[03sonicstang]

Question for you guys. Looking to switch out my 05 SoftTail standard handlebars to something more up right. I’m 6’1” and even with forward controls I’m still slightly hunched over. Was looking a mini apes but not sure how they’ll feel.

Also would love to run some of the wiring in the bars as in 05 everything was external.

Any experience you guys can share? Thanks for reading. Looks like I got my last ride in here I’m Michigan. It’s always a bitter sweet end ! Time to fire up the sleds 🤙🏼

 

[ARIZONA MISFIT]

Welcome 03.
Where abouts are you in Mi.
Sorry I can’t help you with yr handle Bars.
Rick


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[03sonicstang]

Northville/Novi area. How about you?

 

[ARIZONA MISFIT]

I grew up in Detroit.
When we got married we moved to Romulus, Mi.
Then to Westland.
I worked at G.M.


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[OscarN]

Question for you guys. Looking to switch out my 05 SoftTail standard handlebars to something more up right. I’m 6’1” and even with forward controls I’m still slightly hunched over. Was looking a mini apes but not sure how they’ll feel.

Also would love to run some of the wiring in the bars as in 05 everything was external.

Any experience you guys can share? Thanks for reading. Looks like I got my last ride in here I’m Michigan. It’s always a bitter sweet end ! Time to fire up the sleds

With your height you should go with at least 14” IMO. I’d also try different seats and perhaps look at offset risers. My local Harley shop offers seats for a test ride, it may be your seat also. Internal wiring is easier with bigger diameter bars, but you need to watch clamp diameter, I believe it is 1” on softails.


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[Brapple]

I would suggest 12" or 14" Wild 1 Chubby's with a 1" clamping size... I have some 10" Chubby's and love them (5' 9"). However, everyone has their own opinion, so I would go to the local shops and sit on various bike to test the best bar height and pull back. This is a job anyone with a little mechanical experience can do, I was able to complete the job myself in less than 2 hours. Planning is key...

 

[03sonicstang]

Thanks guys!! The local dealer has a parts/service guy with some sort of cult following. I’m going to stand in his line the next time, which is always very long 😂 with winter coming I need a project or I’ll lose my mind!

 

[RJ64]

The pullback on my risers is what is killing me. It has the standard Deluxe everything on it and I'm going to try different risers first. My credit card is about to explode so I'm trying to tread lightly on it and not buy new bars, but may have to. I'm 6' 1' as well and had to turn the bars up quite a bit just to even ride it home. I hope you have plenty of slack in cables and such or that will be another project in itself. My Sporty has 16" narrow apes on it with the internal wiring and it looks good and fits me well, as long as I keep it below 65 mph. After that the wind is trying to kill me, but I will die looking good haha.

 

[03sonicstang]

This is a solid point. I have pull back risers as well. What risers are you going to try? I have a wife and three daughters, so needless today, my credit card is always one step from exploding!!!

 

[03sonicstang]

Love riding by buddies sportster, but hear you with the wind trying to kill ya!!!

 

[RJ64]

This is a solid point. I have pull back risers as well. What risers are you going to try? I have a wife and three daughters, so needless today, my credit card is always one step from exploding!!!

A friend gave me some 6" straight risers that look like they are for a Dyna or Sportster but are 'supposed' to fit a Softail. They have the slanted bolt pattern so I picked up a top clamp that would work with them, as the Softail has the 'dog bone' shaped top clamp. That will put the bars 1" higher but more importantly 2" further forward. I will take pics when I do it and post here, but I have so much other crap going on right now that I don't know when I can get to it. Will definitely need some help changing them out to make it much easier.

 

[RJ64]

Oh and and I picked up new riser bushings while I was at it. For some reason the current risers look a tad crooked to the right when sitting on the bike, and someone said that it could be a bad bushing and that it is always best to replace the bushings anyway since you have to take a bunch of stuff off just to get to the bolts anyway. I was told that is the Softail motto: To change ANYTHING you gotta take a bunch of stuff off lol.

 

[RJ64]

This is a solid point. I have pull back risers as well. What risers are you going to try? I have a wife and three daughters, so needless today, my credit card is always one step from exploding!!!

With that much estrogen in the house you gotta ride! And maybe go fishing as well! haha

 

[03sonicstang]

Thanks! Keep me posted on your install! Funny, mine risers seem slightly crooked as well. If I end up doing the Risers, the bushings are definitely coming out!

 

[03sonicstang]

Thinking I'm going to order the Chrome Pull back 6-1/2" Riser and Poly Bushing kit from J and P. Under $100 bucks.....worth a try right???

 

[03sonicstang]

Tried to install the risers today and the I'm definitely going to need a longer brake line, its not even close. Also think the throttle cables might need to be changed. Anyone that has done the change out have any recommendations or can point me in the right direction?

Thanks

 

[RJ64]

I took the stock risers off last night and went ahead and replaced the bushings as well. The risers I bought said they will fit a Softail but are actually made for Dyna/Sportster set-up. Yes they fit, but do not have the nice fat look of the stock risers. The chrome bushing covers are a nice touch and look much much better than using the stock non-chrome ones under the skinny-er risers. Had to tighten them down way tight to get them to stop wiggling around as well. The pic shows the relation of the pullback and rise to the stock risers. Had to buy a different clamp as well. Will finish this up tonight and hopefully go for a test ride.

 

[03sonicstang]

Did you end up needing to replace any lines or cables?

 

[RJ64]

I was going to finish the project last night, but the hand in that pic is attached to a [email protected]@ woman with some serious mental issues so I had to kick her out. Why do I get all the bat-sh!t crazy ones??? Anyway........will finish it up tonight after work. Don't know for sure about the cables yet but the brake line is looking a tad suspicious at this point.

 

[RJ64]

Here is a pic after getting it all together except for the windshield. It works good and is more comfortable than before so I'm going to keep it this way for now. The brake line is very snug when the bars are full left so I better go ahead and change it out. I hope my experiment helps you out!