Apes...Too Hard?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 3
From: Chesterfield, VA
RE: Apes...Too Hard?
Here is a link to the best write-up on a bar installation I have seen. \\; It \\;helped make  \\;my install go very smooth.
 \\;
https://www.hdforums.com/m_1328001/tm.htm
 \\;
https://www.hdforums.com/m_1328001/tm.htm
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,435
Likes: 28
From: Living in open carry state :D
RE: Apes...Too Hard?
ORIGINAL: DeatHRattlE
I would like to install some custom ape hangers on my bike anywhere from 12"\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;-16"\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;. I want to do it myself to save money and to learn some things. I have been told that I am lookin at somethin way over my head as i am new to bikes. <\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;br>\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\;I am mechanically inclined by nature...I have built some small block chevy&\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;amp\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \;rsquo\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;s and a couple chevy automatic transmissions.<\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;br>\\; \\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;What do you guys think? Extremely difficult? Whats the hardest thing that needs to be done? The clutch cable?<\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;br>\\;\\\\\\;\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\;The bike that I own is a 06 Street Bob.<\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;br>\\;\\\\\\;\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\;Thanks for your time!
I would like to install some custom ape hangers on my bike anywhere from 12"\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;-16"\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;. I want to do it myself to save money and to learn some things. I have been told that I am lookin at somethin way over my head as i am new to bikes. <\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;br>\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\;I am mechanically inclined by nature...I have built some small block chevy&\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;amp\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \;rsquo\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;s and a couple chevy automatic transmissions.<\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;br>\\; \\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;What do you guys think? Extremely difficult? Whats the hardest thing that needs to be done? The clutch cable?<\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;br>\\;\\\\\\;\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\;The bike that I own is a 06 Street Bob.<\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;br>\\;\\\\\\;\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\;Thanks for your time!
If you can read a manual and understand it then you are good to go. Nothing is too difficult on a HD. Just that some things require special tools but I do no think that change out the bars is one of them. \\; ALso if you might be thinking about going to chrome switch covers now would be the best time. I hav e also seen on ebay complete sets of apes with switches and everything else required to install them. All you need to do is pull the wires out of the original connectors and run the clutch/throttle cables and brake line.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 1
From: T-City, Wa.
RE: Apes...Too Hard?
ORIGINAL: jmpancoast
Here is a link to the best write-up on a bar installation I have seen. \\;\\\\\\; It \\;\\\\\\;helped make  \\;\\\\\\;my install go very smooth.
 \\;\\\\\\;
https://www.hdforums.com/m_1328001/tm.htm
Here is a link to the best write-up on a bar installation I have seen. \\;\\\\\\; It \\;\\\\\\;helped make  \\;\\\\\\;my install go very smooth.
 \\;\\\\\\;
https://www.hdforums.com/m_1328001/tm.htm
I just did mine this past weekend. Trust me, use this article "My ape Install" that JMPanCoast has here! I took it, copied it, read it through twice and had it by my side the entire time I did the install and it was more than worth it. Also had an actual manual there also.
I am not sure why some say 12" is easier than 16". To run/pull your wires through the bars, take a piece of nylon string of some decent size, tape part of a plastic grocery store bag to it and use an air compressor to blow the bag through the bars to where you need. You can even use a vacuum cleaner, it may require you start with thread instead then pull it through, change over to nylon string, pull it through and then pull the wires for that side through.
You can do this. I did not sh%t about bikes either but did with cars and I just bought a manual and got great help here from the guys/gals.
Go for it!
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
RE: Apes...Too Hard?
Well you guys helped make up my mind. I will do it myself. After my shortshorts finally get shipped in I will start buying all the things I'll need. I don't think I will ever have a day to just work on it but if I do before the offseason I'll have all the stuff waiting in a pile ready to go.
Thanks guys!
DeatHRattlE
Thanks guys!
DeatHRattlE
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 0
From: Western MA
RE: Apes...Too Hard?
One good thing about it is....I took my old bars into the living room with the new ones, pulled the connectors apart, extended the wiring, ran the wires through the bars, reconnected everything including the controls and just relaxed. Maybe take you the evening evemn if you dilly dally but well worth it. Good luck.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 0
From: Western MA
RE: Apes...Too Hard?
ORIGINAL: Punty
Dude 12"= no new cables or wirng, \\;\\\\\\; \\;\\\\\\; Cheaper/Easier
Dude 12"= no new cables or wirng, \\;\\\\\\; \\;\\\\\\; Cheaper/Easier
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 448
Likes: 0
From: La Porte, TX
RE: Apes...Too Hard?
My favorite way to run wires inside bars is using a fishing weight and fishing line. \\; should be self-explanatory.
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Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
RE: Apes...Too Hard?
ORIGINAL: Muddyape
12"s are a homerun just pull the plugs off, run them then reconnect. Also, figure out whether or not you want to relocate the blinkers from the bars to the forks...now would be the time to do it. I didnt and had to redo it when I moved them.
ORIGINAL: Punty
Dude 12"= no new cables or wirng, \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; \\;\\\\\\ ;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Cheaper/Easier
Dude 12"= no new cables or wirng, \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; \\;\\\\\\ ;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Cheaper/Easier
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,530
Likes: 0
From: Sussex County NJ
RE: Apes...Too Hard?
ORIGINAL: DeatHRattlE
Will any 12"s work?
ORIGINAL: Muddyape
12"s are a homerun just pull the plugs off, run them then reconnect. Also, figure out whether or not you want to relocate the blinkers from the bars to the forks...now would be the time to do it. I didnt and had to redo it when I moved them.
ORIGINAL: Punty
Dude 12"= no new cables or wirng, \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Cheaper/Easier
Dude 12"= no new cables or wirng, \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; \\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Cheaper/Easier
yep
 \\;
what type of bars you looking to get?