Need advice on Bonnie clipons

[localmotion411]

My '08 Bonnie Black is almost new, only has about 1k miles on it, but I've had a very distinct vision for it since I first took it away from the showroom. While I liked the Thruxtons, I liked the all-black look of this particular bike and got a great deal on it, so I figured what the hell. I knew it would be fun modding it, and I was right. The evolution of my bike so far has been fairly subtle, but each change has been necessary and has made the bike look and/or perform better. So far, this is what has been done:

OEM tach
Thruxton seat and cowl
TORs
AI removed
Airbox removed
Emissions crap removed
Rejetted w/ 145 mains, 42 pilots
Rear fender eliminated
Front fender bobbed
Ohlins Type 36PL shocks (Thruxton length)
IKON progressive springs
Black clutch dressup kit and bracket
Norman Hyde steering dampener
M Bars, upside down
CRG bar-end mirrors
Black Pazzo shorty levers
Thermos gauge cups
Fork gaiters
sixty8 tank badges
Hedge's pimpin' 8-ball choke pull
Key relocation kit
Black LSL rearsets (on order)
LEDs in gauges (on order)
Veypor wiring in place, unit has billet case (need to reinstall it)
Etc.

At this point, since I've removed the rear fender, I need upswept pipes to complete the look. I would go with Predators, but I want the upsweep of the Thruxton pipes rather than the Bonneville version, so I'd need to buy the headers or trade someone mine.

The only other big change I want to the look of the bike right now is up front. The gauges are too high, which as we all know D9 can rectify. The headlight, as discussed on this forum and rectified by a few, is also too high and not in line with the tank. To rectify this, I could buy some new brackets, but that would expose a lot of the fork tubes, and I want the bike to remain as black as it is now. My solution is to cut a section off the bottom of the stock brackets that is equal to the thickness of the clipon mounts I'm eyeing (http://www.spieglerusa.com/cfm/clipon.cfm?type=offset) which are expensive but perfect. This will leave me a space to mount the clipons just under the top yoke, which will look stock and allow me to keep the stock headlight ears, which I think look great. I will also be able to keep my front signals mounted to the ears. I will have to relocate the rectifier/regulator to have enough room to drop everything down, which is no problem. I do like the M Bars a lot and find them very comfortable, even with the stock pegs, but I want a cleaner, more cafe look.

I guess I just want to get some opinions on everything. If you think my clipon setup is going to be uncomfortable, please say so. I could always mount them above the top yoke, but I don't think it would look as good. Here are some current pics:

 

[sweatmachine]

I think your gauges etc look fine now, but if you lower the headlight they will def look too high.

FWIW, I lowered my headlight about 1.5" but cutting the brackets like you describe and I left the rectifier in the stock location and never had a problem. I ran that setup for a year or more. In case you didn't know, it gets pretty damn hot here in Texas.

Make sure you cut the brackets evenly. The best thing would be to use a bandsaw. I used my angle grinder w/ a cutoff wheel, some blue tape, and marked them carefully but the cut was not perfect. A dremel would work ok too.

I gave you that link to the Ebay clip ons right? They're a lot cheaper than the LSL ripoff clip ons are.

Another thing: With clip ons, and I'd imagine with your bars the way they are, I would think you would want rearsets. I have the Norman Hyde rearsets and I really like 'em.

D9's gauge setup should really set all that off. Sounds like you have a nice set of mods in your future. Good luck on the pipe search.

 

[localmotion411]

I think your gauges etc look fine now, but if you lower the headlight they will def look too high.

FWIW, I lowered my headlight about 1.5" but cutting the brackets like you describe and I left the rectifier in the stock location and never had a problem. I ran that setup for a year or more. In case you didn't know, it gets pretty damn hot here in Texas.

Make sure you cut the brackets evenly. The best thing would be to use a bandsaw. I used my angle grinder w/ a cutoff wheel, some blue tape, and marked them carefully but the cut was not perfect. A dremel would work ok too.

I gave you that link to the Ebay clip ons right? They're a lot cheaper than the LSL ripoff clip ons are.

Another thing: With clip ons, and I'd imagine with your bars the way they are, I would think you would want rearsets. I have the Norman Hyde rearsets and I really like 'em.

D9's gauge setup should really set all that off. Sounds like you have a nice set of mods in your future. Good luck on the pipe search.

Thanks, sweat. Actually just ordered a set of black LSL rearsets; should be here this week. I don't necessarily want to pay that much for the LSL clipons, but I do like the additional height they provide, which will help due to the ideal mounting location being under the top yoke. I haven't found another set of 41mm 1" clipons that give any kind of rise, and I'm willing to pay a few more dollars to get it perfect.

I know the Raask site has some aftermarket Thrux headers; I wonder if anyone else carries them. Just need to do some research; hell, my local dealer might have a set -- they have piles of shit in their shop.

 

[DavidC]

Ooh yeah, looks so fine. Definitley a D9 layflat bracket!! And taking off the rear pegs [if you ride solo often] and the chain guard will toughen it up. The clip on's? When I see a bike with a full bar - but low such as the M or cafe - they always look real sporty, the way a bike would look with clip on's. It seems to me a matter of slight technical difference, unless there is a handling aspect of clip on's of which I am unaware.

 

[localmotion411]

Ooh yeah, looks so fine. Definitley a D9 layflat bracket!! And taking off the rear pegs [if you ride solo often] and the chain guard will toughen it up. The clip on's? When I see a bike with a full bar - but low such as the M or cafe - they always look real sporty, the way a bike would look with clip on's. It seems to me a matter of slight technical difference, unless there is a handling aspect of clip on's of which I am unaware.

Only problem with the layflat bracket is that I need to do all other mods to the front before he makes the bracket so that he can make the correct spacers for it and to ensure it has clearance between it and the headlight. Once I get the headlight and rectifier/regulator lowered, I can measure and know exactly how much room we have to work with so that we can lower the gauges as much as possible. I want them LOW. My biggest motivator for lowering the front assembly is Whitehurst's bike in this thread: http://www.triumphrat.net/club-cafe/72195-fat-ass-thruxton.html

You've got the idea about the clipons. I just want to remove that slight cruiser aspect of the handlebars and mount in favor of a more performance-oriented clipon handlebar setup. I guess that gets back to the originality of this particular bike; I'd rather have a cafe'd out Bonnie with clipons and rearsets than a Thruxton that came with it. It gives me great pleasure to know that I picked each part out and installed them myself, and tuned and tweaked the bike to my particular riding style and body type.

I plan on finishing the aesthetic and comfort/riding position mods before it gets too cold to ride this year, and in the spring start some performance mods such as lighter wheels (Excel's from Buchanan's or a set of tubeless Carrozzerias, possibly), a big bore or stroker kit, and dyno tuning. I like the Carrozzerias on this Bonnie: http://www.britironrebels.com/botm6.shtml

I have a Veypor system in the OEM billet case (will be powdercoated black) ready to install, and the Veypor wiring harness and sensors have all been installed. Going to have D9 make me his stem nut ram mount to locate it just on top of the triple tree, where the handlebar yoke is currently. It has a bright blue backlight, so I've got a set of blue LED's to install in the speedo and tach to match. Should look very purposeful and racy, and should get a lot of attention!

 

[ggRAT]

Well done, Jay. Great write-up and I'm anxious to seeing more posts with pictures. Take a shot at night with the blue LEDs and Veypor lit up, please.
GREG

 

[buckstoy]

My biggest motivator for lowering the front assembly is Whitehurst's bike in this thread: http://www.triumphrat.net/club-cafe/72195-fat-ass-thruxton.html

Damn, that's a fine Thruxie! I NEED that instrument cluster. Thanks for the pic. :up:

 

[Bonafide]

Daft question, but wouldn't it have been easier to start with a Thruxton?

Thinkin he already addressed that with this comment ..

I'd rather have a cafe'd out Bonnie with clipons and rearsets than a Thruxton that came with it. It gives me great pleasure to know that I picked each part out and installed them myself, and tuned and tweaked the bike to my particular riding style and body type.

I have one of each and I love my cafe'd Bonnie - cause - it's all that. But my Thrux? It's all that and a bag of chips.
:rocks:

 

[LS1*]

I've seen a local bike that was converted to clip-ons, it looks ok except for the two big holes in the top triple tree where the handlebar risers used to be. I saw one person I think on here that filled them in, and polished it to give it a clean look.

Maybe a thruxton tree would work better?

 

[sweatmachine]

Maybe a thruxton tree would work better?

can't swap 'em, I think there's something different about them.

 

[Bonafide]

can't swap 'em, I think there's something different about them.

The rake/trail aint it? 28º/110mm v. 27º/97mm

 

[sweatmachine]

I think it might be the fork width.

 

[localmotion411]

Yeah, at first I didn't think I'd like the position of clipons, but since I bought the Bonnie, I also bought a Ducati Paul Smart that has the most laid out, stretched-out-inquisition-style riding position of any bike I know of. I have come to really like that position and find it more comfortable than the upright cruiser position. I may have been better off with a Thruxton to begin with, but that was not how it happened, and I'm okay with it. I have learned a lot over the process of modding this bike, albeit a bit expensive, but it sure is fun.

 

[sweatmachine]

btw: I hate you for having both a bonnie and a PS Duc.

 

[1087]

Yeah, at first I didn't think I'd like the position of clipons, but since I bought the Bonnie, I also bought a Ducati Paul Smart that has the most laid out, stretched-out-inquisition-style riding position of any bike I know of. I have come to really like that position and find it more comfortable than the upright cruiser position. I may have been better off with a Thruxton to begin with, but that was not how it happened, and I'm okay with it. I have learned a lot over the process of modding this bike, albeit a bit expensive, but it sure is fun.

I have a set of LSL clip-ons exactly as the ones you are looking for.
I don't need it any more.
PM me if you have interest.

 

[RonD]

this is what iam going to make for my bonnie, when I get some time ,I Have made them for a few bikes over the years ,the ones you buy havent got the right shape for me, custom makeing them to suit your bike is easy and they look good, if anyone is interested I can tell you how its done.

 

[DavidC]

Really nice set up RonD! No brake resovoir to yam up the looks. If I could, I'd dump that bar mounted resovoir in a second! Hmmm...one of these days.

 

[Hedge]

this is what iam going to make for my bonnie, when I get some time ,I Have made them for a few bikes over the years ,the ones you buy havent got the right shape for me, custom makeing them to suit your bike is easy and they look good, if anyone is interested I can tell you how its done.

Sweet Jesus Ron! That bike looks sexier every time I see it!

Jay - your bike looks great! I can also see that the economic crisis our country is in the middle of has not yet reached Mississippi! That is an outstanding list of upgrades you got on her and she looks awesome!

 

[RonD]

thanks guys you cant beat custom made stuff ,especially bars all I do is tack weld the (end sraight bits) onto the bars ,and lean forward to the opimum comfort angle, and press down onto the straight bits until my hands fall onto them, at a perfect angle then fully weld file smooth and chrome ..
these are obviousely ace bars ,but the same deal with clipons ,there usually too radical for touring they could be up a bit higher, thats why welding your own at an angle that falls comfortable to hand is so much nicer in the end and worth the effort.

 

[Leedsharlequin]

That's just beautiful. So is the black. Out last night and looking down at the gauges lit up with light all around them. What a great sight , my speedys the same thing with the twin buckets. Triumph does a great job of making the view from the cockpit sweet