I used to curse at the japs for making sportsbikes a PITA to work on... but the japs have got nothing on HD.

Motherf**k.. just trying to quickly fit up the pillion pegs I noticed that to get to the mounting bolt I have to remove the exhaust brackets so that I can flex it outward.. to get to the exhaust brackets I have to remove the RHS forward controls so that I can shift the brake rod. Anyway, decided to remove it all, now trying to put it back on and the mounting bolts for the RHS forward control won't go back in. They feel cross-threaded, but inspection of the threads and they seem fine. Is it normal for these bolts to be self-tapping type threads? Anyone else have dramas trying to get them back in?

Not tryin to tell ya how ta suck eggs , but I,ve found that if ya think a threads sus ,then turn bolt backwards til ya feel a click of the threads aligning , then go tightening . I always feel a thread with hand first just in case it,s crossed  . I,m a heavy handed plumber , and hate alloy threads !