Apes Install: You Want What!?!?!
He can only quote that price one of two ways..... he has a line of suckers in front of you, or he has so much other work in the shop that he gave you an absurd price to send you down the road, but would back-shelve some of it for a new client with no concept of money. Either way, I consider that kind of business practice, shady.
If you are operating an indy shop, good business practice has to be to undercut the dealer rates. I know from feeling me out he knew I was very knowledgeable. If I can take it to Harley, then also have a warranty on the work, I would be stupid not to do that if it were cheaper. Maybe he doesn't do as many 16" ape installs as he claims. Everything on the floor had 30" wheels and 12" apes.
To sit there and tell me how much work it is to remove the exhaust and open the primary is just amazing.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
holy crap, if that's a true story then I wouldn't hold back the shops name, people need to know so they can avoid the place. I recently got a quote from the Harley dealer on installing a set of apes and about crapped my pants when he came back with $1,700.00 (that's including bars) I don't think I could have kept myself from busting out laughing when the guy said $3,000.
Wow, and that's not discounting the fact that you have a 2015 with canbus. First thing I did to my SGS was an ape install. 3 hrs and I'd never done it before in my life. There's only a few simple wires with the new CanBus design. Nothing like the headache we went through with my friends 2013...
For 3k he should pimp it out at the same time....
For 3k he should pimp it out at the same time....
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 939
Likes: 9
From: WA
While we're doing math... 2,000 installs at $3k each is a whopping 6 MILLION DOLLARS! The guy is full of shart.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 924
Likes: 0
From: Elgin IL
Had my Indy do my apes in January paid $360.00 and he made his own harnesses, 12" Vindiktas internally wired on a 2013 limited.it took him 4 hours.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Wow, and that's not discounting the fact that you have a 2015 with canbus. First thing I did to my SGS was an ape install. 3 hrs and I'd never done it before in my life. There's only a few simple wires with the new CanBus design. Nothing like the headache we went through with my friends 2013...
For 3k he should pimp it out at the same time....
For 3k he should pimp it out at the same time....
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: whittier
I did mine last year. The most time consuming part is soldering the wires together and then heat shrinking the connections. Having a friend help would save a lot of time. Some customers just don't have a clue about how they are taken advantage of. Nothing personal but maybe in that part of Texas, for some, money comes easy.
Last edited by firefishq; Mar 17, 2015 at 12:20 PM.