Completed Install Yaffe Monkey Bars on 2017 CVO Limited
#1
10-14-2017, 09:13 PM
Completed Install Yaffe Monkey Bars on 2017 CVO Limited
Install of Paul Yaffe 10 Inch Monkey Bars on 2017 CVO Limited
This is my second handlebar install in just over a year now. SUCCESS!
First off:
”Praise be to God. I prayed a lot before and during this installation. This is the most expensive bike I have ever owned and or worked on.” Also, my wife really wanted to ride today and I needed everything to work right the first time with NO damage to the bike. “Thank you, Lord!”
I did Wild 1 WO578 Bars on my 2016 Limited last year. It worked out very well and those bars are the MOST comfortable I have ever used. I have a thread here detailing that install which I did for under $300.00 if anyone wants to search it.
This time around I wanted CHROME bars and the wife wanted “Meat Hooks”. I looked at and researched “Factory 47”, “Vindikta” and Yaffe Monkey Bars.
I really liked the Factory 47 and went to order them. WOW expensive but okay until I got to the shipping. The wanted $80.00 to ship them!!! I deleted my cart and since so many here use and like the Yaffe bars I went that way.
Yaffe Monkey Bars Part Number PYO: MBB125-10C - 10 Inch Chrome (07601-3354)
Revzilla $399.00 / FREE Shipping
Drag Specialties Poly Bushings #DS-290573
eBay $14.45 / FREE Shipping
Namz Wire Extensions #NHCX-J0408, Part No: 2120-0368 (8 Inch)
8” CAN Circuit Wiring Extension
eBay $32.95 / FREE Shipping
Total Cost $446.40
I looked at a lot of posts here on the forum, watched all the You Tube videos I could and planned for up to 8 hours where I could focus without interruption. I did it by myself in a total of 7 hours working at a slow but steady pace. It took 4 hours Friday evening and 3 hours Saturday morning.
Phase one was to strip the bike down. I was extremely careful and had plenty of blankets to place all painted parts on. First, I covered the front fender and the two lower fairings. I removed the hard bags, seat strap, driver’s backrest, seat and side covers. Next, I disconnected the negative battery cable and pulled the 50A fuse. Then I pulled fuel tank, outer fairing, spot light and turn signal brackets, mirrors, clutch lever (left hanging down safely), Front brake lever (left hanging down safely). This was the easy part of the project.
Phase two was to remove the switch cover housing and lift the fairing up and angle it on the front of the forks. This exposed the handlebars, risers and wiring. Then I turned the forks hard left and loosened the right-side riser bolt from below, the turned hard right and repeated with the other riser bolt. Do not pull them out entirely, just get them loose. Next you need to disconnect all the wiring connectors. I took a lot of pictures. From previous experience it is easy to forget what goes where when you begin to reassemble! Pictures and notes are your friend. Next, I loosened and removed all four of the riser top cap bolts and lifted the handle bars off and pulled the wires carefully from under the fairing. Next, I removed the riser bolts and bases and pressed out the stock rubber bushings using a small punch and rubber mallet. Then I installed new Poly Bushings, put the top cap onto the two risers with the four bolts and bolted it up to the forks and torqued the two main bolts to 30 FT LBS. Then I removed the top cap and set it aside with the four bolts.
A friend that was in the Navy on a Sub used to always say “Proper Planning Promotes Proper Performance, **** Poor Planning Promotes **** Poor Performance”. Be prepared, think about every move and have PATIENCE! I stopped a few minutes, drank a Pepsi and thought about the next steps.
Phase three was to put the original stock handlebars on the work bench and begin removing the switch housings and wiring. On this CVO the wires were all internal and with the small 1-inch bars it was harder getting the wires removed than I expected. Again “Slow & Easy”.
Phase four is the MOST difficult part of this project. I took some light rope (3/16” dia) and tied a 3/8 hex nut to one end and inserted it in each end and though each side cut out for the switch covers until I had four guide lines to pull with. Then I started on the left clutch side. First, I overlapped the pull rope about four inches along the heated grip cables and wrapped tightly with electrical tape. Then I repeated for the switch housing cover. Next, I coated all along the electric tape down the cables with a light grease. Then I started pulling the switch housing cable though first and once and then started pulling the heated grip cables right with it about two inches behind. The key is to PUSH, you must push at the same time you pull. It was not easy, but they will go. Once you make the bend at the meat hook it goes easy. Then I repeated all of this for the other side with the TBW and switch housing cables.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be extremely careful with the TBW unit. Do not drop, hit, hammer and bang it on the table. Everyone I spoke with said these are very fragile and can easily be damaged.
Once this was completed I took another break thinking about what I had accomplished and what was left to be done.
Next, I was tired, it was 10pm and I came into the house and crashed!
Okay 8am Saturday and I am excited to finish this project. The hardest part is done and the reassembly begins.
Phase five was to mount the handle bars onto the risers, put the fairing back in place and check for clearance for the front brake and clutch to the fairing. Next was to inspect the opening / gap where the bars exit the fairing to make sure there is no contact. Next, I placed the seat on the bike and tested the fit. Once all looked good I tightened down all the riser cap bolts securely. Next was to install the clutch assembly and the front brake assembly and switch covers. I lined up the left heated grip control so the “ZERO” front centered facing me. Then I installed the Throttle grip rotating and aligning so the grip matched the left side when sitting idle. Next was to re-install the heated grip connector into the TBW unit using needle nose pliers and put the end cap back on the grip.
Then I reversed the entire disassembly process. It the button on top and the left switch housing and the mileage appeared!!!! Next, I held it down until it went into accessory mode and the stereo came on!!!!! Next, I hit the ignition and PRESTO she fired right up. I inspected all the lights and signals and all looked great!
About that time the wife came home from work and the smile on her face made it all worthwhile! She knew we were going riding and took the maiden voyage with me. We rode 167 miles and were all smiles!
I write this so I can remember the day and details and to help others you may have never done this and like me take pride in doing work yourself and don’t mind saving a lot of $$$$$$. My dealer estimated this at $1500.00, so I saved a $1000 bucks!
Important Facts:
These bars and most other aftermarket bars require you to cut off 1/8 to 3/8 inch off the ends especially with heated grips to prevent having a gap between the step up from the controls to the 1-1/4 diameter bar.
Trust Me, Use the Drag Specialties Poly Bushings if dealing with a Rushmore bike going to 1-1/4 inch bars. The Harley bushings are TOO tall and stupid expensive and I have read that the Arlen Ness are also too tall. The DS brand work GREAT and are the lowest price on the market.
What you need:
Large Phillips screw driver
Small flat blade screw driver
Hex Wrench Set
Torx Wrench Set
3/8 Drive ratchet
3/8 Extension
1/2 deep well socket 3/8 drive
9/16 deep well socket 3/8 drive
12 mm Combination wrench
3/4 combination wrench
1/2 drive ratchet wrench
3/4 six-point 1/2 drive socket
Flexible strong string
3/8 hex nut or similar weight that will pass inside of bars
Electric Tape
Grease
PATIENCE and about 6 to 8 hours of time
If you can get a buddy extra hands would really be nice
Have Fun!
This is my second handlebar install in just over a year now. SUCCESS!
First off:
”Praise be to God. I prayed a lot before and during this installation. This is the most expensive bike I have ever owned and or worked on.” Also, my wife really wanted to ride today and I needed everything to work right the first time with NO damage to the bike. “Thank you, Lord!”
I did Wild 1 WO578 Bars on my 2016 Limited last year. It worked out very well and those bars are the MOST comfortable I have ever used. I have a thread here detailing that install which I did for under $300.00 if anyone wants to search it.
This time around I wanted CHROME bars and the wife wanted “Meat Hooks”. I looked at and researched “Factory 47”, “Vindikta” and Yaffe Monkey Bars.
I really liked the Factory 47 and went to order them. WOW expensive but okay until I got to the shipping. The wanted $80.00 to ship them!!! I deleted my cart and since so many here use and like the Yaffe bars I went that way.
Yaffe Monkey Bars Part Number PYO: MBB125-10C - 10 Inch Chrome (07601-3354)
Revzilla $399.00 / FREE Shipping
Drag Specialties Poly Bushings #DS-290573
eBay $14.45 / FREE Shipping
Namz Wire Extensions #NHCX-J0408, Part No: 2120-0368 (8 Inch)
8” CAN Circuit Wiring Extension
eBay $32.95 / FREE Shipping
Total Cost $446.40
I looked at a lot of posts here on the forum, watched all the You Tube videos I could and planned for up to 8 hours where I could focus without interruption. I did it by myself in a total of 7 hours working at a slow but steady pace. It took 4 hours Friday evening and 3 hours Saturday morning.
Phase one was to strip the bike down. I was extremely careful and had plenty of blankets to place all painted parts on. First, I covered the front fender and the two lower fairings. I removed the hard bags, seat strap, driver’s backrest, seat and side covers. Next, I disconnected the negative battery cable and pulled the 50A fuse. Then I pulled fuel tank, outer fairing, spot light and turn signal brackets, mirrors, clutch lever (left hanging down safely), Front brake lever (left hanging down safely). This was the easy part of the project.
Phase two was to remove the switch cover housing and lift the fairing up and angle it on the front of the forks. This exposed the handlebars, risers and wiring. Then I turned the forks hard left and loosened the right-side riser bolt from below, the turned hard right and repeated with the other riser bolt. Do not pull them out entirely, just get them loose. Next you need to disconnect all the wiring connectors. I took a lot of pictures. From previous experience it is easy to forget what goes where when you begin to reassemble! Pictures and notes are your friend. Next, I loosened and removed all four of the riser top cap bolts and lifted the handle bars off and pulled the wires carefully from under the fairing. Next, I removed the riser bolts and bases and pressed out the stock rubber bushings using a small punch and rubber mallet. Then I installed new Poly Bushings, put the top cap onto the two risers with the four bolts and bolted it up to the forks and torqued the two main bolts to 30 FT LBS. Then I removed the top cap and set it aside with the four bolts.
A friend that was in the Navy on a Sub used to always say “Proper Planning Promotes Proper Performance, **** Poor Planning Promotes **** Poor Performance”. Be prepared, think about every move and have PATIENCE! I stopped a few minutes, drank a Pepsi and thought about the next steps.
Phase three was to put the original stock handlebars on the work bench and begin removing the switch housings and wiring. On this CVO the wires were all internal and with the small 1-inch bars it was harder getting the wires removed than I expected. Again “Slow & Easy”.
Phase four is the MOST difficult part of this project. I took some light rope (3/16” dia) and tied a 3/8 hex nut to one end and inserted it in each end and though each side cut out for the switch covers until I had four guide lines to pull with. Then I started on the left clutch side. First, I overlapped the pull rope about four inches along the heated grip cables and wrapped tightly with electrical tape. Then I repeated for the switch housing cover. Next, I coated all along the electric tape down the cables with a light grease. Then I started pulling the switch housing cable though first and once and then started pulling the heated grip cables right with it about two inches behind. The key is to PUSH, you must push at the same time you pull. It was not easy, but they will go. Once you make the bend at the meat hook it goes easy. Then I repeated all of this for the other side with the TBW and switch housing cables.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be extremely careful with the TBW unit. Do not drop, hit, hammer and bang it on the table. Everyone I spoke with said these are very fragile and can easily be damaged.
Once this was completed I took another break thinking about what I had accomplished and what was left to be done.
Next, I was tired, it was 10pm and I came into the house and crashed!
Okay 8am Saturday and I am excited to finish this project. The hardest part is done and the reassembly begins.
Phase five was to mount the handle bars onto the risers, put the fairing back in place and check for clearance for the front brake and clutch to the fairing. Next was to inspect the opening / gap where the bars exit the fairing to make sure there is no contact. Next, I placed the seat on the bike and tested the fit. Once all looked good I tightened down all the riser cap bolts securely. Next was to install the clutch assembly and the front brake assembly and switch covers. I lined up the left heated grip control so the “ZERO” front centered facing me. Then I installed the Throttle grip rotating and aligning so the grip matched the left side when sitting idle. Next was to re-install the heated grip connector into the TBW unit using needle nose pliers and put the end cap back on the grip.
Then I reversed the entire disassembly process. It the button on top and the left switch housing and the mileage appeared!!!! Next, I held it down until it went into accessory mode and the stereo came on!!!!! Next, I hit the ignition and PRESTO she fired right up. I inspected all the lights and signals and all looked great!
About that time the wife came home from work and the smile on her face made it all worthwhile! She knew we were going riding and took the maiden voyage with me. We rode 167 miles and were all smiles!
I write this so I can remember the day and details and to help others you may have never done this and like me take pride in doing work yourself and don’t mind saving a lot of $$$$$$. My dealer estimated this at $1500.00, so I saved a $1000 bucks!
Important Facts:
These bars and most other aftermarket bars require you to cut off 1/8 to 3/8 inch off the ends especially with heated grips to prevent having a gap between the step up from the controls to the 1-1/4 diameter bar.
Trust Me, Use the Drag Specialties Poly Bushings if dealing with a Rushmore bike going to 1-1/4 inch bars. The Harley bushings are TOO tall and stupid expensive and I have read that the Arlen Ness are also too tall. The DS brand work GREAT and are the lowest price on the market.
What you need:
Large Phillips screw driver
Small flat blade screw driver
Hex Wrench Set
Torx Wrench Set
3/8 Drive ratchet
3/8 Extension
1/2 deep well socket 3/8 drive
9/16 deep well socket 3/8 drive
12 mm Combination wrench
3/4 combination wrench
1/2 drive ratchet wrench
3/4 six-point 1/2 drive socket
Flexible strong string
3/8 hex nut or similar weight that will pass inside of bars
Electric Tape
Grease
PATIENCE and about 6 to 8 hours of time
If you can get a buddy extra hands would really be nice
Have Fun!
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#2
10-14-2017, 09:17 PM
Trust me buy "Drag Specialties bushings. Less than $15.00 and work GREAT.
DS poly bushings on left.
Stock rubber bushings in center.
HD Poly bushings on the right.
HD gets $49.00 for these bushings and they are way too thick! Needless to say my first ride today with the bars was to the dealer for a refund on these bushings!
DS poly bushings on left.
Stock rubber bushings in center.
HD Poly bushings on the right.
HD gets $49.00 for these bushings and they are way too thick! Needless to say my first ride today with the bars was to the dealer for a refund on these bushings!
The following users liked this post:
Connole (05-27-2018)
#3
10-14-2017, 09:21 PM
These bars are not as comfortable as the Wild 1 WO578's but they look MUCH better. We rode 167 miles today which included 50 miles of Interstate, two lane state roads and the Blue Ridge Parkway. I like them and the wife LOVES them. She kept looking over my shoulder and gave me a Thumbs up for looks!
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10-14-2017, 09:24 PM
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