1977 Shovelhead Lowrider Handlebar Controls

[Joshpm_]

Hey guys I have been looking for a stock handlebar control kit for my 77. Had little success as I would like something that has some quality and wont break apart in a year. Any suggestions? This is the kit I am going to go with if I cant find something else close to stock.


http://www.jpcycles.com/product/5000819

[Ohio HD]

All the aftermarket is imported from, somewhere. They are all only mediocre quality. But, that's what's available.

[76shuvlinoff]

Here is a GMA set on eBay, It says it's for chopper/bobber blah blah so it's not stock but it looks like it uses the the same little buttons we use now. Might work for ya.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-Chopper-Bobber-Polished-GMA-5-8-Bore-Hand-Controls-Kit-w-Switches-/161508074243?hash=item259aa1a303&vxp=mtr

edit: not sure I'm exactly in love with em.

[dr evo1]

I have a set on a 72 sportster they cost $102. they also come with wire and switches for $170. they come with stock style levers and a 3/4 bore master cyl. the only thing is they are chrome. good quality work great. fit 72-81

[Ohio HD]

Here is a GMA set on eBay, It says it's for chopper/bobber blah blah so it's not stock but it looks like it uses the the same little buttons we use now. Might work for ya.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-Chopper-Bobber-Polished-GMA-5-8-Bore-Hand-Controls-Kit-w-Switches-/161508074243?hash=item259aa1a303&vxp=mtr

edit: not sure I'm exactly in love with em.

Much better than cheap knock off stuff.   

[JW113]

Well let me tell you about my little adventure with front master cylinders. I wanted to try a better master cyl to caliper bore ratio, instead of the insanely low ratio that HD likes to use. (guess that is HD's idea of anti-lock brakes). In hunting around I came upton this:

[attach=0]

Wow, 1/2" bore master cylinder, ought to make for one hell of a mc to caliper ratio, yes?

Now when will I ever learn to NOT buy garbage from Taiwan Teddy? But since I couldn't find anything else that was period correct for a '77, I decided to give it a try. I will say it looked real pretty out of the box. However, I spent the better part of Friday and most of Saturday morning trying to bleed the front brake. Let me say up front that I've done brake system rebuilds on motorcycles and cars a hundred times or more, so not an idiot when it comes to brakes. (just and idiot when it comes to buying parts from you know who)

I did the bench bleed to the mc three or four times... used a handy-vac to pull fluid down from mc into caliper... tried pressue pumping the fluid from mc.... Nothing. No pressure at caliper no matter what I did. Used so much brake fluid that I started recyling it. So I decided to pull the mc apart and see if it was assembled wrong or what. And here is what I find:

[attach=1]

Hmm, sure doesn't look like a 1/2" piston to me, how about you? What it does look like is yet another nasty-gram to Tedd about false advertising, along with defective crappy merchandise.

So I cleaned up the stock mc which is also 3/4", stripped the paint, and polished it up. Put a rebuild kit in it, installed on the bike, and BOOM, it bled down in no time, just as one would expect.

Josh, I would highly recommend that you surf ebay for somebody selling a good used set of controls and rebuild them. This aftermarket made in Taiwan crap is really good for nothing but the garbage can.

-JW

[Joshpm_]

I appreciate the input, that story is a perfect example of my fear when it comes to shopping around for these kinds of parts. Have talked to a few friends and a shop or two but looks like ebay is my best bet.

The search continues!!

[Racepres]

I appreciate the input, that story is a perfect example of my fear when it comes to shopping around for these kinds of parts. Have talked to a few friends and a shop or two but looks like ebay is my best bet.

The search continues!!

If what you have is totally shot/non-rebuildable...Yes.
Let's see what yer workin with.

[Ohio HD]

I always check the OEM number fitment that's provided with aftermarket stuff. 45010-73 is a 3/4" bore master cylinder. I don't think they made a 1/2" OEM front master cylinder for that era bike. A 5/8" bore I think they made.

[Racepres]

I always check the OEM number fitment that's provided with aftermarket stuff. 45010-73 is a 3/4" bore master cylinder. I don't think they made a 1/2" OEM front master cylinder for that era bike. A 5/8" bore I think they made.

Only OE 5/8 bore front MC I recall is for the '82+ models.
But, Ya never know...Hell 3/4 works OK, and as has been stated...kinda resembles ABS...Except when ya really Panic, then I suspect you could lock the front up, especially with dual disks..as They may utilize the larger MC bore efficiently...IDK

I would clean up repaint, [FL '73 up controls were black], and rewire as needed...Done quite a few of 'em.

[Joshpm_]

Any input on these? Would be the 0610-0501 model

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Drag-Specialties-Handlebar-Control-Kit-W-Cylinder-And-Switches-72-81-Shovelhead-/351475078206?hash=item51d58c143e&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/361346143753?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&fromMakeTrack=true

[Hogman]

I Have No Hands on Experiences with the GMA Stuff, BUTT, I DO Have Hands on Experience With Some of the Drag Stuff. I Live in Canada, so Pricing IS Quite Different here. What I Have Found over the Last few years is, BEFORE You Decide to just Mount up the Drag Stuff, (IF You do go that way......) Do Yourself a HUGE Favour, and Check ALL the Mating holes for Chrome or Other Junk sort of Stuck in & Sometimes Around the Screw Holes. The First Couple of sets I installed were Not Horrible, but Not What I Expected either. Got them all mounted up though. The Last Couple of Years, BEFORE I even Try to mount the Stuff, I Run a Thread Chaser, (NOT a Tap!) and Try to get the Holes All nice & clean for Installation. Over here, a LOT of Guys Looking for Hand Controls are either Buying NEW H-D Stuff, or Going on Some of the OTHER Seller type sites that are available. Even one of the Bigger Aftermarket Shops here in the City I live has Gone this way. Between the Pricing, and what SEEMS to be the Lessoning of Some kind of Quality control, it Seems to be the Better way to go for Not only the Customer, but the Technician as well. I Might do 2 or 3 Sets a Year, Some years None, so I Can't say ALL of them are Good or bad, this has just been MY Experiences...........
JUST Food for thought. SOMETIMES, Price is NOT the Only way to Shop...... 
HTH Shed some Light for you.




ME

[JW113]

Although I have ZERO evidence of this, I find it very hard to believe that more than one aftermarket supplier has tooled up their own tooling to make repop Harley stuff like this. The market is just not that big for it. So anything from V-Twin, Drag Specialties, Eastern Performance, Custom Chrome, Mid-USA, etc, etc, is highly likely coming from the same place. As a data point of one, the repop master cylinder I just bought from V-twin did not work at all. Speaking only for myself, I'll never buy another one from any of them, will stick with either stock HD, or use custom designed stuff from places like GMA, PM, Jaybrake, etc, who design and make their own stuff.

Now all that said, I'm not 100% clear what the end game you're after on this '77. I was going for as stock looking as possible on mine. However, on another project bike, a '78 XL, I'm using all late model stuff for the handlebar controls and brakes. i.e. stuff from Twin cam, as the parts are can be had for a song on eBay and is still in good condition. Amazing to me how many people pull off the black controls on brand new bikes and put on chrome plated stuff.

-JW

[Racepres]

Amazing to me how many people pull off the black controls on brand new bikes and put on chrome plated stuff.

-JW

And end up with inferior Quality to Boot...

[76shuvlinoff]

However, on another project bike, a '78 XL, I'm using all late model stuff for the handlebar controls and brakes. i.e. stuff from Twin cam, as the parts are can be had for a song on eBay and is still in good condition.

That is how I installed a 2000 and up front end with dual 4 piston factory calipers with an RK wheel to fit it. The lower sliders on my forks are 2011, the brakes, axle, and rim are 07. The hand controls are GMA "shovel" with a 5/8 master cylinder.   Factory is nice for a restore but the result of my cobbling on my FLH is two finger stopping.  I'm good with that for now.

[Brrrap]

 

[Joshpm_]

I Have No Hands on Experiences with the GMA Stuff, BUTT, I DO Have Hands on Experience With Some of the Drag Stuff. I Live in Canada, so Pricing IS Quite Different here. What I Have Found over the Last few years is, BEFORE You Decide to just Mount up the Drag Stuff, (IF You do go that way......) Do Yourself a HUGE Favour, and Check ALL the Mating holes for Chrome or Other Junk sort of Stuck in & Sometimes Around the Screw Holes. The First Couple of sets I installed were Not Horrible, but Not What I Expected either. Got them all mounted up though. The Last Couple of Years, BEFORE I even Try to mount the Stuff, I Run a Thread Chaser, (NOT a Tap!) and Try to get the Holes All nice & clean for Installation. Over here, a LOT of Guys Looking for Hand Controls are either Buying NEW H-D Stuff, or Going on Some of the OTHER Seller type sites that are available. Even one of the Bigger Aftermarket Shops here in the City I live has Gone this way. Between the Pricing, and what SEEMS to be the Lessoning of Some kind of Quality control, it Seems to be the Better way to go for Not only the Customer, but the Technician as well. I Might do 2 or 3 Sets a Year, Some years None, so I Can't say ALL of them are Good or bad, this has just been MY Experiences...........
JUST Food for thought. SOMETIMES, Price is NOT the Only way to Shop...... 
HTH Shed some Light for you.




ME

I did end up cleaning up my old ones and sanding/ painting them and they worked ou well. I am still in search of some new ones and since riding season is almost over where I live I have reopened the thought of getting new ones. I still cant really differ on what to go with. A lot of stuff like you say is expensive but the less expensive stuff can be just as good. I seem to like the GMA/ drag specialties but don't know which to go with... Any more advice? I do want to make the bike look as vintage as possible but with good performance.... ( like every guy that tried to restore an old  bike haha)

[Hogman]

I Have No Hands on Experiences with the GMA Stuff, BUTT, I DO Have Hands on Experience With Some of the Drag Stuff. I Live in Canada, so Pricing IS Quite Different here. What I Have Found over the Last few years is, BEFORE You Decide to just Mount up the Drag Stuff, (IF You do go that way......) Do Yourself a HUGE Favour, and Check ALL the Mating holes for Chrome or Other Junk sort of Stuck in & Sometimes Around the Screw Holes. The First Couple of sets I installed were Not Horrible, but Not What I Expected either. Got them all mounted up though. The Last Couple of Years, BEFORE I even Try to mount the Stuff, I Run a Thread Chaser, (NOT a Tap!) and Try to get the Holes All nice & clean for Installation. Over here, a LOT of Guys Looking for Hand Controls are either Buying NEW H-D Stuff, or Going on Some of the OTHER Seller type sites that are available. Even one of the Bigger Aftermarket Shops here in the City I live has Gone this way. Between the Pricing, and what SEEMS to be the Lessoning of Some kind of Quality control, it Seems to be the Better way to go for Not only the Customer, but the Technician as well. I Might do 2 or 3 Sets a Year, Some years None, so I Can't say ALL of them are Good or bad, this has just been MY Experiences...........
JUST Food for thought. SOMETIMES, Price is NOT the Only way to Shop...... 
HTH Shed some Light for you.




ME

I did end up cleaning up my old ones and sanding/ painting them and they worked ou well. I am still in search of some new ones and since riding season is almost over where I live I have reopened the thought of getting new ones. I still cant really differ on what to go with. A lot of stuff like you say is expensive but the less expensive stuff can be just as good. I seem to like the GMA/ drag specialties but don't know which to go with... Any more advice? I do want to make the bike look as vintage as possible but with good performance.... ( like every guy that tried to restore an old  bike haha)

In All honesty here Josh, For the last While, I've Only been Installing the OEM's, I Know that's Not what You Really want to hear, but it's the Truth. I Haven't installed any of the Aftermarket Stuff in a Bit  (Quite a While Now.....) It Usually Just Turns out Not so Good for me, and the Owner after a While when the Stuff Starts Acting up, if you know what I mean. I'm Not going to be Much help on Aftermarket Controls, Sorry.
There Seems to be Some Fair Deals out there on old Flea-Bay etc., on Some Controls. I Know I Did a 78 or 79 a While back, and he Did NOT want the Chrome Replacements, Only Black, so I Looked & Looked & Looked, and Came across a VERY Nice, Barely Used Set of OEM Take-Offs, for Much less than the Aftermarket ones. I Know That was Possibly a Rare Deal to Run in to, but Like you Say, Riding Season is Rapidly coming to an end up here, so, Start Looking! LOL Seriously, When You are Looking for these Kinds of Things, Keep TIME on YOUR side. DON'T wait until You HAVE to have them, or You're Stuck Without them. Kinda Like Buying a Used Vehicle, Look BEFORE You Need one, so You can Find What YOU Want, Not Just What's out there........
Sorry I Can't be Much more help than this my Friend. Where You Located by the Way?
<<<<<Never Mind, Just Seen Vancouver....... LOL>>>>>>


ME