I could use a little help with this 2010 XL1200 Sporty.

So... A little background. I got this friend. He's the absolute stereotype of the Harley rider that wont get with the times. Picture a 47 year old, overweight guy complete with long grey beard and both arms full sleeved with tats. Wears no protective gear except the state minimum required half helmet and complains about that. So, Yesterday him and I go riding and he dumps his Sporty. He got lucky with a little road rash and a hairline break on the collarbone. To shorten this up, his bike is now in my garage and he asked me to fix it up. Naturally, the bike has no highway bars. Since I'm the one that's fixing it up I'm putting crash bars on it whether he wants them or not. It's got forward controls and I'm looking for suggestions. Any good style and/or brand names out there? He hates chrome so hoping to find black.

My wife (a 20 year army combat medic, retired) says that he gets pink handlebar tassles and training wheels.

 

Be sure to post a pic of him sitting on the bike with the pink tassles & training wheels.

 

Dear Mr Usefulnut, why do you think YOU know what's best for him? As for the stereotypical HD rider, I happen to be one of them at the ripe old age of 70. If your "friend" wanted you to "fix his bike" why the hell do you feel the need to impose you and your wife's Bullshit on him? Just put it back to the same as it was before he laid it down AND STOP BEING SO JUDGMENTAL. By the way, Mr Usefulnut, that would be LEATHER FRINGE, not tassles, like ones you had on your 1st bike . . . a Hot Wheel.

 

LOL! He asked me to fix his scoot so I'm the one ordering the parts. I was also the one that called AAA to get the bike towed. I called my wife to let her know we were going to be late and she was the one that told her work (she's a nurse at a psych ward nowadays) she had an emergency at home, and drove 5 hours round trip to come assess our friend (we've been friends for over 20 years). She was the one that tore up some shirts to make a sling for his broken collar bone and drove him to the hospital. Meanwhile I coordinated with the tow truck to get the bike back to my place and into the garage. So, if my wife and I are going to flip our close friend some crud for bouncing his bike off a guard rail then he's going to grin and bear it.

I should probably mention that he often describes himself as "just a dirty old biker." I was also the one that bought him a little used car when he got out of prison for doing things that come with being part of an outlaw biker club.

I think you might be right about the tassles. My first ride was a plastic big wheel and it did in fact have blue and red tassles off the handlebars. I think I was 3 or 4 at the time and I loved that thing, lol!

I would never actually put fringe or tassles on his bike as he hates that stuff. Training wheels as a joke maybe. But for serious he's getting some crash bars. SOMEONE has to look out for him since he wont do it himself.

On a different note, His mom is only a couple years older than you and still rides a sportster. Maybe I should send you a pic. Sounds like the two of you would be peas in a pod!

 

Reading through the nots that come with the HD bars they are not much for anything at speed but slow speed tip overs. At speed they might fold back some. How much or whether they actually will I have no clue.

I doubt companies invest in any particular steel tube that would be any better than anyone else's unless specifically mentioned in the spec the wall thickness.

The HD one here https://www.harley-davidson.com/stor...-07-4921507--1 fits the Custom that comes with forward controls.

bike protection https://www.harley-davidson.com/shop...cle-protection

 

That HD one is the one I have. Can't speak to higher speed crashes, but it does a good job of protecting things in the event of a tip over.

 

Thanks everyone! Was able to order a crash bar that Harley assures me wont interfere with the forward controls. I got the bike put back together enough to fire it off and let it idle. engine sounds good, no leaks and the handlebars seem to be true to the front tire. I plucked the spokes on the front rim and can hear one of them sounds dull. Since it's only the one spoke I think it's due to normal wear and tear.