This is a thank you thread. This is one of the best bike related forums I have ever been on. We hammer each other with a lot of S**t now and then and bash each other for stupid stuff (cause we already did it).
But when it comes down to it ya'll are some of the best I have ever chatted with.

I had been kicking the idea of taller bars for about 2 years. Set the cruise, rest hands on top of mirrors, like the height but too far forward. That sort of thing.

So in November I got a wild hair and said ok I am doing it. But I ain't just doing bars. I hate chrome bars on touring bikes. Awkward place to keep clean and don't blend. I decided I wanted flat black so they disappear into the fairing. I also hated my grips, sticky rubber crap. Well if I am doing that I might as well do the mirrors too.

Many questions here about doing taller bars and I learn you have to change cables and brake lines. Tank must come off. Crap, getting deeper. More questions in the forum, what length, who to buy from. Member response was a resounding "MAGNUM". So I check them out. Holy crap, they make braided copper. Will match my 08 anniversary. So now I am doing all the front brake lines. Gotta extend wires. Hmm. I can solder pretty darn well, or at least, I usedtacould. Questions and suggestions in the threads and links were shared and I have videos of folks showing some tips. Very helpful.
Clutch cable, gotta pull trans side cover, but the exhaust is in the way. Service manual says..... remove exhaust. Crap, this hole is getting really deep now. To forums Robin...... Tips from members say to just loosen but not remove and you will be able to get the cover off ok.
Well it was a bit of a battle but went without incident.

Project well pretty well all in all. Until I went to put it all back together one night > Insert "1 piece at a time" ~ Johnny Cash <
Things were a bit snug to reassemble in the fairing, thicker brake lines and clutch cable and wires with extra length, plus new fairing antenna. But it all goes together. Turn on the key and check all the electronics, lights and such, work great. Hit the button, spin, spin, spin, no fire.
Crap, now I am sweating bullets. This thing is internally wired now. If I have to pull the wires out of the bars because I messed up I am going to be pissed.
So start with the easy first. Check all the fuses - good. Next - open the fairing back up and check everything is still plugged in - good. Next pull a plug and see if there is spark - good. Hmm, seems it isn't getting gas. Off to the forums.
Many suggestions later I still don't have a running bike. Well then it dawns on me. The hum that I hear when I turn the key on is not my fuel pump, that sound should come from inside the tank, this little hum comes from under the seat somewhere. So no fuel pump, So I pull the console off, it's plugged in. Wiggle wire, pump runs. Once. Then not again. Check all the fuses again - good.
Back to the forum. And the break through comes from the fine members here once again.

So after 2 months, lots of banging my head on the bench, it is all done and it turned out exactly the way I had pictured in my head before I started.

I had to write this to tell you all thank you very much for all tips, recommendations, and answers to all my questions. Without all of you and your experience I know this would not have gone as well as it has and would not have turned out the way I wanted.

Stay tuned for some pics. I have some, don't have a good final pic yet. It was -5 this morning and it snowed this weekend. So these will all be in the garage.

 

Can’t wait to see the copper cables on the anniversary

 

A couple of before shots for reference. Nothing special to call out here.

 

First up: Tourpak has to go.

 

a $2 mock up to decide on bar size. No parts have been ordered at this point. Measure twice, spend once. I saw so many posts for "should have gone taller". I had already decided at this point that it would be Twin Peaks bars due to popular review for ease of wiring and they come in flat black.
The choice ended up being 12"

 

Now that is a good idea there Brother.

 

Well now that I have the bars ordered I can start stripping it to prep for install.
Haven't ordered any cables or lines yet as I want to get the bars mounted to measure so that I can be absolutely certain on the length.

 

So using my service manual for all of this tear down was interesting. It jumps around a bit. This pic is right after I learned that the brake lines require removing the tank, which was full because I had it winterized before I decide to take on this little adventure. It was this point I realized how deep this rabbit hole was going to get.
Just got the bars at this point, test fit. no wiring yet.

 

Well time to see if my skills are still on point.


Hmm not bad if I say so myself.


Couldn't find a good flex conduit local so tape it is. I miss Radio Shack.

And in this picture also, you can see the bushings from Alloy Art that gave me a nightmare. They were too thick, could not get them installed. Ended up ordering the Drag Specialties version, thanks to member RazorBack for the links.

 

Bars mounted. Time to measure for cables and lines. Got those ordered.
Grips are HD. I wanted something with as little rubber as possible because it gets sticky over time. These have only little rubber rings on the ends.

Now I wait for cables, lines, levers and mirrors.