Handlebar replacement
#1
11-14-2011, 12:16 AM
Handlebar replacement
This is a long read. If you are not planning on replacing your handlebars you may not find it all that entertaining. If you are considering this project you may find it helpful. I thought it would be good to get this information onto the forum for others who may be doing a search for information about how to do this project.
Before I started this project I covered the bike with a moving blanket and the front fender with an old blanket folded to provide as much protection to the surfaces as possible.
I bought the 56166-08 reduced reach handlebars for my FLHRC. I figured they should be an easy fit. After all, they are made by Harley Davidson as a replacement for the specific purpose I was looking for.
I thought that positioning the controls 2" closer to me should make my rides more comfortable. And I have read, and been told by another rider, that the reduced reach bars eliminated the stiff muscles between the shoulder blades and below the neck from longer rides.
I have installed a new Hammock seat and now these bars. Thinking that I would go with a new seat, then handlebars, and then the back rest.
The new bars do seem to be more comfortable. Though I have not taken them on an extended ride yet. But this thread is not to share the results but, rather, to tell the process I went through to get them installed.
The write ups I read said that the stock cables would be long enough for these new bars. That is not the case.
The stock bars have the wires run along the outside of the bars. Attached to the bars with plastic clips that go into 4 holes - 2 on each side - on the bars.
These replacement bars do not have the 4 holes for the plastic clips to go into for attaching the control cable on the outside of the bars. These bars are designed for the wires to run inside of the bars. Up at the left and right switches are elongated holes for the cables to go into and there is one elongated hole at the bottom center of the bars for the wires to go out of and, then, into the headlight nacelle.
In my bike, a 2011 FLHRC, there are wires in the right side of the bar for the electronic throttle. These wires have two connectors that locate within the bars. Making fishing the other control cable wires a challenge.
In addition, the end of the stock cables have large plugs on the ends of them that will not go down the inside of the bars. Making the need to cut the wires behind the plugs inside of the nacelle. Once the wires are slid down the inside of the bar, both the left and/or right side cables - it matters not which one - they are definitely too short. By several inches. Meaning that one needs to buy longer cables from H-D or, as in my case, one needs to solder extension wires to the stock ones. When I finally got the cables installed into the new bar I was glad I extended the wires 12 to 14 inches. Giving me sufficient length to complete the job when it came time to connect the plugs to the extensions behind the headlamp inside of the nacelle.
Another lesson I learned is to not cut all of the wires the same length and solder the extensions on at the same location. For, when you get the wires soldered, the heat shrink covering installed, and the electrical tape wrapping on, there is a large bulge in the area of the work. Making it difficult to turn the corner when you slide the soldered area down the inside of the handle bar. One needs to cut the wires different lengths to vary locations of the solders and thereby avoiding the bulge.
There seems to be a technic when working with the electronic throttle control wires. They need to go in first. They will go past the first bend. Then the "other cable of wires" will go through the first bend and past the throttle wire connectors. If one tries to put the throttle wire connectors in after the "other cable of wires" the connectors will not go past the first bend. The "other cable of wires" take up too much room for the connectors to pass in the bend. But if the throttle wire connectors are past the first bend the "other cable of wires" have sufficient room to make it through the bend and then past the throttle wire connectors. This took me about 2 hours to learn.
Another technic I used is one from the construction industry. When pulling wires through conduit, piping, electricians use a slime to reduce the friction between the wires and the inside of the piping. I used petroleum jelly to make the wires slide easier. I have to guess that I may have petroleum jelly leaking from the bottom end of the handle bar on hot summer days. But, I used it, and will see if this is the case. Petroleum jelly may have been a mistake. I will see next summer.
During the wire extension process I made exact notes of my work. The stock control wires have their various colors. Orange with a white stripe. White with a brown (or black) stripe. Solid black. Black with a red stripe. And so on. The wire I had of similar gauge to the stock wires did not match the stock wire sheathing. I had green, red, black, black with a purple stripe and such. I also did not have sufficient variety of wire colors. So I painted some of the wires with "White out" to make, for example, my "black with a purple stripe" wire a "black with a purple stripe with white paint" wire. The white marking doubled my variety.
I also made precise notes of what stock wire connected to my "black with a purple stripe" wire and the other wires. Both stock and my supplied wire. This way I could know which wire needed to be connected to which wire in the nacelle.
Once I got to this point it was only a matter of reassembling the parts of the motorcycle. The nacelle. The trim. The windshield. And the rest of the bike. I then washed the bike. Not including the wash, the project took me about 9 hours.
The time I had. The wire and other supplies for the extensions I had. As a ham radio operator and, therefore, somewhat familiar with soldering and such, I also had the confidence to do the project.
Results? New bars with concealed wires. A more comfortable ride. And the enjoyment of doing the project. Not a bad way to spend my time.
Before I started this project I covered the bike with a moving blanket and the front fender with an old blanket folded to provide as much protection to the surfaces as possible.
I bought the 56166-08 reduced reach handlebars for my FLHRC. I figured they should be an easy fit. After all, they are made by Harley Davidson as a replacement for the specific purpose I was looking for.
I thought that positioning the controls 2" closer to me should make my rides more comfortable. And I have read, and been told by another rider, that the reduced reach bars eliminated the stiff muscles between the shoulder blades and below the neck from longer rides.
I have installed a new Hammock seat and now these bars. Thinking that I would go with a new seat, then handlebars, and then the back rest.
The new bars do seem to be more comfortable. Though I have not taken them on an extended ride yet. But this thread is not to share the results but, rather, to tell the process I went through to get them installed.
The write ups I read said that the stock cables would be long enough for these new bars. That is not the case.
The stock bars have the wires run along the outside of the bars. Attached to the bars with plastic clips that go into 4 holes - 2 on each side - on the bars.
These replacement bars do not have the 4 holes for the plastic clips to go into for attaching the control cable on the outside of the bars. These bars are designed for the wires to run inside of the bars. Up at the left and right switches are elongated holes for the cables to go into and there is one elongated hole at the bottom center of the bars for the wires to go out of and, then, into the headlight nacelle.
In my bike, a 2011 FLHRC, there are wires in the right side of the bar for the electronic throttle. These wires have two connectors that locate within the bars. Making fishing the other control cable wires a challenge.
In addition, the end of the stock cables have large plugs on the ends of them that will not go down the inside of the bars. Making the need to cut the wires behind the plugs inside of the nacelle. Once the wires are slid down the inside of the bar, both the left and/or right side cables - it matters not which one - they are definitely too short. By several inches. Meaning that one needs to buy longer cables from H-D or, as in my case, one needs to solder extension wires to the stock ones. When I finally got the cables installed into the new bar I was glad I extended the wires 12 to 14 inches. Giving me sufficient length to complete the job when it came time to connect the plugs to the extensions behind the headlamp inside of the nacelle.
Another lesson I learned is to not cut all of the wires the same length and solder the extensions on at the same location. For, when you get the wires soldered, the heat shrink covering installed, and the electrical tape wrapping on, there is a large bulge in the area of the work. Making it difficult to turn the corner when you slide the soldered area down the inside of the handle bar. One needs to cut the wires different lengths to vary locations of the solders and thereby avoiding the bulge.
There seems to be a technic when working with the electronic throttle control wires. They need to go in first. They will go past the first bend. Then the "other cable of wires" will go through the first bend and past the throttle wire connectors. If one tries to put the throttle wire connectors in after the "other cable of wires" the connectors will not go past the first bend. The "other cable of wires" take up too much room for the connectors to pass in the bend. But if the throttle wire connectors are past the first bend the "other cable of wires" have sufficient room to make it through the bend and then past the throttle wire connectors. This took me about 2 hours to learn.
Another technic I used is one from the construction industry. When pulling wires through conduit, piping, electricians use a slime to reduce the friction between the wires and the inside of the piping. I used petroleum jelly to make the wires slide easier. I have to guess that I may have petroleum jelly leaking from the bottom end of the handle bar on hot summer days. But, I used it, and will see if this is the case. Petroleum jelly may have been a mistake. I will see next summer.
During the wire extension process I made exact notes of my work. The stock control wires have their various colors. Orange with a white stripe. White with a brown (or black) stripe. Solid black. Black with a red stripe. And so on. The wire I had of similar gauge to the stock wires did not match the stock wire sheathing. I had green, red, black, black with a purple stripe and such. I also did not have sufficient variety of wire colors. So I painted some of the wires with "White out" to make, for example, my "black with a purple stripe" wire a "black with a purple stripe with white paint" wire. The white marking doubled my variety.
I also made precise notes of what stock wire connected to my "black with a purple stripe" wire and the other wires. Both stock and my supplied wire. This way I could know which wire needed to be connected to which wire in the nacelle.
Once I got to this point it was only a matter of reassembling the parts of the motorcycle. The nacelle. The trim. The windshield. And the rest of the bike. I then washed the bike. Not including the wash, the project took me about 9 hours.
The time I had. The wire and other supplies for the extensions I had. As a ham radio operator and, therefore, somewhat familiar with soldering and such, I also had the confidence to do the project.
Results? New bars with concealed wires. A more comfortable ride. And the enjoyment of doing the project. Not a bad way to spend my time.
#2
11-14-2011, 08:18 AM
vaseline may have been a mistake...but not a big one...petro based lubricants can cause wire insulation to break down and become brittle over time...harley recommends using windex as a lube for pulling wires through the heandlebars....otherwise it is a good write up with lots of good information...
#3
11-14-2011, 09:03 AM
vaseline may have been a mistake...but not a big one...petro based lubricants can cause wire insulation to break down and become brittle over time...harley recommends using windex as a lube for pulling wires through the heandlebars....otherwise it is a good write up with lots of good information...
I will add that the wrap was for the purpose of reducing the diameter of the bundle of wires.
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