Clamp bolts into the top triple….Recently put on a set of 1 1/8 Pro Taper Contour KX High Bends on a 2020 KX450. Replaced the cones and the clamps are Mika. Ran the Black Buffalo National Enduro and after test two, my hands hurt so bad I could barley open them when coming off the test. I did tighten my clamp bolts on the bottom side of my upper triples to a solid tightness. I’ve never experienced this before and wondering if I over tightened them. After installing I noticed the ends of the bars vibrating immediately when the bike is running on the stand. Didn’t think much of it….I race Moto,GNCC and National Enduros and never experienced this..There is obviously no torque setting for these unless I’m a moron and could not find it in my manual…
How tight do you tighten your handlebar clamp bolts into your triples?
Posts
97
Joined
11/20/2019
Location
Troy, IL, USA
Fantasy
Edited Date/Time
5/16/2023 2:25pm
What bar did you have on there before? The contour is a very stiff bar. I think they also transfer a bit more vibration.
did you replace the cones with new rubber ones or go to something solid?
as far as torque spec. Check your manual.
The bar mounts have to be pretty tight.
About 34nm or 25 ft-lb.
But I doubt that's your problem.
I'm guessing you have gone to solid cones from rubber 1s.
Good and Tight usually seems to work for me!
Stock 7/8 from the dealer.
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Just replaced with new rubber cones, not solid.
Tight enuff to pull a single to table
2 ugga uggas
Someone posted this a couple of years ago. Comes in handy....
Just tighten till you feel it starting to strip then back it off 1/4 turn
Doesn’t matter if it’s properly torqued or cross-threaded, tight is tight.
The bars are your problem. You either need to go back to 7/8’s or get pro taper evo or acf. The contour is very stiff.
Cross threaded, just another form of Loctite👍😀
Gutundtight, like a German virgin.
I get those special bolts. The one where the head breaks off when it reaches the proper torque. No more guess work.
This is rad, where is it from? Do they have other bikes as well?
The proper way to tighten a handlebar clamp is to snug the forward clamps until it is metal to metal. Next step is to tighten the bolts closest to you somewhat shy of the correct torque then torque the forward bolts to final torque followed by final torque on rear bolts. There should be an equal gap on the rear bar mounts.
EVERY time I tighten bolts to spec without a torque wrench, I audibly say "click". My son watched me several times use the same technique. He asked, "Dad why do you say click when you do the bolt?" I informed him that's my trusty torque wrench and I'm just making sure its to spec.
When the little rascal was "working" on his toy dirtbike "changing the tire" I heard him say "click yep its tight". 
I like your guy's explanation the best , because I do exactly the same. Unless it was a mayo or peanut butter jar , and to piss off my ex girlfriend, I'd tighten them like a gorilla. She could never have any unless I was home.
If you overtighten the fork tube clamp bolts it can restrict fork motion, that mainly applies to the lower bolts but it's worth buying a torque wrench for.
The stock KTM bars were super stiff, I switched to Protapers and they're more forgiving.
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