Bar Riser Mod to keep Honda Emblem Top Clamp

[WingMan71]

Did my first mod today. I installed some bar risers. Standard 30mm up and 26mm back units that I bought on Amazon.

When I had the install finished, I didn't like the look of it with the top clamps that came with the kit. Looked like this:



I really like the stock top bar clamp with the Honda emblem on it. So, I decided to toss the top clamps that came with the kit and put the stock bar clamp with the Honda emblem back on. NOPE! Doesn't fit! The hole patterns don't line up! I needed the top and bottom holes in the OEM bar clamp to be about 3/16" farther apart vertically to match the bolt pattern on the bottom half of the bar risers.

I have a small bench top drill press so I thought I'd take a shot at making the existing round holes (5/16") a bit larger (3/8") PLUS make them OVAL, not round, to get the extra separation I needed.


Took me about an hour on the drill press to get the job done. Not perfect, but the holes were enlarged and oval enough to fit the bolt pattern on the bottom section of the bar risers.



Hard to see from the angle of this picture, but they all lined up! Not perfect, but the bolts all dropped into place. Next reinstalled the OEM bar clamp with the Honda emblem.



You can see that the chrome bolt heads are no longer centered in their normal spots, particularly the top two, because I tightened those last. But hey, if you're looking that close, stop it and go riding!

The risers really make a difference on my old-guy back! Plus, I'm much happier with the look now that the OEM Honda bar clamp is back on!

 

[Speedracer24]

I believe you should tighten the top bolts 1st. If you lay the clamp flat on something you will see bottom of the clamp is not even. The top bolts are tightened 1st and the clamping comes from tightening the bottom bolts.

 

[670cc]

I believe you should tighten the top bolts 1st. If you lay the clamp flat on something you will see bottom of the clamp is not even. The top bolts are tightened 1st and the clamping comes from tightening the bottom bolts.

You are correct. Per the service manual, tighten upper bolts first, then lower bolts to specified torque.



I have the stock bridge/clamp holding Rox risers on top of 30 mm fixed risers. You can see (sort of) in the photo of my bike that the front (right side of photo) of the holder is down tight but the back has a gap. The rear is tightened last for clamping force.

 

[WingMan71]

And not one single "atta boy" on the job!
I'm crushed.

 

[Speedracer24]

Other than not tightening the bolts in the correct sequence, GREAT JOB !

 

[WingMan71]

Thanks.
Still a mystery to me why bottom first, top last. I had that top clamp laying completely flat on my drill press surface, which is dead flat. It touched completely flat on all four corners. No beveled bottom on that piece that I could detect. I'll take it off and have another look just to check.

 

[the Ferret]

I think it looks great! Nice job

 

[WingMan71]

I think it looks great! Nice job

Thanks.

I really wanted to keep that OEM top clamp with the Honda emblem. Looks kind of empty without that piece.

This leaves me wondering if ALL of the bar risers that fit our bike have this same issue where the bolt pattern for the riser top clamp doesn't match the Honda OEM top clamp with the emblem.

 

[670cc]

Thanks.

I really wanted to keep that OEM top clamp with the Honda emblem. Looks kind of empty without that piece.

This leaves me wondering if ALL of the bar risers that fit our bike have this same issue where the bolt pattern for the riser top clamp doesn't match the Honda OEM top clamp with the emblem.

In my photo in post #3, I have the stock Honda bridge/clamp atop a pair of 30mm risers. The bolts (longer ones that came with the risers) fit fine without any drilling or other modification to the Honda part.

I started with 30mm risers, then went to 2” Rox risers, then eventually combined the two to get about 3.2” rise. The NC is much more comfortable for me now.

 

[oldwisedude]

I used Voigt risers :-

Honda NC 750 X 2021-

riser, handlebar and accessories for Honda NC 750 X from Voigt MT

voigt-mt.de

Everything lined up perfectly and the design retains the original Honda top clamp. Beautifully finished too, although pricey. I also added the Voigt hydraulic brake line extension, to avoid straining the hoses. I still had to unclamp several electric cables to allow free movement of the bars without tugging.

 

[670cc]

Thanks.

I really wanted to keep that OEM top clamp with the Honda emblem. Looks kind of empty without that piece.

This leaves me wondering if ALL of the bar risers that fit our bike have this same issue where the bolt pattern for the riser top clamp doesn't match the Honda OEM top clamp with the emblem.

From browsing internet photos, here is a riser for the NC that retains use of the Honda top clamp:



And another:

 

[WingMan71]

Thanks.
Had I known up front that some bar risers have mounting holes that don't fit the Honda emblem top clamp, I would have spent more time shopping. That said, I like the looks of the one I got and the final results.

 

[Dan German]

Thanks.
Still a mystery to me why bottom first, top last. I had that top clamp laying completely flat on my drill press surface, which is dead flat. It touched completely flat on all four corners. No beveled bottom on that piece that I could detect. I'll take it off and have another look just to check.

Nope, other way ‘round.

 

[oldwisedude]

We would need access to the manufacturer's original drawings to better understand the reasons behind this. My KTM has separate top clamps and both are clearly marked with indents that have to face forwards. IIRC this was also the case with previously owned Yamaha and Kawasaki bikes. Maybe it has something to do with how the curvature of the clamp marries with the bars rather than the apparent in-line flatness of the 'bases' ?