Handguard Install

[FJRJeff]

Hey WC. got a question for you...

I've installed the handguards on my bike (04) using the article on FJRTech as a guide. Rode in the other morning and my left hand felt great, but the right got kind of cold.

Started taking a close look at the pictures on the site, and I noticed the lever bolt on the throttle side is flush with the guard. On my bike, as well as pictures of several others I've seen, the bolt on the throttle side doesn't go all the way in, because the throttle lever is not as deep at the clutch lever. It may be .25" or more - enough to leave my fingers sticking out and diverting air behind the guard.

Did you drill out the lever pivot bolt hole on the bike, or somehow modify the bolt, or is there something else I'm missing?

TIA,

Jeff

 

[Warchild]

Did you drill out the lever pivot bolt hole on the bike, or somehow modify the bolt, or is there something else I'm missing?

The latter. My suspicion is that a number of you guys seem to be installing it wrong.

Let's take another look at the throttle side Hand Guard... below is the 2nd photo down in that FJRTech article. Look closely at the pivot bolt nut:

See how the large hex portion of that special pivot bolt resides *under* the top portion of the Hand Guard? If you "force" the Hand Guard material down onto the hex portion of that bolt, the top of your hand is going to be in the arm stream.

 

[radman]

My right side sits higher than the left due to the bolt design, the hex is raised above the lever 'bout 1/2 inch or so, where the left sits flush with the lever.

 

[SkooterG]

Interesting. I just did my FJRGoodies handguard kit install a couple weeks ago also. Never noticed any of these issues, but after reading this went out to take a closer look.

Like FJRJEff, the handguards are not even. The right one is higher, and like he says, that special hex pivot bolt does not sit flush against the lever housing on the right side. Does NOT look like Warchild's photo. I am at work now, or would post a photo.

With winter gloves on I haven't noticed any difference in protection. In fact, from the "looks" of it, whatever is lost in protection for the left fingers at the bottom, is gained for the top of the right hand.

So where is the discrepancy? Is Warchild's right hex pivot bolt different than the rest of ours?

 

[FJRJeff]

So where is the discrepancy? Is Warchild's right hex pivot bolt different than the rest of ours?

Is it the bolt, or the brake handle/bolt hole that's larger (was that the '03?)?

Here's a photo. The handguard is not in place. I simply screwed the new pivot bolt in to the hole as far as it would go until the solid part of the bolt was snug against the bottom of the brake lever bracket. For clarity, the red arrow points to the gap to which we are referring.

Jeff

 

[Warchild]

First off, I think my Brotha is a little overdue for a brake fluid change...

Yes, in-dee-dee, looks like something is amiss with your setup compared with mine. I made no mods of any sort to my Suzuki bolts, and the bolts are same for the Suzuki V-Strom for all years, so... that leaves the possible difference in the 2003 and 2004 FJR brake levers....

So......

I go look up these brake lever part numbers on the OEM fiche at Sunnyside's web side: https://www.sunnysidemotorcycle.com/

And 'lo and behold:

FJR1300 brake lever:

2003: 5EB-83922-01-00

2004: 5VS-83922-00-00

Two different part numbers! Does these mean the 2004 and later brake levers *actually* have a slightly smaller diameter pivot hole that the 2003 model?

Maybe.... sorta looks like it.....

Here's another look my 2003 brake lever side with the Suzuki brake hardware installed.... yellow arrow points to the large hex head that is flush with the lever perch:

And here is the very bottom of this bolt... do you have this much exposed thread?

 

[FJRJeff]

First off, I think my Brotha is a little overdue for a brake fluid change...

Actually, it's clean. I had to use the unsharp mask Photoshop filter on the image because I took it in a poorly lit garage, so it looks grainy there.

Two different part numbers! Does these mean the 2004 and later brake levers *actually* have a slightly smaller diameter pivot hole that the 2003 model?

Maybe.... sorta looks like it.....

Actually, I think it's the depth, or thickness of the lever itself. The hole in the lever is big enough for the bolt, but the overall depth of the lever is less than the clutch handle. The brake lever where the bolt passes through it is just shy of 1/2". The clutch lever is closer to 3/4".

Less than it looks like when looking at the bolt itself, but it is an odd difference, and maybe enough to hang some leather out of there and pull air up in behind the handguard.

And here is the very bottom of this bolt... do you have this much exposed thread?

There's about 5/8" under there.....

 

[Skippy]

Don't know if this helps, however, my 05 with the V-Strom guards looks exactly like Dales, fits flush with the lever bracket and exits at the bottom nearly an inch.

Skippy

 

[skyway]

So where is the discrepancy? Is Warchild's right hex pivot bolt different than the rest of ours?

Is it the bolt, or the brake handle/bolt hole that's larger (was that the '03?)?

Here's a photo. The handguard is not in place. I simply screwed the new pivot bolt in to the hole as far as it would go until the solid part of the bolt was snug against the bottom of the brake lever bracket. For clarity, the red arrow points to the gap to which we are referring.

Jeff

This is how mine fitted up on the throttle side of my '04. There's no way that bolt would make it through there any further without some sort of damage occuring. Someone is more than welcome to force it and let me know what happens though.

Maybe the wee strom parts have changed? I got mine recently from guru Glen. I did ride my bike to SoCal recently on a chilly morning and did not notice any difference in hand temps.

Then again I was wearing my gerbings vest and gloves, mmm toasty.

 

[user 711]

I installed the '04 V-Strom on my '05 FJR using the part numbers on FJRTech using lever bolt part #57431-06G00, and the clutch side fits fine but the throttle side looks like FJRJeff's.

I'm pretty sure the throttle side requires a different part # for the screw. These are the lever bolts taken off my '05:

Left is clutch, right is throttle.

Then I searched on the web and found the parts site for DL1000 brake/clutch levers at Oneida Suzuki which shows that the part # for the 2002-03 clutch-side bolt is 57431-06G00 but the 2004-05 is 2004-05 57431-06G10. But the part nos. for the brake-side bolt are the same for all years.

So I'm confused and wondering if there's an error on the Oneida site. I'll be calling them tomorrow to see if there's a difference between the 2002-03 and 2004-05 brake-side lever bolts.

 

[radman]

Though it may sit a little odd, neither side of my install has given me the slightest problem in several thousand miles. I was a little concerned right after the install that the lack of support on top of the brake lever pivot might be a problem, this has not proven to be the case.

 

[FJRJeff]

Though it may sit a little odd, neither side of my install has given me the slightest problem in several thousand miles.

I wouldn't say it was a problem per se. Just an odd little thing, that *may* change the position of the handguard a bit. I noticed because my left hand was VERY warm (winter gloves), but my right hand felt noticeably colder - to the point that I felt like I could feel cold air behind the guard. <shrug> Maybe it's my imagination. I'd like to test a proper install and see if there's a difference. Seems like the resources here are moving towards finding the answer....

Jeff

 

[Warchild]

Well, when you guys get this figured out, lemme know and I'll tweak the FJRTech article if need be.

I got those p/n's used on the FJRTech article from Rick Martin, who claimed they worked fine on his 2003. And as you can see from my photos above, they appear to work fine on the my 2003, as well.

Is it only the 2004 bikes that are having the problem? Skippy says his 2005 bike looks just like mine..... dunno what's up here

 

[SkooterG]

It's an F***ing conspiracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[radman]

There is obviously a taller hex available that properly seats itself against the lever mount on the right side. I recall seeing a new VStrom that IIRC had that very type of bolt on there. I went with the suggested part numbers, and ended up with the gap as shown.

04 listings from Bike Bandit

lft bolt 3016891-001

rt bolt 1484338-001

Now these are their numbers, not Suzi's (I believe). But it shows that there is indeedy 2 different numbers for the bolts that would be needed for the 04 and up as far as I can tell (Franks an 05)

 

[sgoat]

The hanguards on my 05' ABS also have the "gap". Works fine, but would like it better if it were flush. Any chance it could be the difference in the master cylinder/brake assembly between the ABS and the std. version?

 

[Skippy]

As a caveat, I ordered mine directly from the Ron Ayers website using his online Fiche for the 05 Vstrom, I actually ended up with too many nuts, however, you can never really have too many, can you?

Skippy

 

[FJRJeff]

Any chance it could be the difference in the master cylinder/brake assembly between the ABS and the std. version?

I have ABS on my '04.

 

[madmike2]

When I ordered the bolts for the "old style" handguards, the left and right were different part numbers. I had to figure out which was which on the '04 non-ABS and they fit on the '05 ABS.

They are definitely 2 different pivot bolts. IIRC, I took the parts list to the guy at my local dealer and had him order the pieces from a V'strom. I can't help you with part numbers...been too long.