Hey Guys,
This is my first post, So hello everyone.
I purchased my first bike Friday night. I bought an ’02 Soft Tail Deuce. The Bike currently has big ‘ol ape hangers, which for some guys are great but I prefer more of a sporty look. With my purchase of the bike I also received a garage full of parts that have been changed on this bike. One of the items is a pullback drag bar with risers and cables. I would like to put the drag bar on this bike, is this a project that can be done on my own and is there some documentation on the process anywhere on the net? Or is this something I should pay the Harley dealer $300.00 to do for me?

 

I have a Deuce and that is one of the first things i did. I needed to feel closer and to have my feet flat on the ground. You can do it, it isn't that hard, maybe have a buddy to help .

 

Do I have to worry about clutch adjustments or anything that will need to set to control properly

 

There are some good youtube clips of how to change handlebars. However, it was quite a project for me. I had a hard time getting to the wiring and getting the wires out of the connectors. Took me quite a bit longer than others on this forum. I also struggled with the clutch and throttle adjustment after the bars were mounted. Granted, this was the first time I had ever done anything like this and I did feel quite a sense of accomplishment when finished.

 

It's quite a project for most. If someone says it's easy or it's no big deal, they are either a mechanic and have done it multiple times or they really don't know.

1st time, it took me all day! 2nd time it took me about 4hrs. (different bikes)

 

Welcome to the forum. The very first thing you should invest in is a service manual for your newly acquired ride. This will not be your last mod. Get the service manual and read it. Life will be much easier.

My first mod was a bar swap. Since you already have the bars and the cables, your in good shape. Definitely do it yourself. It can be time consuming, but definitely a DIY mod. Just write down wire colors and pin location in the connectors for the wires so there are no mix ups. When you start chasin wires connected in the wrong places your project officially sucks!! Plenty of info on the forum if you do a search for it.

 

If you have tools and any mechanical ability you can do it. I am sure someone here on the forum has a duece that can help you out. Everyone on here is very helpfull. I did the apes on my deluxe in about 3-4 hours.
Stone

 

Despite what others have said, the job is not difficult. A service manual is a lot of help. Make sure you cover tank, so you do not scratch it. I did mine in a about 6 hours, but that included replacing switch housings to chrome, bleeding brakes, relocating the signals, , internal wiring, braking the fuel line, driving to the dealer for a new fuel line,, and lunch. If you are going to replace the clutch cable. it is a little more difficult, you may have to pull your exhaust.

 

I changed the bars on my buddies Duece. It wasn't bad but it does take time. I thinks it took about 4 hrs. A service manual and a camera are a big help and this website has great wiring tips.
http://www.wild1inc.com/techtipswiring.html

 

Thanks Guys, I am going to talk to a few buddies of mine to see if any of them have done it before. If so I think we will tackle it ourselves as a weekend project. I have a buddy who is a diesel mechanic who says, "oh no problem" but he has never worked on a bike before. I just want to make sure its something that can be completed by a novice before it gets stripped down and towed to a dealer because it’s more difficult than anticipated.

Either way I agree a service manual will be good investment for all future projects.
Thanks Again!