Cobra crash bars and oil change

[pneblett]

I just finished doing my first oil change since installing cobra crash bars. Am I crazy or is it in the way of removing the oil filter? I tried every way I could to get it out after I removed it. I wound up having to remove the spring from the brake light switch to find a way to get it out.

Am I the only one to have this problem? If not, I think this is poor engineering on Cobra's part. Some of you guys let me know if you had any problems with oil filter changes with the Cobra bars. I would be interested to find out.

[DS06C50T]

pneblett:

I hear ya. I had the same problem initially. I don't think it's poor engineering on Cobra's part, I think they just didn't give a rats a$$ and designed the pipes one way only. Anyway, to answer your question, I remove the oil filter from the right side of the bike (as you sit on it) and bring it up by the 1st cylinder jug, between the jug and the exhaust pipe and out she comes! Viola!!!

Hope this helps,
Daryl

[C50dreamin]

I just always remove the 2 lower bolts on the bars and swing them forward. At least it's not like a Yammie and you have to remove the exhaust each time to get the filter off, that would really suck the big one...

[pneblett]

thanks for the replies guys. I was wondering if it was just me having that sort of trouble.

[automogul]

This is topic has some age on it, but I'd like to chime in. I too have the Cobra bars, and I too have the issue. It really made me red faced the first time I changed the oil. Not only was it my first oil change, but I also had to wrestle with those bars. My problem was that they didn't just slap back togeather. I'm not sure if I was doing something wrong or not, but the holes didn't line back up. It was almost like the pipes had warped.

I ended up having to COMPLETELY remove the bars and rebolt them. It took me FOREVER to get it back together and much cursing and screaming. What should have been a 15-20 minute oil change ended up taking me well over an hour. I LOVE my bars. I love the look. That's just poor engineering though, and it's enough to make me not want to recommend them to others.

[TaterDog]

Originally Posted by C50dreamin

I just always remove the 2 lower bolts on the bars and swing them forward. At least it's not like a Yammie and you have to remove the exhaust each time to get the filter off, that would really suck the big one...

+1

I just remove the bottom two bolts, swing the bars forward, replace the filter, and reposition/tighten the bolts back up. Pretty simple. Could be better, but could be a lot worse, like having to get to the filter on my son's V-Star 1100.