Hey Chris, so great to hear the beast up and running, you look like you've made a full and complete recovery as well, congratulations sir! I still love checking in on this thread, truly a beautiful piece of work.

 

Thanks! I truly appreciate that.

 

I want to do some clean-up of the wiring over the cold months with an eye toward future service and modification. I currently have a lot of permanent splices and wanted something more versatile. Didn't really want to disassemble Deutsch (or similar) connectors so I considered bullet or spade connectors but that wasn't quite right either.

Found these little lever-lock splice blocks from Wago and thought I'd give them a try. They have had a larger for years but they're bigger than I want on a bike. The new 221 series is quite compact. They're rated for 24-12 gauge wire, 450V@32A, and come in 2, 3, & 5 socket versions. All the sockets are electrically connected.

There are mounting options available also. I may or may not try those.

 

Do they have any type of seals, like Deutsch or weatherpack connectors?

 

No. I'll only use them in enclosed spaces with connector grease. I really only plan to use a couple and those will be lighting grounds. Nothing for the ignition.

 

It was just a pretty day...

 

That bike really looks great. A completely unique hot rod!

But that doesn't look like 2:54 AM...

On another note, have you ridden it enough yet to have any thoughts on the chassis? I'm wondering whether you're aware of any difference with the Predator/Sputhe/solid top link setup... But I'm sure it's hard to compare with something two years back...

 

It is hard to compare with any sort of accuracy but I'll give it a shot.

Keep in mind that basically everything related to ride and handling was changed. I only have a couple hundred miles on it and both the bike and myself are still breaking in.

I have set the sag and it seems nearly perfect by the numbers (great job Howard!) However I haven't yet messed with the damping. I already know the rear shocks are getting upgraded to double adjustables. Only because it bugs me that I can tweak the front but not the back.

In no particular order....

Straight line, It's got a very controlled ride with a strange mix of plush and firm. Bigger and higher speed bumps get soaked up nicely but smaller and slower bumps are a little harsh. So far I'm only using about 75% of the suspension travel. I would describe it as sporty-feeling but it's a bit harsh for cruising. That's not a criticism and I'm sure it can be tuned to suit. I'm in no hurry to rush the tuning. It needs time to break in more.

The wrist angle of the bars isn't quite right for me but I think some "coke bottle" grips will fix that. Just a little too pressure on the outside half of my palms. Otherwise, the ergonomics are surprisingly good. I was honestly expecting it to be more awkward. I do lean forward some but it's a comfortable "slouch" that gives me a good reach when big steering inputs are required (parking lots). The apes always felt too far away during maneuvering. The short riserless 1.5" bars are stiff as hell but there's not a hint of vibration in the grips, even with the solid riser bushings.

I'm still working on the mirror mounting. Currently I can't get them set where I can easily see past my arms and still clear the tank. I'll get it. Bar-end mirrors would be perfect but the internal throttle makes that very problematic. Regardless, the view in glass is rock solid. No vibration at all at any speed I've tried.

It reacts instantly and linearly with steering inputs. I'd almost call it telepathic. Heavy compared to the stock WG front end, but much more accurate. It feels solid and transitions from side to side easily.

There is a sort of "break over" point as the bike leans. I haven't pushed it hard yet but it seems like there is a sort of bell curve in lean effort where it takes more rider effort to get it over 25% (call it 10 degrees?) than it does to get it over 75% (30 degrees?) Kinda hard to describe and I don't notice it except with mild slaloms where it kinda feels like it would rather stand up than fall into the turn. ie, when pushing it left, it snaps back right a bit easier than the initial left. It's a stable feeling. I can't say it resists turning but it does seem to prefer standing up when flicking back and forth. Probably a damper tuning issue since I don't notice it during sweepers. Highway ramps feel perfectly fine...stable and well controlled in the lean and it transitions to a roll-on exit smoothly. Despite my jitters, I'd say it is confidence-inspiring.

I still have an engine vibration in the seat and pegs at about 2500 RPM. It's completely unrelated to gear or ground speed. I'm not concerned about it yet as the mounts are new and I haven't yet done a careful alignment. It tracks dead straight but it's entirely possible the front and rear mounts need to be loosened and "settled" into place. It is slowly smoothing out on its own so once that plateaus I'll settle the mounts and investigate further if necessary. I can live with it either way.

My cam chain tensioners are worn dangerously thin so I'm taking it pretty easy on the engine until I get that sorted. Haven't gone past about 50% throttle or 4000 RPM. That said, it jumps when asked. Again, it's a very solid, controlled feel. Accel or braking, I don't notice any unwanted squat or dive. I still want to try and get some chassis attitude "measurements" during riding to see how it's reacting. Hopefully I can rig up a GoPro to keep an eye on chassis attitude. My son has a Drift Stealth I can borrow, but I'm not sure what kind of mounts I can dig up.

The brakes are pretty well bedded in now and are very smooth and linear. Absolutely silent in use with a very quiet "clicking" from the fronts that goes away with the slightest application. The rear is perhaps a bit too strong. I can lock it up quite easily. The front is nice. Two fingers is plenty around town and during normal riding but it takes a fist full to lock them up. To me, that's a good balance. I don't want to have to think too much about lockup in an emergency. They are easy to modulate and slow the bike with authority. Haven't tried to take a stopping distance measurement yet but it strikes me as something in the neighborhood of 130' 60-0 (total wag). Not as good as some of my faster cars but very respectable. Need more time to practice pushing this harder. I can see myself changing to less grippy rear pad. The bike currently has Lyndall Extremes front and rear. Stock hydraulics up front. Rear has a Wilwood GP310 and stock MC.

No buffering at all from the big headlight. Nice, smooth, even pressure the wind at speed.

TL;DR
Overall, I'm quite pleased. It's stable, solid, inspiring, and moderately flickable. Definitely not a little 250 street bike, but for a Big Twin...pretty damn good, I think. Compared to the original WG, it's much stiffer in every way. No more wallowing or pushing in the corners (that I can tell). Firm, sporting ride.

 

Awesome detailed review, thanks! I almost feel like I've ridden it now!

It really speaks to the abilities of the builder when so much can be modified and fabricated, and works so well right out of the box...

I'm the same... It bugs me that the FXDX fork is fully adjustable, but the shocks only for preload and rebound... Whenever I window shop Ohlins, I always look for fully-adjustable models...

I am definitely not a suspension tuning expert. It sounds like slow fluid movements are well handled, but the fluid isn't moving through the valves fast enough in rapid movements. I wonder whether you can tune that out? With cartridge forks, that sometimes means the fork oil is slightly heavy... But again, not an expert in this black art.

I actually have the same issue. The mirrors aren't outboard enough to provide a good view past my arms. I've looked at various bar-end options (I have them on my other bike), but I'm worried they would make the bike look wider than I like (I know, aesthetics... but still...)

I know exactly what you mean... It takes some input to overcome the inherent stability of "cruiser geometry," but once overcome, it falls right over. Possibly enhanced by the shallower rake of the Wide Glide frame. Reading your description, it makes me think of a track car that's slightly more prone to understeer than oversteer... Stable and forgiving, but slower to transition rapidly.

I wonder whether it was always there? My engine vibrates noticeably (like, annoyingly) right at 2100 RPM. It always has. It was the same when I first got the bike, and the same after changing cams, pistons, etc. It was the same with the OEM front mount, and the same with the Predator. The same with an old OEM rear mount, and the same with a new rear mount with stabilizer. I just assume it's my crank balance (or lack thereof).

My rear locks up fairly easily too, even with the sticky(er) Avon Cobras. Stock caliper/rotor w/braided line and EBC HH pads. I may try something non-sintered next time. My fronts are also two-finger around town, but when hustling require a handful. I've grabbed the lever really hard, and haven't yet experienced lockup. I'm thinking of moving up from 11.5" rotors to 320s...

Really great news! When following a build for almost two years, it's really nice to see it come together so successfully... I'm sure it feels ten times as good for the builder!

Cheers!

 

Thanks! It is very satisfying. There are a few little things to sort out but I expected more and the troubleshooting and tuning are part of the fun for me.

The shifter linkage rattles left and right, both at the lever and the heims. I just need to put a couple spring washers in there. Easy fix.

The vibration...well we'll see. It used to be really bad at idle and now it idles almost too smooth for a Big Twin. At rest, the engine rocks fore & aft like it should but I can't really feel it in the seat or bars. Not that that is a bad thing. Just different. The mid rev vibration is new for this bike but in fairness my previous mounts were worn out. It could very well be part of the Dyna character. Like I said, I can live with it. I'll just work on reducing it without any real worry and see what happens.

Still playing with tire pressures. I started at 30F/30R and I'm now up to 35F/40R and it seems happier there. I'm going to email Avon and see if they can give me some data or guidance. I can measure temps and pressures but without some real goals, it's all down to seat of the pants feel.

I have a little fore/aft shudder in the front when using the brakes fairly aggressively...say 50-75%. It's perfectly smooth on either side of that. I may try tightening up the steering head bearings and look into a fork brace if that doesn't help. It's not bad at all but seems improper. Could also be inflation or damping related if the tire grip is changing erratically at those times. Need more testing.

The front brake switch isn't sensitive enough. It doesn't activate reliably around town. A less aggressive pad would probably change that but I'll probably build a plunger switch.

The m-unit keeps reporting bad turn signal bulbs because the current draw isn't stable for some reason. It's fluctuating between .1-.4 amps and some relationship with brake application, I believe. I have a few ideas but it can wait until I tear it back down once the snow flies.

Speaking of M-Unit...I couldn't be happier. It's a total game changer for older bikes. Two stage alarm, countless lighting control options...auto-hazards during emergency braking, brake light flashers, Lane-change blink, etc. Keyless Bluetooth and auto alarm arm/disarm, No more fuses, realtime circuit monitoring, etc, etc.

The Chinese adaptive headlight isn't nearly as good as the Cibie E-Code housing & Philips Xtreme 130+ bulb combo I have on my car. The Clone has a very blue color and lacks brightness at 100'+. The adaptive feature also doesn't work very well on the road. I'll definitely be getting the genuine JW Speaker Adaptive. I really can't express how good the Cibies are. They're far and away the best headlights I've used. Color, brightness, and pattern...all outstanding. I still think Adaptive is the way to go for bikes.

I'm not in love with the sound of the Thunder Torque Inserts but I need to do some trials with their orientation in the pipes. They may be coming back out. No fault of, or criticism toward, DK. They seem to deliver as promised. I probably just have an unusual idea of how the bike should sound. It sounded way more "pissed off" without them...which I like. The police here know my family likes obnoxious exhausts. Too much exposure to race cars, I think.

I'm confident some offset mounts/adapters for the mirrors will solve my problem there. Just need to settle on what I want and either make or order them. Quite a few options out there.

I've already started looking at contoured grips. No hurry.

Want to eventually rotate the switch housings down just a bit. They felt right in the shop, but my thumbs seem to consistently fall too low on the road. I do wish Motogadget made this process easier.

Also considering my fender options for the rear. I think it needs a little something. Just a little.

Bitch, bitch, bitch.