Couple of weeks riding with the drag bars has proved that they are just a tiny bit too close and make the ride position a bit cramped..... so bought some Biltwell 'Z' bars, longer reach, and way cooler.... Enjoy.!
I tend to make videos as i go along, if its something i think others will benefit from i upload it too.. if you scan through the library of 180+ videos, there is plenty of stuff there to learn a bit from, i have a major service planned for a few eeks time once the bike reaches 10k miles, so look out for that... thanks for your kind comment mate... ride safe and enjoy your bike.. Del.
Thank you most kindly for your generous comments, I'm glad you liked the video, the bars were a great success, they made it both look better and easier to ride, sadly I had to sell it last year, but life rolls on and I will have another Harley one day ...Ta vare og ri trygt. Godt Nyttår for 2013 - Del
I just received my z bars today and put them on my 1200 Custom. Thanks to the 40+ times I've watched your video, I had very little issues going from the 14" mini apes to this same z bar you installed. So thanks for all the instruction videos you post up. They're great and detailed and very very appreciated. Cheers!!
just wanted to say hell of a job. Your Vids helped me realize 2 things that I will be able to wrench on my own bike. Starting with my bars I was staying away from doing it cuz I talk to a few service dudes and they quotes hundreds of dollars for hours of work to do I have a sportster 48 first Harley bought a month ago and Have the biltwell bars on order .The second is your vids show how easy some of this stuff is So thanx and if I get stuff wrenching I can check out ur work again
Great video here from the Chicago area! I just purchased these bars for my 2012 Superlow. Watching your video inspired me to get these bars. They look much better than the Z- Bars I was looking at originally. Thanks again for your videos. Very informative. Take care!
Dustin Suprenant Hey Dustin, they'll look great on your Superlow, your clock is on the same mount, so the bars will frame it perfectly.. good lcuk with it, ride safe buddy... Del.
Thanks buddy, no it broke my heart to let it go, but we have a small family business and we were in a bad situation, needed the money, so needs must aye?.. .but yes indeed, i will get another harley with no doubt...just saving back up to buy a donor bike to build something proper... thanks again for watching... ride safe, Del.
Thanks so much. Just fitted my first set of bars to my sportster thanks to your video, it went really well and I knew what to expect. My only issue now is that my brake hose and pipe are too long. But I'm sure I'll work something out. Thanks again real Sense of achievement. Colin
Awesome video boss. I loved the bars but wasn't sure about buying them until I saw your video. Many many thanks for all the hard work that you and Penny put in to make these great videos. Much love from California.
+Corey Hedge Hey Corey, great to hear from you sir, and thanks for your kind comments, we love making the videos, and its cool that they can help other bikers too.. ride safe my friend, and thanks for watching.. Del.
Here in Britain, no mirrors are mandatory, we have the freedom to choose! ... but as we drive on the left, vehicles overtake from the right, so it's wise to use one. Glad the vids help, Cheers, Del
Del,you have no ideahow much this helps I ask questions on a Harley forum I am a member of and I get the feeling that they think they are to good to answer my questions of these minor items,you are the best,I wish I could pick your brain on a couple things,I am going to try the putting on the risers on Friday,also bought the Xieds to install,thanks very much
Loved your video. I just bought the same keystone bar for my 883. I hunted everywhere just to make sure I could put them on myself. Your video was perfect - thanks so much! I never subscribe to anything, but i was forced to join youtube just to say thanks! You style is so good: you don't go on but you give ample information - a perfect blend. I could go on but I won't, suffice to say I'm gonna look at your other vids too. Thanks a million. john
No problem bro, I can see that you don't have time with all you do, you are really helpin' alot of ppl, Thank you very much for the great advice and takin' the time to help out. Hope you and yours carry on in peace.
Excellent , that's good to know and gives me enough confidence to go n buy em.. I think they look edgy and defo improve the look in my eyes.. thanks a lot Del
Hi there, Sadly i had to sell the iron before i did much more to it.. i did upload a video on how to change a brake hose and bleed it up, so its not too hard. look for "Harley Sportster brake hose change".. then you can swap out yours for braided ones. they not only look better but work better too.. Thanks for your kind comments, and thanks for subscribing, its great to have support from my fellow bikers in the USA... ride safe buddy.. Del.
Hey Coffee, nope, just lay a couple of layers of foil in the bracket any which way up is fine, and wind the clamp down tight, making sure the gap is equal front and back, the foil gets squashed and minced up, and fills in every little tiny crevice and imperfection between the mating surfaces, a bit like a jointing compound, and ensures 100% contact which grips way better than without the foil... I hope that helps you buddy, thanks for watching, good to hear form you.. cheers, Del.
By the way just want to say appreciate you putting up these videos they really help a lot you do an excellent job at explaining everything excellent job man
Switching out my standard bars for drag bars next weekend. It'll be the 1st job I undertake on my nightster. Hoping it'll be straightforward. Your videos have been a massive inspiration. Cheers!
Good luck with it mate, you may have to be a little creative tucking the excess wiring away under the tank, but its just being neat and making a clean install... hope it goes well for you.. Del.
Hey there buddy.. well done with the bars, its not that i have long arms, i think its more that i like my ride hunched forward, its more aggressive and that's what i prefer...i must admit that if you wanted a more relaxed style you need to twist them back a tad.. Thanks for your kind comments, have a great Christmas, peace and safe riding buddy, take care, Del.
Hi mate, strictly speaking and being precise, no, that plate is not legal for road use... but it's a minor infringment for which, especially on a Harley, you never get any issues in our area, but other forces may be more pedantic and choose to take you to task over it... but worse scenario it's a vehicle defect slip and no fine ... at the moment, but who knows what the future holds! Thanks for watching mate.
nice video and because of you I just bought them and will receive them in 2 weeks; thx for sharing; have the same bike and looks great:) thx again Del and ride safe.
Hey Dell, hope you are fine buddy! just got the Zbars this morning and install them and they look great; Ohhhhh man you have long arms i couldnot fit them the way you did, had to pull them back to reach them; anyhow they look great and thank you so much for your time and sharing ur video. Ride safe
Thank you, Del, for taking the time to write back. I know that you are a very busy guy! I guess I will go with a set of chumps or HD's extended reach pullback handlebars. I don't know if I'll need extension cables with the pullback style or not. I believe that I'll do a bit of research before purchasing. Then again, perhaps a set of 6" pullback risers may be the ticket being that the stock risers are already 4.5" high. Thanks again, Del! Steve
I love all kinds of bike, especially 'Tractors'...but you have to understand them and where they're coming form before you can ever hope to like them... No those bars are only able to be fitted one way, but Biltwell do other bars that are like the old 'Board racer' stylee... there is more to Harleys than billet and chrome...even the factory have taken a different path these days.. thanks for watching mate... Del.
@panzelig Hi there mate, thanks for your nice comments... the Keystone bars i had came with dimples, if you dont have them, it is perfectly simple to cut a small notch in the switch block casing to let the cables through, and make sure you file the notch so it has no sharp edge otherwise it can cut through the cable casings... this is normal on all Japanese bikes anyway..
Totally agree, mate, it's truly amazing the way they frame the clock perfectly. I was going to use the side mount and put the speedo down by the tank, but decided not to when I saw how the bars looked, cheers, mate, thanks for watching, Del
Thanks for this video! It saved me so much money! HD wanted like $600 for a handlebar job. I put breezer bars on and only had to bend my brake line a bit. Thanks for showing us all how to do it! ;]
Hey there... that's great news, it always makes me so glad that we can save people form the perils of those ridiculous bills....I hope the job went well and no problems, always feel free to drop me a line if you need any help... take care and enjoy your Harley... all the best... Del.
Great help Del. I'm now looking at putting 7inch medium rise pullback onto my XLH, same size so no cabling issues. See how it all goes . Hope all well mate
You're most welcome buddy, its good to have a good look at an item before you buy it, and they look even better in the flesh...great choice, and hope you like them... take care. Del.
@alaind39 Did think about that, but its a complete ballache and they are pretty unobtrusive clipped back behind for now, it may get done in the future though. more interested in actually stripping the switchgear OFF the bars all together, and run a foot clutch too..... plans for another day maybe.. thanks for your nice comments chap, ride safe. Del
@Waelaboulmagd Hi there, thanks for your kind comments, im glad you enjoyed it... i wanted to find some proper Z bars too, the only ones i found out there with a promounced sharp "Z" shape were only about 4" rise, also the higher they go with the risers coming together, eventually they will meet at the top and for a triangle, and look weird.. the best looking bars IMHO (which i couldnt afford) were the Roland Sands ape hangers with the wleded in 'webs'... they look way aggressive and industrial.
Naah i left mine, i loved the way the bars frame the clock perfectly an the tank being higher would have messed up that line...so i left the tank down..(plus the tank range was bad enough without knocking another ten miles off it..lol.. thanks for watching.. Del.
Thanks Ken, one note with the Biltwell Keystones, is that the bar grips will sit almost forward of the top yoke , which makes the steering a little different till you get used to it... you also reach a fair bit further forward to them as well... and remember they only work with one clock, won't fit with twin clocks !
Single click here, but hanks about the handling info. I live in a fairly isolated area, with almost no ability to try out a product before committing to the ourchase.
@getmcghee Hi mate, thanks for your comment... they are about 8" from the cross bar to the point.. but the hands drop away at 30 degrees, so your fists sit about 6" above the clamp.... about 3" higher than the OE bars.. hope that helps..
Got them now... yeah they look great, i really like the style...and loking at the height, they will fit your standard iron with no problems... good luck with it... Del.
@crisfella Hi Chris. The Biltwell bars are 9" rise, just lift the tank up a bit at the front and wrestle the wiring through a bit, its will reach fine with OE loom and cables...... the pipes are factory headers with Vance & Hines mufflers...and no baffles.. i wrapped them in the heat tape which makes them look fatter.... thanks for the kind things you said too, i appreciate your comments... good luck with the mods mate, and ride safe... Del.
Hi again matey, yes you're right, the left grip is usually glued on, but you can break the grip of it if you're lucky, it just takes a bit of huffing.... the right assembly will slide right off ...just loosen it enough and withdraw the bar like i did, then just slip the new bar right in.... its all pretty self explanatory once you get under way... good luck, Del.
Hi mate, yes the Biltwell bars come with wiring dimples, as you buy them specifically for what model of bike you have, and as for doing your bike up, all make overs begin with the first job, so start with the bars and once you get past that see what you fancy next, the world is your oyster with an Iron, they are a true blank canvas!
Thanks mate, i liked them.. they are perfect for me with my Orangutan arms, means i can lean slightly forward and have a hunched riding position. thanks for watching, i appreciate the kind support... Del.
Thanks for all of the detail. I have the same bike. I am only 5'2". Over the 8,000 miles I've put on her, I've noticed that long rides really get to my lower back because of the need to lean forward so much. I'm installing a set of flat black 10" bars and positioning the line of the bars to go back with the line of the forks. I procured all of the replacement lines and hoses. I'm praying I like feel and it adds much needed comfort.
Hi Tricia, how nice to hear from you... and what a great choice of bike! I'm sure the bar change will make a difference and I have a little suggestion that may help you even more... and that is... to not only change the bars, but also consider a specific seat that makes a difference. Penny is, like you, also not so tall and we made some changes to help her Iron become more comfortable... the biggest advantage was to move the seat forward as well as the bars back... the seat obviously can't be moved as it's not adjustable, but if you don't already have one, then the standard OE factory seat from the XL883 L, which is simply known as the Low... is designed to be 3" closer to the back of the tank, it has a curve cut a little deeper with a rear bolster that is thicker to hold you sitting further forward on the bike and Penny found it a massive help in relaxing the riding position for her frame... so check out the standard seat for the 883L, it will fit your bike directly with no mods and I'm sure you could find one second as they are, in fact, a little cramped for taller riders! If you try this out, I'm sure it will help you... let us know how you get on Tricia, I'd be keen to know how it goes! Take care, Del
Tricia Harnish Hi Tricia... Penny here... no problems, and when Del fitted mine I put the old seat on Ebay and got my money back, so didn't cost me a penny! Yay!
Hi mate, no, the Biltwell bars go straight on, if you are running standard brake hose with hard pipe combination you'll need to get a braided one, so you can re-route it slightly..the cables for clutch & throttle reach fine, but you do need to lift the tank up and just wriggle a bit of the wiring loom forward to give you some more slack so the switch blocks wiring reaches..that's how I did mine and it all worked a treat, hope that helps, Del
Hey mate, nice work! You beat me to making a fitting video. I am fitting my Keystones along with some Heat Demon internally heated grips and a Joker Machine speedo side mount. Keen to see a vid of your bike on the road! Cheers.
hey Emre, long time no see buddy, great to hear from you again, i hope you are well over there in Turkey, and life it treating you right.... great to hear you got your bars fitted now, and with your wicked billet casings and the logo you machined, you HAVE to post up a walk round video now, id love to see it.... take care my friend, and keep in touch... Del.
Hella:) greetings from Norway.your bike is very Nice! It turnd out very vell with those zbars. Like to your videos because you show us step by step and explain what you:) Keep it up:)
Thank you so much..for replying... Definitely all you said clears any doubts that i had will surely send you pics or a video when i get the bike and put all the stucf on it....thanks a million
Hi Chris. The Biltwell bars may look high, but the grip part is slanted down, so they are about the same, if maybe an inch at most, higher then the regular 883 iron bars, its not the height, like i said, its the forward slant that give you reach.and fitting any riser will bring the point where the bar clamps on, closer to you..! look at the angle of the forks, remember risers bolt to the top yoke and just mount the bar higher on the same slant angle..meaning they are closer, and thats no gain
Looks Great! I'm searching around for different ideas for some new handlebars... Love those! But it may be a bit to aggressive on my Sportster. But, looks fantastic on yours!
I wish I had seen this video before I changed my bars and like most the torx heads stripped. Hovever, eventually got them off and completed the Job. Great Video/ Bike looks good.
Wanted to say a big thank you yet again Harley wanted £450 to change my bars over after this vid took me less then a hour to do it myself now my iron has lovely frisco's on and saved me a shed load of cash the beers are on me next time I see you
Ha ha...£450?....Chris that's just comedy....what a total rip off.. it takes an hour at best, what hourly rate are they charging you, "Boeing Technician level"?..... well done for getting it sorted yourself mate, thats what we like to hear..!
@hefty88 Thanks Hefty, i had to sell that bike about 5 months back to pay the bills and keep the business running, i was a proper dark custom for sure... thanks for the kind comment.. Del.
Thanks mate, yeah, you may well have to use the standard low risers, the Biltwell bars are designed to fit right down on the top yoke...good luck with the job, hope it goes well.. dell
Hi mate, the wiring on my Iron (2010) just about reached for the Biltwells and they are indeed about 3" higher, so with some luck I'm sure yours will be ok - you may need to lift the tank and wriggle some wiring free and forwards so the plug blocks poke out the front of the tank - this should give you what you need! Hope that helps Del
Hi David. They are designed to mount leaning forward, you can pull them back a but but the ends of the bars then point slightly too straight down...not unridable, but maybe not the most comfortable....
Yeah, drilling sounds a bit crude for something so well manufactured! I've just ordered a set of dimpled biktwell zero drag bars. Looks like I've got a pair of non dimpled z bars for sale! Lol! Cheers Del!
Hi Eric, my cables reached just fine on my Iron and they Iron has smaller bars than the Nightster so I would imagine that your hoses and cables will reach just perfectly on the Biltwell bars, you may possibly even end up with a little extra slack which will be easy to tidy away...all about just working on it to make a neat job ... there you go, hope that helps, Del
Hi Ian, yeah the cables were after market ones, but they were stock length, and there are lots available from the main dealer...i believe Harley offer a kit for fitting the 12" mini apes (as fitted to the nightster) on all other sportsters....the kit has all three cables, and also a couple of wiring extenders for the switch gear..give them a call and see if it is available for your bike...it wasnt cheap but then nothing HD ever is...it will be a plug and play remedy for you though..good luck Del
The only safe way to deal with a serious subject like steering, is to farm the job out to a top quality engineering shop, and have some one-off custom yokes made for the task...and machining them from fresh billet alloy will ensure your safety on the road in any situation... take the sportster front end along, and the V-Rod forks...and tell them "you want them to fit in there"..if they are quality engineers then they can work that out with no trouble, then you just take them home and fit them on
Hi mate, congratulations on your new Harley, you must be very proud. The bars make it a great looking change to the factory usual. thanks for watching.. Del.
@BenalexH Ayup Ben, the bars i took off had no brand on them, just black powder coated 1" drag bars, they are easily available from many sources, and the risers were the standard ones. (you can make a nice look with some 4" risers however, looks a bit "T" bar then, and all the cables still reach just fine.
@pacioco898 Ciao Paco, and thanks for your nice comments, its great to have support from my brothers in Italy. thanks for subscribing too, ride safe, Del.
Hi mate, the Biltwell bars give a great riding position, the downward slant on the grips feels very natural as it is where your hands fall naturally ... they are only silghtly higher at the switch blocks than standard bars, the cables will reach fine, you just need to lift the tank and wrestle the extra slack on the wiring harness forward so the plug blocks are just out the front of the tank then the wiring reaches fine - hope that helps, Del
@Chipitin4birdie yes, it was price that motivated me on the Z bars, Harley dealer wanted £400+ with the longer cables and wiring kit, but the Biltwell's were £110 posted and all the cabling fits... plus they look way cooler than the old fashioned 'cowboy' apehangers. Baffles had to be dealt with, it was not only a bit quiet, but it was 'the wrong sound' too, fluffy and limp, just like factory pipes but a bit more volume, now they sound proper aggresive and the fuel remap makes it run perfectly.
The bars you ask about will be fine buddy, just fit the drags with up to about 5" risers and they still wont be much higher than stock..so all the controls will be fine...and no, you wont have any issues if you just slide the bar out, and slide the new bar in like i showed, saves trying to rewire the throttle which is a ball ache..i spend so much time doing this mate, i dont get time to join any other forums or facebook, wish there was 28 hours in a day l .but thanks for your kind support. del
@SNOWxTROOPER No Dan, they fit right on with just a little tightness on the left side wiring loom.... so i took the tank front mount bolt out, and just wriggled a little slack out from under and then everything was fine, and i mean only a little, just maybe an inch at most.. otherwise your stock cables all fit with no trouble..
Thanks buddy, you are very kind, im glad we are able to help, any time you need a tip, please feel free to ask..im always glad to pass on a nod to a fellow biker....ride safe fellagh, and thanks foryour kind regard... Del.
Hi mate... you will need dimples or holes to feed the wires through... if your bike currenty has the wires outside the bars, then you'll need dimples... if you want to bodge them, you can file a groove out of your switch blocks to allow the wiring to feed through..but better to get the right bars.. hope that helps.. Del.
