Okay, let’s talk about getting my 2020 Low Rider S set up Club Style. It’s a journey, you know? Took some time and busted knuckles, but here’s how it went down for me.
Starting Point: The Stock Bike
So, I picked up the 2020 Low Rider S. Great bike right out of the box, really solid. But that low-slung look wasn’t quite what I was after long-term. I kept seeing these Club Style builds – aggressive, upright, performance-focused. Decided that was the direction I wanted to go. It just looked right, felt right for how I wanted to ride.
Planning and Parts Gathering
First thing, I spent a bunch of time just looking at other builds, figuring out what parts I needed. The core things for me were:
- Risers and Bars: This is key for the Club Style posture. Had to go tall.
- Fairing: Needed that distinctive look upfront, plus some wind protection.
- Exhaust: The stock one is okay, but wanted something with more growl and maybe better flow.
- Seat: A good step-up seat makes a big difference for locking you in.
Took a while to decide on specific brands and heights. You measure, you guess, you read what other guys did. Finally pulled the trigger and ordered the main stuff.
Getting Hands Dirty: The Install
Tackling the Bars and Risers:
This was probably the biggest chunk of work. Started by carefully taking off the stock controls, grips, and the original bars and risers. Labeling wires is your friend here, trust me. The new risers I got were pretty tall, like 10 inches plus the moto bars. The real fun started with the wiring. Needed extensions, no way around it. Fishing those wires through the new bars… yeah, that tests your patience. Used some string, some tape, a lot of gentle pulling and cursing. Once the wires were through, bolted the new risers onto the triple tree nice and tight. Mounted the bars, then started re-installing the controls and grips. Had to adjust the cable lengths too – brake line and clutch cable needed changing out for longer ones to reach properly. Bled the front brake afterwards. Took a good chunk of a Saturday.
Mounting the Fairing:
Went with a classic quarter fairing. Held it up to the forks to see where it looked best. Marked the spots for the mounting clamps. Bolted the brackets to the forks first, then attached the fairing. Had to fiddle with it a bit to get it sitting straight and level. It definitely changed the whole attitude of the bike from the front.
Swapping the Exhaust:
Decided on a 2-into-1 system. Getting the old stock exhaust off wasn’t too bad, just some bolts and clamps. Had to clean up the exhaust ports on the heads a bit. Put new gaskets in – always use new gaskets. Maneuvering the new pipe into place took some wiggling. Bolted it up at the heads first, then sorted out the rear mounting bracket. Looked way better, sounded meaner right away.
The Seat:
This was the easiest part. Literally one bolt usually. Popped the old seat off, slid the new step-up seat into place, put the bolt back in. Done. But man, it makes a difference both for looks and how you sit on the bike.
Final Touches and First Ride
With the main parts on, I went over everything. Checked all the bolts were tight. Made sure the controls worked smoothly, no binding cables when turning the bars lock-to-lock. Cleaned up my greasy fingerprints.
Stepping back, it looked like a completely different machine. More aggressive, taller stance. Fired it up. That new exhaust note put a smile on my face.
Took it out for a spin. The riding position felt totally different – more upright, more in control, felt like I could throw it around easier. The fairing actually cut down a surprising amount of wind from my chest. Yeah, this was the setup I was looking for. Took some effort, definitely learned a few things, but seeing and feeling the result? Totally worth it.
