Drag bars on a Superglide Custom?
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 459
Likes: 2
From: USA
There's a thread in these forums that a member started a while back where he put out a diagram showing about 4 different drag bars and where their location would be compared to an FXDC stock bar. It's a great diagram...really help you to envision all the locations. I've attached it to other threads in the past, and bumped once too.
I can't search too well for threads on my cell phone, or I would find it for you. Do a search for 'fxdc drag bars' and I think it comes up toward the top. Good luck.
I can't search too well for threads on my cell phone, or I would find it for you. Do a search for 'fxdc drag bars' and I think it comes up toward the top. Good luck.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 459
Likes: 2
From: USA
Found it! Easier to do than I thought. Now I know how to search on the phone, and link. Cool. Anyway, this should give you an idea.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/showt...fxdc+drag+bars
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/showt...fxdc+drag+bars
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,505
Likes: 56
From: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Being that we are both the same height, I'd go with 4.5" to 7" rise and no more than 8" of pullback with 28" to 32" of handlebar width.
I had the best handling with 4.5" risers w/1.5" pullback along with 27.4" wide drag bars with 3.5" pullback. No cable change, but the brake line was way "S" shaped. With this set-up, wider bars would have even been better, perfect for me.
Instead, I went next with 8" (1.5" pullback) risers and 31" drags (3.5" pullback), I lost the tight handling, but the cables fit fine. However, in addition to the loss of finesse, the compounded height, 4 (or 5) piece bar conglomeration and sloppy rubber bushings caused a handlebar alignment nightmare, not to mention the rubbery bar to fork feel. I then installed poly riser bushings, but I still had too much twisting in the riser/clamp/bar area to feel comfortable with.
However, I did learn that wide bars and low risers were the way to go for all around handling, but I was still reluctant to change my cables, lines and wires. That's when I ordered the t-bars. A happy medium that eliminated my 4-piece arrangement into 1 piece.
So, my t-bars are 32" wide, 7" tall and have about 6" of total pullback. A great fit for me. A better fit would be 5" tall, 32" wide and 6" pullback, but that brake line would need to be tweaked (bent) a bit and my 2" tank lift might interfere with the cables at full lock.
Your proposed 11" pullback/8" rise might fit w/o further mods, but that is a lot of pullback, way more than I'd ever want to do. It might also require lengthening some cables. 8" rise, 6" total pullback and 31" wide bars seemed to put the cables and wires back to where they fit right. Just don't get narrower bars to make the cables fit if you choose 11" pullback
I had the best handling with 4.5" risers w/1.5" pullback along with 27.4" wide drag bars with 3.5" pullback. No cable change, but the brake line was way "S" shaped. With this set-up, wider bars would have even been better, perfect for me.
Instead, I went next with 8" (1.5" pullback) risers and 31" drags (3.5" pullback), I lost the tight handling, but the cables fit fine. However, in addition to the loss of finesse, the compounded height, 4 (or 5) piece bar conglomeration and sloppy rubber bushings caused a handlebar alignment nightmare, not to mention the rubbery bar to fork feel. I then installed poly riser bushings, but I still had too much twisting in the riser/clamp/bar area to feel comfortable with.
However, I did learn that wide bars and low risers were the way to go for all around handling, but I was still reluctant to change my cables, lines and wires. That's when I ordered the t-bars. A happy medium that eliminated my 4-piece arrangement into 1 piece.
So, my t-bars are 32" wide, 7" tall and have about 6" of total pullback. A great fit for me. A better fit would be 5" tall, 32" wide and 6" pullback, but that brake line would need to be tweaked (bent) a bit and my 2" tank lift might interfere with the cables at full lock.
Your proposed 11" pullback/8" rise might fit w/o further mods, but that is a lot of pullback, way more than I'd ever want to do. It might also require lengthening some cables. 8" rise, 6" total pullback and 31" wide bars seemed to put the cables and wires back to where they fit right. Just don't get narrower bars to make the cables fit if you choose 11" pullback
thanks for the numbers, I'll re-read what you wrote and make a proper decision.
Dene
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,382
Likes: 4
From: Kennewick, WA
That is true. I also bought long stemmed mirrors for a little more rear view.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,382
Likes: 4
From: Kennewick, WA
Very clean install.