mini ape install
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2008
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mini ape install
[sm=deadhorse.gif]I know I know, this mini ape thing has been beat to death but I gotta know. Can I install them? I have some mechanical aptittude but have never done it b4. should I even try it? Plus, I know they r more comfortable but do they decrease handleing any?
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
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RE: mini ape install
You actually get pretty good leverage if they are not too high. Mine were about 9" or 10" high. If you have buckhorns now you will prob need a little longer cables but the wiring will be fine. DO NOT GET BRAKE FLUID ON THE BIKE. I took the entire brake system off and bled it on abench and the washed the brake fluid off of it. DOT4 sucks. I make a padded cover for the tank and usesomething over the fender also. It's nice if you have a helper. You can let the cables dangle. Just move slowly and get some star bits.Good luck bleeding the brake...it's a pain. Air rises.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,438
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From: Chesterfield, VA
RE: mini ape install
I did mine three months into owning the bike and with little experience putting any wrenches on it. I followed a thread posted by "TheBestofIndica". He takes you through it step-by-step. He has also provided great pictures. It was time consuming, but not hard at all.
RE: mini ape install
here's a how to for internal wiring. adds allot more time to the project but well worth it to not have the wires attached to the outside of bars
https://www.hdforums.com/m_3034163/tm.htm
https://www.hdforums.com/m_3034163/tm.htm
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 642
Likes: 1
From: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
RE: mini ape install
All good advice above, the link below is the one I used when changing mine out a few weeks ago.
You won't need the first few stepsif going with themini apes, but still good info if you plan any wiring changes or go internal in the future. (I should have, maybe next year)
https://www.hdforums.com/m_1328001/tm.htm
As mentioned, it really is easier than you think it is, I kinda put it off a bit because of the clutch and brake cable changeout (you'll need to change out idle and throtttle too, but are they even easier).
Everyone says the brake changeout is in the manual, (which is a great investment if you don't have it), but this thread gave me more info than the manual on the brake line.
I hated the original buckhorns on the bike, very uncomfortable bending my wrists and arms inward. When changing to the mini apes, I made it work temporarilly with the original cables, bending the brake line, and having the others tight before investing the extra cash on new cables.
Turns out I like them way better, and invested the extra dough for SS Braided cables instead of the stock mini ape cables. It was only $40 more for the SS setup all around over the stock, so why not?
Oh yeah, you'll need a decent snap ring plier, mine is about 30 years old and emergency modified on the job, that would have made the clutch cable change out a little easier for me with a small investment on a new set of snap ring pliers, maybe next time...
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