F3 Adjusting switch block angle

[Peteoz]

OK.....so I have turned my F3-L handlebars to be as far up and away from me as possible. It works a treat for me, and I can still use my mirrors, but.......after riding with the new position for a week or so, I do need to adjust the left switch block as I keep hitting the horn with my thumb rather than my indicators. It needs to be rotated toward me about a half inch or so The right side is fine as it only has the cruise control and it still falls to hand.

Anyone else done this? I imagine I will have to grind the nipple and then look at ensuring the bar ends are secure, but are there any other gotchas?

Pete

 

[Peteoz]

Easy Job.

Significantly easier than I thought with the innovative Spyder handlebar setup.

Remove cuff, determine and mark best position on bars, slide out switch block/grip, stuff rag in bars to prevent filings sliding down into bars, drill extra hole as marked, reinstall slide out switch block/grip, tighten cuff in new position......no gotchas whatsoever.

What a great idea the one piece, removable switch blocks/grips are. This was a right pain in the butt to do on both the Rocket Touring and Vision.

Pete

 

[TRLBLZR1]

Looking for a little help on re-positioning (rotating) the paddle shift control block on drag bars. (Have to reach up with thumb a touch to get to controls.)

So there's no way to adjust the angle of just the control block without drilling holes etc? ~ Very surprised.... Most bikes you can adjust all this fairly easily by loosening a few set screws and pivoting the entire assembly.
I have drag bars on this "beast." And it looks like the only easy adjustment would be to pivot the bars down from their center mount?
(Paddle shifter is just a few degrees off what I want.)

Also, oddly enough the passenger seat seems loose on left side but sits flat. (Haven't figured out how remove seat. ~ F3-S SE)

PS: Turned full left (factory drag bars as setup by dealer/factory on new machine) do barely hit the tank. Right side does not, but it's very close. (Haven't yet measured to confirm whether bars are in exact center position but they appear to be.

 

[Peteoz]

Looking for a little help on re-positioning (rotating) the paddle shift control block on drag bars. (Have to reach up with thumb a touch to get to controls.)

So there's no way to adjust the angle of just the control block without drilling holes etc? ~ Very surprised.... Most bikes you can adjust all this fairly easily by loosening a few set screws and pivoting the entire assembly.
I have drag bars on this "beast." And it looks like the only easy adjustment would be to pivot the bars down from their center mount?
(Paddle shifter is just a few degrees off what I want.)

Also, oddly enough the passenger seat seems loose on left side but sits flat. (Haven't figured out how remove seat. ~ F3-S SE)

PS: Turned full left (factory drag bars as setup by dealer/factory on new machine) do barely hit the tank. Right side does not, but it's very close. (Haven't yet measured to confirm whether bars are in exact center position but they appear to be.

That comment surprises me, trlblzr. I have never had a bike without a nipple to hold the switch gear in place and prevent movement. It's a safety feature. It has had to be filed off or a new hole drilled if you wish to rotate the switch gear. It's not a difficult mod, and I know several who have simply ground the nipple off on the Spyder to give them full adjustability with no adverse effect.

Pete

 

[TRLBLZR1]

I've never owned a thumb shift model of "anything" before this machine. Previously accustomed to riding sport bikes of yesteryear.
Was always able to adjust the clutch and brake lever to the exact angles where I wanted them. (albeit not shif paddles)
Unless my last Suzuki GSXR-1100 was "spot on" and didn't need any adjustment (hydraulic clutch & brake) which may have been the case.

Been so long I can't recall how we did it, but I always ended up with them exactly where I wanted them. As I recall there was a big set screw for the pull-handle angles.
Going back a few years lol.

Finding I have to reach up/rotate to a high wrist for thumb to hit the up-shift on this machine/stock setup.

 

[Peteoz]

No, I'm not talking thumb shift models. My Desmo 450, 2xHondas, Vulcan and Rocket all required nipple removal to have the switchgear rotated, TRLBLZR. The Vision had several holes to accommodate rotation built in. Looks like some manufacturer's use them and some don't. Regardless, it's an easy fix on the Spyder:thumbup:

Pete

 

[TRLBLZR1]

Significantly easier than I thought with the innovative Spyder handlebar setup.

Remove cuff, determine and mark best position on bars, slide out switch block/grip, stuff rag in bars to prevent filings sliding down into bars, drill extra hole as marked, reinstall slide out switch block/grip, tighten cuff in new position......no gotchas whatsoever.

What a great idea the one piece, removable switch blocks/grips are. This was a right pain in the butt to do on both the Rocket Touring and Vision.

Pete

So the inner cuff (loosened with the two Allen heads) is the only thing that needs to be loosened/removed to rotate (and pull) entire assembly (grip & control block) off the bars?
I had looked at the microfiche online, but it was difficult to see in detail. The last thing I want to do is remove a screw that is not supposed to be removable for fear of damaging something.

 

[Peteoz]

So the inner cuff (loosened with the two Allen heads) is the only thing that needs to be loosened/removed to rotate (and pull) entire assembly (grip & control block) off the bars?
I had looked at the microfiche online, but it was difficult to see in detail. The last thing I want to do is remove a screw that is not supposed to be removable for fear of damaging something.

It was so long ago that it's hard to remember, and I'm not at home at the moment. From what I remember, it was just the two Allen bolts in the cuff. It's up to you what you do after that:thumbup:

Pete

 

[TRLBLZR1]

Thank you.

Before I go that route, I'm going to see if tilting the entire bars down 5 degrees adversely effects handling/feel.
Going to mark the original position so I can go back, because existing setup feels great (except for paddle position.

Also have to figure out why passenger seat rear left feels like it's not locked in properly. Will search for that info.

~Bob

 

[Slowpoke387]

Significantly easier than I thought with the innovative Spyder handlebar setup.

Remove cuff, determine and mark best position on bars, slide out switch block/grip, stuff rag in bars to prevent filings sliding down into bars, drill extra hole as marked, reinstall slide out switch block/grip, tighten cuff in new position......no gotchas whatsoever.

What a great idea the one piece, removable switch blocks/grips are. This was a right pain in the butt to do on both the Rocket Touring and Vision.

Pete

So how difficult is it to remove all the switchgear/throttle, etc? Pretty sure we will be changing out the bars on our F3L for the wife. Really seems easy with the four bolts in the clamp, but swapping the switchgear/cuff? I havent gone out to look at it yet but i really dont want to keep bringing this thing in and paying $90/hr for every little thing.

 

[monkeyboymorton]

So how difficult is it to remove all the switchgear/throttle, etc? Pretty sure we will be changing out the bars on our F3L for the wife. Really seems easy with the four bolts in the clamp, but swapping the switchgear/cuff? I havent gone out to look at it yet but i really dont want to keep bringing this thing in and paying $90/hr for every little thing.

Really easy, 2 hex bolts to undo the metal cuff and the short bar that the controls are attached to will come out. Controls come apart with 4 small hex bolts to get them off the small rod but this is not required to swap the bars. Only had to do that to fit the heated grips.

Not many jobs on this you can't do yourself with a set of hex and torx socket drivers.

I'd also recommend getting the shop manual - a guy sells a downloadable copy on ebay for not much.

 

[TRLBLZR1]

Really easy, 2 hex bolts to undo the metal cuff and the short bar that the controls are attached to will come out. Controls come apart with 4 small hex bolts to get them off the small rod but this is not required to swap the bars. Only had to do that to fit the heated grips.

Not many jobs on this you can't do yourself with a set of hex and torx socket drivers.

I'd also recommend getting the shop manual - a guy sells a downloadable copy on ebay for not much.

Saw two f3 manuals listed. One states f3-s model and specifically lists 2017 models. Other one does not but all appear to be on disk. Suggestions as to which one?

 

[Bob Denman]

We always found it easier to just cut the tabs off of the switch housings, and then make sure to keep them tightened down...
None of them have ever moved a bit. :thumbup:
(In over 30 years of using this procedure...)

 

[TRLBLZR1]

We always found it easier to just cut the tabs off of the switch housings, and then make sure to keep them tightened down...
None of them have ever moved a bit. :thumbup:
(In over 30 years of using this procedure...)

So this method requires loosening which screws where? (All the small Allen's on the back side of the switch/control block housing?)
Afraid the thing might all fall apart if done wrong. That online microfiche is so hard to follow. Reminds me of the OLD Polaris fiche.