So, dust off the bike, check tire pressure, push out of garage, gear-up, start it up, check the lights, hop on, try to shift into 1st...nothing happens. Dismount, place helmet on right rear saddlebag...investigate.  Shifter linkage came off at the front, where the ball socket attaches to the linkage. Push bike into garage...crash, helmet hits pavement right on the faceshield...scratched the f**k out of it.  Now I'm really pissed at the bike, and myself. Un-gear. Bike is just shy of 19k miles.

I had been looking at Kuryakyn's Wild Boar shifter for about a year, and when I gave the kid's ideas for christmas, I got one.  So after disassemby, and reading about many shifter failures (HDF) and being one of those things that it's is not when...but a matter of when (seems to be another Harley weak link) () I looked a little closer to the one I received.  Although it had a hiem fitting at the front, the back was still the plastic bushing, with the metal ball.  Seems like failure waiting to happen again. Further research showed that these hiem fittings could be bought for about $30 (Mccarthy-Carr..do a search), shipped to the home, for two of them (front & rear). Only needing one, call Ventura Harley..yes, we have those..$28.00 for one, with tax.  You know the dealers, go in, bend over a bike, or the parts counter, and they will take it from there.  So now with a hiem for the rear part where it bolts to the tranny shifter, a little 'blue' locktight, and an easy install.  One thing to note is the distance between the front and rear bolts...you want to be, reasonably, the same distance between the two.  Won't affect your shifting, but may make the toe/heel shifter higher/lower. 

Take the bike for a test ride and the shifting is solid, with no hint of play.  Nice, easy neutral.

So go out and check your bike, seems the plastic bushing wears, and lets the ball come out of the socket...tug it a little, or see if it is getting sloppy.  Some have been able to zip tie the ball/socket to the linkage for a temporary road repair. On my previous ride, I pulled into the driveway, went int neutral, opened my windshield case, hit the garage opener, shifted into 1st, pulled in, shifted to neutral and shut off the bike without any indication of anything wrong until this happening.  Oh, and by the way, I got a replacment face shield for $20.  On the road again...

Yeah, that is another weak link with Harleys.  I bought an HD aftermarket smooth rod one at a sale after hearing about the inevitable failure of the stock linkage.  Much better and beefier design.  Piece of cake to install.

"One thing to note is the distance between the front and rear bolts...you want to be, reasonably, the same distance between    the two.  Won't affect your shifting, but may make the toe/heel shifter higher/lower." 

That's a good tip billk..

Here I am taking off the shifters to find the sweet spot between the splines. I should consider adjusting from the rod too huh?

Aftermarket billet one on my bike but I keep the stock one in the bottom of my saddlebag just in case someone in my party or I needs one in a pinch on the road.