XJ650 Maxim - What’s with the spacer on the right handlebar?

Title pretty much says it all. My 81 Maxim has a plastic spacer between the throttle grip assembly and the master cylinder. Been there since I got the bike, and I kept it there when I rebuilt the brakes. But what’s the point of it? The left mirror mount rests right up against the grip assembly.

 

That’s factree. At least I’ve got it too. I’ve always just kind of assumed that it was an afterthought to make the brake lever line up the way they wanted to or something.

 

It is mabe to reduce friction between the switch body and the rubber grip.

 

Kind of makes sense, since the right rubber grip is different from the left one. It feels like this spacer would make the mirrors lopsided, but looking at the bike, they seem symmetrical.

I asked about this because I was thinking of ditching the buckhorn bar this winter, and I wondered if I needed to retain this. If I have to swap the master cylinder anyway, sounds like the answer will be “no.”

 

I think that the answer provided by Franz is correct.

 

Wait which one were you talking about @Tristan Kernick ?

There's a washer like thing that lives between the grip and the switch body - that one seems pretty obvious that it's probably to prevent the grip from partying with the switch body.

There is also a spacer that goes on the handlebar between the MC and switch body - #9 on the parts diagram.

I was talking about the #9 spacer on the handlebar.

 

Is it a collar to stop the switch rotating on the handlebar?

 

I was thinking it was spacer to be sure the brake lever does not interfere with the with the switch pod.