Ever since I built my Softtail my ‘ol sportster has been neglected. Sure, I’ll take it down to the local watering hole or ride it to tell myself that I do ride it and should keep it. Hell, it’s paid for. It’s an 883 Custom. I put 1200 jugs & high-compression pistons in it, played with the carb and a few other mods and some cosmetic stuff. I almost sold it once. So I thought to myself, “What would make me want to ride it more?” Good question.

Well, I always admired the guys who rode suicide shift bikes, so that was it! That’s where LaBriola Machine comes in. They make suicide shift kits for Big Twins and more recently, Sportsters. So the next thing you know, one day, just like clockwork, that lady who delivers those damn bills every month left me a package, that I actually wanted to open. There it was, my Sportster Savior. Everything I needed to complete the installation was in the kit. So I headed out to the garage, opened up the box and got down to it.

First, I removed the OEM clutch cable by loosening the adjuster nut midway up the the cable and giving the cable some slack. I used 1/2 and 9/16 wrenches. Then, I removed the hand lever on the drag bars by removing the snap-ring with snap-wring pliers.

I removed the inspection cover from the primary case using a #27 Torx socket. I removed the cable from the clutch release outer ramp by turning the adjustment screw clockwise. The ramp moved towards me. You can unscrew the nut from the adjustment screw and pull it off the ramp at this point. Turn the ramp to get it off the cable coupling and remove the coupling from the cable. Don’t let it slip from your fingers and into the case or you’ll need a magnet to fish it out. Unscrew the cable from the primary cover.

Next, you can remove the foot peg using a 9/16 socket & wrench. Don’t loose the spring washer. Remove the footpeg housing and shifter lever using a 5/16 Allen wrench.

Unbolt the linkage from the forward control using 1/2 socket, but leave the other end of the shifter lever on, and remove the shifter ear using a 3/16 allen wrench. Pull the bolt all of the way out as the splined shaft is grooved half-way in. Now, flip the ear to the 12 o’clock or 1 o’clock position and retighten. The Harley-Davidson manual recommends 80-110 in.lbs.

The instruction sheet with the kit said to install the ear at 11-12 o’clock, but that put the shifter under my leg making shifting difficult. With the linkage being threaded at both ends, it gives you some adjustment at both the foot pedal and the hand shifter.

Next, remove the top rear and lower primary cover bolts using 3/16 Allen wrench and install new shifter handle tightening Allen bolts to 80-110 in. lbs. and connect linkage and tighten it.

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