Low down on Bourget customs?
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 418
Likes: 1
From: Overseas
Low down on Bourget customs?
Hi guys ...
Short question, what's the low down on the Bourget customs?
Longer commentary ... I've been looking at the prices of older Bourget customs, 99 - 01 etc, and they are becoming ridiculously cheap.
Given that all seem to have really low mileages, less than the miles I do in a single year, they almost seem to be at the level of a cost of the S&S 113 engine ... plus a free rolling chassis thrown in. Almost worth buying just for parts.
It's difficult to find any actually road reviews of them (I mean, they were built to be ridden, weren't they?) and, as is usual, pretty much any forum thread on them is a negative ... but I find that's just normal with regards to anything custom. You always hear the bad reviews first and louder when a whole load of folks just get on fine with them. I can't find any neutral/factual or positive reviews. I can't find any serious press reviews.
I am looking at the Low-blows or Kruzers.
The Kruzer seems like a modest enough chassis design with a nice beefy engine that should, in theory, cause no problems. S&S have a good enough name, so does Performance Machine. A frame is frame ...
Can these things be made reliable enough to ride, and take longer-distance trips than just down to Hooters and back?
For personal reasons, I'd like something low. I'm looking to share a bike with partner's my old man, and he's a lot shorter than I am.
In theory I'd be cheaper to buy one of these than a OEM Harley of the same age, and put Legend Air shocks on it which is the other option. I wonder if by now the bikes are likely to have been shaken down and resolved ... whether they were just so unrideable they stayed in their garages ... or whether they were always just show pieces for guys with far too much money.
I don't have and just like to ride. I can take a little discomfort but I don't want to be shelling out for pick up truck rides back home.
Thanks for your consideration.
Short question, what's the low down on the Bourget customs?
Longer commentary ... I've been looking at the prices of older Bourget customs, 99 - 01 etc, and they are becoming ridiculously cheap.
Given that all seem to have really low mileages, less than the miles I do in a single year, they almost seem to be at the level of a cost of the S&S 113 engine ... plus a free rolling chassis thrown in. Almost worth buying just for parts.
It's difficult to find any actually road reviews of them (I mean, they were built to be ridden, weren't they?) and, as is usual, pretty much any forum thread on them is a negative ... but I find that's just normal with regards to anything custom. You always hear the bad reviews first and louder when a whole load of folks just get on fine with them. I can't find any neutral/factual or positive reviews. I can't find any serious press reviews.
I am looking at the Low-blows or Kruzers.
The Kruzer seems like a modest enough chassis design with a nice beefy engine that should, in theory, cause no problems. S&S have a good enough name, so does Performance Machine. A frame is frame ...
Can these things be made reliable enough to ride, and take longer-distance trips than just down to Hooters and back?
For personal reasons, I'd like something low. I'm looking to share a bike with partner's my old man, and he's a lot shorter than I am.
In theory I'd be cheaper to buy one of these than a OEM Harley of the same age, and put Legend Air shocks on it which is the other option. I wonder if by now the bikes are likely to have been shaken down and resolved ... whether they were just so unrideable they stayed in their garages ... or whether they were always just show pieces for guys with far too much money.
I don't have and just like to ride. I can take a little discomfort but I don't want to be shelling out for pick up truck rides back home.
Thanks for your consideration.
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 418
Likes: 1
From: Overseas
BTW, it is possible to fit mid-controls or something like them onto these? (not sure how a RHS would fit).
It's crazy ... I'm looking at some guy who bought and paid for a dual N20 model new, did just over 1,000 miles on it and never used the gas ... and is now selling it but I still can't find any review that mentions whether they can go round corners or cross country.
For the record, I'm not into all the fancy paint and machining scene. I'm just stuck to find something low/slim enough that's not metric.
It's crazy ... I'm looking at some guy who bought and paid for a dual N20 model new, did just over 1,000 miles on it and never used the gas ... and is now selling it but I still can't find any review that mentions whether they can go round corners or cross country.
For the record, I'm not into all the fancy paint and machining scene. I'm just stuck to find something low/slim enough that's not metric.
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 418
Likes: 1
From: Overseas
Hmmn ... I guess they did not build enough of these for folks to have had a chance to try them enough to have an opinion.
Not even enough for an 'owners club' on the internet.
The Kruzer looked like a kind of good FXR replacement to me.
Not even enough for an 'owners club' on the internet.
The Kruzer looked like a kind of good FXR replacement to me.
Last edited by Homeward Bound; May 31, 2013 at 07:07 AM.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,470
Likes: 4
From: on the road
watch the frames for cracks------------they filed the welds until they were paper thin.As far as the wiring goes I think they used a module much like the othesr did .Titan used a thunder heart and2 of the bourgets I have seen have the exact same appearing module which more than likely was made in a asian country.
I never liked them as well as the big dogs and titans myself.Its been some time but if I remember right the big jack shaft that switched drive sides was trouble some to say the least
I never liked them as well as the big dogs and titans myself.Its been some time but if I remember right the big jack shaft that switched drive sides was trouble some to say the least
Stage III
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: NorthEast
I own a 2003 Bourget's LowBlow. Bourget's bikes are VERY LOUD, though I suppose you could baffle them if you wanted too. They are rough rides, at least the few I have ridden were; great for a 100 miles or so, though too much more and you start to feel it. The welds are filed though I have never seen one fail. The biggest concern I have is the kickstand placement(I do think the weld there will fail on my bike). Beyond that, be sure to have a knowledgeable mechanic. Not a Harley shop, because many of them will not touch custom bikes. The alignment of the belts and the custom cable lengths (clutch/brake) are the only ongoing concerns. Finally, make sure you check the bolts on the entire bike every month or so to be sure they are tight; the vibration tends to loosen them more quickly than on an off the shelf Harley.
Novice
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: belgium
maybe you should use loctite?
Trending Topics
They are customs they are going to get bad reviews, parts are hard to get and people will sometimes blame their lack of motorcycle knowledge on a bad design.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post