John's Kits Forward Controls installed...They are great, but I have some comments.... - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

old new biker · 07-29-2007, 01:03 AM

I received my John's Kits forward controls yesterday, and installed them today.

First let me say that this kit is absolutly beautiful in its design simplicity. One thing that I could not figure out, before actually seeing the kit, was how the front part of the peddle supports could be so stable without twisting, while cantelevering out so far. When I discovered the link that goes between the brake side and gear side controls, to keep them from twisting, I had to just sit bake and let myself be amased by this simple design. This stabelizer bar also looks really kool on the bike, the way it crosses over below the radiater.

The whole kit is so simple it is silly, and the controls are also perfectly positioned and actually make the bike feel bigger and better. I know it is not true, but I actually felt like the bike was faster as well. I love these forward controls.

All that said, there was one proplem that made the install a real b%$#ch, and that was the instalation of the rear clevis pin in the new break control bar. My son and I spent over an hour on that pin alone. The issue here is that the side cover, that you have to loosen, but not remove, can not be moved quite far enough to be able to get the pin into place. Finally my son discovered that if I could push the brake control lever, back at the brake drum, completely forward, the position of the clevis would be such that the pin could be installed quite easily. Once I pished the lever forward, my son had the pin installed in seconds.

The only other issue is that the two new bolts that go through the center mount positions of the peddle supports are not supplied with lock washers. The lock washers on the existing bolts that you do not reuse do not come off the bolts. I found lock washers in my shop and put them on.

Other than these two issues, the kit is extremly simple, stable, and well, just very GOOD.

Just remember to push the rear brake lever all the way forward when installing the rear brake bar clevis pin, and you should not have any problems. Also, I recommend that you get lock washers for those new center bolts as well.

You will simply love these controls.
I hope this helps.