Post by Mx Life286 on Sept 27, 2005 21:15:53 GMT -5
Aftermarket triple clamps have become as ubiquitous as backwards ball caps. Everybody has one, 90 percent don’t need one and, to be perfectly honest, they don’t do what they claim.
NUMBER ONE: WHY BUY TRIPLE CLAMPS?
Why do local racers buy aftermarket triple clamps? Three reasons. First and foremost, the factory boys use them so every local schmoe feels like he should too. Second, on bikes with solid-mounted handlebar clamps (like Yamaha’s), aftermarket triple clamps are the only way to run over-size (Answer ProTaper-style) handlebars. (Although there are universal kits that allow oversize bars to fit into solid-mounted clamps, they have no cooling effect). Third, aftermarket triple clamps allow riders to move their handlebar clamps forward.
NUMBER TWO: ARE THEY MORE RIGID?
Not necessarily. They don’t make your forks more rigid. Say what? How this old wives tale got started no one knows, but aftermarket triple clamps do not stop fork legs from flexing. Why not? Because fork flex takes place on the part of the fork leg that extends below the triple clamps. The only benefit that triple clamps could possibly add to a fork is to stiffen the nine-inch span between the top and bottom clamps.
NUMBER THREE: ARE THEY LIGHTER?
They don’t save weight. If you are trying to build a 216 pound 250 or a lightweight 450, stay away from CNC-machined chunks of billet aluminum. They are typically one pound heavier.
NUMBER FOUR: DO THEY PREVENT TWISTING?
Many triple clamp manufacturers claim that their clamps grip the fork legs better than the stock clamps (preventing the fork legs from twisting in the clamps during a crash). On a practical level, this could be true for specific circumstances. But, MXA sent every triple clamp to an independent testing lab (not involved in the motorcycle business) and had them rigged with load cells for testing clamping strength. There was no deflection difference among any of the triple clamps.
NUMBER FIVE: WHAT ARE THEY MADE OF?
The ultimate weight of the part can be altered by material selection. Choosing a very light alloy, like magnesium, results in a lighter product (although not necessarily lighter than the cast triple clamps). Additionally, choosing an aluminum alloy with higher strength characteristics (like 7075 or Scandium) can allow for thinner wall thicknesses--thus a lighter optimum weight. In the case of 7075, it actually weighs slightly more than standard issue 6061--so, if it isn’t used in lower quantities, the part will be no lighter.
NUMBER SIX: WHY AREN’T THEY LIGHTER?
It’s hard for a CNC-machined piece of billet aluminum to be lighter than a casting (because the wall thicknesses of a casting can be perfectly controlled, radiused and curved).
NUMBER SEVEN: BAR POSITIONS?
This is the biggest benefit of aftermarket clamps. With the stock clamps you’re stuck with one or two bar positions at the most. Aftermarket clamps allow up to four. It’s up to the rider to determine if he will benefit from moving the bars forward or backwards.
NUMBER EIGHT: BAR HEIGHT?
With stock bar mounts you’re limited to one handlebar height. Some aftermarket clamps raise or lower the clamps. Of course, this could also be done by changing to higher rise handlebars.
NUMBER NINE: RUBBER-MOUNTED OR SOLID?
It is possible to lessen vibration by switching to rubber-mounted bar clamps. This is most applicable to Yamahas (because they have solid-mounted bars stock).
NUMBER TEN: PINCH BOLTS?
Don’t worry about how many pinch bolts a triple clamps has. It doesn’t matter as much as the tolerance of the machining of the fork clamps themselves.
NUMBER ONE: WHY BUY TRIPLE CLAMPS?
Why do local racers buy aftermarket triple clamps? Three reasons. First and foremost, the factory boys use them so every local schmoe feels like he should too. Second, on bikes with solid-mounted handlebar clamps (like Yamaha’s), aftermarket triple clamps are the only way to run over-size (Answer ProTaper-style) handlebars. (Although there are universal kits that allow oversize bars to fit into solid-mounted clamps, they have no cooling effect). Third, aftermarket triple clamps allow riders to move their handlebar clamps forward.
NUMBER TWO: ARE THEY MORE RIGID?
Not necessarily. They don’t make your forks more rigid. Say what? How this old wives tale got started no one knows, but aftermarket triple clamps do not stop fork legs from flexing. Why not? Because fork flex takes place on the part of the fork leg that extends below the triple clamps. The only benefit that triple clamps could possibly add to a fork is to stiffen the nine-inch span between the top and bottom clamps.
NUMBER THREE: ARE THEY LIGHTER?
They don’t save weight. If you are trying to build a 216 pound 250 or a lightweight 450, stay away from CNC-machined chunks of billet aluminum. They are typically one pound heavier.
NUMBER FOUR: DO THEY PREVENT TWISTING?
Many triple clamp manufacturers claim that their clamps grip the fork legs better than the stock clamps (preventing the fork legs from twisting in the clamps during a crash). On a practical level, this could be true for specific circumstances. But, MXA sent every triple clamp to an independent testing lab (not involved in the motorcycle business) and had them rigged with load cells for testing clamping strength. There was no deflection difference among any of the triple clamps.
NUMBER FIVE: WHAT ARE THEY MADE OF?
The ultimate weight of the part can be altered by material selection. Choosing a very light alloy, like magnesium, results in a lighter product (although not necessarily lighter than the cast triple clamps). Additionally, choosing an aluminum alloy with higher strength characteristics (like 7075 or Scandium) can allow for thinner wall thicknesses--thus a lighter optimum weight. In the case of 7075, it actually weighs slightly more than standard issue 6061--so, if it isn’t used in lower quantities, the part will be no lighter.
NUMBER SIX: WHY AREN’T THEY LIGHTER?
It’s hard for a CNC-machined piece of billet aluminum to be lighter than a casting (because the wall thicknesses of a casting can be perfectly controlled, radiused and curved).
NUMBER SEVEN: BAR POSITIONS?
This is the biggest benefit of aftermarket clamps. With the stock clamps you’re stuck with one or two bar positions at the most. Aftermarket clamps allow up to four. It’s up to the rider to determine if he will benefit from moving the bars forward or backwards.
NUMBER EIGHT: BAR HEIGHT?
With stock bar mounts you’re limited to one handlebar height. Some aftermarket clamps raise or lower the clamps. Of course, this could also be done by changing to higher rise handlebars.
NUMBER NINE: RUBBER-MOUNTED OR SOLID?
It is possible to lessen vibration by switching to rubber-mounted bar clamps. This is most applicable to Yamahas (because they have solid-mounted bars stock).
NUMBER TEN: PINCH BOLTS?
Don’t worry about how many pinch bolts a triple clamps has. It doesn’t matter as much as the tolerance of the machining of the fork clamps themselves.