I am replacing older ceiling fans (there were separate wall dimmer controls for both the light and the fan) with new harbor breeze fans. The wiring is a bit tricky so I would like to bypass the remote altogether. Is it possible to simply omit the receiver and remote and install the fan as a normal non remote fan?

This is the type of remote I have:
this kit consists of a handheld wireless control and a hard-wired receiver which installs in the ceiling fan canopy, wired between the fan and the power source. These kits do not offer the ability to reverse the motor from the remote (that still has to be done on the fan body) but you do achieve 3 or more fan speeds and light control with dimming. The fan pullchain should be left in the 'high' speed position. The advantage of these kits, over fans with remotes built in, is if the remote is lost or broken, or if something otherwise fails in the receiver, it can be bypassed or replaced easily and the fan can still be used.

If the fans DO have pullchains, you can wire them without the remotes. Wire them as you would a normal fan:

Ceiling fan wiring - Ceiling Fans N More

What type of ceiling fans are you replacing? You may or may not be able to use the existing controls.