Converting my Heritage Softail
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 986
Likes: 6
From: NY
Ghost or Easy brackets as vholmes mentioned are great if you want to keep the bags and make them detachable. I had them on my last bike.
Regarding the bars, many love the beachbars, but if your arms are short like mine, you should try I few different widths. Funny, you don't like the Heritage bars, I actually switched to them and find they are much more responsive in the turns and love them on the highway, but everyone is different.
Regarding the bars, many love the beachbars, but if your arms are short like mine, you should try I few different widths. Funny, you don't like the Heritage bars, I actually switched to them and find they are much more responsive in the turns and love them on the highway, but everyone is different.
The saddlebags are already removable. All it takes is to remove 3 bolts per side and the saddlebags come right off. I went to ACE hardware and bought 4 chrome bolts the right size and length to replace the 4 saddlebag bolts so it looks right on the rear without bolts or attachment points sticking out. Cheap Fix for the bags, and can go from with to without in 5 minutes.
As for the seat, any seat that is not as wide as the factory seat will effectively lower the feel of the bike. If your legs point more straight down and less out and then down, the bike feels lower. I have a Corbin solo and it works great, lower and not as wide, but the badlander seat or any seat that is more narrow should help. I would try the seat before any mods to the shocks or forks.
As for the seat, any seat that is not as wide as the factory seat will effectively lower the feel of the bike. If your legs point more straight down and less out and then down, the bike feels lower. I have a Corbin solo and it works great, lower and not as wide, but the badlander seat or any seat that is more narrow should help. I would try the seat before any mods to the shocks or forks.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 648
Likes: 2
From: North Virginia
1. I've heard of people lowering their bikes, but I've never understood the why behind
it.
2. For the seat, do you take long trips? I'm about your size and frequently take 500-700 mile trips. My mustang seat is worth every penny.
3. Someone posted a link above that would help you.
4. Have you tried to rotate your bars back a bit? It works well for me. The controls will also have to be adjusted to a position that are easy to reach, but it's alot faster and easier than replacing the bar.
it.
2. For the seat, do you take long trips? I'm about your size and frequently take 500-700 mile trips. My mustang seat is worth every penny.
3. Someone posted a link above that would help you.
4. Have you tried to rotate your bars back a bit? It works well for me. The controls will also have to be adjusted to a position that are easy to reach, but it's alot faster and easier than replacing the bar.
Last edited by Joker_Hal; Feb 13, 2012 at 10:49 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 5,618
Likes: 5,215
From: Green Country
The saddlebags are already removable. All it takes is to remove 3 bolts per side and the saddlebags come right off. I went to ACE hardware and bought 4 chrome bolts the right size and length to replace the 4 saddlebag bolts so it looks right on the rear without bolts or attachment points sticking out. Cheap Fix for the bags, and can go from with to without in 5 minutes.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,908
Likes: 19
From: Dayton
I just took my bags off and put nice screws back in their place. I dislike the large studs you need for quick release. The original studs bolt back in quick enough should I need bags.
Deluxe seat brought me down about an inch or so. Lowering bolts or shocks will bring the rear down another 2".
Bars I put on are much more comfy than the stock heritage bars (for me). More pullback instead of the bullhorn style of the originals.
Only that it looks a heck of a lot better and if you're riding solo, you don't need all that shock range.
Deluxe seat brought me down about an inch or so. Lowering bolts or shocks will bring the rear down another 2".
Bars I put on are much more comfy than the stock heritage bars (for me). More pullback instead of the bullhorn style of the originals.
Only that it looks a heck of a lot better and if you're riding solo, you don't need all that shock range.
Last edited by Benway; Feb 13, 2012 at 11:11 AM.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 66
Likes: 2
I just use chrome acorn nuts on the bolts when I take the bags of my heritage. You can see them in the pics...
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Advanced
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Reality TV
My Heritage is slammed, it looks so much better no one asks if I did something to the bike, they all say how good the lowering kit made he bike look. Another words they notice right away. If you are short then you will have more foot on the ground at lights and that will be much safer.