If I look at this winter thing somewhat objectively, and try to find the benefit in it, I will say that it provides an ideal opportunity for a biker to perform maintenance and upgrades, much in the same way that prison provides an ideal opportunity to catch up on your reading or finally get that GED.
So, Michigan bikers trudge their less-than-happy asses out to the garage, turn on some sort of extremely dangerous heating device, huff the fumes, prop up the distilled spirits industry, and attempt to address all those little things that have been deferred during the all too short “riding season.”
There’s a short window for working on these projects, really. Don’t misunderstand…winter isn’t short. What is short is the time between getting out to the garage and how long you can stand being out there. Eventually, you have to set the tools down, because you’re frustrated, out of parts, frozen, or intoxicated.
This winter, I had a carry-over project that I had procrastinated on doing for, um, well…like a year. The Dyna needed her handlebar/riser situation cleaned up. Buying the bars is the easy part. Those things sat around all last winter, too. I did a bunch of internet research and settled on with Wild 1 Outlaws. I’ve had great luck with their stuff in the past, so I was confident these would be top notch.
I was finally able to carve out some time on a Friday afternoon to get to work. Pulled the bars off without issue. That’s the easy part. Once they were off the bike, I dove into getting the wiring connectors apart. What a PITA. But, with a trusty sewing needle in hand, I was able to get them apart.
If you’re going bigger bars, you need firmer bushings, and after 25k on the Dyna’s stock rubber, it was definitely time to replace and upgrade. So poly bushings went on along with the new 1″ risers.
The bars I was deleting were 12″ mini apes, sitting on 4.5″ dogbone pullback risers. By my mental calculation, all wires and cables should reach no problem, since I was going to 14″ apes on 1″ risers. Well, my mental calculation was a little off. After I pulled the wires and reconnected the connectors, I put the bars on the risers only to find out the turn signal wires weren’t going to make it.
I hate electrical. I don’t understand it. It’s purely my own ignorance. So, after much swearing, a little throwing of things, and a broken throttle cable retaining ring, I decided it would be best to call it quits for the day.
I returned in the morning with wire and soldering iron in hand. Snip, snip. Solder, heat shrink, pull wires, and ta-dah! Turn signal wires that reach! And, they work! And…the bike runs and stuff. Amazing!
Just in time to catch some Sunday afternoon sunshine in between snow storms. Here she is at a much deserved afternoon stop for lunch and libations.