I finally decided it was time to take the bike out of service for a day or so to get the tires, that have been in my garage for over a month, mounted and balanced.

So, I got all settled in to remove the wheels. Got the bike up on the jack, all secured and tied down. Service manual at the ready, clean ash tray, my portable set of tools (that usually can handle most any job), hex and torx socket sets (that are required for most Harley jobs), Shop stool, Hockey game on the TV in the garage. Popped a cold beer, all is good!!!

WRONG!!!!

First step with the front wheel, remove the brake caliber. Damn, it's a 12 point bolt. My little portable tool set has 12 points, but not in that small a size. So I go to the big tool box (that isn't nearly as organized as it should be) The bolt appears to be around a 3/8. Surprisingly, I quickly found a 12 point 3/8 and a 12 point 7/16. Problem solved.

WRONG!!!

3/8 is TOO small, 7/16 is TOO large. FTW!!!! Now, I know HD is known for using torx bits that aren't common in a typical bit set, but this is going too far. I was pretty certain, that even I didn't have a 12 point 13/32 socket. And I was correct. Called my Dad, he doesn't have one either. So, I did what any other person would do, got another beer!! Could it be a metric size??!!!! Nah....NO WAY!!

WRONG!!!

Just for the hell of it, I found a 12 point 10 mm socket. It fit like a glove.

That's 2 bolts that are right out front, visable to the entire world, and one of the first things that arrives at any destination when you ride you're ALL AMERICAN Harley.

I'm sure that's not the only metric sizes on the bike, but I just thought I'd share that for the guys that are all GunHo on All AMERICAN, ONLY AMERICAN SIZES...etc etc. And yes, "American made" cars have many many metric parts, but not too many people that drive them get all caught up in the "PURE AMERICAN" BS.

It just made me mad, because I didn't think to check for metric, and I wasted time getting the wheels off the bike. I wanted to share that, so none of you wasted as much time as I did, before checking to see if then freekin thing is a metric.

 

What used to be made in American has become "Assembled" in America !!!!!!!!!!

 

And when they take bids for nuts and bolts..........they take the cheapest bid........hence the metric size

wayne

 

The Carb on the Sporty is made by a company owned by Honda, the bolts on it are metric of course.

 

Actually, isn't that a Showa fork in front? If so, the metric bolts wouldn't surprise me.

 

Sportypig, it takes a very diverse tool box to work on Harleys... SAE and Metric sockets of various "points", Torx sockets and drivers, SAE and Metric Allan wrenches, Philips andStandard screwdrivers, and a good Monkey Wrench sometimes helps. Never mind the collection of specialized tools to work on the engine or tranny. I think someone once said: "Oh, Harley's are easy to work on." Right.

Oh and be sure to have both an inch-pounds and foot-pounds torque wrench.

 

C'mon Pig, are you serious? Everyone is using a mix of metric and standard in the auto, truck and motorcycle worlds. Airplanes and outboards are the only thing I have not seen mixed. Just because it's metric doesn't mean not American. Maybe it's a metric sized fastener manufactured in America by Americans...then again, maybe not. Not that big a deal Bro. Have another beer.

 

I remember when I was a kid, the big push to metric. Had a teacher that said "everything will be metric in 3 to 5 years" Yea right. I some ways I wish they would just do it and get it over with. Way to much money being made by having both though, so I see having both for a very long time. I'm 38, so the 3 to 5 years has turned into 30.

Brian

 

This is why carrying a tool roll has become almost a waste of time. Regardless of what goes wrong on the road, you will never have what you need unless ypu carry a credit card. [:@]

 

I just recently replaced the rubber boot between the carb and the manifold. The sealed bag it came in had the Harley Logo, Read "Genuine Harley-Davidson Parts" and also read "Made in China"[sm=WTFsgign.gif]