Heritage bars?
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 61
Likes: 9
From: liverpool, england
Heritage bars?
Hi guys, am hoping to fit heritage bars to my 2012 road king....I was told that I would not have to change any cables including brake and clutch, but just been into Harley dealers and they said I would have to change my brake line as I have abs brakes....is this right?
thanks in advance
kev
thanks in advance
kev
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,456
Likes: 2,862
From: Oklahoma
1. I was under the impression that by 2012, the stock handlebars on Road Kings were the Heritage style bars, but perhaps not. 2. When I put them on a 2008 King, the only change I had to make was to loosen the banjo fitting on the front brake master cylinder just enough to slightly change the angle of the brake line as it connected to the MC. No new wires, no new clutch cable, and no new front brake line. By 2012, things might have changed. The parts guy where I bought my bars told me no lengthened anything were required. Your parts guy or service manager might also be a good authority, perhaps they are giving you correct information. If the brake line from the master cylinder is long enough for the new bars, whether you have ABS or not is immaterial, so long as no air gets into the line during any adjustments.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 778
Likes: 178
From: Maine
Heritage bars started in 2014 on RK's. I actually bought 2014 bars from a friend who swapped his out for apes. Putting those bars on was the BEST upgrade I ever made to my bike.
As for needing to change anything out....NO YOU DO NOT. DO NOT listen to Harley. My local HD dealer told me the same thing and said the job would take them 10 hours to do. When all was said and done it would have cost me $1200 for them to do it! I looked at doing it myself and was about to until I needed some work that I couldn't do myself so I went to my local Indy. He did them for $230 and NOTHING needed to be lengthened. I'll NEVER have HD touch my bike........If I didn't do my homework they would have cost me $1000. It pains me to think how many people they screwed over this way.
As for needing to change anything out....NO YOU DO NOT. DO NOT listen to Harley. My local HD dealer told me the same thing and said the job would take them 10 hours to do. When all was said and done it would have cost me $1200 for them to do it! I looked at doing it myself and was about to until I needed some work that I couldn't do myself so I went to my local Indy. He did them for $230 and NOTHING needed to be lengthened. I'll NEVER have HD touch my bike........If I didn't do my homework they would have cost me $1000. It pains me to think how many people they screwed over this way.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 307
From: Houston, Texas
I put them on my 08 RKC and love them. I did it myself and it was very easy. Even the wire for the throttle by wire reached and threading it through the bars was the hardest part of the install. The only thing I had to do was slightly loosen the banjo bole on the front brake line to turn the hose a little bit.
Mine does not have ABS so I'm not familiar with what could possibly be different? A hose is a hose right?
Mine does not have ABS so I'm not familiar with what could possibly be different? A hose is a hose right?
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 514
Likes: 263
From: Appalachia
I put the Heritage Style bars on my 2013 RK. No need for different wires or cables, everything was just fine. Do make the end of the throttle side is notched if you have RBW throttle.
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 379
Likes: 67
From: Denton tx
I had heritage bars on my 2012 RKC... maybe they come stock on the RKC's... not sure.
I ended up selling that bike, saving my pennies and a year later paying cash for a 2011 RKC - pretty much the exact same bike from what everyone said here.
I put some Chubby's (14's) on my 2011, much better fit than the heritage bars and it was a really easy job.
I say all this to ask "why do you want to go with heritage bars?"
If you are only going with heritage bars because you don't want to pay the outrageous prices HD charges to install taller bars, it is not a hard project at all and not super expensive if you do it yourself.
If the height of the heritage bars fit you then great, but don't be afraid to do that project yourself if a taller bar will make the bike a more comfortable ride for you.
I ended up selling that bike, saving my pennies and a year later paying cash for a 2011 RKC - pretty much the exact same bike from what everyone said here.
I put some Chubby's (14's) on my 2011, much better fit than the heritage bars and it was a really easy job.
I say all this to ask "why do you want to go with heritage bars?"
If you are only going with heritage bars because you don't want to pay the outrageous prices HD charges to install taller bars, it is not a hard project at all and not super expensive if you do it yourself.
If the height of the heritage bars fit you then great, but don't be afraid to do that project yourself if a taller bar will make the bike a more comfortable ride for you.
Last edited by Blackjack1; Mar 3, 2019 at 12:57 PM.
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 379
Likes: 67
From: Denton tx
Thats awesome! Should be an easy conversion. On my 2012, I even added raisers to increase the height of the stock heritage bars without issues so you should be ok.
Last edited by Blackjack1; Mar 3, 2019 at 01:13 PM.