You dont have to take the tank off, but it makes for some extra cursing during the work! + 1 on the towel on the tank.
If you have everything coming on the bars and already wired and such, should be a breeze.

 

Cut the wire save yourself the hassle those clips are a POS design clean cut and shrink wrap and solder (this is from someone that has done it both ways) I also have HCC bars on the way got everything else except for my bars and rear guard so hopefully they will be here this week and next weekend I will get it all on.

I will have new sissy bar turn signals grips risers, rear guard, rear travel pack (bag), tank lift so it should be sweet,

 

I assume your talking about the clips on the end of the harness? What makes them POS? Hell they charged me 95$ for the clips. I guess I will have to go and get a solder kit then. How long did it take for you to get your bars. They told me 3 weeks. Thanks!!