got myself a 2000 heritage springer last year. while moving and loading the bike, i noticed the bars moved with the risers front to back. not alot but they wiggle. pulled riser top off, and there was a spring on one side and not the other. if i remember correctly, i tried to tighten the nuts but they wouldnt tighten any more. the spring was sitting right under the riser top clamp over the nut. i cant find anything online that resembles the setup. even with the spring under the riser i dont see how they would help with tightening the bar risers.

 

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I suspect the "wiggle" is in the rubber bushings

 

Hi. Ya i figured. what exactly do them springs do? and baffled as to why there is only one. where did you find that microfiche

 

Ronnie’s parts finder

NFI on what that spring “does” !!

 

lol. thanx

 

It's a ground spring...

I found one on my 2001 Springer while changing bars. It took a while but I found out the purpose... I believe it's in the service manual.

The handlebars on a springer are electrically isolated from the frame by the riser bushings... That spring allows for continuity/ground between frame and the bars.. I believe it's necessary for the turn signals to work (on the older springers)..

IIRC, there is also a ground strap under one of the risers, that goes to the frame or the triple trees... (NOTE: I just looked again at the pic posted by "eighteight", the ground strap is shown in that pic, item #27)

If you have wiggle, and the mounting bolts are tight, it's probably the bushings as "eighteight" suggested... While the bushings are there to isolate the bars from frame vibration, they shouldn't have too much wiggle to them...

 

BRILLIANT! ^^^

the old grounding spring!

who knew?

 

apparently that spring acts as a ground for switches.(oops just saw that spring mystery was answered).

 

I saw that spring in mine as well doing a bar swap. Didn’t know what the heck it was for,and it pissed my ocd off there was only one side with it

thanks Hat.

 

Funny... When I first saw it, I was wondering why there was only one....????

I was ready to blame the prior owner for losing it, and buy another one...!!!

Thus the reason I spent some the time finding out what it was....