I've been thinking about installing new handlebars on my RG since I bought it. A buddy of mine bought a Dyna a month before I bought my bike and he said he HATED his stock bars and got rid of them the first week. We swapped bikes for a ride and of course he loved my bike but HATED my stock bars also.

I did notice that they caused me to lean just slightly forward. I'm not a real tall guy. On a long trip that could be an issue I guess but around town and short runs to Big D and back it hasn't really bothered me. Still, its something I've been thinking about.

I wanted to position my controlls a little higher - but not ape hanger high - and a little closer. I'd already tried adjusting my bars to bring them closer but wasn't really satisfied with the results. So I started looking closely at different options.

First I went throught the HD catalog. At first glance its kind of confusing. You have to study on the nuts and bolts so to speak. I went to the page with all the parts numbers that tells width, knurl, rise and pull-back and looked up my stock bars there to see what I had. Then I looked for something that had the same knurl and that had the highest rise with a similar pull-back.

I found a "mini-ape" made for the dyna models that gave me a little more rise and similar (actually slightly less) pull-back. But all things are not equal. The shape and angles make a huge difference and studying the photos in the catalog I could see that the Dyna bars were probably what I was looking for. Part #56079-93 - $59.95 plus tax.

Then I looked on-line at the different options I had there. There were many available but all were considerably more expensive. Most of these were 1 1/4" bars rather than the 1" that I was looking at so I could understand the price difference. But they were also going to involve new, longer cables. I was looking for something simple and economical to make for a quick swap.

I decided to go to the dealer and check out the Dyna Mini-apes. I looked through the catalog to see what longer cables were going to cost me IF I needed them. I didn't want to go with SS or DB cables but wanted to stick with stock, black cables simply as a matter of economics. But the time I replaced all my cables with stainless or diamondback I'd be spending several hundred dollars. I'm already dumping way too much into the girl on top of my monthly payments and insurance so I didn't want to get carried away.

I went to the dealership and the kid at the parts counter didn't know much. He basically just pulled out the catalog and took me where I'd already been. Bottom line was it didn't look like the made anyblack cables for my bike that were longer than stock. So I told him that I'd just take the handlebars and if I needed the cables I'd come back and get them. At that point I wasn't even sure that the handlebars were going to do what I wanted them to do. I figured on just taking the bars and holding them up to the bike to get a feel for if they were what I wanted.

Now anyone who is looking at a handlebar swap on a touring bike other than a Road King I recomend that you buy the service manual. In fact I recomend to anyone that owns a Harley that they buy the service manual. It was the first thing I bought after I bought the bike. I really don't want the dealership or anybody else wrenching on my bike. I'd much prefer to do it myself thank you very much. But that's just me...

So I get the handlebars home and check them out and they look like they'll do what I want so I go to work on the install. On the bikes with farings you have to partially disassemble and remove the ignition switch. Before you do this it is best to remove the four torque head

 

Nice write up! I've been wanting to change bars also; however, comforthas never been a problem. I bought my bike in CT and rode home 1948 miles. No back problems no arm problems! I just want to up my image of Kool.

 

Great article - but it ended before you did.
Any chance of getting the whole thing?
I have a '09 RG, but am not satisfied with the stock bars.
! am 6'00" witha 31" inseam and 33" sleeve.
I am looking for some black bars with sufficient pull back.
I am going "anti chrome" on this,(3rd Harley)./
Would appriciate any thoughts.
I have the factory service manual.
Thanks.

 

i noticed on the harley web site that the offer heritaged style mini apes for the RG that dosent require a cable change.

 

I installed the Heritage Style bars on my 08 Rg, made a huge difference in the comfort of the ride. With ABS I liked the idea of no cable or brake line changes. Highly recommend

 

Handlebars issues are a conspiracy by Harley. I'm convinced of it.

 

love the bars on my rg.you are right thow,the bars seem to be the first togo.i wounder who they make these bikes for,the majority of people do change them.

 

good luck with the prospect like the orange

 

I put the black Heritage style bars on my 09 RG and love them. Install isn't hard and no cable changes required. Hardest part was getting the fork nacelle apart to get to the handle bar clamp.

 

I just ordered a set of Heritage bars for my 2010 RG. One post I read recommended taking the outer fairing off. Did you need to do this or was there enough slack on the wiring for a straight swap?