dan williams Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 Saw a rider at our last event with a sheared off handlebar mount bolt. He managed to wrestle it to a stop (on a nasty downhill) without crashing. I’m not saying it’s a fault and not a freak occurrence but just putting it out for information as the consequences can be serious. So one more thing to check from time to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heffergm Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 Yikes. Was it Darren? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleanorbust Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 Clamp bolts aside, in my experience it is worth replacing what could be old original bars on twinshock bikes and the like. The original alloy bars on my Cota 247 snapped in an ordinary riding situation when they were only 36 years old, just goes to show they weren't made to last after all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan williams Posted October 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 Tim Thorp on that downhill to section Novice 3. He was minding for Robbie. How he didn't crash I'll never know. I asked if he was alright since he was stopped on the side and he rotated his bars on the remaining bolt to show me where it had sheared off. Scary as ****. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timp Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 I did look and thought it looks a bit vulnerable. What hardness is the bolt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 I would replace The bolts with ones of a known good quality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan williams Posted October 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2017 I just got a private message from somebody stating their son's bike snapped two and that it was discussed with the US importer Jim Snell who can recommend better studs. This is very serious as it's a major safety issue and really demands a recall/replacement of these studs if not a redesign of the top triple clamp. As the importer is now aware of the issue he opens himself to negligence lawsuits if he doesn't address this. Of course this is also a risk for TRS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldilocks Posted October 26, 2017 Report Share Posted October 26, 2017 Are you talking about the bolt that fastens the clamp to the top yoke or one of the bolts that retains the actual handlebar within the clamp ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan williams Posted October 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2017 The stud that attaches the handlebar clamp to the top triple clamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trapezeartist Posted October 26, 2017 Report Share Posted October 26, 2017 (edited) As I've always suspected, the most dangerous part of any motorbike is the nut holding the handlebars. Edited October 26, 2017 by trapezeartist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cascao Posted October 26, 2017 Report Share Posted October 26, 2017 Important to know what really took to this bolt failture. (Shear, threads stripped off, overtorque, hidrogen inclusion, fadigue....) not all of them are manufacture fault. There is a fracture photo? Bolt grade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan williams Posted October 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2017 It looked sheared off. I’m not trying to incite trouble. Just that this is such a non-trivial failure that it needs to be put out there. I have a lot of friends with TRS bikes who love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laser1 Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 I was present when the bolt was removed and inspected. It was a very obvious fatigue failure. The bolt and clamp interface had clear signs it had been loose for some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canada280i Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Rider must accept some responsibility here then as if it had been loose for some time surely something would have been noticed or felt and should have been checked. I once had a loose clamp bolt and could feel something was not right so I went through all th3 bolts until I found the loose one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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