I'm taking my Street Slammers BACK!
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 705
Likes: 8
From: southern IL
I'm taking my Street Slammers BACK!
So, after reading the forums for a few weeks and looking a pics of Fatboys with SS on them... I finally pulled the trigger 2 days ago to buy them. I figured longer reach, leaning back more, cool look, I can't beat it, right? WRONG.
Here's my laundry list of things that are wrong with a Fatboy with SS:
- Yes, you are leaned back more, but you're holding the bars lower too so it feels like I'm hunching over.
- The SS are 1 inch narrower than the stock bars, but it sure feels like I'm holding onto a minibike.
- At the store on display, they felt like the angle of the grips were in a nice position; it's not. Not only do I feel like the bars are twisted inward, but it's awkward to hit the turn signals and such. I have to kick my elbow out just to do it.
- Mirrors. Stock mirrors are almost useless with this setup. As much as I could adjust them, I could not see behind me. If I raised my elbows, I could see behind me a little, but thats about it.
- Turn signals. Stock bullet turn signals on the bars don't work very well. They end up looking lopsided on the bars, and at full deflection they touch the tank.
- And finally, to be honest they look good in the pics of other Fatboys, but I don't like the way they look in person.
So, I think thats about it. After spending 4+ hours installing them, I'm going to waste 4 hours of a good sunny day removing them & taking them back.
Here's my laundry list of things that are wrong with a Fatboy with SS:
- Yes, you are leaned back more, but you're holding the bars lower too so it feels like I'm hunching over.
- The SS are 1 inch narrower than the stock bars, but it sure feels like I'm holding onto a minibike.
- At the store on display, they felt like the angle of the grips were in a nice position; it's not. Not only do I feel like the bars are twisted inward, but it's awkward to hit the turn signals and such. I have to kick my elbow out just to do it.
- Mirrors. Stock mirrors are almost useless with this setup. As much as I could adjust them, I could not see behind me. If I raised my elbows, I could see behind me a little, but thats about it.
- Turn signals. Stock bullet turn signals on the bars don't work very well. They end up looking lopsided on the bars, and at full deflection they touch the tank.
- And finally, to be honest they look good in the pics of other Fatboys, but I don't like the way they look in person.
So, I think thats about it. After spending 4+ hours installing them, I'm going to waste 4 hours of a good sunny day removing them & taking them back.
Last edited by spydyr; Apr 29, 2011 at 07:58 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,337
Likes: 4
From: Sunny South Florida
I was going to suggest the same as Brett, I know if I bought bars and saw any install marks on them, I would bring them back. No way would I accept bars that were already installed unless I knew they were used.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,048
Likes: 3
From: Central Jersey
to each their own, ya know?
i agree the stock turn signals don't fit right on the SS's.. mine look like they're turned inward a bit..
though i guess it's dependant on your body type, but i get just a bit more visibility from my stock mirrors
and i agree that i've noticed it's a bit harder to hit the turn signal, but for my the hand positioning is a bit more comfortable than stock
i agree the stock turn signals don't fit right on the SS's.. mine look like they're turned inward a bit..
though i guess it's dependant on your body type, but i get just a bit more visibility from my stock mirrors
and i agree that i've noticed it's a bit harder to hit the turn signal, but for my the hand positioning is a bit more comfortable than stock
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 705
Likes: 8
From: southern IL
Thanks for the replies, folks. Well, it only took 2hours to remove them, I guess installing stock bars are easier, plus I knew what I was doing with the wires.
I take my time installing stuff and I looked them over and don't see any marring. I'll at least see what they say... I'll even take store credit.
I didn't mean to bash those with SS, just figured I'd share on how they fit for me. I'm 5'11" and they just didn't fit me right.
I take my time installing stuff and I looked them over and don't see any marring. I'll at least see what they say... I'll even take store credit.
I didn't mean to bash those with SS, just figured I'd share on how they fit for me. I'm 5'11" and they just didn't fit me right.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: New Orleans, LA
definitely a case of each person is different....I've had them on my FBL for a little over a year now, and they are "almost" perfect. You are absolutely right, the mirror position is terrible and you can't see anything with the stock ones...but I had that same problem with the stock bars also. With the new mirrors I put on, that kick off the side more, I can see great to the rear. As far as the turn signals, they have never hit the tank, not during turns or when parked when the bars are turned full to the left. Looking straight on at the bike, the signals are both pointed forward, also. You might want to give them a few miles before bringing them back, and try rotating the signals inward if they don't line up. I had apes on the bike before buying these, and it made a world of difference in comfort.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 3
From: Mebane, NC
You may have already figured this out...When you're trying bars out all you have to do is remove you bars and support them (or have someone hold them) and temporarily install the new bars (or just hold them in position to eliminate any marking). This way you can tell if you will like them or not.
I ordered a set of Carlini Super sweep bars once and Carlini measures rise different than I do. They list them as 9" rise. I measure rise the way Wild1 does on their website. Carlini apparently measures rise by having the risers vertical and measuring to the top of the bars. This is a big difference. The bars were just higher than the speedo. I wound up going with a set of Wild1 bars that were advertised as 8" rise and they were several inches higher when mounted.
I had similar issues with the drag bars as you do. I always felt like my arms were too far forward and too low. This made me feel like I was hunched over and I had shoulder and arm trouble after about an hour. I was hit from behind last year and had to do some work on my bike so I decided to try some 12" Carlini Flyin Apes...This made a huge difference in comfort.
All I'm trying to say is you can easily see where the bars will be and how they fit without going through a full installation. That's alot of work and I would be surprised if you can return the bars because they will almost certainly have marks on them.
I ordered a set of Carlini Super sweep bars once and Carlini measures rise different than I do. They list them as 9" rise. I measure rise the way Wild1 does on their website. Carlini apparently measures rise by having the risers vertical and measuring to the top of the bars. This is a big difference. The bars were just higher than the speedo. I wound up going with a set of Wild1 bars that were advertised as 8" rise and they were several inches higher when mounted.
I had similar issues with the drag bars as you do. I always felt like my arms were too far forward and too low. This made me feel like I was hunched over and I had shoulder and arm trouble after about an hour. I was hit from behind last year and had to do some work on my bike so I decided to try some 12" Carlini Flyin Apes...This made a huge difference in comfort.
All I'm trying to say is you can easily see where the bars will be and how they fit without going through a full installation. That's alot of work and I would be surprised if you can return the bars because they will almost certainly have marks on them.
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Advanced
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From: Cuse'
I dont see why you cant return stuff after theyve been installed. I guess I understand if you waited liked weeks before trying to return but how are you supposed to know whether or not you like something without trying? I'd be cool with charging 35-45$ for a recoating but its not like theyre busted and they cant sell em. Recoat and resell.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,337
Likes: 4
From: Sunny South Florida
I dont see why you cant return stuff after theyve been installed. I guess I understand if you waited liked weeks before trying to return but how are you supposed to know whether or not you like something without trying? I'd be cool with charging 35-45$ for a recoating but its not like theyre busted and they cant sell em. Recoat and resell.