G'Day All,

I spent two hours this morning fitting new genuine forward controls to my 2011 Street Bob.

I have read a heap of forums looking for methods and pitfalls and the like, and well....... splitting the primary seemed like a fuck off sized pain in the arse, and there were a few ways of dodging the bullet. Some guys only pulling off the outer primary and sawing the shifter shaft in half...... others leaving everything in place, and the blokes who went all out and pulled the whole thing down. But I didnt have the chain locking tool, or the right clutch aligning stuff either........ so.

I decided against splitting the primary and removing the mid control shifter shaft, so it's still in place should I want to change back (Unlikely after riding it with the forwards!) I made up a small stainless bracket to hold the mid shifter rod out of the way and simply bolted to the transmission inspection plate. All you can see on the outer primary is the small silver end of the shifter shaft which now sits flush with the outer primary case.

So yeah, all in all a piss easy job that has really made the bike for me, as im 6'2" with a 34" inseam, the mids were just a little cramped for a long ride. I have left the mid pegs in place though, just so I can change positions as I like when cruising. After a few weeks, I think I will end up pissing off the mid pegs entirely........ who knows. First impressions of the forwards were pretty damn good.

Anyone else ended up shortcutting the job like I did?

 

I am prayin I havent missed something critical somewhere.... And I dont think I have, so time will tell hey?

I read of some people doing some dumbassed things too, so with my bracketry and disturbing minimal sensitive items, I should be right. Its going into P@L for a service next month, so I will ask that they double check everything I have done

Im hearin ya about the mid controls, I'm 6'1" and they are a bitch, getting forwards fitted next friday but no fucken way am i getting into that primary. Taking it into HD because I dont trust myself haha. Hope it all works out well for ya. Good job getting em on yourself!

 I don't suppose you could post some pics like before and after?

I used the hd kit on my FXDC and it came with all the pieces needed to secure the leftover shaft and shifter, so I can go back to mids at some point. Though I doubt it. Love forwards. I did like that the hd kit had a nice chrome nut to cover the protuding shaft on the primary and another bracket to hold the mid shifter shaft to a engine bolt. Still scrape the hell out of pegs when I corner but thats another job for another day. I have some pics I took whilst doing it as I read lots of forums posts about people cutting the shafts and shifter, using wire or cable ties, some kits do not even have everythign that is needed. I am Happy to post once I work out how.

I'll post a pic later tonight to show what I've done.

I rode it all day today and not a single drama.

I grew up with the "fix it or don't have it" mentality. I have friends who have the "pay through the nose or just toss it away and get a new one" mentality.... Just because you do it yourself doesn't mean you have to take shortcuts btw and getting it fitted by a dealer doesn't mean you're getting it fitted properly either.

Here's some pics, just to show what I did, and how the end result looks.

Im pretty happy with what I've done.

The bracket was piss easy to fabricate out of 5-10 Stainless plate, and I used standard Hex Head bolts which match the rest of the bike. Too easy.

Im just wondering what I will do about turning up a cap for the Mid Shifter Shaft.... if anything at all.

I machined up a cap out of stainless to cover mine, 3mm grub screw at the bottom to keep it in place