SO I FINALLY GOT MY 16 INCH APE HANGERS PUT ON THIS WEEKEND. I GOT FINISHED ABOUT 10:30 SATURDAY NIGHT, AND HAD A RIDE SUNDAY MORNING. WELL, AFTER FINISHING I HAD TO DO A TEST DRIVE AND GOT HOME ABOUT MIDNIGHT. SWEET!! AFTER PUTTING ON A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES YESTERDAY, ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT IT IS LIKE I HAVE A NEW BIKE. IT LIFTED MY ARMS, LET ME SIT BACK, AND REPOSITIONED MY HIPS. I HAD NO BACK ACHES AT THE END OF IT, MY HIPS AND LEGS FELT FINE. IF I HAD KNOWN IT WAS GOING TO MAKE THAT BIG OF A DIFFERENCE I WOULD HAVE DONE IT 10,000 MILES AGO. I CAN'T WAIT TO PUT ANOTHER 10,000 MILES ON THERE WITH THE NEW BARS.

I WILL TRY TO GET SOME PICS TAKEN AND POSTED UP HERE.

I HAVE TO SAY A SPECIAL THANKS TO CLIFFORD. I TOLD HIM WHAT I WANTED TO DO AND HE ORDERED ALL THE CABLES AND BRAKE LINES FOR ME, REMOVED ALL THE GUESSING OUT OF MEASUREMENTS,AND SAVED ME SOME MONEY. WHEN EVER I ORDER STUFF FROM NOW ON, IF I CAN GET IT THROUGH CLIFFORD I WILL. EVEN IF IT COSTS ME A LITTLE EXTRA, HIS KNOWLEDGE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE ARE UNBEATABLE. SO THANKS AGAIN CLIFFORD.

AND IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, ANYBODY THINKING OF PUTTING APE HANGERS ON THEIR BIKE, DO IT. MAN, WHAT A RIDE. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET OFF WORK TODAY AND GO PUT SOME MORE MILES ON.

Congrats on the install.I just received my Kong Bars this weekend and am about to order my cables W/Clifford.I am a little apprehensive on doning the install myself but what people want around here to do it I have to try myself first.Hopefully they are as comfortable as you all say they are

How long did it take you to install?

IT TOOK ME LONGER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE HONESTLY. (I BELIEVE THAT TWO PEOPLE THAT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT A SUBJECT KNOW LESS THAN ONE PERSON WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT A SUBJECT.)

I HAD A FRIEND THERE TO HELP ME (WHICH I RECOMMEND), BOTH OF LIKE TO TINKER BUT NEITHER OF US ARE MECHANICS. IT TOOK A COUPLE HOURS TO STRIP EVERYTHING DOWN. WE WENT SLOW JUST TO MAKE SURE WE DID IT CORRECTLY AND PUT NUTS IN IDENTIFYING CONTAINERS, SO WE WOULD KNOW RIGHT WHERE THEY WENT. THE MOST TIME CONSUMING PART WAS EXTENDING THE ELECTRICAL AND RUNNING THEM INSIDE THE HANDLE BARS. BUT THAT IS WORTH THE CLEAN APPEARANCE. THEN I RAN INTO A PROBLEM BLEEDING THE BRAKE LINE. AFTER EVERYTHING WAS SAID AND DONE, IT TOOK ABOUT 7 HOURS.

IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING YOU COULD DO THIS IN A LOT LESS TIME, I WOULD THINK 3 1/2 TO 4 HOURS. BUT, IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE, AND AN EXCUSE TO SPEND A FEW HOURS WITH A BUDDY.

do yourself a favor and get a mityvac, i tried everything to get brakes to bleed cheaply but ever since i got that mityvac i change fluids more often and feel better bout it all...handlebar swaps can be done in about an hour or two if you arent running internal, theres a lot more planning involved in internal wiring, but always worth the effort, but hey why rush it anyway, i always like wrenching as much as riding

i too regretted not doing apes a long time ago, now im all smiles

Ahhh yes, Another happy convert!

As for the brake bleeding, yeah, you HAVE to get the vac, $20 at AutoZone, and about 2 hours of cussing saved.

I WOULD RECOMMEND HAVING THE VAC, BECAUSE FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, BLEEDING BRAKES MANUALLY SUCKS. BUT I DO HAVE A TIP FOR PEOPLE BLEEDING THE LINE MANUALLY. IF YOU ARE GETTING FLUID OUT OF THE BLEEDER VALVE BUT ARE NOT GETTING PRESSURE IN YOUR BRAKE LEVER, I.E. YOU STILL HAVE SOME AIR IN THE LINE, FILL THE RESERVOIR TO UP AND PUT THE CAP ON, AND MAKE SURE YOU CLOSE YOUR BLEEDER VALVES THEN TIE THE BRAKE LEVER BACK TO THE HAND GRIP AND LEAVE IT THERE OVER NIGHT. WHAT THIS DOES IS ALLOWS THE LINE TO STAY OPEN AND ANY AIR BUBBLES IN THE LINE WILL WORK THEMSELVES UP INTO THE RESERVOIR. THE NEXT MORNING UNTIE THE BRAKE LEVER AND PUMP IT A FEW TIMES. IT SHOULD FIRM RIGHT UP.

You can also use a large suringe w/ hose that fits bleeder valve and fill it with fluid, take the resivoir cap off and fill from the caliper it pushes the air out the resivoir.

Congrats on the Apes! I know the feeling you got when you installed them and got in your first ride... it is one of those things you just cant describe!

Pic,pics,pics!!!