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Bar-mount gauges with pullback bars/risers

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Old Jan 26, 2006 | 02:40 PM
  #1  
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Default Bar-mount gauges with pullback bars/risers

I have read a lot of posts in the Dyna and Sportster forums about using pullback risers or T-bars on bikes that have bar-clamp-mounted instruments. The problem is that when you change the angle of the bar clamp, you also change the angle of the instruments, so they look stupid and are hard to read. You also sometimes run into too-short wires for the repositioned instruments. I’ve found two fixes for this, and thought I would post them in both forums.

For T-bars, Accutronix makes gauge mount adapters (black $80 or chrome $100) that clamp onto the stems of the T-bars and provide an alternative, more horizontal gauge mount. http://www.accutronix.com/products/r...rips/RM2.shtml.

But if you are using pullback risers and still need/want to have your gauges mounted on the bar clamp, here’s a cheap and good-looking fix. JP Cycles carries a chrome angled bracket (their item 3100205, $12) that is intended to lower the angle of the headlight mount on narrow glide front ends (Sportster 1962-2006, Dyna 1962-2005) when extending forks, so the headlight doesn’t point at the sky. http://www.jpcycles.com/productgroup...=Harley&page=2

The distance between those eyebrow-type headlight mount bolts, and the distance between your top bar-clamp bolts, is the same (at least on both my Dyna and my Sportster) and the bolt diameters are the same at 5/16. This means that same little bracket can be used to lower the angle of the instruments when using pullback risers. AND it will position the instruments slightly forward, which can help with the short-wire situation if your risers aren’t too extreme. On my bike, this $12 bracket essentially put the instruments back where they were before, using pullback risers with a 4” rise and 1.5” pullback. It lowers the angle of the instrument bracket about 30 degrees, which is the same amount my risers angled the bar clamp back. This works for even the 2006 FXD’s with the bottom-mount headlight, because the bar-clamp bolt spacing is the same as it has been for decades, and in this application your headlight doesn’t matter.

This is essentially a flat, bent bracket. So if you have a bar clamp that is not flat on top (bar and shield logo, live to ride or similar) you will have to use spacers between the bracket and the bar clamp. But you have to use spacers with these clamps anyhow, between the clamp and the original instrument mount, so if you need them you probably already have them. Just bolt the angled bracket to your forward-most bar clamp bolts, with or without spacers as needed. Then with two 5/16” X ½” bolts and nylon-insert nuts, bolt your original instrument bracket to the angled bracket. Your instruments are back in proper viewing position. Perfect solution, inexpensive, and shiny chrome, all for $12. Thought this was worth passing along.
 
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Old Jan 26, 2006 | 08:47 PM
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Default RE: Bar-mount gauges with pullback bars/risers

First, welcome to the Forum, second, thank you for a great post, third, where are the pics? You gotta bike you gotta post pics[sm=ttiwwp.gif]
 
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Old Jan 26, 2006 | 10:55 PM
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Default RE: Bar-mount gauges with pullback bars/risers

It says it uploaded, and I told it to embed the photo, but I don't see it in the preview . . .

[IMG]local://upfiles/6839/F9EC96837C474009A6D1C352A74EA467.jpg[/IMG]
 
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Old Jan 27, 2006 | 12:12 AM
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Default RE: Bar-mount gauges with pullback bars/risers

You won't see it in the preview, plus downsize the pic before you try and post it. Makes it easier for all to view. something less than 1Kb to add in the post. What I do is save a copy of the pic to the desktop, downsize it, save it, then post that copy. The thumbnail is good to go.
 
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Old Jan 27, 2006 | 09:01 AM
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Default RE: Bar-mount gauges with pullback bars/risers

OK, thanks, I see it now. Was trying to show the risers, clamp, bracket and how it all goes together. The side of the bracket where the instrument bracket attaches even has a sort of cutout so it doesn't obscure the indicator lights. Next step is a smooth chrome bar clamp so there's not the visual break between the stock black one and the chrome bracket on this '03 XLH. The 4" rise, 1.5" pullback risers fit without any modifications to the lines or wiring and made the bike much more comfortable for the short little T-rex arms that run in my family, and now the gauges are at a perfect angle, pretty much stock.
 
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Old Jan 31, 2006 | 03:18 AM
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Default RE: Bar-mount gauges with pullback bars/risers

thats a pretty cool fix, thanks for the info!
 
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Old Feb 9, 2006 | 02:23 AM
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Default RE: Bar-mount gauges with pullback bars/risers

Thanks for the tip IMUNDY, we just put this setup on my pop's Sportster, looks great!
 
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Old Feb 12, 2006 | 02:48 PM
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Default RE: Bar-mount gauges with pullback bars/risers

Thank you great solution to a problem i had.
 
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Default RE: Bar-mount gauges with pullback bars/risers

hh
 
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