How many times do I have to venture into a project, only to find that I have absolutely NO technical aptitude?

The plan was to install new bars before Daytona, but what I'm left with just a week away is a shell of a bike with no earthly idea how I'm going to put it back together. The new bars are on, wired, and all controls are mounted. The tank is off, the air intake is removed, and the brake, idle, and throttle cables are off, but I'm still working to get the exhaust off so I can remove the clutch cable. I'm held up now finding the connectors to the O2 sensors.

I've been searching for someone local who can assist me, or at least supervise and point out when I'm about to do something catastrophic, though, I haven't found any takers. Taking it somewhere is no longer an option, as I don't have access to a trailer. Anybody in the Augusta, GA area?

I'm ready for the shaming...

 

Stay cool man...we have all been there. It sucks to have a hard deadline like Daytona...
Hope you find someone local. Sometimes I get ahead of myself on my projects, so I stop for a Guinness or nice single malt scotch and contemplate a solution...then I make a list and sequence of the task steps and methodically do them one at a time...otherwise, I have the tendency to bounce around and get a little bit of everything done, but nothing finished...
That's according to my wonderful wife...she might be onto something, but I would never admit it...LOL.
Hope it works out and you make the ride.

 

I can't help you, but I hope you get everything together and working properly. Based on your own comment, this is the best advice I can give you:

 

Slow and steady, you have the hard part done.

 

About this guy, he's in your area.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/bu...-going-strong#

 

That tells me that at least the desire to learn is there.
But as already mentioned, "a man's gotta know his limitations".

 

i know when im outta my lane..
i dont experiment learning how to be a mechanic on my bike..
what would take me 8hrs may take my indy like 30 min .. such like that..

i did establish a very good relationship and they let me watch etc..

so the big kudos to all those who wrench for themselves .. specially
if they learn it on their bikes..

 

See above: Clutch cable and 02 sensors together makes everything seemingly 3 times as overwhelming. These are two independent problems here that should be dealt with ONE at a time.

Look at just one problem, solve it THEN move on to the next. Your overall project isn't one big thing, it's a bunch of little problems that need to be handled one at a time. You'll make progress if you continue to think that way .

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the feedback and well wishes, guys. The Dirty Harry bit made me laugh pretty hard, as knowing my limits isn't always the easiest idea to maintain. Patience will get me through, and I've now made a list to keep me organized and on track.

However, the O2 sensor connectors still puzzle me. Still having trouble following the wires to the connector. Once the exhaust is removed, I should be good as there are some decent YouTube videos on changing clutch cables that have cleared up that mystery. Gonna keep pluggin away at it a little at a time and continue my search for someone who can come by the house, if ultimately necessary. I do have a 2013 Softail Service Manual, so I'm banking on that taking me a bit farther.

 

You have a shop manual... Makes you a more disciplined novice mechanic then me.
But truthfully speaking, when it comes to anything where experience is lacking, best tool in your hand, is
virtue.
Second is time.
Third is patience.