I do.


It can be a PITA. If I could do it all over again I'd probably still do it myself, knowing what I know now, but it was a real pain.
If I was considering having a dealer do it I'd get a price from them up front so I wouldn't get charged for all the roadblocks that held them up and stretched the hours out.
I had a TON of hours and cursing in doing mine, but I did the whole shebang. WildOne Chubbies; extended the wiring harness and ran it inside , chrome switch covers, switch caps and levers, all new stainless cables, (clutch cable PITA 'cause I had to remove the exhaust system TWICE) fork kit and springs, plus Accu-Track and new shocks.....and I had a manual, access to any tool on the planet, a bike lift, a reasonable skill level, and I did it in a nice dry, warm shop with great lighting and tunes.


CN

 

Steve,

I agree with you 100%. It is and canbe a PITA. I expelled the most choice words at the right hand, control and brake lever!!! Some time the brake lights would work some times they didn't.

I'm not a paid mechanic butknow dang well what is expected of one, and generally can do 99.9% of anything in the factory serive manual.

I don't think your full of anything but an accurate assement.

Concure with your recommendation. And would only add, if you don't have the FSM and the electrical expericane and your own tools. Forget it, expecially if you have to ask on the forum.

This is a great resource of info, but will never replace actual experiance or ability, tools and manuals.

I don't knock anyone who knows their limits and capabilities and uses a dealer or well recommended shop to do anything that they need done. Some things are even a challenge for an old shade tree mech as myself and sometimes it cost me more too. Guess some stubornness has set in with getting older! But I'm still learning too

 

if you need wire extensions you can get them at j&p. they are color coded. buy a decent soldering gun , solder and heat shrink tubing. the heat shrink tubing is a must. when you cut and splice your wires make sure you stagger the cuts so you dont get a big LUMP in the strand of wires.i use weedeater line to pull wires thru. just take your time. get pissed.... walk away , repeat and enjoy.
the other stuff that can blow up would be, not shimming the brake lever when you remove it, dropping them ferrells from the throttle cables, or having a bitchie- bolt changing the clutch cable. my wife recommends NOT using a comforter to cover the gas tank so i guess a folded uhaul blanket on the tank would be ok. if i had to get someone to do most of the work on my bike i would not have it.(thats just me and is not a dig at anyone who prefers to pay the man.) i am a non-genius with a service manual. if you can solder and are comfy with wrenches, i say go for it.


read this for some basics
http://www.kenandjudy.us/Harley%20Pi...Bars/index.htm

 

Get a manual and do it yourself. Save the dough your going to give the dealer and buy yourself some more crome.

 

I agree,




[IMG]local://upfiles/8499/2C7A7BB9F4A24CFAA19B2BDB9239C31D.jpg[/IMG]

 

If you don't think you can do then don't...I'm in the middle of adding apes to 03 RK...it's really not too bad but to me the biggest pain is the clutch cable and the internal wires...to do the cable to need to take off the trans cover, to get to that (actually 1 freaking bolt) you need to rip out the exhaust, which take some "persuasion"...again not too bad but annoying...the wires suck!!...you just have to extend them...maybe dremel the holes a little wider, then wiggle and jiggle your way through the handlebars...again not too bad but annoying...i didn't have to remove or raise the tank but i did replace the brakelines, then bleed them...it's a job for the timid, but if you have the manual and some standard tools it can be done...also look around the web there are a few sites with descriptions and pics

http://www.moccsplace.com/images/harley/hbar/hbar.htm
https://www.hdforums.com/m_1328001/tm.htm

 

I bought a new RK this year. Eventually picked up a bike lift and as I need specialized tools I get them. I'm not a mechanic but willing to try. The bike is under warranty and with buying the shop manual and tools it'll be a while before I save any significant bucks on many jobs, and of course there are jobs I won't try. Still, I want to learn about my bike, if I'm on a long ride and something breaks I want to have as much knowledge as possible to have a shot at saving my own butt.
Recently when a fuse holder gave up the ghost I was able to find the problem and fix it on the road and get home with turn signals I would otherwise have gone without.
If I gain the confidence to slowly do more jobs, great and if that saves significant bucks, better. So far I've had both front and rear wheels off, added front fender lights and bag lights, and did the IDS, which by the way is a great improvement for the 07 in my view.
I agree with the folks who say go for it. My first job I switched the bars and hid the wiring. The new bars were HD increased reach. I checked with the parts guys and the parts catalog, no need to change the cables, any of them. The bars were only $50.00 but the labor, to hide the wiring would have made the job much more costly. I did it myself. The only tedious part was the wiring, lots of soldering. There may be a way to get the wires to disengage from the connectors and there are tools to do that and then reattach the wire ends. In retrospect, I'd certainly try disengaging the wires before cutting and soldering them, even if I had to buy a connector and practice on it just to see if I could do it.
With any work, the shop manual is a necessity, and the blogs above and elsewhere have some good tips if you want to do the job. But the shop manual - read carefully, some common sense, and a few simple tools and a soldering iron are all you need, if you are lucky and don't have to replace the clutch, brake, and throttle cables.

 

Thanks to all for your opinions and suggestions........I am getting rid of the mini-apes and going with some chubbies I think so I guess my existing cables may even be too long now?
I'll probably do as some suggested and just get the dealer to do do it as I am not in the mood to F it up and then have to trailer it into the dealer to get it done.

 

I have a 08 RKC on the way. I understand the 08 barsare a bitcloser reach than the 07s and prior, is this true?I was thinkin' maybe ofgoing to Heritage bars, if need be, on the 08 or something similar. What are my options for the 08 and is changing them a big problem with the fly-by-wire? Thanks for the help!

 

I had mine done at an indy shop. Cost me $800 for everything. I now wish I had done it myself. I have had to adjust the bars, and realize that on a road king, it isn't that bad. Lots of guys will help you out. But, I can understand the hesitation. I, too, didn't want to get half way through, and have to haul it to a shop. I honestly think you can do it, as I now know I could. And, with winter here, you should be able to find the time.

Along with the install link for a Eg, take a look at this one. It is for a RK, and is pretty detailed. http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/hhog/rkbarswap.pdf

Good luck.