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[Hoist!]

Yea sure, just because I'm a newbie to the forum you just discounted my humble opinion - lol.

Hey bagger, FXR's newer than you! Hoist!

[Rooster]

My last bike was a 2000 RK Classic and I went to the next size harley bars about 3.5 inches more and was perfect for my short reach. Only 5'6" maybe 5'7" strechin for a good crow

[FXR2evo99]

Bagger....

lol....really I didn't discount your opinion...I couldn't have since I never actually read it before posting (which was my original point above......) it only appears as though I might have.....timing is everything.......you posted your comments at 12:16pm and mine were at 3:37pm.....and I am sure that most assurdly only enhances that I MUST have read your opinion first before posting.....but....ok ok ok ok ok...feels like Joe Pesci.....I had to write my response twice as the battery on my comptuer went out while I did the initial writing....pooooooooof...gone.....while of course you had time to post your position.....lol....along with what was going on around me at the time my post was delayed in being sent and showing up.....so honestly I had not read it before typing mine....lol....

However, if I had read your post prior to responding initially to Stohker I still might have said something like this:

If strohker does read the post I attached yesterday that will take him back through Hoist's threads (or if he had read them on his own) on the topic of handlebars he will find something that Hoist said that pretty much addresses the difference between the 508's and the 515's in particular....and that is...Hoist speaks that he himself perfers having the knuckles of his fist pointing forward where as with the angle of the 508's this is not possible because the way the 508's come back to you is more of a "wheelbarrow" in that your knuckles are more pointed parallel to the bike....which I personally find from merely sitting on the bike with such a style of handlebar to be noticeably awkward.  So I am not sure it would ever be possible for me personally to move beyond the "sitting on the bike with them" "stage".....I have visions of moving dirt with a wheelbarrow during a past remodel with what felt like tons of weight and always feeling like that "wheelbarrow" had a mind of it's own with me just along for the ride.....never knowing for sure whether I really had control of it....but could basically point it in the right direction and while being prepared at any moment that it might "tilt" on me in either direction....lol  <~~~~that's what the 508's remind me of....

Finally I would have said....stohker referenced both the 508's and the 517's handlebars in his initial posting, without mentioning the 515's as a consideration and now he has some additional things to think about and knows that he has two different people experiences, one running the 508 bars and one running the 515 bars succcessfully more so than the stock RK bars which are miserable for many people....which only goes to prove there is no right answer for anyone.....only personal experiences that hopefully we all have a chance to read and come up with solutions that may be benificial to us all.....

I know you were being humorus with me above.....and I take it all in good fun really....and your point is a valid one even within the humor.  10,000 miles a year is more experience than I have on a yearly basis with my bike not to mention that's also more mileage than I put on my cars as well per year...lol...so what kind of car do you own....lol....wait wait wait....I was only kidding.....steering wheel???
thick, padded, perhaps leather wrapped??   

Furthermore, I only know from my own research that this is a topic of concern for many people as ROAD KING owners.....it's a great ride and a wonderful bike.....but the stock bars really are lacking and it appears for the SERK riders it is as well.....THE FUNNY THING I came here to the SERK catagory of CVO to look into the "stock" handlebars of the 2007 SERK because from photos of the 2003 SERK as well as the 2007 SERK the handlebars I thought these would be a alternative to consider....and if you go back once again to Hoist's comments when he first acquired his 2007 SERK initially his comments about the stock bars were positive (some where around a 150 miles he was still very pleased with them) and yes he said that while he liked the "initial" feel of the 2007 SERK stock handlebars he still felt he might want to make a change....so my point is....I quickly realized from a couple of posts here that perhaps I should reconsider the useage of the 2003 or 2007 SERK stock handlebar ....especially when I learned of the miles Hoist was putting on....

Another point is that there aren't all that many discussions about handlebars available.....yes there might be 10 - 12 posts but the content within those is fairly limited.....What there are 5-6 websites that deal with "technical" issues with Harleys.....and the topic of handlebars isn't that widely discussed.....

All I know is that I have had the "stock bars", "RK High Bars", and the "RK Reduced Reach Bars" and with all of them I have experienced weaknesses....thus I align myself with Stohker and his comments of "begging" for a solution.......I will see shortly myself....and plan to report my findings....hopefully helping others to reach conclusions months from now when most of us will be on to whether we should be using mag wheels vs spokes or which cam vs piston....oh yeah I forgot you 2007 SERK riders don't worry about such things with 110 power....that's like "lightening" in a bottle....<g>  or is it closer to your average home outlet....<g>

thanks Bagger....now back to your regularly scheduled programing 

Regards,

FXR2evo99

[strohkr]

WOW - quite a post!! I went on a 200 mile evening ride last nite and found the stock handlebars to be "alright" - at least my back wasn't totally killing me when I got home. Since I'm not a wrench at all (what the hell is a torque wrench anyway?) I'd need a dealer to swap handlebars for me. I checked into that and it's - big time spendy to say the least. So right now I have no clue what I'm going to do. I don't think I want a wheelbarrow bar for sure - I'm still thinking about the mini-apes that Wild Ones have (the 8 1/2" and the 10") but again, I'm not sure. Since it's going to cost me a grand or so to change out bars - I just might decide to live with the stock SERK bars for the time being. No way in hell am I going to change them out 2 or 3 times at the price I was quoted - everyone thought I was nuts for shucking out the bucks for the SERK to begin with - I'd be a real nut case to switch out handlebars 2 or 3 times at $1k a pop. I just need a better paying job to pay for this expensive biker life style (lol).
Let us know what you find out when you change bars - might help a lot of us!

[FXR2evo99]

stohker....

I am scratching my head here....$1,000.00?  Why $1,000.00?

now I am not sure about this.....but according to what Hoist shared he mentioned you wouldn't need a clutch "line", you wouldn't need a throttle cable or a idle cable, you would perhaps only need a new brake line....so where are the extra parts....and how did we get to $1,000.00??

The bar is going to cost you $219.95 + shipping but you could get 20% off of that based on the person I referenced in my first post....which puts the bar in around $190.00 shipped....Of course you should own a service manual and a parts book for your bike....(basic passage into Harley's anyway) those are about $90.00 together I would assume.....you got me on the torque wrench....but that is a whole different "thread".....you are right if you have a dealer doing this job it's about what 5-6 hours at $80.00 would be about $500.00, although I am a bit lost if Hoist has stated that you only need a new brake line that you wouldn't be taking off the clutch line thus no time spent there taking off your exhaust or dealing with the draining of any fluids so I am  bit confused why it would take a dealer 5-6 hours to do this job anyway.........ok....so....back to my comments....

Yes I am changing my throttle cable, idle w/cruise cable, while I am not convinced at this time that I will be removing my brake line (as I have an after market one on already and feel it may be long enough) and I believe my clutch cable will not require replacing....so.....and yes I am perfectly happy with "black vinyl" for the cables going on to my RKC.....my material costs with 20% off inclusive of the handle bar is roughly $275.00 which by the way includes the cost of the "NOVELLO" wiring harness 8" extension kit keeping me potentially from having to "splice my wiring".  You don't need a special tool to get into the "deutch" (sp) ends where your stock wiring harness connects from your switches, as you only need a small "pick" anyway to get those seperated......I know Hoist mentioned paying to have someone do his work......so I am unclear at the bill he paid to have his work done....but $1,000.00...??  what was included in that price....  My gawd was it that you have on your forehead, I am a SERK OWNER with no tools....so I agree to pay $1,000.00?  <~~~that would be alot to have written on your forehead come to think about it.....

I know for a fact that these behind the counter service guys are dealing with so many different style bikes to know exactly what needs to be changed on your bike at face value without being detailed in a discussion would leave one surmising that $1,000.00 would be right....but I am still going back to "officially" what parts does it take for you to go to 10" apes.....I don't see $1,000.00 for this.....if no clutch is being done, no throttle or idle w/cruise cable being done, and if you present them a $60.00 wiring harness extension kit...that would surely cut down on labor from a $1,000.00???....

All I know is I plan on doing this job myself....with the help of a couple of people if it works out with their schedules...ok so I own a torque wrench....and my service manual and a parts book....but there is enough help here at this website that someone could assist you through the process if money is the issue.....NOW of course if you do have to change the clutch line, the throttle and idle w/cruise cable you will have some more money with a transmission gasket $12.00 or less perhaps,  transmission fluid $12.00, exhaust gaskets $14.00, and more time involved....and a few more wrenches....


And as for what my experience will be.....I am assuming you were referencing me when you were looking forward to my update after installing the bars on my bike....this one has me scratchin my head as well.....

You got a guy here (Hoist) who is the same size as you and I, owns the very same bike as you, that has put over 5,000 miles on his bike in 2 months and I might add 95% of those miles with the WO515 10" "mini" apes and you think my experience will offer you more insight than his.....and he has owned 5 road kings along the way......

Come here Strohker so I can "smack" you....you are going to kill your own thread......LOL...what the ________???  <~~~~hey I meant this comment in humor, really...

$1,000.00     Did HD change their corporate name from HD to TD?
(hundred dollar to Thousand dollar) lol

Regards,

"Classic"

[strohkr]

HA! HA!
Hoist is great! But he ain't God (at least I don't think so anyway - are ya Hoist??)! Remember the old saying - two heads are better than one??? Hoist likes his - ok, I'd like to find someone else who likes the same thing as well - maybe that's you! I'm so damn screwed up with this handlebar issue - maybe killing this thread is the thing to do to get my head straight again. I'm going to be going to a couple of rallies in July and Aug - maybe I can find a Wild One vendor and look for myself without actually ordering the bars (no one around here has anything - I live in the sticks in North Dakota).
Yep - it's a fact. The Stealership guy looked at my bike and said, "Yeah, looks like somewhere around a grand or so..." There are a couple of aftermarket places that I'm going to check into as well - actually gonna try and do that this afternoon since I have the rest of the day off. Maybe you're right - probably saying hey, if this guy can afford a SERK he can afford a grand to change handlebars... Who the hell knows. I've got the manual and everything but it seems like everytime I start something - I F&^%$&^* it up and then it costs me even more to make it right again. Just plain not mechanically minded.
Maybe I should just work on the saddlebag issue and forget about the bars for now - at least I've got that somewhat under control (lol).

[FXR2evo99]

HA! HA!
Hoist is great! But he ain't God (at least I don't think so anyway - are ya Hoist??)! Remember the old saying - two heads are better than one??? Hoist likes his - ok, I'd like to find someone else who likes the same thing as well - maybe that's you! I knew this comment was coming....YOU are funny!!!!

I'm so damn screwed up with this handlebar issue - maybe killing this thread is the thing to do to get my head straight again.  this comment made me laugh too....I do "feel" your pain.....handlebars are a NIGHTMARE!!!!! perhaps that's why there are so few discussions about such because ultimately everyone knows it's such a "personal" taste thing as well as so complicated....but think of it this way.....you can have the most comfortable bed in the world or the most comfortable couch in the world or the most comfortable chair for that matter or most comfortable car....and if you lay in any of them or sit in any of them long enough you will find yourself in a lot of pain!!!!  What I am after in a handle bar and a seat (for that matter) is to create enough comfort for say a minimum of 3 back to back to back 500 - 600 mile days in a row...knowing that if that is accomplished then most anything else will be successful as well....


I'm going to be going to a couple of rallies in July and Aug - maybe I can find a Wild One vendor and look for myself without actually ordering the bars (no one around here has anything - I live in the sticks in North Dakota). 

ok ok ok......I am trying to help you out logically here....."look" for yourself??? what do you mean "look"....are you saying you are still needing to "possibly" "wrap" your mind around how any "ape" will "look" on your bike and particularly the 10" apes?? quite honestly I have had to "wrap" my mind around the "look" as well and the photos that Wild1 offers as well as the photos that Hoist has put on in his post showing them were great for me in seeing how I "felt" about the "look"......and you are right if you were to make it to Sturgis as a potential "rally" for you to attend in August, you will see plenty of bikes with them there....but none of that will address the "comfort" of the ride for you.....

Perhaps the following dialogue might prove beneficial made to me by someone else who I was having discussions with (this person is running the 10" wild1 apes as well on a 2003 RKC)....about how they felt with the "look" element of the 10" ape handlebars:


continued.......

[FXR2evo99]

here was my "stated" question:

"did you end up liking the "look" of the bars right away or was it awhile for you to acquire the taste of them?"

the stated response:

Regarding the "look", that was not a factor to me.  To me, the handlebars represent a functional item, not an appearance item.  I wouldn't be too concerned with the look.  To me, your bars are what you use to control the motorcycle and need to be functional and comfortable, end of story.

That's why I would question another comment you made, "Maybe I should just work on the saddlebag issue and forget about the bars for now - at least I've got that somewhat under control (lol)." duh.....smacks you again....lol...you've got bags....deal with your bars....<wink>...lol....

Yep - it's a fact. The Stealership guy looked at my bike and said, "Yeah, looks like somewhere around a grand or so..." There are a couple of aftermarket places that I'm going to check into as well - actually gonna try and do that this afternoon since I have the rest of the day off. Maybe you're right - probably saying hey, if this guy can afford a SERK he can afford a grand to change handlebars... Who the hell knows.

I've got the manual and everything but it seems like everytime I start something - I F&^%$&^* it up and then it costs me even more to make it right again. Just plain not mechanically minded.

Ok....I am right with you on this comment.....but put that behind you....honestly if you would see how far I have come, I didn't have a tool box 4 years ago....now I have a "snap on" official hat....<g>....but you have to rid yourself of that thinking......and realize this....and I firmly believe this comment that I am about to make....there is no one on this earth that will care about your bike more than you will....so it's in your best interest to go above and beyond your comfort zone and begin learning....the only thing seperating you from a "true" mechanic are specific tools, including a good torque wrench, a good "snap on" hat <g>, and experience.....I have come from not having one bit of ability....to being able to take two bikes side by side and completely swap out the engines from the cylinders up on my carb twin cam dyna to my fuel injected twin cam road king classic....including cams....and to tell you the ridiculous it took me 90 hours to do the job of taking both bikes apart and putting them both back together...(the real ridiculous is the fact that I know how many hours it took me!) inclusive of making sure I had all the right gaskets and purchasing all of the gaskets I needed...with three other guys saving me about 7-8 hours and with one person of those three primarily affording me the confidence to try the "swap" to begin with along with having the skill to actually remove the 4 pistons and swap them from one bike to the other while the pistons remained precisely intack and inside of their respective cylinders without having to incur the added expense of rehoning the cylinders or having to put new rings which saved around $200.00 or so...

I am digressing here to make a point.....and the point is....part of the journey (in my opinion) with owning a harley.......is being able to work on your bike yourself in fact I feel it assists you in becoming a better rider.......if you have to rely on your independent mechanic or dealer you will certainly miss part of what this is all about not to mention needing to take out a second mortgage........

The accomplishment of overcoming many things in one life....is also certainly a part of the bigger picture....another example of this is that I have put a private plane in the air by myself...no one else in the plane and have landed it as well.....when you accomplish something like this....everything in life begins to become available for you to accomplish......so perhaps it's time to quit worrying about what you are going to mess up and get some basic tools to do the job well.....I am totally confident that others on this forum will throw out some help to you if needed...(I would assume you might already have that opinion based upon this thread as well) and certainly you have some buddies that are around you that have some mechanical skill that you ride with....


continued......

[FXR2evo99]

Realistically I am QUITE positive that there are many when thinking about "splicing" wires freak out about doing this "project" themselves.....but when you have two engines laying out on the floor side by side....and when you have put the last bolt into place and you crank up the bikes and they work....there is a sense that ok....another step has been taken....I can think of alot of tools that could begin your journey with $700.00 that would be going to your mechanic to do this job....inclusive of a "torque wrench" which probably becomes perhaps ONE of the most expensive tools you will need....and the way I think about it is each job requires specific tools so when a "job" approaches you get the needed tools....which would have been the labor involved....

Going back to the "splicing" thoughts.....the wiring extension kit will remove any "soldering" you have to do.....and that kit as I mentioned before will cost you around $60.00.  So once again for roughly $250.00 you are in slicker than snot on ice skates......

With a digital camera at your disposal detailing as you move through the process with photos providing references you will be able to do the job....plus I have some very detailed instructions I can e~mail you that were provided to me by someone else as well as my own experience after I finish and other's experiences here there is no doubt in my mind that in Rob Schneider's best line from Water Boy   ......"Youuuuuuuuuuu cannnnnnnnnnn  deeeewwwwwwww itttttttt"......"Youuuuuuuuuuuu cannnnnnnnnnnn dewwwwwwwwwwwww ittttttttt"  <g>
Regards,

FXR2evo99