I haven't ridden the RK Custom but love the look of the beach bars. Do they ride comfortablely? I'm thinking that if I got a RK I'd go for a standard and put the beach bars on it.

 

Mac,

If you haven't tried it yet, you might lower your factory bars a little and see how they fit before buying something new. All that requires is opening the fairing(6 screws), lossening the 4 handle bar clamp screws, and rotating the bars down. You could try this when you install your new smoke shorty windshield as you will have to open the fairing to do that anyway.

My EG had the bars about 1 1/2 inches high from the factory, and the riding position was very uncomfortable, especially right between the shoulders. After lowering, the comfort is much improved, and I will ride that way for a while before I spring for new bars. I haven't had a long trip yet, so I can't say for sure, but I think the factory bars are going to be good now. I also have a Corbin seat, so I am sitting back a little further than with a factory seat.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Bill

 

Bill,

This is good advice, and when I get home I will do it. I had that same pain you described between my shoulder blades, high up, and it was not comfortable. Not a problem for short stuff around town, but that one 200 mile day the wife and I did was a little uncomfortable, and I can only imagine how a week of that would be.

I'll rotate them, and give that a shot. If nothing else, it will help determine what I need to do and the effects of moving those bars an inch or so down, vice back...

Mac

 

I've got the 16" buffalo bars on my wide glide. I put 6" over stainless braided cables and internal wiring. Wish I would have gotten 8" over so I could use 2" risers if the mood hit me. I love the feeling. Every once in a while my thumbs will go numb but I just shake them out will quick and then I'm fine. I wouldn't have it any other way now. I heard a lot about the shoulder blades hurting a lot of people but that hasn't been the case with me.

 

Changed mine out as they put me too far back when riding two up. Put stock Fat Boy bars on with no complaints.

 

Mac,

Forgot to tell you, but when you lower the bars, make sure that the throttle cables don't hit the top of the gas tank when turned hard to the right. If they are close, you can tie them closer to the bars with a plastic wire tie.

Regards,

Bill

 

Got it Bill, thanks.

I get home from Hawaii next Saturday, so if the wife will let me run to the Harley shop (on the way home from the airport) [sm=badidea.gif] I'll pick up my new windscreen, chrome strip for the front (gotta get that for Skip) and my new shop manual.

I'm hoping to get to the bike on Sunday, as I know there is a LONG week of work ahead of me after that before leaving for NC for another 10 days...

Mac

 

Mac, any chance of hitting cash sales between TADs?

 

I just got the Wild 1 518's. Go to their website and compare the two, also they will really help you out if you email them with your size.

 

I was thinking about changing my bars out also. It's like I'm leaning forward too much on the bike when I ride it. I read on another forum that the Road King High Handlebars part # 55954-00 work pretty good and you don't have to change the cables. They are higher and you do have more pullback than on the stock bars. I'm going to adjust the position of my bars and see how that feels before I try different ones though.