Having trouble figuring out which diameter apes for my 2005 soft tail deluxe. Is it 1” or 1 1/4 ? I want to keep the original risers and hopefully same wires. How high can I go I was thinking 12” . Can I go 14” with original equipment?

 

Most OEM HD bars are 1". When you buy 1 1/4" bars for a model that had 1" bars, most will have a step down at the riser clamps to fit the OEM clamps, and they have a step down at the switch packs by the hand grips..

Pick a set of bars from a reputable aftermarket handlebar manufacturer (I like Wild 1, chubby bars), that list your bike in the fitment and the step downs should be in place... Just double check about the step down and you'll be good to go with OEM risers/clamps.....

As far as height that can be model specific. General rule; 10" height OK for OEM wires, 12" maybe OK with some rerouting of OEM wires, and over 12" best to have longer wires/hoses...

I'm not a big fan of altering wire runs or splicing/soldering into OEM harnesses. I also don't like having add-on extensions with the connectors inside the bars somewhere.

When I install bars, I always go with Namz wiring. https://namzcustomcycleproducts.com/...yourself-kits/

I get a set of replacement extensions. They replace the OEM wires with longer wires. The wires will run from the connector near the neck/nacelle/fairing to the switch packs. Iy alleviates the hidden connectors of the add-on extensions.

The canbus bikes are super easy to add this extended wiring. The pre-canbus bikes are slightly more difficult in that you need to learn to de-pin and pin the various connectors involved at the switch packs..


NOTE: I just checked and per my chart, you have 1" bars, but can use 1 1/4" bars with step downs as I mentioned above.


Here is a pic of the bar install on my '16 bagger. I replaced my OEM 1" bars with 1 1/4" bars. I have arrows at the step downs for the clamps and the switch packs..

 

1" bars look really skinny on a fat bike like the Deluxe. I have 1 1/2" diameter Carlini Menace apes 12" tall on my 06 Deluxe. Changing risers will give you the opportunity to change the riser bushings and that is not a bad idea on a 15-year-old bike. I think it looks better if the bars don't taper to 1" to accommodate the OEM clamp. Like Carlini says: "You shouldn't steer your bike with a clothes hanger"

 

i have 1 1/2 todds strip bars, it has the step down but i bought la choppers risers to cover the whole step down in the middle
worked out nicely for me and looks good on the fatty ..
place i ordered them i got pre wired with controls and all.... 2 inch wasnt avil only 1.5