Advice on ape hangers??
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6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 11
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Advice on ape hangers??
I have an 07 Springer Classic and wanted to solicit some feedback from you vets on replacing the hadlebars.
I would like to have some apes put on but wanted to see the pro/cons. I like the look of them over the stock bars.
I'm 6' tall with relatively long arms. So, I curious to know:
What would be the appropriate size to get? 16in, 12in??
What are the pros and cons to having them?
What all do you have to replace to have them installed?
Should harley do it? Or a certified harley mechanic? (not sure how warranty works out on that)..
Thanks for any feedback.
I would like to have some apes put on but wanted to see the pro/cons. I like the look of them over the stock bars.
I'm 6' tall with relatively long arms. So, I curious to know:
What would be the appropriate size to get? 16in, 12in??
What are the pros and cons to having them?
What all do you have to replace to have them installed?
Should harley do it? Or a certified harley mechanic? (not sure how warranty works out on that)..
Thanks for any feedback.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: Dallas, TX
RE: Advice on ape hangers??
I just installed 18" gimps on my heritage. I am 5'11" and my arms sit slightly above my head using stock risers. They put a bit of a strain on my back, but nothing that has caused any major discomfort. If you are a long hauler and not a bar hopper, I'd go with 16's.
You will have to replace all of the wires on your bars (throttle, clutch, controls, etc.). If you go with 1.25" or thicker bars, I'd try and get all the wires inside the bars for a super clean look. New mirrors wouldnt be a bad idea either. You will need to find some that give you good visibility and a clean look.
This is my first set of apes and I am pretty happy with them. I am still taking it easy in slow, sharp turns, they take some getting used to. Overall though, the bike handles great with them. I'm sure Harley will do the work for you, they may be cheaper than some of the custom bike shops that charge a higher rate per hour.
Just my.02 - Good luck with the switch, you wont be disappointed.
You will have to replace all of the wires on your bars (throttle, clutch, controls, etc.). If you go with 1.25" or thicker bars, I'd try and get all the wires inside the bars for a super clean look. New mirrors wouldnt be a bad idea either. You will need to find some that give you good visibility and a clean look.
This is my first set of apes and I am pretty happy with them. I am still taking it easy in slow, sharp turns, they take some getting used to. Overall though, the bike handles great with them. I'm sure Harley will do the work for you, they may be cheaper than some of the custom bike shops that charge a higher rate per hour.
Just my.02 - Good luck with the switch, you wont be disappointed.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,754
Likes: 4
From: GA
RE: Advice on ape hangers??
I own an "07 Springer Classic. I, too, am just over 6' tall with pretty long arms. I just put 9.5 Chubbyz on it and love them. They don't look as high as you might want, but the riding position is perfect for me. My hands are right at or maybe just slightly below my shoulders. They actually improved my riding position. Click on the pictures to open the window and then click again to see a larger size.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 409
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From:
RE: Advice on ape hangers??
I'm 6'1 and have 12.5 one my fatboy and love them. hands about shoulder height.
Con- anything above 14 inches (in TX) from your front seat is not legal. Will you catch any flack with them....doubt it (Some stock harley's don't meet the law's requirements). I haven't yet but just letting you know
Good luck
Jeff
Con- anything above 14 inches (in TX) from your front seat is not legal. Will you catch any flack with them....doubt it (Some stock harley's don't meet the law's requirements). I haven't yet but just letting you know
Good luck
Jeff
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,357
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From: The Lone Star State
RE: Advice on ape hangers??
12.5's on my Fatboy. I am 6' and the riding positon is great. I just finished a4 day 1800 mile trek and the riding only thing that hurt was my but. As mentioned above, you will have to extend wiring, replace all cables. I used +6 cables on mine. I would reccomend 12.5's - 16's. You may want to sit on some bikes to see what you like. I think my bike handles better with my apes than with the stock bars.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
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RE: Advice on ape hangers??
I've got apes on my bike and I dig em. They look cool and they feel good as well. However if I had to do it all over again would I go with apes ... maybe not.
I'm finding myself more into the longer distance riding, and having apes is OK, but to be honest with you you'll find yourself fighting the ride more than enjoying it. Remember, I'm talking DISTANCE riding, not 200 mile trips. Basicly, what you are is a human wind sock. All of the wind you are riding into is hitting you smack dab in the chest unless you have a windshield. You'll finding yourself hanging on more.
Maybe it's my riding style ( rather speedy ... LOL ), but I'd probably go with something like a beach bar next time or maybe lower apes at least.
Hope this helps !!
I'm finding myself more into the longer distance riding, and having apes is OK, but to be honest with you you'll find yourself fighting the ride more than enjoying it. Remember, I'm talking DISTANCE riding, not 200 mile trips. Basicly, what you are is a human wind sock. All of the wind you are riding into is hitting you smack dab in the chest unless you have a windshield. You'll finding yourself hanging on more.
Maybe it's my riding style ( rather speedy ... LOL ), but I'd probably go with something like a beach bar next time or maybe lower apes at least.
Hope this helps !!
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 460
Likes: 1
From: San Diego, CA
RE: Advice on ape hangers??
I've got 16's on my '03 Heritage Springer. Don't forget that you've got 2" risers on your bike that come stock so take that into consideration. Also the risers are further apart so the bars have to be Springer specific no matter what height you buy. If you're fairly good with wiring, mechanics etc. than it can be done in your garage...take your time, plan it out, and you can do it slowly in about 4 hours.
You'll also need to upgrade to polyeurethane bushings because the rubber stock ones will create a pretty good wobble as they are too soft for good control on the bars. You can also buy wire extensions from the HD dealer that are color coded for all your regular wiring.
In addition to taller bars, you'll have to buy longer front brake cable, clutch cable, throttle cables.
Long distance doesn't bother me too much because I usually use a windshield on anything over 200 miles roundtrip. My longest day with the tall bars/windshield was 18 hours.
Check my pics, they don't look too bad...
You'll also need to upgrade to polyeurethane bushings because the rubber stock ones will create a pretty good wobble as they are too soft for good control on the bars. You can also buy wire extensions from the HD dealer that are color coded for all your regular wiring.
In addition to taller bars, you'll have to buy longer front brake cable, clutch cable, throttle cables.
Long distance doesn't bother me too much because I usually use a windshield on anything over 200 miles roundtrip. My longest day with the tall bars/windshield was 18 hours.
Check my pics, they don't look too bad...
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From:
RE: Advice on ape hangers??
I have 16" wild one chubbies on my Springer and they have made it easier on my shoulders on longer runs. I changed the stock bars for mini apes, they were an improvement over the stock bars, butwhen I went to the 16"s, they made it even better. My arms are about shoulder high and I don't have any problems with my hands falling asleep. For pros, I like them because they give my bike that old style look that I was after, the comfort thing was an added extra. Cons, but not really, since I am sitting straighter up, I feel like a sheet in the wind when I am riding but if it is real windy, I just lean forwards some to compensate. Good luck
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 11
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RE: Advice on ape hangers??
Guys/Gals,
Thanks for the posts. I went forward with the 16' Nash Gimps. I sat on a bike with em and they end up right at shoulder height with the 2' risers.
Anyone have shots of the internal wiring? Having it all done in 2 weeks. Can't wait.
Pictures to follow......
Thanks for the posts. I went forward with the 16' Nash Gimps. I sat on a bike with em and they end up right at shoulder height with the 2' risers.
Anyone have shots of the internal wiring? Having it all done in 2 weeks. Can't wait.
Pictures to follow......