Missi Highlights The Biltwell Gringo S

from Cycle Source Magazine -Issue 284 April-May '21

Chris Brown's 1978 Suzuki GS750 Cafe

so, where are all the helmet haters?? I used to be one of those, that is until I picked up this Biltwell Gringo S helmet. Being from Indiana, I never wore a helmet, because, I didn’t have to, and I didn’t want to. I enjoyed the freedom of feeling the wind in my face. Then I moved to a helmet law state, and boy did that suck! I bought one of those 1/2 helmets, you know the ones, they are supposed to make you feel like you’re bucking the system by wearing the bare minimum to get by. I eventually picked up a 3/4 Helmet from the swap meet and had it redone by a friend, and I wore that one for a few years, it fit good and looked really good, but again it was a “get by” helmet. I didn’t want a fullface helmet because I just knew it was going to be uncomfortable and I wouldn’t be able to see out of it. Well, this Gringo S proved all of that wrong. wearing a helmet more than I ever have. The first ride was a chilly day, and immediately I was impressed with how my face was not cold. However, I am sure that comes with every full-face helmet. So, let me tell you all the things that I love about the Gringo S, in particular. First of all, it comes in so many cool colors that I had a hard time deciding which one to pick. I ended up with the Gloss Storm Grey, mostly because it was the closest one to match my bike, and I am in a phase where I love grey. I chose the “S” model over the traditional Gringo because I liked that it had a shield that flips up, versus the traditional Gringo with the snap on

shield. The shield is easily removed and Biltwell offers a variety of shield options for the Gringo S. You can also purchase different size cheek pads for your Gringo S. I measured my head according to the instructions on Biltwell’s website, and received the perfect sized helmet, however I did require a little thicker cheek pads to achieve the perfect fit.

I’ve been riding with this helmet now for over a year, I wanted to really put it to the test before I gave you opinion. I will tell you, riding with my Gringo S has been such an amazing experience, and really, never in a million years would I have expected for me to say those words. I wear this helmet just about every time I ride. I like that the face opening is wide, and I can see out of it with my peripheral vision. It’s lightweight and comfortable to ride in. It protects my skin and my hair from the elements, yes, ladies and gents, that is really important! And, of course, it’s stylish!

Check them out! You won’t be sorry! www.biltwellinc.com/collections/ gringo-s

n two earlier American Iron Magazine installments we upgraded the performance on my 1993 883 Sportster with carburetor, breathing, and i suspension mods courtesy of Roland Sands Design, Dynojet, Freedom Performance exhaust, and ProAction shocks. For this article we shift from performance to aesthetic and comfort with a new handlebar and risers, some nice end caps, and an instrument package relocation kit.

This Sporty has seen its fair share of handlebars over the past 25 years, most being installed with little forethought. When I brought the bike to Motorious Speed Shop in San Bruno, California, owner/ operator Colin Winter shook his head in disbelief, as he laughingly asked

Article By: Jenny Lefferts And Photos By: Daniel Furon

what I had been thinking when I installed the outdated, POS bars that were currently on the bike.

“They were gifted to me by a friend,” I replied sheepishly.

“Proves the old saying,” Colin continued, “You get what you pay for.”

But his eyes lit up with apparent approval when I pulled out the replacement—a gloss black Thrashin’ Supply mid-rise handlebar. My intentions were to mate the handlebars with a set of 4-1/2” Chubby risers by Wild 1. Agreeing with my selections, Colin further suggested we dump the hideous stock speedo/instrument package in favor of a Joker Machine Speedo Relocator Kit. Not only would this step sanitize the rats nest of wires, it would also radically alter the appearance of the Sporty since the speedometer would now hang off the left-side fork tube.

Working through the Joker Machine catalog, I became enamored with the company’s black steering stem nut and matching fork tube caps—they would go well in complementing the black bars and risers.

Tools/Supplies Used:

• 3/4” socket • 15/16” socket • 23mm socket • 1/4” Allen wrench • 6mm Allen wrench • Red and blue threadlocker • Soldering iron • Torque wrench (ft-lbs. and in-lbs.) • Gooden-Tite riser bushings

Starting with the stock risers, handlebar, and hand controls removed, Colin applies Blue Loctite to the Joker steering stem nut and uses a 15/16” socket to install it.

Colin removes the stock riser bushings using a hammer and drift to punch the metal sleeve from the center and then removes two rubber expansion halves.

Gooden-Tite replacement riser bushings along with their billet cap washers provide improved vibration resistance and are easily installed by hand into the bushing cavities from the top and bottom of the upper triple clamp. By first installing the top handlebar clamp on the risers, Colin ensures the 4-1/2” Chubby Risers by Wild 1 remain in alignment during bolt-up.

Using red threadlocker on the riser bolts, Colin installs the stock 1/2” riser bolts into the Chubby Risers through the freshly installed bushings.

He uses a 3/4” socket to torque the riser bolts to 40 ft-lbs.

After lifting the front end of the bike to remove all the weight off the front forks, Colin carefully and slowly removes the top caps from the fork tubes. Make certain to have them covered since they are under spring pressure. Using a 23mm socket, Colin installs the Joker Machine fork tube caps by carefully applying downward pressure and slowly tightens the caps to 11–22 ft-lbs.

Using a 1/4” Allen wrench, Colin removes the handlebar top clamp. Then he sets the new bar, aligning the knurls on the bar with the machined channels in the risers.

Before tightening the four sockethead bolts on the top clamp, we adjust the bars for comfort. Using the 1/4” Allen wrench, Colin tightens the socket-head bolts to 150 in-lbs., making sure the gaps are even from front to rear.

The relocator bracket for the speedometer has a series of indicator lights along the case perimeter (neutral turn indicator, oil pressure, etc.) with existing wiring protruding from the bracket that must be integrated with the bike’s original warning lights wiring.

Colin uses the wiring diagram supplied by Joker Machine to aid in matching color-coded wires between the bike and the speedo relocator bracket. Since the bracket was Colin uses the wiring diagram supplied by Joker Machine to aid in matching color-coded wires between the bike and the speedo relocator bracket. Since the bracket was actually designed for 1996 and later, Colin had to custom fabricate a link between the ’93 OEM harness and the bracket.

Colin takes the clamp for the speedo relocation bracket and places it around the upper fork tube between the upper and lower triple trees. Colin threads the included bolt through the clamp into the threaded hole on the relocation bracket and tightens it securely using a 6mm Allen wrench.

Colin screws a SAMDO GPS-enabled odometer (purchased for $60 from Amazon) into the relocation bracket. The odometer starts at zero as there is no way to reprogram it.

Colin attaches the blue wire from the speedometer and the black ground wire from the joker machine speedometer bracket together using an eyelet. This will then be attached to the upper fork tree where the factory ground wires are attached. Here’s the new view from the cockpit. Watch for our next install, when we add hand controls, switches, and cables to the handlebar.

Thrashin Supply Mid Bend Bar #0601-4144, $149.95 818/626-8350 ThrashinSupply.com

Wild 1 4.5” Chubby Risers #W0526 Chubby, $125.95 714/536-5869 Wild1Inc.com

Joker Machine Sportster Steering Stem Nut #10-011B, $46.95 Speedometer Side Mount #10-301B, $224.95 909/596-9690 JokerMachine.com