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My '05 883Ccame with the engine guard, I went back and forth on whether to keep it or lose it; decided to keep it. I might think differently if I had the peanut tank and solo seat, but my bigger tank already widens the slim lines of the bike and the driving lights, windshield and saddlebags keep it looking 'thick' from the front to the back.
I have an 05 1200C with forward controls and just put a set of Lindby Highway bars on and I think they look great. I've gotten some nice compliments in the last two weeks.
I also purchased my bike used ('05 XL1200C), with the bars already installed. I was back and forth on them for a while and I finally decided to take them off to see how I like it. I personally think it looks better without the bar - it just seemed out of place (i.e. too wide) for the look of the bike. My wife prefers the look of the bike with the bar, and my father brings up the protection factor. I'm still leaning toward the look without, though I guess if I add bags to the bike like some of the folks on the forum have, they might not look as out of place. I think I may keep them and use them to change up the look of the bike. I could put on the bar, a windshield (still on my wish list), Sundowner seat, sissy bar with luggage rack and bags for a Road Prince look or revert back to the stock seat (or solo seat), lose the sissy bar setup, highway bar and windshield for a more stripped down look. I like the possibilities...To answer some of the previous posts in this thread, yes you can put a highway bar on a bike with forward controls.
I have a crash bar on my '05 Sporty out of necessity. I have an artificial left leg and if the bike goes down I need to protect cracking the $10,000 dollar leg. Breaking that socket would be akin to a real leg break as far as mobility is concerned.
I use a Linbar on mine (http://www.lindbycustom.com). It'sshaped a little like the Harley emblem profile (that or the Chevy emblem), and the design of it gives a great place for a foot rest, as the pic of my bike shows. It's not too big but just about the right size for a Sporty.
I think that it would look very out of place without bags, but with bags (even with apeanut tank) I think they look good. Makes the bike looks like it has some extra meat to it.
Zeb I'm really diggin that linbar! I'll snap some pics of mine tommorrow if I get over to the storage shed.
Yea, I like it too and it works well with a Sporty (they apparentlyhave versions for practically every Harley). I also have a 'disability' with my back and legs, and I appreciate having the Linbar on the bike in case my legs were to ever go out from under me while holding the bike up at a light for too long. It hasn't happened yet, but if it everdoes, it's good to know I have protection on the bike in case it does.
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