[pjmac]

I am going to put a sissy bar on my 2002 Fatboy. I talked to my dealer and he said it woild take 2-3 Hrs. to install the detachable docking hardware. I guess you have to relocate your turn signals ? Is this a job I could do myself or is it better to have my dealer do this job ? Can anyone give any details of what I will need to do? How big a job is it to put on a rigid mount sissy bar? My wife is starting to enjoy riding with me but she and I would feel better is she had a sissy bar.

Thanks
PJ

 

[logical]

The actual mounting of the sideplate is no biggy if you are at all mechanical. If you have to get the relocation kit and move the signals it will involve taking the wire pins out of the connectors so they can be fed through the new posts (which is all the kit really is). This isn't all that tough either but I'd take the money you save and buy the service manual....it will help you beyond what the instructions that the sideplates and relocation kit comes with will.

I have the corbin seat and the backrest(s) plugs into the seat itself on my fat boy so I don't have sideplates and uprights and turnsignal kits to worry about, but I've done this job on a buddies springer.

Before you spend $75 for sideplates, $85 for uprights, $25 for signal move kit, $30 for docking hardware, $60 for the pad and $150 or more for tax and installation for a grand total of $400+, think about a Corbin seat with removeable backrest. It will bee more than 400 including the backrest but I think the look is much cleaner and the "installation" is 2 minutes. Plus the backrest can be used in eithere the front or back seat or come off entirely and the seat is 100 times better than stock.

 

[chops]

Another slant on the same story, I went with the detach hardware, with the small (I think medium rise)sissy bar with the slip on pad. I find that I leave the bar on 90% of the time, but I leave the bar pad off most of the time. The sissy bar has been invaluable for tying things down to it. I did not want to put saddle bags on this bike, but strapping on an EastPack bag to the sissy bar to go places serves my purposes very, very well. It all depends on how you are going to use it and your habits. I like the Corbin seats but only the new solo/add on pillion option on their website.
Oh yes, it is a 02 FLSTFI.