New Handlebar Installation - How Difficult?
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 527
Likes: 3
From: Columbus GA / Phenix City AL
RE: New Handlebar Installation - How Difficult?
Just did the new handlebars on my Road King last weekend, and it was only the second upgrade I'd done myself on mine (first was Stage 1 hardware). I had to do the wiring extensions and basically take the whole headlight nacelle off, but if you have a service manual, it's not bad at all. There are a couple of really helpful links in the DIY forum that are specific to Road Kings, but may give you some insights that the service manual won't...especially for doing your own wiring extensions...correct wire gauges, etc. Soldering the extensions into place was the most time-consuming part. If you do your own auto maintenance, this is pretty straight-forward.
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6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
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RE: New Handlebar Installation - How Difficult?
ORIGINAL: mchildree
Just did the new handlebars on my Road King last weekend, and it was only the second upgrade I'd done myself on mine (first was Stage 1 hardware). I had to do the wiring extensions and basically take the whole headlight nacelle off, but if you have a service manual, it's not bad at all. There are a couple of really helpful links in the DIY forum that are specific to Road Kings, but may give you some insights that the service manual won't...especially for doing your own wiring extensions...correct wire gauges, etc. Soldering the extensions into place was the most time-consuming part. If you do your own auto maintenance, this is pretty straight-forward.
Just did the new handlebars on my Road King last weekend, and it was only the second upgrade I'd done myself on mine (first was Stage 1 hardware). I had to do the wiring extensions and basically take the whole headlight nacelle off, but if you have a service manual, it's not bad at all. There are a couple of really helpful links in the DIY forum that are specific to Road Kings, but may give you some insights that the service manual won't...especially for doing your own wiring extensions...correct wire gauges, etc. Soldering the extensions into place was the most time-consuming part. If you do your own auto maintenance, this is pretty straight-forward.
fat07hog
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6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 11
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RE: New Handlebar Installation - How Difficult?
This is kind of strange. I asked two different H-D dealers in my area in the past two days about how much labor time by an H-D dealer mechanic is involved in changing the risers and bars. One of them said 5 or 6 hours. They other saidall day.
What gives?
fat07hog
What gives?
fat07hog
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 215
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RE: New Handlebar Installation - How Difficult?
Me again, that dealer quote baffles me??? several hours is just not right. They could be talking about internal wiring....that would be troublesome. I have done that on other bikes....changing bars that have the wires internal. You must disconnect the wires, pull them through the bars then PUSH THEM THROUGH THE NEW BARS. sometimes that part is difficult....and then you have to reconnect all the wires! I just remind myself. The factory guys did it....they do it every dam day, the dealer guy can do it....and you are at least as smart as those guys. I personally like the wires external just for that reason, its easier to change the bars. Also I have found over the years. if it is a daily rider people generally dont even see that stuff, they see the whole bike. If it is meant as art, a showbike, sure hide the wires. When I do the detail stuff like that, most of the time, out in public, I am the only one that even notices. If, however you are putting on ape hangers, internal wiring would be a nice clean look, may be worth the extra time.....but then again....think of the last time you saw a bike with high bars, or even a street bob.....do you remember if the wires were in...or out. I only say that becauseI looked at street bobs a bunch, and bought one, then rode it for a month or two...never noticed that the wires were outside till I changed the bars. Anyway, its an easy job, and a fun project. I think you will enjoy doing it yourself.It may seem hard the first time.....then you too will be telling people how easy it is. That is the beauty of a Harley is that they are designed and built to beeasier to work onat home compared to the metrics. I would say good luck, but thats not quite right......I think HAVE FUN! is the right term.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 527
Likes: 3
From: Columbus GA / Phenix City AL
RE: New Handlebar Installation - How Difficult?
One thing you might want to be aware of when you buy the bars: if you decide NOT to go with the internal wiring, buy bars that are not pre-drilled for it. My original plan was to buy the pre-drilled bars, see how I like them, and then run the internal wiring later. What I didn't see was that the non-drilled bars have an indentation underneath where the control wire bundle exits from underneath the housings so that it doesn't get pinched. The drilled bars don't have that....just a hole where the bundle is supposed to enter the bars. There's not enough clearance to keep the wires from getting pinched if you run them externally.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 251
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RE: New Handlebar Installation - How Difficult?
I just went with buckhorns with 4 inch risers and 1 inch pullback on my roadking went with external wiring and had to change nothing took about3hrs the nacelle and the chrome clamp cover was the time consumers before I get ribbed about buckhorns on my roadking I just love the hand positions of them and I have changed every bike I have owned to them just feels natural to me and the stock bars suck.
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6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2007
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RE: New Handlebar Installation - How Difficult?
Cool. Thanks for the additional input!
fat07hog
fat07hog
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