All depends on the wall-thickness & diameter of the bars. Stock 1" bars can be weakened to the point of failure with drilling. Just last fall a friend of my had his bars crack in half between the risers. They were stock 1" bars milled with a modest slot (not particularly large) between risers and holes at the grips. I would recommend against it unless larger and/or thincker bars are used. If you do it, just keep an eye on them, as my buddy noticed that the end of one side was higher than the other as the bars weakened and before they cracked. Good luck.

 

Been riding 10+ years on my beach bars after drilling them. They haven't fell apart yet.

 

your fine, do just enough to run them through

 

HD has developed one piece top clamps for certain scoots that help prevent taller, and/or drilled bars cracking between the riser clamps.

If you decide to use genuine HD bars, then attempt to find those that fit your height/width/pullback desires, and then make sure to read/research any suggestions HD offers concerning the installation of those bars on your particular scoot. HD does offer a few bars that are already drilled, but they are designed to be installed with only certain risers.

I've seen imported aftermarket bars crack, and one set actually break at the left riser clamp. The guy was lucky to not get splattered and managed somehow to get his bike stopped without injury. I saw a set of imported 1 1/4" bars crack at the weld where the 1" left side control pipe totally came loose. That is why you are much better off selecting bars like those offered by Wild1 where they use two full thicknesses of tubing fully inserted thru the other and then bent and not welded.

Getting back to the original post, if your particular dealer refuses to modify your OEM bars, then perhaps they either have had tragic experience with same or they are skeered, or they simply lack the confidence and skills to do it safely.

Work with them and see if they suggest an alternative solution, then their reasoning might become more clear. I don't know many HD service depts who turn down the chance to make bucks doing mods, so listen to them and then decide.

 

Thanks Oinker,

I already have the HD mini apes installed with a Fishboy clamp and stock risers. They really are perfect for me in everyway, how lucky?
All the dealer said was that they don't recommend it and wouldn't do it themselves and there aren't any HD bars they could recommend for me to do the internal wire thing with, which I think is odd. I live in the UK so the options are limited in terms of aftermarket also if I was to get 1-1/4" bars i'd need a new clamp....

Those wires are fugly and I want to get rid of them!!!!!!

 

Most 1 1/4" bars still use the 1" risers. Those bars are constructed of two different diameters of tubing.

The cheaper bars use 1" tubing inserted a little ways into the larger tubing and then welded at the hand controls and then again at the risers. Some bars constructed in this fashion are high quality, whereas others are not....

Guys like Wild1 don't bother to stub pipes one inside the other and then weld them, they simply slide one full length tube over the other and then bend the whole assembly with no welding.....Some pieced together/welded bars are done properly but you pay the price for their quality.

You don't need to go 1 1/4" at all if all you desire is bars that fit your needs and can be internaly wired...... Forgoing 1 1/4" bars will at least remove the question of how they were constructed and problems associated with riser fitment. 1" bars are fine providing they are strong enuff to handle increased height and width along with the holes used to wire them.....The aftermarket is flooded with cheap imported bars that claim to work, but really won't hold up.

The last set of imported bars I bought were 1 1/4" and drilled for wires, but the 1" grip ends were way too short, the holes were in the wrong place, and the flat spot on the right side was clocked wrong for the master cylinder. They were only 80 bucks compared to 200 buck American made bars, but they were total junk and simply didn't work.

I strongly suggest you either go with genuine HD bars that are documented to work on your configuration or stick with quality made, but expensive aftermarket bars made in USA.

I only have experience with both Wild1 and RSD. I'm sure there are others out there, so shop til ya drop.