As I got more into serious off-roading, I realized the value of being up out of the saddle in a standing position often. There are a number of maneuvers that are better standing up, and a higher handlebar position makes this easier and is also nicer for your arms when sitting on long rides. In order of priority, the first upgrade definitely is the foot pegs for enhancing your riding position, but a second "nice to have" is handlebar risers.
There are a number of basic block risers that would work, but I chose the Rox Speed FX anti-vibration stem clamps. I didn't have too much trouble with vibration myself, but the bigger attraction for me was that these bring you up at least an inch and a half, which is not easy to do with simple blocks.
Installation - read this first and avoid my mistakes
The risers themselves are easily installed. Those same hex socket ends I recommended earlier will come in handy. The real installation problem is that you must re-route your cables. I fooled myself into thinking that the slack in the cables, while tight, was enough that I could make it work. And I figured that after I rode awhile the cables would naturally slip a bit more from under the tank and it would all work out. Wrong! There was enough play all right except for when you max'd out the turn. After one max turn the cable seemed to lengthen just a bit and I thought everything was great now. But what really happened was that I had pulled the cable out from the carb and damaged the choke assembly. Of course, this happened when I was in middle of nowhere, and then I was riding with the choke partially on at all times and the engine running too rich, stalling every time I idled.
I made it back, and my friends at Rocky Mountain Kawasaki fixed the carb and re-routed the cables for a very reasonable cost. I should have just had them do it in the first place! Re-routing the cables is not a simple job so unless you're pretty good with the tools, I'd recommend paying for your local mechanic to do the job.
There are a number of basic block risers that would work, but I chose the Rox Speed FX anti-vibration stem clamps. I didn't have too much trouble with vibration myself, but the bigger attraction for me was that these bring you up at least an inch and a half, which is not easy to do with simple blocks.
Installation - read this first and avoid my mistakes
The risers themselves are easily installed. Those same hex socket ends I recommended earlier will come in handy. The real installation problem is that you must re-route your cables. I fooled myself into thinking that the slack in the cables, while tight, was enough that I could make it work. And I figured that after I rode awhile the cables would naturally slip a bit more from under the tank and it would all work out. Wrong! There was enough play all right except for when you max'd out the turn. After one max turn the cable seemed to lengthen just a bit and I thought everything was great now. But what really happened was that I had pulled the cable out from the carb and damaged the choke assembly. Of course, this happened when I was in middle of nowhere, and then I was riding with the choke partially on at all times and the engine running too rich, stalling every time I idled.
I made it back, and my friends at Rocky Mountain Kawasaki fixed the carb and re-routed the cables for a very reasonable cost. I should have just had them do it in the first place! Re-routing the cables is not a simple job so unless you're pretty good with the tools, I'd recommend paying for your local mechanic to do the job.
