airhead fork caps

JonnyCash · 03-20-2011, 06:34 PM

Hi all. On my /5, I've got chromed fork caps, but I seem to remember that some were just polished aluminum. I think I used to have a set, but I sure cant find them. The reason I ask is that I have clubman bars on the bike and they hit the fork caps, preventing me from rotating the bars back as far as I would like. I was thinking that if I had a set of aluminum ones, I could grind out a trench in them to accommodate the bars, allowing me to rotate them further back than I have them now. I wouldn't want to do that with the chromed ones. The other thing I thought about doing is to have some caps made up that are completely inside the fork tube, allowing more room for the bars, but i'd rather come up with something I can do myself. Thanks all.

bmweuro · 03-20-2011, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnyCash

Hi all. On my /5, I've got chromed fork caps, but I seem to remember that some were just polished aluminum. I think I used to have a set, but I sure cant find them. The reason I ask is that I have clubman bars on the bike and they hit the fork caps, preventing me from rotating the bars back as far as I would like. I was thinking that if I had a set of aluminum ones, I could grind out a trench in them to accommodate the bars, allowing me to rotate them further back than I have them now. I wouldn't want to do that with the chromed ones. The other thing I thought about doing is to have some caps made up that are completely inside the fork tube, allowing more room for the bars, but i'd rather come up with something I can do myself. Thanks all.

The aluminum ones were pretty thin. I don't know how much yoy could clearance. You could use 1977-1980 /7 fork caps that use a 8mm or 10mm nut instead of the large caps.

wirewrkr · 03-20-2011, 09:08 PM

wouldn't it be easier to just build some shallow riser plates to put under the handlebar mount/clamp doohickeys?
That's the road I would take, probably wouldn't take much as far as thickness is concerned.

bmweuro · 03-20-2011, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wirewrkr

wouldn't it be easier to just build some shallow riser plates to put under the handlebar mount/clamp doohickeys?
That's the road I would take, probably wouldn't take much as far as thickness is concerned.

That would work but you might need longer studs.

BiG DoM · 03-21-2011, 03:03 AM

Conbo of both - later nuts and slight risers?

JonnyCash · 03-21-2011, 03:40 AM

I thought of the riser plates, but as was mentioned, I'd need to come up with some longer studs. As it is, there is about 2 mm of extra stud showing when it's all put together. I havent even tried to get the studs out. I wonder it they're threaded in, or cast in to the aluminum. Guess I should try. I'll try to see what the later fork caps look like, maybe they'll work. Thanks for the replies.

wirewrkr · 03-21-2011, 08:05 AM

They are threaded in.
Even if you have to replace them with longer ones, that still seems easier and less unsightly as gouging your fork caps.
If I remember correctly, there's lots of thread in the bases and you can easily and safely back them out 3 or 4 mm.

03-20-2011, 06:34 PM	#1
JonnyCash ^OP turd polisher Joined: Jan 2011 Location: Midcoast, Maine Oddometer: 772	airhead fork caps Hi all. On my /5, I've got chromed fork caps, but I seem to remember that some were just polished aluminum. I think I used to have a set, but I sure cant find them. The reason I ask is that I have clubman bars on the bike and they hit the fork caps, preventing me from rotating the bars back as far as I would like. I was thinking that if I had a set of aluminum ones, I could grind out a trench in them to accommodate the bars, allowing me to rotate them further back than I have them now. I wouldn't want to do that with the chromed ones. The other thing I thought about doing is to have some caps made up that are completely inside the fork tube, allowing more room for the bars, but i'd rather come up with something I can do myself. Thanks all. __________________ I wouldn't bring her home to Mama, but Mama ain't home tonight.

03-20-2011, 09:08 PM	#3
wirewrkr the thread-killer Joined: May 2008 Location: HIGH desert Oddometer: 4,297	wouldn't it be easier to just build some shallow riser plates to put under the handlebar mount/clamp doohickeys? That's the road I would take, probably wouldn't take much as far as thickness is concerned. __________________ www.wirewerkes.com KILL YOUR TELEVISION !!!!

03-21-2011, 03:03 AM	#5
BiG DoM African Adventurer Joined: Jun 2002 Location: South Africa Oddometer: 2,249	Conbo of both - later nuts and slight risers? __________________ BiG DoM Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... 'Fuck, what a trip!' People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcyclists.

03-21-2011, 03:40 AM	#6
JonnyCash ^OP turd polisher Joined: Jan 2011 Location: Midcoast, Maine Oddometer: 772	I thought of the riser plates, but as was mentioned, I'd need to come up with some longer studs. As it is, there is about 2 mm of extra stud showing when it's all put together. I havent even tried to get the studs out. I wonder it they're threaded in, or cast in to the aluminum. Guess I should try. I'll try to see what the later fork caps look like, maybe they'll work. Thanks for the replies. __________________ I wouldn't bring her home to Mama, but Mama ain't home tonight.

03-21-2011, 08:05 AM	#7
wirewrkr the thread-killer Joined: May 2008 Location: HIGH desert Oddometer: 4,297	They are threaded in. Even if you have to replace them with longer ones, that still seems easier and less unsightly as gouging your fork caps. If I remember correctly, there's lots of thread in the bases and you can easily and safely back them out 3 or 4 mm. __________________ www.wirewerkes.com KILL YOUR TELEVISION !!!!

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