locating dowels in order to not rotate. Nice to have on the left, bloody essential in the right.

Do not cut off the locating dowels, then, but drill holes for the locating dowels. The holes need to be accurate in all directions. Use the trick of masking tape on the bar and paint or ink on the dowel to find the spot. Be very sure that it's right (do your mirrors hit the screen at full lock?) Before you drill anything.

If the holes are over sized (or wallered out) then the switches won't ever stay steady. So drill pilot holes with about a 3mm bit, and open it out to the right size.

LSL do some nice bars - I changes the Diavel ones to do exactly what you have said - more forward and a little down.
For some reason I changed them back - so I may have to dig the LISLs out again.
As AMorti says you will have to drill location holes for the switchgear pegs. I made a temple using masking tape to position holes correctly.

A_morti wrote: Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:56 pm Unless your stock switchgears clamp the bar (most don't) then they need the locating dowels in order to not rotate. Nice to have on the left, bloody essential in the right.

Do not cut off the locating dowels, then, but drill holes for the locating dowels. The holes need to be accurate in all directions. Use the trick of masking tape on the bar and paint or ink on the dowel to find the spot. Be very sure that it's right (do your mirrors hit the screen at full lock?) Before you drill anything.

If the holes are over sized (or wallered out) then the switches won't ever stay steady. So drill pilot holes with about a 3mm bit, and open it out to the right size.

I really don't like locating dowels. They get cut off on any bike of mine that has them. They rob you of the ability to make small (or large) adjustments to the controls, which is vital in my world. If the control switches are a loose fit on the bars even when clamped up, just cut some shims from a beer or soft drinks can and interpose between switches and bar. Easily done for big gains.

@mangocrazy you do you brother... But if you're as lucky as me (you are, I've read your posts) then eventually you will find that those screws go into plastic and if they're what's doing the locating, then over time and the switchgear rocking back and forth they'll come loose, you'll tighten them and the threads will pull out and then your switchgear is no good, which is an MOT failure. Ask me how I know.

@A_morti I get what you're saying about repeated retightening of control gear screws, but all I can say is it hasn't happened to me. Yet... I've also been known to use gaffer tape as a means of packing out the place where the controls 'bite' and that works well, having a degree of 'give' about it. As you're doubtless aware (having read and commented on my posts) I'm quite fussy on ergonomics and like to have the ability to make minor (or even major) adjustments to bar controls and positions. And handlebars themselves, come to that.

For someone who can decide what they want, where they want it and stick with it, using the locating pegs and drilled handlebars is a no brainer, but that isn't me. I remember my first ride on my brand new Falco, and realising a few miles in that the angle of the clutch and brake levers were totally wrong for me, and then realising that the levers were tied to the control positions, which were fixed by pegs locating in the bars. I wasn't a happy bunny and the pegs were history shortly afterwards. The pegs were brass pips set into the controls, so I just got a soldering iron, applied it to the brass and waited until the plastic they were embedded into went liquid. A swift tug with a pair of pliers and, with a single bound, I was free...

I suspect that part of the control to bar looseness on some models is the difference between metric (22mm) bars and controls sized for old Imperial (7/8") handlebars.

Installed some Rizomo ma015 on the MY 21 MT09. Hands are now further forward which was my main aim. Tilted back as far as I can to lower further. Not sure if gaurds are staying.

Waiting for barend weights , so I just found some bits as a temp bodge.

Personal verdict... reasonably happy, not ridden yet. Can return to stock if required. Will see.

I don't wish to rain on your parade, but from looking at those bars I reckon they will become uncomfortable after any longer than about half an hour in the saddle, maximum. Now everyone's different so they may suit you just fine, but just looking at them gives me pains in my shoulders, elbows and wrists. But I'm an old git and far less tolerant of anything even slightly outside my comfort zone.

The bar setup that suits me is not too wide, raked down about 20 degrees from horizontal and back about 20 degrees from an imaginary line drawn through the tops of the forks.

They're still not that low tbh. Feels comfy enough sat on bike. If it stops raining I'll take it out and decide which is best .

Dodgy69 wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 5:40 pm They're still not that low tbh. Feels comfy enough sat on bike. If it stops raining I'll take it out and decide which is best .

It's not so much the lowness - as you say they're not that low, but the angles of the bar ends (or lack of angles, to be more accurate). I had an aold CB77 that had absolutely straight bars, and they really were not comfortable, even as a 20 year old.