Handlebar Installation Harley-Davidson FXR
While preparing Alexander Andreev's Harley-Davidson FXR 1994 for stunt riding, we installed a comfortable LSL upright handlebar and dual rotor front brake. The standard handlebar is completely uncomfortable, because of the huge pullback, so it does not allow the rider to actively steer and comfortably hold a wheelie. The dual-disc front brake only makes sense with Legend cartridges. Their dampers work on slow compression, which allows the front wheel to be steadily loaded when braking.
- 0:36 Removal of handlebar and switch controls.
- 1:41 Throttle cable repair.
- 2:23 Installation of handlebar and risers.
- 3:02 Handlebar grips replacement.
- 3:25 Clutch lever replacement.
- 4:03 Switch controls wiring.
- 4:46 Brake rotors installation.
- 5:25 Radial calipers installation.
- 5:45 Steel braided brake line assembly.
- 6:40 Brake system bleeding.
We chose a German L00 steel handlebar with recesses for the switch wires specifically for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The handlebar is durable, has thicker walls, and is made of high-quality steel. We decided not to run the wires inside the handlebar, since that would make replacing them very difficult. The simplicity of assembly and disassembly is important for stunt bike maintenance.
The handlebar risers must be attached either through solid aluminum bushings or bushings with solid polyurethane dampers. With the original rubber dampers, the risers are too mobile and fold when the handlebar is turned sharply. This makes riding impossible.
When removing the handlebar, it is best to de-pin the connector rather than cut the wires. We didn't manage to do so because the pins had corroded. We risked damaging the connector and had nothing to replace it with. Cutting the wire turned out to be faster and more reliable.
It is necessary to set the free play of the throttle and clutch cables after their final laying and fixing. Fixing creates additional bends that pull the cable quite tight.
The left grip is fixed with some sandpaper which is a great solution. Sandpaper for skateboards suits best as it is moisture resistant, attaches well and has a suitable grain. We recommend sticking it with overlap to increase the handlebar diameter for better grip fixing.
The caliper mounting with washers is a common solution, but not a practical one. When removing a wheel, each time you have to remember the number of washers. It is better to tighten the caliper with the front brake applied to fit it exactly along with the brake disc. If it's tightened without the brake depressed, the caliper may end up skewed as the attachment bolts have a small clearance in the caliper holes.
When assembling a dual-disc front brake on an FXR/Sportster fork, it is important that the disks have a recess for the bolt heads. The wheel fits very tightly between the fork legs, and if there is no recess, the heads will rub against the hubs.
FXR suspension installation: https://stuntex.ru/en/article/fxr-suspensions
FXR chain and sprockets installation: https://stuntex.ru/en/article/fxr-sprockets-chain
