Installing forward controls

[soccer]

Question for all you wrenchers out there. I would like to install forward controls on my 08 Street Bob. Not sure if this is a do it yourself job or not. Have been reading on forums where you may have to open "cases" etc.. So would like to hear your opinions. Just don't have much experience working on bikes yet. Thanks!

[Dave63]

Your new forward controls will come with a "block off" cap that will go over your existing shifter shaft that extends through the inner/outer primary, after the shifter arm is removed. The shaft will stay there, and the old inner linkage arm will just tuck down below the inner primary, out of sight.

The old peg mounts unbolt, your new mounts bolt up front and your new linkage mounts to the shifter arm and the rear brake master cylinder. You'll reuse your old shifter arm and peg.

It's relatively straight forwards, involving no fluids, tricks, smoke or mirrors.

Takes about 1-2 hours, depending on your abilities.

[Nathang]

The guys who are saying you have to open the primary cases,
and replace the rear half, are the guys wanting to bill you by the hour.

Dave and I are are well, we're just about the pinochle of motorcycling excellence,
and we both have the ugly shaft stubb sticking out because we're too cheap
and/or lazy to do the job right.

Live with it, until some time it's really convenient to remove/replace.

[soccer]

Excellent. I though you two would have some great, straight forward info. Thanks much.

[MichiganPatriot]

OR... you could do what I did and cut the old shifter shaft off with a hacksaw blade taped at both ends (no hacksaw frame, just the blade.)

I got the blade between the inner primary and the flat piece of the old shifter shaft that attaches to the shifter "spindle." With the hacksaw teeth facing forward, I took lots of short strokes and finally got the flat piece cut off of the spindle.

I used the flat piece as sort of a guide while cutting so I didn't scratch the inner primary with the blade. It took a while and some being careful, but I was much happier with this result than having the old one in there rattling on every decent bump in the road.

I set this picture up after the fix to illustrate the approximate position of the hacksaw blade while cutting. I (obviously) did the cutting before the forward controls were installed.

[soccer]

looks interesting. I will check it out once I get the kit. Thanks

[MichiganPatriot]

I forgot to add that I bought a cheap pack of hacksaw blades. I broke a few while sawing the shaft out, you probably will too, but it beats the heck out of going through the trouble of taking off the inner primary to get it out in one piece.

[yachtcaptain]

I'm looking to buy a 1200 Sportster, and have found the newer bikes all seem to have the forward controls. I'm old school and prefer the controls back. Can anybody tell me if they can be fitted with the controls back, what's involved or what it costs? Thanks.

[bmiller04]

Oddly enough...I have seen a TON of posts talking about taking a hacksaw to that post. I thought it was complete insanity at first, but after attemping to get the primary off...that idea isn't looking so bad right now. I would be nervous about messing up something else back there since I can't get a good angle to see the post. Any suggestions?

[XDixiecratX]

Yachtcaptain , BMiller Wish you two would give us a visit in The New to the Community page so we can say Hello and give ya proper Welcome