Installation of Restyling/
Mapam Forward Controls

I purchased my Restyling / Mapam Forward Control from Bikercom.com
Part Number SM1041FVS1

Preliminary Information

I downloaded the instructions from Bikercom.com when I ordered my Controls and read them thoroughly to become familiar with the parts of the Forward Control kit. I paid particular attention to the locations of where they would connect to the motorcycle. After being concerned with stripping and breaking of bolts from the Bikercom.com instructions I spread newspapers on the garage floor beneath the Intruder and I applied penetrating fluid to soak the bolts that required removal.

Be careful when using the Bikercom.com instructions. I followed those instructions closely and had a few problems that might have been avoided. I also think some changes may have been made to the brake lever piece so one of the modifications mentioned in the Bikercom.com instructions may not be necessary.

You will need to purchase additional nuts for the all thread rod. The acorn headed nuts provided with the Mapam Forward Control kit will not fit in the limited room when this bolt is installed in the front motor mount. Little clearance is provided between the ends of the motor mount bolts and the exhaust headers. Take the all-thread rod with you to the metric department of your local hardware store. Purchase 2 each hex head nuts that will fit the all thread rod. I think they were a size 10MM Metric hex head nut but please check to make sure they will screw onto the all thread rod.

Mapam Kit Arrival

Bikercom.com sent the kit out from Spain via UPS and it took approximately 3 to 4 days to arrive. The parts are shrink-wrapped in individual components with one small package of bolts, etc. The Mapam kit is manufactured in Italy so all of the hardware is metric. The instructions are a very poor attempt of translation to English and are not worth your time to attempt to read them.

Pay attention to the bolts provided. The shorter bolts with the rounded head are to be used to attach the brake and shift levers. The longer bolts are the ones to use for attaching the Round Plug and T-nuts into the holes of the foot peg mounting bracket when the stock foot pegs are removed. I did not find this out until later during the installation, and I did purchase other bolts as mentioned in the Bikercom.com instructions. The provided bolts might work but no directions tell you which bolts to use where. The picture provided below shows how the kit arrived from UPS.

The picture below shows how the Mapam kit looks unpacked, with the parts in their final orientation after they are installed on the motorcycle. Please note that the bolts shown in the brake and shift levers are the longer bolts and should have been installed in the Round Plugs and T nuts. The shorter supplied bolts are shown to be in the Round Plugs and T nuts but should have been installed in the brake and shift levers.

Tools

Set of Hex Key Sockets are a must. Make sure they are metric.
Needle-nose pliers.
Set small set of sockets and combination wrenches in Metric.
Retaining Ring Clip Pliers
Ample supply of ear plugs

Installation

I put my motorcycle on a lift for performing this installation. I was also installing new tires at the same time so there was plenty of room on the front end with the front wheel removed.

1) The first step was to locate the electrical wires leading from the “kill” switch on the kickstand. Follow these wires back to the rear case on the shift lever side of the motorcycle. Remove the 4 bolts and the rear cover to expose an in-line connection for these two wires. You will have to bend some of the brackets these wires are held in to get some slack to pull them apart at the connection. I marked the wires but when disconnecting them at the connections I found they were a pin type electrical connector and the male and female ends were staggered so there is no way to get them mixed up. Pull the 2 wires from their connections and feed the wires downward and then forward so they are free from the case.

2) The next step is to remove the existing shift lever from the transmission gear shifting shaft. Bikercom.com instructions said to match mark the end of the transmission shaft and the clamp connector that is at the extreme back end of the shifter linkage so the position of this clamp can be installed back onto the transmission shifting shaft in its original position. I marked the location but found out later on that the clamp connector could not be put back in its original location on the transmission shifter shaft because of the length of the new shifter linkage. Remove the connection clamp. The bolt must be removed completely from the clamp and then the clamp can be jiggled off the spline connection of the transmission shaft and completely removed. Put the bolt back into the clamp for future usage and ease of locating it. You might have to use a box end wrench because the location of the exhaust connector clamp shield below might not provide adequate room for a socket and driver.

3) The existing foot peg mounting bracket that bolts to the bottom of the frame must be removed. This foot peg mounting bracket is held on with 8 each bolts that have to be removed. There is a possibility that 4 of these bolts have retaining clips in them and these clips have to be removed before the bolts are removed. The outside 4 bolts or the front 4 bolts could have these retaining clips in them. Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to pull these clips out of the top ends of these bolts and save them for reinstallation later. The bolts might have to be turned some to have access to the clips to be able to pull them out. These retaining clips can be seen from the front of the motorcycle with a flashlight.

4) Remove the 8 each hex head bolts from the bottom of the existing foot peg mounting bracket. Be careful because the brake lines / cables are still connected on the brake pedal side of this frame. Use caution not to damage these connected lines. Also, this foot peg bracket is heavier than it looks. You might consider having a bucket and some blocks of wood handy to be able to block this up to rest it on after this bracket is removed. Lower this bracket down while carefully feeding the shift linkage and kickstand wires off with the bracket.

5) The next step is interesting because the foot peg mounting bracket remains connected to the brake side of the motorcycle. Use caution and remember that the lines are still connected to the brake actuator.

6) Now it is time to work on the brake side of the foot peg mounting bracket. Study the assembly of the brake actuator and all other items on this side of the foot peg mounting bracket. This assembly will be used for the new forward controls. There are two larger hex head bolts holding on an inverted “T” shape bracket on the inside of the foot peg mounting bracket. The large hole in the top end of this inverted “T” mounting bracket slides off of an existing peg that is permanently mounted on the inside of the foot peg mounting bracket. Remove the two bolts and remove the inverted “T” bracket by sliding it off the shaft. The brake actuator mechanism is located directly behind this inverted “T” bracket. You can now pull the actuator downward some so the prong on the lower portion of the brake shift lever comes out of the rubber boot on the actuator mechanism. The foot peg mounting bracket is now free to remove completely from the motorcycle, using care to clear the actuator mechanism that remains connected to the motorcycle.

7) Remove the existing shifter lever and foot peg assembly from the foot peg mounting bracket. This assembly is held onto an existing shaft on the inside of the foot peg mounting bracket with a ring style retaining clip. Remove this retaining clip and slide off the shifter peg, washers, bushings and linkage that are present. Keep this shift linkage close-by because the connector clamp that mounts onto the splined transmission shifting shaft must be removed and used when installing the new shift linkage.

8) Remove the shifter side foot peg from the foot peg bracket. There are two hex head bolts that must be removed to be able to remove the foot peg. A small hex head bolt is present on the inside of the foot peg mounting bracket. Remove this bolt. The other hex head bolt is accessed from the out side and from the rear of the bracket and it is recessed deep into the mounting bracket. Once both bolts are removed the foot peg will fall out of the mounting bracket.

9) The brake pedal and foot peg must be removed from the foot peg mounting bracket. There is a small bolt that holds the lower end of the brake pedal return spring. Remove this bolt. This bolt may have to be replaced because of damaged threads so be careful. (6MM x 10 x 10, Lowe’s item number 318018) As mentioned in the Bikercom.com instructions, this bolt has to be completely removed to be able to detach the lower portion of the brake pedal return spring. Once this bolt is removed the brake pedal can be removed from the foot peg mounting bracket by sliding it off the existing shaft. Take the brake pedal return spring off from the existing brake pedal. Keep the brake pedal return spring because it will be used during the installation process.

10) Now remove the brake side foot pegs from the foot peg mounting bracket by removing the two bolts as mentioned in step 8 above.

11) Install the Round Plugs with the “T-nut” to cover the existing foot peg mounting holes in the old foot peg mounting bracket. If the longer supplied cap screws do not work because they are too short, longer bolts might have to be purchased. If so, the size is an 8 – 1.25 x 45 MM Flat socket cap screw stainless steel. These 45MM long screws are a bit too long and should be cut off approximately ¼” in length so they do not protrude out the end if the “T-nut” and catch on something

12) Bikercom.com instructions step 10 describes performing a modification to the new Mapam brake lever bracket by removing approximately 3/32” metal from one corner of the brake lever. If the brake lever is installed without this modification performed, the end of the bracket may interfere with a portion of the brake actuator and it will not allow the rear brake pedal to be fully depressed. That means the rear brake will not work properly! I used a grinder and modified this bracket by grinding off the corner of the bracket as shown in the attached sketch.

The spring bracket on the new brake lever does need to be bent outward. I also used a crescent wrench and bent it outward so the spring bracket would be over the top of the bolt that retains the brake return spring. If this is not done the spring mount bracket might interfere with the installation of the brake actuator and you do not want to enjoy that process of installation any longer than you have to. Trust me on that bit of advice.

13) Install the brake return spring and the brake return spring bolt into the brake side of the old foot peg mounting bracket. This has to be the done at the same time the new brake lever is installed over the existing shaft on the old foot peg mounting bracket.

14) Remove the screw with the jamb nut from the top of the old brake pedal assembly and install it in the threaded hole provided in the new brake pedal lever. This screw is short with the jamb nut on it so I removed the jamb nut. This screw is used to activate the brake light switch when the brake pedal is depressed. This screw size is 5M x .80 tpi (threads per inch). The threads in the new brake lever were messed up with chrome so I had to chase them with a tap to clean them out before this screw could be installed in the new bracket.

15) This is where the fun ends and the cussing begins so if tender ears are present, ample supplies of ear plugs are highly recommended! The brake actuator is now ready to be re-installed back into the old foot peg mounting bracket, along with the new brake lever. The foot peg mounting bracket must be held up while inserting the prong from the new brake lever down into the boot of the actuator. You might want to get some help with this step. Hand out the ear plugs to those lucky enough to help! Once the prong is inserted into the actuator and the rubber boot is pulled up, push the actuator back and under the new bracket as far as possible. Re-install the inverted “T” bracket piece by sliding the large hole in the top of the bracket over the shaft in the foot peg mount bracket. Now comes the interesting part. You must align the two bolt holes in the lower portion of the inverted “T” bracket with the holes in the lower portion of the brake actuator as well as the threaded holes in the foot peg mounting bracket the bolts screw into. Enjoy!

16) The foot peg mounting bracket can now be replaced on the underneath side of the motorcycle frame. Install 6 bolts of the 8 bolts but leave them loose for now. Do not re-install the 2 front center bolts. The new foot peg mounting bracket will attach to these bolt holes using the longer supplied bolts that come with the kit.

17) Loosen and remove the two acorn headed bolts holding the flange ring for each engine exhaust header pipe. Be very careful with these acorn bolts because they are known to be very soft and fragile. The brake shifter side exhaust might not have to be removed but the shifter side definitely needs to be removed to gain access to the front engine mount bolt. Might want to loosen off the exhaust shield clamp bolt where the muffler attaches to the end of the header pipe. Slide the flanged rings down the header pipes until they are out of the way. Grab the Header pipe on the shifter side of the motorcycle and pull it out from the head and then swing it away from the motor. Move this header pipe out and away to provide adequate room to access the engine mount bolt.

18) Loosen and remove the front upper motor mount bolt. The motor will not move because it is attached into the frame at other locations. This bolt must be removed out of the shifter side of the motorcycle where the exhaust pipe was moved out of the way. There is more room on the shifter side of the motorcycle to perform this work and remove this bolt.

19) Make sure and move the flange rings for each exhaust header pipe back up the header pipes before installing the Mapam foot peg motor mount bracket. If you leave these flange rings down on the lower portion of the header pipes, the Mapam foot peg bracket will not allow them to be moved up later. I am talking from experience here as you can see in the picture. Work this step with Step 19.

20) Install the new Mapam foot peg mount bracket by using the all-thread rod and spacers supplied with the kit. The all thread rod takes the place of the engine mount bolt so it must be installed through the motor mount. Slide the all thread rod through the hole in the new Mapam foot peg bracket on the shifter side of the motorcycle. Then install one spacer onto the all thread rod, and then slide the all thread rod all the way through the front motor to the brake pedal side of the motor mount. Install the spacer onto the all thread rod on the brake pedal side of the motorcycle. Continue pushing the all thread bolt through the spacer and through the Mapam foot peg bracket on the brake pedal side of the motorcycle until about ¾” protrudes out of the Mapam foot peg bracket. Install the supplied washer and the store bought nut. DO NOT install the supplied acorn head nuts because there is not room for it to fit. Install the washer and regular hex head nut you purchased for the all thread rod, leaving approximately 1/8” protruding out past the brake pedal end of the nut. Any more and it could hit the header pipe. Now install the washer and the hex head nut on the shift lever side of the motorcycle. Before you tighten anything, install the longer 2 center front bolts beneath the old foot peg mounting bracket into the motorcycle frame making sure they align and can be installed. Now tighten the motor mount all thread rod bolt from the shift lever side of the motorcycle.

21) All eight bolts attaching the original foot peg mounting bracket to the motorcycle frame beneath the motor can now be tightened. Install the retainer pins in the top portions of the outside bolts at this time.

22) Re-arrange the exhaust header pipes and mount them back to the engine. Be extremely careful with installing and tightening these bolts through the flange rings and into the head.

23) Now install the new shift lever linkage which is the long rod supplied in the kit. Remove the connector clamp that mounts onto the splined transmission shift shaft from the old shift linkage and install in on the threaded end of the new shift linkage. Install the new linkage by threading the rod through the old foot peg mounting bracket, with the bend in the rod orientated on a vertical plane with the bow towards the bottom of the motorcycle if possible. Attach the connector clamp back onto the splined transmission gear shifter shaft in the approximate location as it was before. Like I mentioned before, I had to relocate this connector because the shift linkage supplied with my kit appeared to be too long. Connect the other end to the hole provided on the lower portion of the new shift lever. I mounted the linkage rod on the inside of the new shift lever to keep it somewhat protected and out of the way. Keep these connections loose for now, these will be adjusted further after test driving the motorcycle and making the adjustments for functionality, personal preference and comfort.

24) Install the new brake pedal linkage. Like Bikercom.com, I also found the linkage was longer than needed so I removed the jamb nuts that were provided on the threaded ends of the brake linkage rod. Thread the fittings all the way onto the threaded ends of the linkage and mount this to the new brake pedal lever

25) Install the foot pegs to the new shift lever, new brake lever and new foot peg mounting bracket. Be sure to use the shorter supplied 8 MM screw when mounting the shift and brake foot pegs here. Install the supplied rubber “O”-ring foot peg grips onto the foot pegs.

26) Thread the kickstand kill safety switch wires back though the old foot peg mounting bracket, and up through the existing hangers. Connect these wires back together securely. Install the cover back onto the side of the motorcycle.

27) Clean the new controls. Pick up all tools and prepare for test riding the motorcycle. Adjust the brake light set screw to make sure the brake light works when the rear brake pedal is depressed and that the brake light goes off when the brake pedal returns to its normal position. Consider shifting between neutral and first gear a few times to make sure the shift linkage adjustment is fairly close to work safely. Check the rear brake linkage to make sure you have a functioning rear brake before taking to the streets. Fire the Intruder up and test the kickstand “kill” switch to make sure it is working properly when the motorcycle is in gear. Enjoy the added room and listen to your legs thank you for the comfortable ride!

This Tip Courtesy Of Bigskytruder From The Cafe

If You Attempt Modifications & Ruin Your Motorcycle
It Is Your Problem.
If You Are Not Mechanically Inclined,
Get Help From Someone Who Is

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