Why and how to adjust Harley Handlebars (Road Glide Example)

All I'm trying to tell you is that if a mechanically challenged person like me can figure this out, so can you. What is going on everybody? We are going to talk today about handlebars and the correct positioning and the reasons for that positioning and how it directly relates to you know the handling of your bike and some things that maybe I made a mistake in the beginning or waited too long to adjust it but now that I've figured it out not only am I going to tell you reasons why I'm going to show you how you can do it on this bike. This is a 2020 Road Glide special. This would be pretty much applicable to all road glides but even if you have a street glide and things like that you might want to know the reasons behind it. Now if you guys want to go ahead and skip forward to the install portion where I show you what to do I will put the time stamp there right now and you can check that out or skip forward to that section if you just want to get out there on the bike. So these are the Paul Yaffe 14 inch ape hangers that I got on the bike from day one. So I purchased the bike and before I even got delivery of this bike they installed these bars and when the bike was first delivered and I knew nothing about anything on the bike or how to fix anything on the bike I will tell you that these bars were pushed way too far forward out here. I'll show you a picture of it that was shortly after I bought it and it comes down to you know your style, comfortability, and performance. That's what you have to kind of measure between you know some people like to have their arms you know way out over here and and hanging out kind of arching their back but when you're doing long distance travel you know you want to make it as comfortable as possible. Now while that look of having those bars kind of stretched out you know and locking out your arms seems like a cool thing it affects the performance more than what you would think. Not only for the comfortability on the road but when you're going through the twisties and how it responds to your input is directly related. So this bike it's pretty simplistic I was able to figure out and here's what you have to do. So obviously you have this this little thing right here you're going to be turning the ignition to the off position and then cranking the handlebars to the right. With that you can use a a push tool this is very very important because you can damage this or break this tab and it's actually a pretty expensive part to replace so just so you guys understand that but you push in and then you remove this little plastic I don't even know what this is a lock indicator and then you have access to you know remove that panel. So now after you get that done there are two hex screws on each side of your tachometer and speedometer that you need to take out. Really simplistic you just use your trusty tool that you should have with you at all times and you remove both those. After those bolts are removed or those screws rather you can then remove that front portion piece and you'll be able to get access to the four bolts that are kind of holding those bars in place. It does help if you unplug the sensors if the bike's off don't worry you're not going to cause any damage it doesn't erase anything and now you have access to these four bolts. You want to loosen them just enough to be able to give the handlebars a little bit of play and then make sure that you can sit on the bike and kind of adjust it to your liking and what's comfortable. Now when it comes down to the comfortability of it you don't want your arms completely locked out right you don't want your elbows completely locked out like this it's it's going to strain your back it's going to give you not the best maneuverability of the bike should something happen where you need an immediate input because your arms would already be locked out. The 14 inch ape hangers gives me enough play that I get a chance to bring them back to me and I probably have moved them back a total of maybe two and a half inches a little bit at a time realizing it's not enough it's not enough but it made the world of difference when I was out on the road on my longer trips and it made the world of difference when I was in the twisties and that is important so and immediately after you make even just the slightest adjustment you're going to notice that input changes right away and your comfortability and it's for everybody's own opinion really I'm just kind of I'm not telling you where to position your bars some people like that style but if you are looking to adjust it this is the way that you would want to do that now the adjustability is still can happen on like t-bars and things like that so if you have t-bars you're still able to make those adjustments you want to sit comfortably in your seat position like your regular riding position and then adjust those handlebars so that it just sits really comfortable with a slight bend in the elbows and just make that however you see fit so if you were ever wondering how to do that that is exactly how to do it just a quick video today hopefully you guys enjoyed it if you haven't already hit subscribe down below you guys ride safe you be safe and we'll catch you on the next one