Ape's and riser flexing
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,462
Likes: 22
From: Delaware
Ape's and riser flexing
I installed 14" Wild One Chubby's along with their 803 firm poly bushings torqued to 40 ft lb. Now I never had apes before and I heard that there will be some flex but it seems excessive. I have to put effort into pushing and pulling but I am getting a good 1/2" of flex. Meaning I can push the bars up a 1/2" then back 1/2". Is this normal? I have not ridden the bike yet; I just noticed it really moving when I pushed the bike off the center stand. I searched the forum and most say with poly bushings they should be pretty solid.
Last edited by brihvac; Jan 7, 2019 at 07:43 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 426
Likes: 157
From: Lake Wales, Fl
Solid mount the risers - use a 1 piece top clamp - when you get the bars mounted to your liking - at the right angle, drill & tap for a couple set screws through the clamp into the bar to lock it into position - they won't move
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,462
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From: Delaware
My bike has the one piece clamp. My bars are solid as can be in the risers. It's the risers themselves that are flexing. I understand that solid mounts will stop this but it will also add a ton more vibration.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 421
Likes: 71
From: Hayward Ca
As long as you have the one piece top clamp and they are torqued nice and snug you should be fine. We have three Road Kings and they all have WO572 14" chubby Apes . They all have some flex but none of them have moved. Drilling for set screws as mentioned previously is a good idea. I have seen one piece top clamps that come with set screws.
You could always put a little more torque on those bolts and compress those bushings a little bit more and see if that firms things up. Those are 1/2"-13 bolts and it will take a bit more torque.
You could always put a little more torque on those bolts and compress those bushings a little bit more and see if that firms things up. Those are 1/2"-13 bolts and it will take a bit more torque.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,462
Likes: 22
From: Delaware
As long as you have the one piece top clamp and they are torqued nice and snug you should be fine. We have three Road Kings and they all have WO572 14" chubby Apes . They all have some flex but none of them have moved. Drilling for set screws as mentioned previously is a good idea. I have seen one piece top clamps that come with set screws.
You could always put a little more torque on those bolts and compress those bushings a little bit more and see if that firms things up. Those are 1/2"-13 bolts and it will take a bit more torque.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 421
Likes: 71
From: Hayward Ca
I did not have to on my 2016 or 08 but on my sons 06 I did. I'm wondering if it has to do with the bushing thickness and if snugging up the bolts on the bushings a bit would pull the bars down enough not to rub. I did my sons carefully with a die grinder.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 4,356
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From: san diego
Forget the polys..... Get solid riser bushings. They are metal and give no flex.
Ran them on my road King with 18" apes. Both my dynas with tall tbars... And now my road glide with tall mx tbars.
LA choppers sells them
Ran them on my road King with 18" apes. Both my dynas with tall tbars... And now my road glide with tall mx tbars.
LA choppers sells them
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Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,462
Likes: 22
From: Delaware