Hello, I'm new to the forum and new to HDs but recently purchased an 08 Fatboy in Candy Red Sunglo. Absolutely awesome bike. I'd like to add auxiliary lights and a windshield ( for those rides with my wife) and wonder how tough a job it is . I'd plan on purchasing the parts from HD. Is it largely a "plug and play" excercise with the wiring? I'm guessing the light bar mounting is pretty straight forward. Also, it seems that most folks relocate their bullet turn signals to the light bar. Is that nescessary for visibility? I'm just as happy to leave them on the handlebars, though would move them if not too involved a project. The HD service cost for this stuff is just too steep and often exceeds the cost of the parts. Just makes no sense to pay that kind of money. I'm reasonably mechanically inclined and wrench on lots of things - just not on HDs. I appreeciate the input so that I don't start something I can't finish. Thanks , Steve

 

Hey, Steve, welcome to the forum and congrats on the new ride. You're gonna love the Fatty. I put the aux lights on my '04 and it was no big deal, it just takes some patience. If you'll be adding a windscreen you have to make sure you get one designed for use with the aux lamps because the mounts are different. I have the nacelle on my bike so the install was a little different than it would be for a stock setup. You don't have to relocate the signals but I prefer them off the bars so I did mine. Your stock signals will not directly relocate to the lamp bar. If you want to relocate them you'll have to purchase the kit which includes new lamp housngs. I elected not to install the "bat handled" toggle switch for the aux lamps because I didn't want to drill a big hole in the back of the nacelle. If you want to be able to toggle the aux lamps on and off you'll need to drill a hole in the back of your tins and install the switch. I simply wired the aux lamps into the low beam circuit so they're on with the low beam all the time. The only "special" tool you need is a deep 9/16" socket (deep like a spark plug socket) with a cross hole at the drive end so you can put a bar or a screw driver through it to tighten the nuts on the hollow shafts that fasten the lamps to the bar. You need to thread the wire through the bar, the nut, then the socket in order to fasten everything properly. This might only apply if you relocate the turn signals. It's been over a year since I did the install and I don't remember everything with total clarity. Getting older sucks. Good luck and post pics with the results.

 

Dang--- I got my 07 Fatty with windshield right from stealer and ...then I thought about the aux lights after the fact... Yup, it does cost some coin for the kit and all.

Sigh- I should have thought about the whole matter beforehand, now I will need to pay out of my nose to get it the way I want it. I feel that the (aux) lights are very cool and functional, and if I had 'em on, i'd run them on with the low beams as mentioned here, and enjoy being seen slightly better.

Cheers,

Mark

P.S. still saving coin....to get 'er done.