Hope this isn't a stupid question. Tried using the search function but couldn't find what I wanted to know.

Been riding an old shovel (77 FXE) for years and want to upgrade. Gonna keep the shovel outta sentimental value but I am thinking about buying a friends 06 Wide Glide. He's done a lot of good mods on it and it is beautiful and a GREAT price. I would buy it now except I just don't like the forward controls on it. Busted my *** on a speed bump just test riding it cuz I couldn't lift up on a peg.

So my question is how hard is it to move it back to mid controls. I don't wanna try a new seat or brackets to bring it back a little I wanna bring it all the way back. I see the holes where it would be on the frame at mid section. I can see I might need a different primary cover or is there some kind of kit you can use to use your old one?

Another question is how much would something like this cost to do at the dealership? Yeah I know I could get all the stuff on eBay do it myself and all but frankly I'm getting old and I work construction and the last thing I wanna do these days is work on my bike when I have busted my *** all day, I'd rather ride!! Well working on my shovel was mandatory but that was a given and is one of the reasons I am upgrading bikes (that and two more gears! LOL) and hopefully less maintenance.

Anyways this is my first post been reading a long time lotsa good stuff one here and thanks in advance for any help provided.

 

Should be easy enough to find the parts from someone who went to forwards and is looking to sell the take-offs. Could just call local dealerships and see if they had done the swap recently.

 

As Odius says, there should be lots of mid-control hardware out there as not many folks go from forwards to mids. Same with stock pipes. But, I am a mid guy and would not have it any other way.

 

IIRC... the Wide Glide came stock with forward controls....which means you may have to change both the inner and outer primary cases, to ones that support using the mid-shaft linkage.... as well as getting the rest of the hardware.

 

+1 on what archer said, Wide Glide has been factory forwards a long time now. The mounts for mids should be on the frame, as for the rest, not sure. Mid man myself for same reason you stated. rough roads, rr crossing, and a few others. Good luck, somebody should chime in with more advice, experience, etc.

 

Rather than move the controls, why not add mid control brackets and pegs? Its considerably cheaper than replacing the inner and outer primary cases

 

.. and where would the mid controls shift-rod be?

The wideglide has inner/outer primary cases that do not have the hole that allows the mid-controls shift rod to pass through. The linkage comes forward behind the inner primary, and then uses an intermediate shaft to come through the primary, and then a very short linkage right down to the mid shift lever.

I did assume he would be installing mid controls.

 

I think what KK was suggesting was mount the pegs only for now so that the rider could use the pegs to lift their weight some when going over bumps etc. Seems like trying the pegs only at first would allow the OP to determine if they wanted the mids bad enough to invest in the primary covers and other parts needed to go that route.

I am headed the other way, when the primaries come off as part of the engine swap this month I will be plugging the mid control holes as I won't be using them ever. At 6'6" the mids just don't work for me.