Man i wa just over in the softail side of the forum. Some AWESOME AWESOME BIKES!!! but one thing i noticed... after it says "MY bike is done... is followed by "i picked it up..." man i wish more of these people willing to toss money to HD for handlebar swaps and easy crap lived by me... i would be rich! blows my mind how many check book wrenchers there are out there... dont get me wrong... i work on bikes, i would be out of busn without it, but on easy stuff i always show my customers how to do it themselves, and teach basic fluid changes and crap... hey some people lack the knowlege or time and i respect that... but man harley gets rich off mods! no ? asked... there are some pretty sick bikes over there though! loveing some of the changes i am seeing on Heritages... seems like veryone with a rocker has a HUGE check book to toss money at harley... i just can not get a grasp on that bike... does not do it for me

 

I'm more than capable with a wrench, and can usually be found helping a friend/nieghbor with anything from a brake job to a blower install [I've done over two dozen supercharger installs]. But, I gotta tell ya, I have lost all desire to work on my own car/boat/motorcycle. I don't know why, but when it comes to my stuff, I usually have somebody else do it...

 

Amen brother. Only thing the Dealer has ever done for me in 16 years is mount tires.

 

I'm with you on that one. The Rocker does not speak to me at all, and I like it less everytime I look at it.

 

Joe, if you lived by me, you could have had my bike for the winter. I had no chance in hell of being able to be home to do the work myself, so I took the easy way out. A hard hit in the pocket, but my bike was safe, the work is done, and I'm happy at the end of the day. Now, had I been home, I could have done quite a bit myself, but you know my situation.

 

I think the people Joe is talking about are in a different situation than you are Jake. They are mostly the type that want to ride a bad unique bike but don't want to get their hands dirty. So, don't feel like you are being grouped in with them.

The way I see it, there are 3 reasons to do it yourself. First, to make sure it gets done right and to your own satisfaction, second - to save a few bucks, and third - to get some personal pride and satisfaction out of it. I've done all but 3 mods to my bike. Granted, most of my stuff is bolt on and not due the respect that some get from fabricating their own stuff (I just don't have the tools or the talent for that). 2 of those 3 mods I could have done myself - the bars and the pipes. I'm not setup to mount tires and true spoked rims. I didn't do my bars because I was getting half off the labor anyway and I didn't feel comfortable trying to do my own internal wiring. I didn't do my pipes because I was intimidated by trying to remove the O2 sensors in tact and the price I was quoted for the install seemed very fair to me. Turns out it was because it was 2 hours labor and it took them over 3.

Let's face it, though, there are people that would pay someone to go put gas in their bikes for them if they could. They just want to ride around and look cool and could care less about the reasons above. They've got plenty of money and are willing to pay. Someone has to keep the service departments busy. If not, they won't be there when we do need them.

As far as the Rocker goes, it's not for me either. It doesn't speak to me. It seems to be a solo riders bike only with a little pad to pick up a "fender bunny" now and then but that's about it. When I first saw the 2 new bikes for 08 - the Fat Bob and the Rocker, I thought the Fat Bob was just fat and ugly and the Rocker was sweet. That's when I was just looking at pictures. Now that I've seen both bikes in person, I'm completely the opposite on them. The Fat Bob is sweet, especially after a few common mods, and the Rocker just doesn't appeal to me at all.

 

To each thier own here. I prefer to get to know my bike hands on as well, but I understand those who don't. I had some good friends who taught me how to wrench and am extremely grateful for that.

 

pre-kids it was very easy to do stuff on the bike... my '92 fxrs was work by me and the boys doing late nights in the garage.



10+ years (and a wife, 2 kids, 2 dogs, and a mortgage) later... with my '07, the easy bolt on stuff i will do. i almost did my handlebar swap when HD quoted me $1500 in labor (not sure if that included running the wires internally). but the local indy ended up doing it for under $400 (and the wires are internal). for me it was a no brainer. you have to manage which is worth more... the time or the money...

as for that rocker, i see that as HD's answer to OCC/Jesse James/Bourget and all those other cats out there. i'm not a fan either because i don't see it as practical, but if i had to get one, i would get the rocker only because it is a true HD.

 

I have been at the dealer and see guys pay 325.00 for 5000 service 450.00 to change bars + parts one recently Chrome front end 690 in labor. Itis amazing what people will spend not to have to buy an allen wrench. A guy on a bagger prob about 40 was paying to get his pegs changed I think 50.00 in labor. I know not every one has time or knowledge but if you can ride a bike you can change your foot pegs IMHO

 

If I had the money I would probably do it myself still! Everyone is dif!

I have this issue with my ride right now and I will do it myself.....well with help from those on the board. I want to resolve the issue myself because you LEARN from crap like this!