Install Knuckleguards on Nighthawk S

 

October 15, 2005

 

I saw on Warchild’s FJR page where he farkled a set of Suzuki V-Strom knuckleguards onto his Yamaha FJR1300.  While I do not see why he rides Yamaha, I liked the idea of hand guards so I borrowed it.  Thank you Warchild, and Rick Martin, who did a perfect job of identifying the Suzuki parts required.   

 

Read Warchild’s article for additional info:  Handguards on a Yamaha FJ1300

 

After reading Warchild’s notes and obtaining the Suzuki parts, here is what I did.

 

 

Parts required (most of this is a direct copy from Warchild’s site.  As with the FJR, the parts list is perfect for the CB700SC:

 

 

I had to pay more than indicated on Warchild’s site for the parts.  I saw the knuckleguard set at an e-Bay store for $48, but as important as the guards are the nifty lever bolts from Suzuki.  To buy all these parts, including bar-ends from the local Suzuki dealer was $70.

 

FJR pilot Rick Martin provided these Suzuki OEM part numbers for the fastening hardware that is *exactly* what is needed to affix these Hand Guards to the FJR1300 (these parts are in addition to the V-Strom Hand Guard part numbers listed above):

 

Quantity

Suzuki P/N

Nomenclature

2

02142-06107

Screw

4

09160-06130

Washer

2

08319-21068

Nut

2

57431-06G00

Screw

2

08316-10063

Nut

 

 

 

 

These guards are mounted at 2 and a half points on the CB700SC: The Phillips head screw is obviously a secure mount.  The other mostly secure point is the bar-end mount.  The knuckleguard presses onto the bar-end.  The “half” mount is more of a guide than a mount, and that is the bottom of the lever bolt – there is nothing solidly holding the guard there.  In the picture it can be seen that the nut that tightens the lever bolt fits inside a guide-point on the knuckleguard.  I like the design because if the bike tips over then probably the guard will break away instead of breaking off.

 

How all the pieces will bolt together, and how the guard clips to the bar-end.

 

The replacement lever bolt with the original shown beside it.

 

 

 

The clutch side guard already has slight indentations in the correct places

but they had to be cut deeper as indicated in the picture.

 

The brake side guard had to be trimmed along the top edge that runs against the master cylinder and the plastic had to be thinned in an area that the hydraulic line interfered.  Additionally, the bar-end clip was opened slightly (not the opening, but the diameter of the circle was widened.

 

The brake side guard had to be reshaped slightly.  I used an 1850 watt hair dryer to get the guard as hot as I could, then held the guard in an exaggeration of the shape I wanted.  The problem I was correcting was the alignment of the bar-end clip – it was originally angled inward and I forced it to a 90 right-angle orientation.  Restating that: The clip on the guard, where it attaches to the bar-end, was angled inward.  I heated it to bend it so it was oriented 90 degrees to the bar-end.

 

Basic Instructions Left Side:

1.      Remove original lever bolt and nut and install the Suzuki replacements (the correct nut is NOT the self-locking one).

2.      Cut off the end of the hand grip.

3.      Test fit the guard and grind as necessary for proper fit.  Expand the existing curved cutouts and widen the diameter of the bar-end clip.

4.      Mount the bar-end.  Leave about 3/16 inch for the guard to clip onto.

5.      Mount the guard.  It screws onto the lever bolt, clips onto the bar-end and rests around the lever nut.  Install washers under the Phillips screw and on the self-locking nut (second nut).

 

Basic instructions Right Side:

1.      Remove original lever bolt and nut and install the Suzuki replacements (the correct nut is NOT the self-locking one).

2.      Cut off the end of the hand grip.  It must be cut close to the actual end of the handlebar/throttle sleeve.

3.      Test fit the guard and grind as necessary for proper fit.  Trim along the front edge of the master cylinder and around the brake line.  Widen the diameter of the bar-end clip.

4.      Heat/Bend the bar-end clip as necessary to make it 90 degrees to the handlebar and bar-end.

5.      Mount the bar-end.  Leave about 3/16 inch for the guard to clip onto.

6.      Mount the guard.  It screws onto the lever bolt, clips onto the bar-end and rests around the lever nut.  Install washers under the Phillips screw and on the self-locking nut (second nut).

 

More pictures here