Installing JayBrake Forward Controls – Forward Thinking
1. JayBrake’s J-FL Forward Controls are machined from a combination of steel and billet aluminum and are designed to mount to ’97 and later FLH Touring models (units for ’96 and earlier will be out soon). They utilize the existing mounts and pivot points as well as the stock rear master cylinder. The controls are available in chrome and black anodize ($574.95). The footpegs come with either chrome and rubber strips or covered in full rubber (shown here).
2. With the bike secured up on a lift, the JayBrake team began the installation. First, the stock floorboard was removed, followed by the stock brake lever. The O-ring on the brake lever shaft was checked to make sure it was in good condition (arrow).
3. Next, the new brake arm was ready for installation. The inside sleeve of the brake arm was lubricated with some grease and then slipped onto the brake shaft.
4. The outer o-ring was slipped onto the shaft (arrow) followed by a washer and then the nut. The brake arm nut was then torqued to factory spec.
5. Next, the footpeg mount was put into position against the frame. The mounts use the same holes as the stock footboards. A dab of thread locker was applied to the supplied mounting bolts…
6. …then the bolts were tightened down.
7. The pegs were installed next. Thread locker was applied to each peg bolt and then the heel peg was installed followed by the brake lever peg.
8. With installation on the right side taken care of, the left side was next. Once the floorboard was out of the way, the side stand and spring were removed followed by the side stand mount.
9. Next, the shift linkage was unbolted from the shifter arm, and then the shifter arm was unbolted. The shifter arm and the heel-toe shifter assembly with the shift shaft still attached was removed. Since the J-FL Controls only have a toe shifter, they come with a new shorter shifter shaft.
10. The footpeg mount was then installed with thread locker on all the mounting bolts.
11. Then the shorter JayBrake shift shaft was lubricated and slid into position along with the o-ring (arrow). The new shifter arm was then installed onto the shift shaft and thread locker was applied to the stock shift linkage bolt and the shift linkage was secured to the shift shaft.
12. Thread locker was then applied to the peg bolts and the pegs were then installed onto the footpeg mount and shift arm.
13. The JayBrake team then had the owner sit on the bike so the shift lever could be properly adjusted to his foot. Once in a comfortable position, the shift lever bolt was tightened down. In less than an hour the new forward controls were installed and the owner was ready to ride.
14. Here’s a shot of the stock right side.
15. The new J-FL setup on the right side. As you can see the controls really clean up the lower portion of the bike and give it a sleeker look.
16. The stock left side.
17. New left side. After a quick ride, the owner commented that he really preferred the new setup. He noted that the footpegs raised his feet a about an inch and pushed them forward a couple inches, making for a much more comfortable riding position for his 6-foot-1-inch frame. He also stated that with the design of the controls he’ll feel more confident in the turns and won’t be thinking about scraping the floorboards.
There was a time, not too long ago, when baggers were considered an old man’s bike or “the bike my dad rides.” Well as you may have noticed, on the road, in the dealerships, at events, and even in our own magazines, more and more younger riders are experiencing the benefits of a bagger. For most who have jumped on the touring train, their reasoning is long distance comfort and more storage.
One thing recent bagger converts may be missing from their old ride however are forward controls. Sure one of the biggest comfort attributes of owning a bagger is the varied foot positioning floorboards offer. Some new bagger owners however, may find the floorboards obtrusive in both looks and performance-interfering with the lean angle.
While in Sturgis this past year we were standing in the JayBrake booth catching some shade when a fairly young guy pulled up on a ’02 Road King and started snooping around. The RK owner mentioned how he had just sold his old Softail and picked up the RK, in fact this was his first long ride on the new bike. He commented on how he enjoyed the long ride on the RK, but he really missed the forward controls from his Softail. The owner had heard that JayBrake offered forward controls for baggers and was ready to make the purchase right there. We took advantage of the situation to shoot the install; and still hang in the shade under the JayBrake awning.
