RK Classic and Heritage bars
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Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 49
Likes: 1
From: Mansfield, TX
RK Classic and Heritage bars
Installed the Heritage handle bars (#56569)on my 06 RK Classic and OMG that was the best $70 Ive spent in a long, long time. The handlebar threads said the Heritage bars were the way to go and it was great advice.
So I just put a 200 mi ride on them and my first thoughts: My arms/wrists are in a neutral position when Im sitting up comfortable. I tend to ride sitting pretty straight up. I catch a little more wind with my hands raised or I'm just not use to wind on the underside of my arms. The bars do sit up in front of my two outside windshield bags a bit. It doesnt block them but they are in the way when opening/closing. I had previously changed out to braided cables and I wonder if my clutch cable is a little short. The cable doesnt impede turning from stop to stop and it doesnt stretch tight but it is shorter than Im use to any thoughts / suggestions? And the engineer that created a design that has you essentially removing the nacelle to install/adjust the handlebars is not going to be on my Christmas card list J
I put 40K miles on my factory bars and they were OK. But these bars makes it feel like a new bike! My only complaint is why I didnt do it sooner.
So I just put a 200 mi ride on them and my first thoughts: My arms/wrists are in a neutral position when Im sitting up comfortable. I tend to ride sitting pretty straight up. I catch a little more wind with my hands raised or I'm just not use to wind on the underside of my arms. The bars do sit up in front of my two outside windshield bags a bit. It doesnt block them but they are in the way when opening/closing. I had previously changed out to braided cables and I wonder if my clutch cable is a little short. The cable doesnt impede turning from stop to stop and it doesnt stretch tight but it is shorter than Im use to any thoughts / suggestions? And the engineer that created a design that has you essentially removing the nacelle to install/adjust the handlebars is not going to be on my Christmas card list J
I put 40K miles on my factory bars and they were OK. But these bars makes it feel like a new bike! My only complaint is why I didnt do it sooner.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 44
Likes: 14
From: Laurel, MD
Installed the Heritage handle bars (#56569)on my 06 RK Classic and OMG that was the best $70 Ive spent in a long, long time. The handlebar threads said the Heritage bars were the way to go and it was great advice.
So I just put a 200 mi ride on them and my first thoughts: My arms/wrists are in a neutral position when Im sitting up comfortable. I tend to ride sitting pretty straight up. I catch a little more wind with my hands raised or I'm just not use to wind on the underside of my arms. The bars do sit up in front of my two outside windshield bags a bit. It doesnt block them but they are in the way when opening/closing. I had previously changed out to braided cables and I wonder if my clutch cable is a little short. The cable doesnt impede turning from stop to stop and it doesnt stretch tight but it is shorter than Im use to any thoughts / suggestions? And the engineer that created a design that has you essentially removing the nacelle to install/adjust the handlebars is not going to be on my Christmas card list J
I put 40K miles on my factory bars and they were OK. But these bars makes it feel like a new bike! My only complaint is why I didnt do it sooner.
So I just put a 200 mi ride on them and my first thoughts: My arms/wrists are in a neutral position when Im sitting up comfortable. I tend to ride sitting pretty straight up. I catch a little more wind with my hands raised or I'm just not use to wind on the underside of my arms. The bars do sit up in front of my two outside windshield bags a bit. It doesnt block them but they are in the way when opening/closing. I had previously changed out to braided cables and I wonder if my clutch cable is a little short. The cable doesnt impede turning from stop to stop and it doesnt stretch tight but it is shorter than Im use to any thoughts / suggestions? And the engineer that created a design that has you essentially removing the nacelle to install/adjust the handlebars is not going to be on my Christmas card list J
I put 40K miles on my factory bars and they were OK. But these bars makes it feel like a new bike! My only complaint is why I didnt do it sooner.
I just brought an '11 Road King home on Wednesday, and I can already tell that the handlebars are causing me problems. As most others say: too far a reach (I'm 6' and 34" shirt sleeves). My question would be: just go ahead and buy the heritage bars, or go to the dealer, where they have a "fit shop". It looks like a motorcycle on which you can swap out the bars quickly. I ride in the winter, so I'd like to get heated grips installed at the same time, hopefully saving some money, as the labor should be only a little more for the grips.
Also, I'm generally good with tools, but am relatively new to motorcycles. So people's views on how hard it is to swap the bars and add heated grips would be welcome. I have cruise control, TBW, and would be adding the heated grips, so that's a lot of wiring...
Jay
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,488
Likes: 30
From: Maryland near DC
Hey,
I just brought an '11 Road King home on Wednesday, and I can already tell that the handlebars are causing me problems. As most others say: too far a reach (I'm 6' and 34" shirt sleeves). My question would be: just go ahead and buy the heritage bars, or go to the dealer, where they have a "fit shop". It looks like a motorcycle on which you can swap out the bars quickly. I ride in the winter, so I'd like to get heated grips installed at the same time, hopefully saving some money, as the labor should be only a little more for the grips.
Also, I'm generally good with tools, but am relatively new to motorcycles. So people's views on how hard it is to swap the bars and add heated grips would be welcome. I have cruise control, TBW, and would be adding the heated grips, so that's a lot of wiring...
Jay
I just brought an '11 Road King home on Wednesday, and I can already tell that the handlebars are causing me problems. As most others say: too far a reach (I'm 6' and 34" shirt sleeves). My question would be: just go ahead and buy the heritage bars, or go to the dealer, where they have a "fit shop". It looks like a motorcycle on which you can swap out the bars quickly. I ride in the winter, so I'd like to get heated grips installed at the same time, hopefully saving some money, as the labor should be only a little more for the grips.
Also, I'm generally good with tools, but am relatively new to motorcycles. So people's views on how hard it is to swap the bars and add heated grips would be welcome. I have cruise control, TBW, and would be adding the heated grips, so that's a lot of wiring...
Jay
1)the throttle control is inside the handlebars on fly by wire bikes, you just slide it out (after you take off the outer controls on that side) and there is a plug inside the handlebars to disconnect the throttle control without actually cutting wires...
2) the front brake control needs to have a spacer (piece of cardboard) jambed
between the mount and the handle.
3) you will need to be very careful of the gas tank paint (cover the tank with a towel etc.) as you will need to move the handlebars to the left and right to feed the wires out of them.. and to get the controls off (with the hoses and cables still attached)..
4) if you going to reuse the old grips, take a piece of coat hanger metal about 10 inches long, straighten it out and then bend it to look like a capital 'T'...slide the bottom of the 'T' between the handlebar and the grip and when you get near to the bottom of the grip just start turning the wire like you are opening a can of sardines, once you get all the way around the grip you should be able to just slide it off...to put it back on you can use PVC pipe cement to glue it on (put the glue in the grip not on the handlebars)...
I haven't done the heated grips thingy,,so i can't help you there..but it can't be that hard, as there are spare hot plugs in the nacelle to get the power from..
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
My favorite mod to my 09 RG
Installed the Heritage handle bars (#56569)on my 06 RK Classic and OMG that was the best $70 Ive spent in a long, long time. The handlebar threads said the Heritage bars were the way to go and it was great advice.
So I just put a 200 mi ride on them and my first thoughts: My arms/wrists are in a neutral position when Im sitting up comfortable. I tend to ride sitting pretty straight up. I catch a little more wind with my hands raised or I'm just not use to wind on the underside of my arms. The bars do sit up in front of my two outside windshield bags a bit. It doesnt block them but they are in the way when opening/closing. I had previously changed out to braided cables and I wonder if my clutch cable is a little short. The cable doesnt impede turning from stop to stop and it doesnt stretch tight but it is shorter than Im use to any thoughts / suggestions? And the engineer that created a design that has you essentially removing the nacelle to install/adjust the handlebars is not going to be on my Christmas card list J
I put 40K miles on my factory bars and they were OK. But these bars makes it feel like a new bike! My only complaint is why I didnt do it sooner.
So I just put a 200 mi ride on them and my first thoughts: My arms/wrists are in a neutral position when Im sitting up comfortable. I tend to ride sitting pretty straight up. I catch a little more wind with my hands raised or I'm just not use to wind on the underside of my arms. The bars do sit up in front of my two outside windshield bags a bit. It doesnt block them but they are in the way when opening/closing. I had previously changed out to braided cables and I wonder if my clutch cable is a little short. The cable doesnt impede turning from stop to stop and it doesnt stretch tight but it is shorter than Im use to any thoughts / suggestions? And the engineer that created a design that has you essentially removing the nacelle to install/adjust the handlebars is not going to be on my Christmas card list J
I put 40K miles on my factory bars and they were OK. But these bars makes it feel like a new bike! My only complaint is why I didnt do it sooner.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 44
Likes: 14
From: Laurel, MD
the handlebars are fairly easy to change out...there are a few things to watch out for
1)the throttle control is inside the handlebars on fly by wire bikes, you just slide it out (after you take off the outer controls on that side) and there is a plug inside the handlebars to disconnect the throttle control without actually cutting wires...
2) the front brake control needs to have a spacer (piece of cardboard) jambed
between the mount and the handle.
3) you will need to be very careful of the gas tank paint (cover the tank with a towel etc.) as you will need to move the handlebars to the left and right to feed the wires out of them.. and to get the controls off (with the hoses and cables still attached)..
4) if you going to reuse the old grips, take a piece of coat hanger metal about 10 inches long, straighten it out and then bend it to look like a capital 'T'...slide the bottom of the 'T' between the handlebar and the grip and when you get near to the bottom of the grip just start turning the wire like you are opening a can of sardines, once you get all the way around the grip you should be able to just slide it off...to put it back on you can use PVC pipe cement to glue it on (put the glue in the grip not on the handlebars)...
I haven't done the heated grips thingy,,so i can't help you there..but it can't be that hard, as there are spare hot plugs in the nacelle to get the power from..
1)the throttle control is inside the handlebars on fly by wire bikes, you just slide it out (after you take off the outer controls on that side) and there is a plug inside the handlebars to disconnect the throttle control without actually cutting wires...
2) the front brake control needs to have a spacer (piece of cardboard) jambed
between the mount and the handle.
3) you will need to be very careful of the gas tank paint (cover the tank with a towel etc.) as you will need to move the handlebars to the left and right to feed the wires out of them.. and to get the controls off (with the hoses and cables still attached)..
4) if you going to reuse the old grips, take a piece of coat hanger metal about 10 inches long, straighten it out and then bend it to look like a capital 'T'...slide the bottom of the 'T' between the handlebar and the grip and when you get near to the bottom of the grip just start turning the wire like you are opening a can of sardines, once you get all the way around the grip you should be able to just slide it off...to put it back on you can use PVC pipe cement to glue it on (put the glue in the grip not on the handlebars)...
I haven't done the heated grips thingy,,so i can't help you there..but it can't be that hard, as there are spare hot plugs in the nacelle to get the power from..
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,264
Likes: 0
From: Springfield Mo
I had the Heritage bars put on as soon as I got the Road King. I wish I had the luxury of a fit shop, because I already want to swap them out. I still have to reach. I could pull them in to me , but I would lose the angle with the fork. I am 6', 34 inseam, 34 sleeve, 44 chest. I've been scratching my head for the "just right" bars for weeks. Ive got a new seat coming, and after that I'm going to try my best to fit myself to some "imaginary" bars. I don't want to go thru all the trial and error and money that I went thru on my last bike. Take advantage of the dealer fitment!
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