Can I ask a dumb question? How hard is it to swap out the stock bars for the RSD apes, do the internal wiring and switchgera?

I took a look tonight - is it simply a case of unscrewing the switch gear (leaving the cables in place), disconnecting the wires and taking off the stock bar then re-attaching everything or should I just drop the trousers and get my local HD dealer to do it for $100 an hour? I'm not a complete goose with the tools but dont want to get myself in a mess.

Your sage like advice much appreciated

S

 

Glad you asked....I've done many ape swaps and learned a few short cuts....At first, doing it right seems to cost too much money, but in the end, you are feeling you saved bucks.

First of all, go with top quality cables.....next, spring the cash to buy the genuine HD switch/housing/wire harness 60" extension kit made to fit your scoot.

The switch housing and harness kit comes ready to use.....all you do is slip the wires into the bars and then trim off the extra wire....then install the factory plugs and pins. You get new switches and black housings already attached to 60" of wires, plus you get the factory pins and plugs...all you do is cut the wires to length after you run them thru the bars and crimp the pins and install the plugs.

If you don't have the proper crimp tool, them once you have the switch housings installed and wires inside the bars, cut them to proper length and drop them at your HD dealer or indy shop to be crimped...it won't cost much.

I just this week installed 10" HD apes on my bud's sporty....He decide to buy all from HD and let the parts guys select what he needed....the parts costs $432 but that included bars, cables, brake hose and wire harness with switches and housings, plus one qt of primary fluid and a derby gasket....It took me several hours but went flawlessly because he had everything we needed and it was all the correct lengths.....My labor saved him about 3-4 hundred bucks and because he had everything ready, he is still my bud.

 

going to be taking a week long 2000 mile ride here in may and was contemplating the RSD vintage bars, how comfy are they? ive only rode stock or drag bars, but apes and forward controls look like they could be nice

 

Im 6'3" tall and I like 'em, no probs for comfort particularly at highway speed when the wind resistance sits your arms up a little higher without effort

 

Ditto.

 

I currently run the HD mini apes and going to the roland sands. What exactly do i do as far as switching them over being they are internally wired?

 

you'll need to drill the bars out if they aren't already. make sure you get your roland sands bars dimpled for stock hd controls. if you're mini apes are currently internally wired you should be able to pull them out and then have some real fun fishin them through those roland sands bars! patience is key....lol. i run 14" apes w/ no knurling right now and have been fine with just snugging the bolts down, no cloth or anything needed. good luck.

 

Does anyone know how comfy the roland sands vintage 12'' apes are, im only about 5'6 and right now i got stock bars on and i feel like im leaning forward all the time, is the RSD vintage bars the way to go for comfort if i wanna be about shoulder height or a lil lower?

 

welcome dude. they're comfy....they'll set you back up straight instead of leaning forward and put your hands at shoulder height. of course they'll be even more comfy with forwards instead of mids but being that you're napolean sized (lol) you might want to stick with the mids. you're hands will also numb up a bit after being up there so long and you might feel like a windsail on the h/w but other than that, comfy.

 

Right on! Thanks alot for the input on them, yea as of right now i got forward controls on it so i think it will work out great, now just to break the bank and start tearing into it.