Is it safe to drill Renthal bars?

[LondonZ1]

My bike has Renthal bars and H***a switchgear. The switches have a small protruding plastic pin on the inner surface that is designed to locate into a hole in the bars. If you grind off the locating pin, then the switchgear won't clamp the bars properly and it rotates round when pushed (don't ask how I discovered this...).

The Renthal instructions carry a big warning about not drilling the bars but I would have thought that a small (~3mm) hole towards the end of the bar would OK.

Any member got any experience/ thoughts on this? Thanks!

[Pigford]

Done loads of them with no hassle - just common sense and don't use any larger than a 1/2" bit

[Mark Tiller]

drill part way thru, enough to hold the pip

[jphaynes669]

As mark said, only drill partway. I used renthals for over 20 season on the dirt and they
took a lot of stick aswell as being re used after straightening.
You wont hurt them .

[LondonZ1]

Thanks guys, very helpful. I'll measure very carefully and then get the drill out. I've got a couple of spare handlebar clamps. I can drill a hole in one of them first and then clamp them around the bars and use them as a jig.

[KWACKERZ1]

Just clamp them up with the pip in place and it will mark the bars where they need the hole. Saves drilling spare clamps.