eliminating the rack

Being a relatively short fellow (5' 7"), I've often found that the reach for the handlebars on my Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Drifter was a bit long - a motorcycle version of "the rack." Today I installed a pair of Scootworks PhatRiser II "risers", which raise the bars up a bit, and brings them back a couple of inches. The difference in my riding position is pretty dramatic. I now sit in a much more comfortable position. I also have more control, since my arms aren't reaching nearly as far. Even the ride seems better, as the bike now rocks between the front and rear wheels beneath me, rather than my leaning forward (into the handlebars) to control the bike. The review is in the "Read more..."

Product Quality

The Scootworks risers are machined from a block of aluminum. I chose the version that is powder-coated black, which matches the bike. All of the materials included in the kit were top notch. The risers are beautifully finished; they did a great job on the powder coating. The kit is complete with stainless steel studs, new riser bolts, excellent instructions, and small metal caps for the riser bolts.

Installation

I'm no "wrench," so if I can handle this kit, anyone can. It took me about 40 minutes to complete the installation. I took my time, tried to use the best tools, and read each instruction twice before proceeding. I did deviate from the instructions at one point: rather than trying to insert the new studs through the bottom of the triple tree and into the risers, I installed them into the risers then slid them into the triple tree - much easier. My bike has a Rifle windshield that uses the triple tree as part of the mounting system; the new risers did not interfere with the mount. Everything fit correctly the first time and no adjustments were necessary.

Evaluation

The product looks great on the bike. I'm sure most people would assume it was "original equipment." The seating position and riding comfort were greatly improved for me. I have to assume they'd be a bit much for taller riders. The riding experience is nearly the same, however the slow speed turn-in comes a little quicker than it used to. In fact, during my first ride I nearly dumped the bike as it turned-in quicker than I had expected. It will take some time to make the new riding position "second nature."

One Concern

I would like to mention one bone of contention - the instructions say that no re-routing of cables is necessary, which is mostly correct. During most motoring situations there is plenty of cable slack to operate the vehicle safely, even though the handlebars have been pulled back several inches. The issue occurs when parking. If the handlebars are turned fully to the left, the right-side controls have their cables pulled pretty severely. I'm going to look into re-routing those cables to reduce the strain.

Five Stars

All-in-all, I'd give this product 5 out of 5 stars. I was tempted to reduce it by one star because of the cable issue, but truly this is a cool product, well made, and solves a problem that's been buggin' me for years.

Cost

About $130 with shipping... well worth it. You can find them at Scootworks.