Explain Apes to me.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 1,614
From: Eastern Ohio
My 11 EGC's stock bars create a lot of discomfort between my shoulder blades and upper back when riding for extended periods. I rode a friend's SG with 14"apes and it felt tons better. His are pushed too far forward for my liking. I pulled the trigger and bought Wild 1 chubby 12.5". I'm in the process of installing the bars, heat demons, black fork lowers, progressive mono tubes, new to me Arlen Ness retro gators, and some other misc stuff. I can't wait for the weather to get better.
My softail has drag bars and extended forward controls. Handles awesome but in a short amount of time my lower back is killing me. I wanted to do apes on it, but never dropped the coin. An 8 hour ride on that bike is almost torturous. I rode with some friends to the York Harley factory open house a couple years back. They were all on SG's. The only luggage I had was a little swing arm bag. They were all telling me how "hard core"and "bad azz" I was for riding the softail. After I bought the EGC I told them all, "I wasn't hard core, just stupid."
In regards to putting your hands above the fairing and comments regarding fairing bikes, how many stock height windshields do you see? Everyone runs cut down 4 or 6 inch windshields. Kinda defeats the purpose of the windshield. Maybe someone can explain that too?
My softail has drag bars and extended forward controls. Handles awesome but in a short amount of time my lower back is killing me. I wanted to do apes on it, but never dropped the coin. An 8 hour ride on that bike is almost torturous. I rode with some friends to the York Harley factory open house a couple years back. They were all on SG's. The only luggage I had was a little swing arm bag. They were all telling me how "hard core"and "bad azz" I was for riding the softail. After I bought the EGC I told them all, "I wasn't hard core, just stupid."
In regards to putting your hands above the fairing and comments regarding fairing bikes, how many stock height windshields do you see? Everyone runs cut down 4 or 6 inch windshields. Kinda defeats the purpose of the windshield. Maybe someone can explain that too?
Last edited by Buelligan666; Jan 10, 2015 at 01:10 PM. Reason: lost my train of thought and forgot what I wanted to say
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I had a similar problem with my Glide when I first bought it. After a few minor adjustments of the original bars all was well and I've done long tours on it since. Cost me a little time to make adjustments!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,148
Likes: 6,171
From: SE Michigan
Getting tall bars also cures the well documented syndrome of nausea caused by looking at stock bars.
Last edited by Keithhu; Jan 10, 2015 at 02:11 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 19
From: Cypress, TX
Less filling, tastes great, less filling, tastes great, less filling, tastes great,....
If you're curious then find a bike and try it out. Unfortunately most folks aren't going to let you ride their bike for 600 miles so you won't truly know.
Put what you like on your bike. I could care less what anyone else thinks about mine. I love it and my bars are perfect for me. Numb hands tend to be a function of a tense grip or vibration rather than the height of the bars. Handling? Well you're riding a slow pig with no lean angle before hard parts drag. I didn't notice that I had to ever ride slower due to taller bars. I haven't ever had any trouble keeping up with the other slow pigs. I know, I know you are a superstar rider and can run cirles around me but I really don't care. I've ridden a motorcyle or two in my day and I stick with my statement. Oh yeah, I regularly ride 600 mile days on trips and occasionally will run over 1000 if I really have to get somewhere (it's a long way out of Texas). I have no discomfort with the taller bars. Not saying they are better, just giving my experience and opinion although it is a scientific fact!
If you're curious then find a bike and try it out. Unfortunately most folks aren't going to let you ride their bike for 600 miles so you won't truly know.
Put what you like on your bike. I could care less what anyone else thinks about mine. I love it and my bars are perfect for me. Numb hands tend to be a function of a tense grip or vibration rather than the height of the bars. Handling? Well you're riding a slow pig with no lean angle before hard parts drag. I didn't notice that I had to ever ride slower due to taller bars. I haven't ever had any trouble keeping up with the other slow pigs. I know, I know you are a superstar rider and can run cirles around me but I really don't care. I've ridden a motorcyle or two in my day and I stick with my statement. Oh yeah, I regularly ride 600 mile days on trips and occasionally will run over 1000 if I really have to get somewhere (it's a long way out of Texas). I have no discomfort with the taller bars. Not saying they are better, just giving my experience and opinion although it is a scientific fact!
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 204
Likes: 4
From: Fort Worth, TX
With stock bars the height and wrist angle caused pain in my wrists and back. With the additional height and especially width on the 13" Prime Apes I no longer have any issues with my arms or back. Now I need to address the seat.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,612
Likes: 664
From: Central Texas
Could you kinda give us a ballpark figure what it would cost to add 12"-14" apes to a 2011 Street Glide?
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Joe Kucinski
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 34,661
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From: outskirts of ba habba
Are you doing the work or paying someone to do it ??
