HANDLEBARS AND CONTROL CABLES

HOW IVAN GETS A GRIP ON HIS DNEPR

   You can remove your handlebars with all of the controls intact if you are going to do something like change or repair the front end.  You can then simply reinstall them in a complete unit when you are done.  You may want to remove your handlebars to do some maintenance of the components.  If you are going to do this it is recommended that you first remove the fuel tank so that it doesn’t get scratched.  Of coarse you can simply cover it with a cloth, however if you are going to be doing clutch cable or speedometer drive maintenance you will definitely have to remove your gas tank.  If you just want to change the handlebars first you should disconnect all of the control cables.  Starting with the throttle cables disconnect them from the throttle.  You will see a mechanism on the inner end of your throttle where the two throttle cables are controlled.  Remove the screw holding down the cover and remove the cover being careful not to lose the little curved piece inside referred to as the spring.  Disconnect the two cables from the throttle and put it back together for now. 

   Next you disconnect the clutch cable by first loosening the cable adjusting bolt from the clutch throw out lever on your transmission to give yourself a little slack.  Now go back to the handlebar lever, and remove the cable from the envelope clamp in the lever.  There is a clamp on your transmission case that will need to be loosened if you want to remove the cable for repair or replacement.  Now you do the same for the front brake cable.  First you remove the cable from the front brake backing plate (front brake disc), or loosen it off to give you some slack, squeeze the lever to remove tension, and remove the cable from the lever pocket.  If you are going to remove the cable you can now remove the adjusting screw from the brake disc.  There may be a clamp somewhere on your front end that is also holding the cable in place, and this too will need to be removed from the front end. 

   You can either disconnect the conductor switches on your handlebars or you can slide them off the bars in one piece a little later.  To slide them off you must first remove your throttle assembly, and left hand grip, then once the bars have been removed from the front end, you can manipulate the switch controls right off by simply loosening the screws a bit and sliding them off the ends of the bars.  I recommend that you remove the bars and risers in one piece, by removing the nuts on the underside of the top triple tree.  If you have a dashboard mounted to your top triple tree under the risers, be sure that you don’t let it put too much strain on the wires and pull them loose when you remove the bars. 

   You mount the handlebars by following this procedure in the reverse order.

   Before re-using or installing new cables you might want to consider dressing them.  If you are going to use your old cables you can clean them using brake cleaner.  Spray it down the cable while working the cable back and forth inside the cable housing.  Do this over an oil pan or similar catch basin to avoid a mess.  Once your cable is thoroughly cleaned and moving freely, you need to apply a good quality cable lubricant.  Motion Pro makes not only a high quality lubricant but also an excellent cable lube application tool.  Used in combination Motion Pro's Cable Lube and Luber are easy to use and work together to make clutch, brake, throttle and other cables last longer.  Priced at under $10.00 each they can save you the cost of a set of cables in a short time, and greatly reduce the chance of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere with a broken cable.  For more information on this product go to www.motionpro.com.