WOODCRAFT CLIP-ON ADVICE NEEDED!

Hello , especially all you Superduke-trackday Yanks out there.

I'm one step further on in my quest to find the best riding position on the SD, especially for fast road and track. Like to be over the front end so have worked my way down to nearly straight bars, which I like, but wanted to try some clip-ons. The best ones I have found are made by Woodcraft in the States, they are not cheap but look good quality and have a variety of riser heights available as well as you can replace the bar only after a crash. The clamp design is also a two part so you can fit them without removing the triple clamp or dropping the fork leg. All in all a great design.

Anyway, I have tracked down the UK importer but just rung them and they know jack all about the questions I have so I need some good advice quickly because I want some and have a track day at Brands in less than a week so need to order them.

I really want the clip -on type that has a 64mm raised handlebar because I think it will minimise any clearance issues with the wide tank and give the best steering lock compromise with low bars, (I actually don't want them lower, just more forward).

My question is relating to the diameter of the fork on the SD and the model of the Woodcraft clip-on they recommend. The US Woodcraft website states that the fork on the SD is 48mm. The UK importer says they are 53mm. These are both bollox because I have a set of verniers on the fork legs now and they are 54mm just below the top triple clamp and they taper to about 60mm by the time they meet with the bottom triple clamp, (so they are tapered). I do have SDR forks and triple clamps fitted but to my knowledge they are the same diameter units, just different internals.

The UK importer says you can't fit the clip-ons to a tapered fork, (so why do Woodcraft say they supply a part for it?)

I absolutely know that there are several US forum members who have fitted Woodcraft clip-ons to their bikes. My question is what diameter clip-ons are they using and do they have risers? Woodcraft do make a clamp that is 56mm but it does not do this diameter with risers and without them they would be too low and limit the steering lock too much I think.

Any advice out there?

Thanks

Measure, with a caliper. I just did it for you, 54mm, taper doesn't start til several inches below the top triple.

Thanks for those links Bert, maybe I have everything I need from those threads.

Looks like the SD fork is what I measured it at, ie 54mm, but the largest size that Woodcraft do with the riser options is 53mm. They do go bigger but only with the standard clip on design. I think people who have fitted clip ons with risers have either found that the 53mm fits the fork or they have just taken off material on the inner surface of the clamp until it fitted.

The three inch rise shown here is REALLY higher up from the clamp! I was thinking more along the lines of half that, more like 1.5 inch above the standard clip-on attachment point. And I already worked out that I'd have to modify the headlight panels at the side to clear the additional clamp diameter.

I just sent an email to Woodrcraft as a 54mm is not in the offering for the 3 inch rise. I think that's what trackdayjunkie showed in this picture




this is the catalog picture

I just spoke with Eric Wood and they are working on a 54mm application - one that would fit the SD and expect to have it available at the beginning of next year. Risers are interchangeable - available heights range from 1 inch to 3 inches in 1/2 inch increments.

If there is interest I'll keep on them and see what their progress on is.

If you run a Nichols top tree you would be able to to fit a Gilles adjustable clippons set above the top tree.The reason I suggest Nichols is so you can move the forks up enough for the clippons to fit without stuffing up the geometry.Cheers.

the nicholls clamping point is at the front so the woodcraft clip-ons look like they wont fit mine would have loved them on mine

Well. I came to the same conclusion SDNerd got to. Ordered a set of 53 mm clamps with risers with the view that I will take off material to make them fit perfectly. Should be only 0.5 mm off the internal wall. I found a 53mm tube and wrapped it with wet and dry so it will cut a 54mm diameter curve.

Don't think they are going to get to me in time to fit for Brands on Monday but next week should be able to report on progress.

I've mentioned this before, Woodcraft make really good quality track parts from rearsets to clip-ons etc but looking at that photo, knowing how much pressure I apply to my bars slamming the bike from side to side, not sure I'd want to put my faith in 3 little machine screws holding the bar in place.

Just an observation.

Got my clip-ons today - lovely bits of engineering.

I ordered the 50mm raise component but it is just a bit low to clear the two allen bolts that secure the headlight cowl to the top triple clamp. Shame as they are just what I wanted but will have to go up a raise level to 64mm which will make all the fitting easier with less cutting to the headlight surround. Chap at bike Torque racing where I got them says he'll just replace the risers if I send them back so will do and in the mean time mod the headlight unit a bit to accept the clamps.

The clamps are 53mm diameter but have a slight bit of tolerance. Was going to hand cut away the internal diameter, using wet and dry paper wrapped round a former, to make them 54mm but when put on the difference is so small they just stretch out fractionally and fit round fine.

Here's some pictures to show where the problem is with 50mm risers. The bar is just a bit too low to clear the allen bolts that screw into the lugs on the top triple clamp. You could make them work but it would mean cutting away a lot of the headlight mount area and countersinking the allen bolt so it doesn't sit proud. Not worth it really as I can get higher risers which will totally eradicate the issue.

I will aslo need to machine away a bit of the riser so that the whole clamp/riser assemblies can rotate forwards a few more degrees. At present the limit is where the riser hits the afore mentioned lug on the triple clamp. This means that the bars will hit the tank a bit early - a few more degrees straighter will make a lot of difference to the steering lock available.

Good write up and info Bic. This has me wondering what rotating the stock bars down would do.

You know Woodcraft do black bars Bic?

Ha Ha! Not in this country though. Woodcraft supply black bars in the States but I can't find any one supplying them here. To be honest the small amount of bar that shows isn't worth bothering with but one day, if I end up liking the bar position, I will get some. My ex wife and daughter live in LA so they could get some for me.

Go for it! It will look great and it sounds like you'll like the riding position.
You say it'll be irreversible, but all you'll need to reverse it is a headlight surround and the 2 side panels on the headlight.

Here's a picture of the two aluminium bosses that I turned up to fill the ugly holes left in the handlebar clamps.

They fit into the clamps either side.

I would ditch the Rotary damper, and replace it with the wp under tripleclamp unit. Clean up the upper tripple clamp and make it look factory finished. Clean and mean.
But I really hate the look of those steering dampers.
But if you want to stick with this setup all I can say is: It needs more black

I've already got a drawing of the item you describe there. Going to hold off on it's fabrication until the low bars have proved themselves. It will make the whole assembly much lower and neater.

I actually don't mind the way Scotts dampers look - it's function over looks for me anyway, these dampers are brilliant, I wouldn't lose it now. I do have a telescopic damper that fits over the top but of course I can't use it because the clip-on brackets are in the way. Not sure where the SDR (under the triple clamp) set up attaches to the fork but I suspect that also uses the top of the stantion.

First rough cut-out from the headlight unit to accommodate the clip-ons

Finished cut-outs

Finally all fitted and ready for action.

Bars are lower and more forward than SLS straight bars I had on previously, reminds me of the old riding position on my Ducati Superlight. Not too low and angled back a bit. Steering lock is actually no less than with flat bars because they are more forward but I had to twist the throttle cables so the tubes come out the top rather than the bottom. This is better for smooth cable run also.




Cable runs and routing them through the headlight unit was the most time consuming bit.

Brake lines had to go through cut-away rather than over the top as before.

So, to end this thread is a quick review of the bars after having done a hundred miles or so over the last few days.

Really like them - they are for keeps, at least until I get the chance to try them out on track. The riding position is noticably more forward and lower than flat bars but not so bad you feel like your arse is up in the air. Like I said before - similar to an old Duke 900 and not so dissimilar to my old Honda VFR.

Steering lock is not bad but you have to watch for your thumbs being trapped on tight U turns. Biggest shock is how different it feels to come to a stop and lean the bike over onto the side stand. It feels like the bike is going to topple over and there is no high bar to pull it back up!

There is definitely more weight on your wrists than before so they won't be to everyone's taste. Things get really good and make more sense above 40/50 mph because of the wind resistance. You feel more over the front end and it's a more aggressive riding position. Braking forces do go through your arms and wrists more but then again I've always found that the braking limitation on this bike is how much my arms can take. I'd have to have a go on track to judge if it's better or worse, (or just get stronger arms!) It's much nicer to pull wheelies and not feel like you're going to flip over but conversely doing stoppies makes you feel like you're going to go over the front. I guess it will just take time to adjust.

Basically, it's like riding a sports bike with rear sets. I feel like I've returned home after a 10 year holiday.

Hey bic,

Anyway you can post a pic of the clip ons at full lock either way?
Or just wandering do the clip ons touch the fuel tank at full lock?
Thinking about doing this as well

Thanks in advance