I cut and pasted this from another thread to see if I can get some replies to this question:

I recently discussed the notion of enabling a quick bar change out system with the shop that installed my apes. He told me there is nothing quick about it, so I asked him why we couldn't just pre-wire the bars and do a sort of junction plug. then all we would have was grips on and off, bolt them to the riser and away we go...he again said I'm dreaming. I've never changed out bars so I let it go, but still think it can be done.

Anyone reading this have any suggestions? I'm getting both black and chrome pipes and would like to change out bars to black z-bars when I do the pipes to black mode. This is new ground, kinda/sorta. People have been changing stuff out for years, no doubt...What's different is quick release ability if it can be done....that is afterall, the whole point of the fld, right?

Can this be done?

 

JRK on this board has done something similar to this, I believe. (Plug and play/swappable bars.)

 

Anything can be done.
That said, it would be very simple if you have controls on both bars, then it would truly be a quick swap.

If you want to change the controls as well, then you are going to have to take the wiring with it, which is not difficult if you have the wiring tube inside the bars with a pull string.

You simply unplug the connectors under the tank in the frame, pull the wires out and make the swap. Not "quick", but not impossible.

If you want a set of chrome and a set of black, find some used controls and make 2 complete sets, then just un-plug and plug in, 20 minute swap.

 

Thank you for the replies.

I should be able to find some late model used controls as many change those out to chrome as a first mod. Since they are black stock, there it is. I know some bar mfg. companies offer pre-wired setups but they are like $1k without the grips. Is there another way to cut that down some? A wire set up stand alone shouldn't be that expensive I wouldn't think. Bars run tops...$400, the rest ($600) for wiring, seems ridiculous.

 

Well, you are paying for the labor they are saving you I would venture to guess. Not everyone wants to deal with it, so they are a valuable service to those. Me personally I just enjoy doing it myself, well, sometimes... Have done a few swaps that were a major PITA.

 

JRK5892? Is that the person you are referring to?
I sent him a PM asking to chime in on this...same guy?

 

yes same guy

 

BTW, check this guy out on ebay for wire:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/250894441279...t_14618wt_1163

 

I swaped my bars out myself and its not a hard job just a tedious job. I did not have to swap wires or cables however. I did internally wire the bars and disconnect the connectors. I see what you are saying and as said above if you had the bars pre wired and did not have to switch wires or cables between the two sets it would not be too bad. It would be even easier if you had 2 sets of controls, mirrors, grips etc and all you did was unmount/remount bars and disconnect/reconnect wires. Good luck hope it works out for you.

 

There is already a quick disconnect on the harness that feeds the controls. They are molex connectors. Only downside is they do not fit through the cut-out in the trees and if the wires are run through that cut-out, you'll have to disassemble to connector to extract the wiring through the trees.

So, with your plan every time you buy bars you'd have to buy new controls and have them pre-wired for that truly quick change aspect. That can be very costly.