Advice on fitting new bars please

I want to ditch the standard bars & fit flat drag bars - the idea is to give it this look

" />

I've found a pair of bars & can get the spacers made up at my local engineering company.  The thing is, I've never taken this type of bars to pieces.  Anyone talk me through the procedure?  I've read in one the threads that the bars need to be drilled to accept the switches - what's that all about?  I've also read that if you're not careful, you can lose the nut for the grips inside the bars.  Any tips / advice would be greatly appreciated 

This is on a 2001 VL

Thanks in advance

Only issue is the the switches have a little lug inside them that fit in to the bars as an extra thingy to stop the switches moving on the bar but it is not needed. Some people have been known to drill the bars to except the lug inside the switch housing but most not. Most people will just file the little lug off cause the switches when tightened up won't move anyway

As above    With the bar end weight, Just undo the screw at the end a few mm and then push the screw in sharply, this releases the expansion on the rubber bung inside which has been compressed when tightened, then pull the whole lot out with the inner nut still on the end of the screw.

 To the Captain's & Sim's comments.

I've normally drilled the bars to accept the lug on the inner face of the switch gear. This needs a bit of thought & 'eyeballing' to get everything lined up at your chosen angle. The problem is - that if you drill a hole, but get it slightly in the wrong location then it throws the body of the switch gear out by quite a bit (The hole is at a small radius - but the outer casing of the switch gear is not. You can elongate the hole into an oval slot - but you don't want to over-do it or you could weaken the bars !!!!).

The 'easy way' out is to chop off the lug & hope it grips (You can always add contact adhesive if it is not a tight fit ! )

Suggestions to help locate the hole position if you want to drill the bars

It can help to put strips of masking tape on the bars to mark the edges of the switch gear when it is in your 'chosen' position along the bars. These can then be used as reference points to then measure from to locate the correct position of the hole you need to drill in the bars. If you know where the edges of the switch housing is, you can measure from the switch gear how far in - from left or right hand edge the lug is - then you can mark out the position on your bars - stick some more masking tape between the 'edge of housing' marks if need be so you can mark the position of the hole to be drilled on masking tape. This has located the hole about the length of the bar.
You can reference where on the circumference the lug goes by marking the split line in the switch Housing on the 'edge of housing' reference marks - then establish the circumfrential location relative to the casing split line. You can measure this ,or use a strip of stiff paper to make a template to locate the circumfrential position of the lug relative to the split line in the switch housing. The paper template can then be used on you 'split line reference' you marked on the bars to locate the position of the hole circumfrentially on the bars 
So you have located the correct place to drill by referencing it to two planes ! - Bingo - you are ready to centre punch & drill it. ..... Even if you are slightly out it will minimise the length of any 'slotting' adjustment.

Remember - Measure twice ... or thrice ..... Drill ONCE !

God ... that's difficult to explain - but much easier to do - If I had some spare bits I could set up a photo guide - but I don't have the necessary - I might see if I can have a rummage in my mates garage to see if I could do a mock-up ... but it is easier that it sounds in the description !

For those who don't know, it is also a good ides to mark the position of the hole onto masking tape, as this will help stop the drill slipping on the shiny surface when you start to drill it. If you don't have access to a drill press try to start by centre punching the 'centre' of the hole & start with a small diameter pilot hole 1.5 - 2.0mm would do - then open the pilot hole out to suit the lug.  
 
As for bar ends - the captive nut can be re-positioned - as described by Sim. You should not have any significant issues there.

Hope that might help

   Yam

Dave another thing to look out for is marking the bars with tipex or something in the centre and making sure you keep them square with your tree.Also make sure you cover your tank up with towels or a blanket to stop any accidents.

OK - thanks everyone for the info - at least I know what I'm facing & from the way it's been explained, it doesn't sound too difficult.  I'll have a look at drilling the lug holes, but as I don't have easy access to a drill press, I'll probably end up filing them off & some Gorilla tape round the bars to give them some purchase.  If that is too thick, I'll go for some contact adhesive.  

Thanks for the help on this one - Dave

Hi Dave R,

A drill press is NOT essential, you can do it with a normal hand drill, but take it slow & easy.

The drill press just makes it a bit easier - if you had access to one - that's all.

  Yam

Ah - in that case, could I put some gaffa tape round the bars where the switches will be fitted, put the switches into position, then tighten them enough to leave an imprint on the tape to drill through?  Would that work?

Yep - that might just do it .... a blob of something on the lug in the switch might help mark the gaffer tape. Sometimes you can't quite get the parts to seat exactly as you might like 'cos of the tape - but you should get close enough to get a decent idea of where you 'need' the hole. (If you pardon the strange expression)

I would just try doing them up before adding anything extra, I think you will find the do up solid on the bars anyway