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Don't Trust the Dealer's Instructions

5K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  Cheez 
#1 · (Edited)
I bought the Victory Apes and was getting ready to swap them with the stock bars so I went to the dealer to get some "advice".

First question was: Can I do this without removing the entire inner fairing?

Answer: No, we always have to remove it completely.

My experience: once I got into it: No, you don't. Remove the 4 bolts holding the inner fairing and unscrew the 2 brackets holding the 2 wiring looms (that was a tight process) and move them out of the way. Then you can lift the fairing up and forward sufficient to get at the bar clamps.

Second question: How do I remove the left grip without screwing up the heating element?

Answer: The heating element wraps around the bar and the grip slides over it and it is glued. You have to carefully remove it by using compressed air to expand the grip and break the seal of the glue.

My experience: There are 2 little screws that hold the grip (which has an integral heating element) onto the bar. Remove the screws and the whole grip slides off effortlessly. You have to pull back the lip of the rubber and you'll see the screws. You can only pull the rubber back where the screws are.

Hope this helps someone else when you go to swap out your bars.

Total job took me 3 hours... which incidentally is the time the dealer would have charged me for them to do the job.
 
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#3 ·
I wonder what kind?

:grin

Good info thanks SilvrT!

Mike
 
#4 ·
I wish there was a button "funny"

Good job Silvr T
 
#6 ·
Silvr, and anyone else, a few comments:

- I agree, that dealer needs some more training, or something. There's no excuse for not knowing how the left grip is held on, if it's a stock heated grip.

- Removing lots of stuff, that's not so bad, IMHO. I put on HeliBars almost two years ago, and was faced with this decision.

The official instructions from Heli said not to remove much, similar to the way you did the work. Their instructions can be viewed here: http://www.helibars.com/resources/guides/597/en/HZ13054_WEB.pdf

However, I found it useful to remove the fairing and the dash. The fairing removal is a ten-minute job, and I've done that a lot of times for assorted electrical farkles. The dash is a PITA, which I'd done a few times.

Removing all this lets you see better what's going on, and makes it easier to reroute cables, wires, and hoses, if the need for extra slack arises (as it did in my case). I have a sub-gallery of pics and captions, re my HeliBars work, showing all this, here: Victory XCT HeliBars Installation . I think some aspects of it might be useful if you tackle this kind of project.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the info and the links Bill. In my case; however, there was no need for re-routing or changing of cables and very minimal slack was needed ... mostly in the clutch.

I did find though that due to how I positioned the Apes, my right mirror was at such an angle that I couldn't get enough adjustment out of it to see behind me properly. Keep in mind I do have custom Victory mirrors which only have the ball in the mirror for rotation. I couldn't adjust the brake mechanism any further due to the position of the switch housing. I wound up putting the stock mirrors back on in the interim until I can fabricate an angular mount of some sort.
 
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#8 ·
I see you have an XCT as well. From reading it didn't mention that you took off the outer shell. You did right? I believe there is no other way to get at the 4 bolts that hold the inner fairing on.

I want those bars too but the dealer wants about $600 installed. I just can't do that.

How are those bars by the way? do you have more pull back? I sat on a XC at the motorcycle show and really liked the bend but couldn't tell if they had more pull back.
 
#10 ·
Did my first ride today and so far I really like them. Closer than stock bars and grips are bent inwards which is much better on my wrists.

And yes, the outer shell has to come off... which is a piece of cake.


SilvrT
just asking about brake and switch housing. Is there a pin that will not let it rotate. If so couldn't you pull the pin so the master cylinder could be moved to where you want it
Yes there is a pin and I wouldn't want to remove it. That said, one could drill another hole to reposition the electrics.
 
#9 ·
SilvrT
just asking about brake and switch housing. Is there a pin that will not let it rotate. If so couldn't you pull the pin so the master cylinder could be moved to where you want it
 
#12 ·
What bike do you have?

If it's a Cross Country then nothing has to come off. You can get at the bottom clamp bolt with a long extension and the correct size allen bit. Loosen the two bolts and push your bars upwards.

That said, you're limited to how far they will adjust.
 
#15 ·
SilvrT

many have removed the pin. You're only going to move the master cylinder a small amount. It should not affect anything.
 
#17 ·
I would have thought the pin is what holds the switch housings in place?? Are you saying that just by tightening the housing screws it will clamp tight enough to the bar to prevent rotation?
 
#16 · (Edited)
I just did my bars this weekend. I took off the outer fairing, I unclipped the wire connections removed the 4 bolts holding the inner fairing to the bike and pulled it off. Took off old bars put on new ones....rerouted my clutch cable to make sure it had enough slack and then placed inner fairing back on...then adjusted the new bars as high as I wanted against the inner fairing and tightened them down like he said. Once I got the height and hand control position I wanted we marked the nub/pin in the housing with a paint pen and where it marked the bars we drilled a little hole for it to sit in. (Others just grind the nub off so they can move it where ever they want later) then we connected all the wires, slapped the outer fairing on, installed the headlight and trim and all done.
Not as difficult as I thought being the first time working on a Vic. The witchdoctors video was helpful but there are a few bolts they tell ya have to come off that don't. Love the look now Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Chopper Car
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#20 ·
cool... thanks for that "tip". I'll do it.
 
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