VK Riser and Goldfinger

[Joner]

I'm 6'2" and found the stand up position was uncomfortable on my VK. I added a 3" PowerMadd riser, J-hooks, and a left hand throttle. Off trail it's like a different machine this year. The extra leverage from this riser is significant. I can throw it around much easier this year, and can lean out far enough to the left to make turns and keep things level breaking trail. The only cable extension I needed was for the throttle. The brake and parkng brake have enough slack. I cut $5 of threaded rod to replace 4 stock bolts.

 

[VKbcnorth]

Thank you, thank you

Just the information I need. What is the model number of the riser you used? The J hooks?

Does the end of the handle bar hit the windshield before it's at full turn?

I see that PowerMadd also has a throttle cable extension kit - anyone used that?

Thanks for posting.

 

[Joner]

I bought everything at Royal Distributing. The riser was a standard Yamaha one that fits all newish sleds. The J-hooks come in 45 and 90 degree. I went with the longer version of the 90. I cut the end of the grip, trimmed a bit of excess and they just push in. There is a bolt to spread them once installed. The wrap you see is for tennis rackets. I just wanted it to look more uniform. Once the riser was on, I adjusted the bars forward on the top of the post just enough that they don't touch. You can leave them tipped back toward you more if you like. The other option is the kit that gives you a swivel at the bottom and comes with a 6 inch riser. I just added the three to the stock 4 inch riser. It's less adjustable forward and back, but seemed stronger to me. Check out the Royal Distributing web page for all the parts. You need a metre of threaded rod to do the job.

 

[eric3793]

Any effect on the grip and thumb warmers?

 

[Joner]

I just carefully cut the end off. No wiring in the end. I've used it a few times and everything works well.

 

[eric3793]

Great information! These beasts are hard to manage off the trail...the additional leverage should help alot. I only wish I was 6'02" instead of 5'09" and in better shape!

 

[air19]

Joner,

Can you post a couple more pictures slightly farther away so I can get a better perspective.

THANKS.

 

[YETI]

Joner,

Can you post a couple more pictures slightly farther away so I can get a better perspective.

THANKS.

X2

 

[VKbcnorth]

Joner, how did you extend the throttle cable? I was talking to the local Yamaha dealer today and he says that they have had trouble with the Power Madd throttle extension engaging the throttle safety system and kicking the throttle off. Is there another method? I ordered the riser block today.

 

[Joner]

I'll take a few more pictures the and post them. The throttle stills moves and engages that sensor. The end on the extension is the same as factory, it just goes into a little box to connect the cables. I could see if it was too tight it wouldn't allow for that motion. The goldfinger obviously allows for that motion as well, becasue it works the throttle without you touching the right side. I'll let you know if I have any problems.

 

[Joner]

A few more pictures of my riser project.

 

[VKbcnorth]

More details installing the riser

Thanks to Joner for letting us know that a 3" riser will fit a VK Pro. Here is some more detail on how to install the riser. At first I cut four long bolts from a one-metre long piece of metric threaded rod as Joner suggested but I wanted a bit more threads emerging at the top and bottom for strength. So I cut another 4 long bolts a bit longer at 10-1/4" from two pieces of threaded rod and replaced the first long bolts. I cut a slot at the top of each bolt with a hack saw so that I can hold the bolt steady with a screwdriver while I tighten the 13 mm nut at the top.
The only cable extension you need is throttle. The adjustment on the PowerMadd throttle extension has to be as short as possible. Even then the cable is too long to allow the throttle to return to idle. You have to adjust the stock cable at the carb end so that the throttle will idle and the TORS system will work.
You can see in the photo that the stock throttle cable (white cable) with the throttle extension added is very long. The extra length is looped over the anti-freeze container. The throttle still works smoothly with the loop.
I covered the top ends of the long bolts with a small piece of 1/2" thick dense foam before I put the original foam pad and cloth cover back over the handlebar. The added foam protects the electrical wires in the area from touching any sharp edges of the long bolts.

 

[Joner]

Nice job on the install. It made a huge difference for my last year. You can lean way out to the left and the extra leverage doesn't hurt either. Have you driven it yet?

 

[VKbcnorth]

Haven't tried it yet but the extra bar height doesn't feel too high at all. I'm hoping for more leverage. Before I had to put my boots on the fuel tank to get enough leverage to flip the machine on its side. Not exactly tippy when you want to roll it over.

 

[VKbcnorth]

Joner - I've been using the 3" riser on our 2008 VK Pro for a couple of months now in our deep powder and at slow speeds. It helps a lot but a taller riser would help more. At the stock riser height, I can just barely roll the VK on it's side by putting my boots on the fuel tank and yanking hard. The best riser height would be where I can stand on the foot board, grasp the top of the mountain strap and lift the far ski off the ground by leaning outboard with a weight of 180 pounds. That way if a ski falls off the edge of a trail, I can lift that ski and keep the machine from following that ski, just like the lighter sleds can do. Yamaha should seriously consider a telescoping riser that goes from the stock height to +6" above stock or whatever height is necessary to lift the far ski. We can't try that much height because the cables need to be longer but a tall riser would improve the handling of the VK Pro.