1998 "Road King" Conversion
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Club Member
Joined: Mar 2018
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From: Sedro Woolley, Wa
1998 "Road King" Conversion
Well I took a huge step and found a great deal on a 1998 FLHR that has been converted into a Road King. Original owner wanted a RK but they were scarce so he took delivery of a Electra Glide Standard and blew it all apart, had it converted to a Road King. It's got 30k miles on it but it is pristine. I've got all the paperwork and receipts from new on it. I've been wanting one of these since I got out of high school in well 1998. Lol!! Got a bunch of spare parts, a lift and more with it as well. Looking forward to some traveling again on it. I'll miss my corner carving Superlow but my kidneys are going to appreciate full air suspension. My only complaint so far is I have to modify either my pump or thrbnitnfor the rear air point my Harley pump screws on but not quite far enough to fill. Front one is just fine. I can't think of anything I really want to do to it other than maybe fit a later clear lens headlight to it. I already pulled it off and cleaned the milky residue off the lens.
Last edited by Numinex; Jun 12, 2021 at 01:57 AM.
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 339
From: Northeastern Indiana
FYI ... an FLHR is a Road King ... you can't turn an FLHR into a Road King, it ALREADY IS a Road King ... a Standard would be an FLHT ... you can check the vin to see how it started life
Last edited by FreedomRider; Jun 12, 2021 at 05:32 AM.
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Mar 2018
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From: Sedro Woolley, Wa
Brain was still in a fog, started life as an Electra Glide Standard. He removed the batwing and purchased all the required bits to make it into a road king. So I have air shocks front and rear as well.
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 10
Likes: 3
From: Colorado
I am on my 4th FLHR and on each of them I dumped the air suspension. I am using Progressive Suspension 440 rear shocks (that model probably not made anymore) and I cap the front air inlets and use the stock springs and 20wt Belray fork oil. I have done over 150,000 miles with this set up and am very happy with it. The 440 shocks were expensive but guaranteed for life, I have had them rebuilt twice (same set of rear shocks on all 4 bikes)
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 466
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From: Sedro Woolley, Wa
Did a bit over 250 miles on it today hitting 5600 feet over Washington pass. Bike rims really well. Definitely got some carb issues to address. It was really rich over the pass. Inside of the cones on the end of the exhaust are sooty. But I still got 45 mpgs but the pullover the pass it was a lot of 4th gear pulling. Definitely need to play with. Air pressure. I put 3 psi in the fronts loaded up full.of fuel was fine. When I was scaping bottom o was on a pogo stick. Awful handling on a twisty road. Once I loaded it back up with fuel.itnrode like a dream. Other notes I never got reserve about 175 miles in and the gauge was buried in E from about 130 miles something to look at i guess.
Do these have a reserve light being a Carb bike?
the original owner said he used the "sportster" needle in the carb
What is everyones consensus on jetting? Bike has Arlen Ness Air Cleaner and super Trapp slip ons with what looks like 7 disks.
Very very enjoyable bike to ride. I just have to spend more time in the saddle. It's definitely a step up from the smaller bikes I just have to get used to the handling differences between full and low on fuel.
Do these have a reserve light being a Carb bike?
the original owner said he used the "sportster" needle in the carb
What is everyones consensus on jetting? Bike has Arlen Ness Air Cleaner and super Trapp slip ons with what looks like 7 disks.
Very very enjoyable bike to ride. I just have to spend more time in the saddle. It's definitely a step up from the smaller bikes I just have to get used to the handling differences between full and low on fuel.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 10,804
Likes: 7,431
From: OH
No reserve light , just the petcock
Early Sportster had no accel pump and used a needle with a more aggressive taper VERY COMMON modification
45/180 is a good starting point for a stock engine with pipes and air cleaner
Early Sportster had no accel pump and used a needle with a more aggressive taper VERY COMMON modification
45/180 is a good starting point for a stock engine with pipes and air cleaner
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,336
Likes: 1,281
From: Ky
Beautiful bike!
Those rear air shocks never impress me. I upgraded the rear to progressive and was sold. So I changed the front but wasn't as impressed.
your probably due for forks oil to be charged. If I had the setup you have I would pressure test the front to see if it holds air.
if it holds air I would drain the forks, pull a vacuum from the Schrader valve to refill the correct amount.
if the air system won't hold air I would disassemble the forks, check the neck bearings, new fork seals, cap the air connection at the top of the fork tube.
Enjoy!
Those rear air shocks never impress me. I upgraded the rear to progressive and was sold. So I changed the front but wasn't as impressed.
your probably due for forks oil to be charged. If I had the setup you have I would pressure test the front to see if it holds air.
if it holds air I would drain the forks, pull a vacuum from the Schrader valve to refill the correct amount.
if the air system won't hold air I would disassemble the forks, check the neck bearings, new fork seals, cap the air connection at the top of the fork tube.
Enjoy!
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,080
Likes: 2,153
From: Ohio
Did a bit over 250 miles on it today hitting 5600 feet over Washington pass. Bike rims really well. Definitely got some carb issues to address. It was really rich over the pass. Inside of the cones on the end of the exhaust are sooty. But I still got 45 mpgs but the pullover the pass it was a lot of 4th gear pulling. Definitely need to play with. Air pressure. I put 3 psi in the fronts loaded up full.of fuel was fine. When I was scaping bottom o was on a pogo stick. Awful handling on a twisty road. Once I loaded it back up with fuel.itnrode like a dream. Other notes I never got reserve about 175 miles in and the gauge was buried in E from about 130 miles something to look at i guess.
Do these have a reserve light being a Carb bike?
the original owner said he used the "sportster" needle in the carb
What is everyones consensus on jetting? Bike has Arlen Ness Air Cleaner and super Trapp slip ons with what looks like 7 disks.
Very very enjoyable bike to ride. I just have to spend more time in the saddle. It's definitely a step up from the smaller bikes I just have to get used to the handling differences between full and low on fuel.
Do these have a reserve light being a Carb bike?
the original owner said he used the "sportster" needle in the carb
What is everyones consensus on jetting? Bike has Arlen Ness Air Cleaner and super Trapp slip ons with what looks like 7 disks.
Very very enjoyable bike to ride. I just have to spend more time in the saddle. It's definitely a step up from the smaller bikes I just have to get used to the handling differences between full and low on fuel.
Those slush ride rear air shocks are not a good system, set of Progressives or better shocks makes a big difference in handling. Not really sure how a full tank of fuel can mess with handling and ride quality's.
45 mph isn't bad on a Evo Bagger, Sportster needle is a old school upgrade that works. The carb may be tuned right because the 4th gear drops on hills with a stock 80" is common, they are only 65 hp engines in stock form pulling a barge.
45-46 and 175 seem to be the go to jetting with a stock engine. Easy way to tell where the low jet is by the amount of time needed for choke operation, a stock Evo lives on the choke at start up. Sportster needle might be slightly on the rich side but pulling a long hill loaded in 95 degrees weather you won't need to worry about sticking a piston, trying to squeeze a couple miles to a gallon just seems like a gamble. Evo's are known to get 50 mph but sticking a piston turns into $2000 with a Evo
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,336
Likes: 1,281
From: Ky
Yes, a RK has a yellow light (glass bulb) come on inside the fuel gauge when low on gas.
Those slush ride rear air shocks are not a good system, set of Progressives or better shocks makes a big difference in handling. Not really sure how a full tank of fuel can mess with handling and ride quality's.
45 mph isn't bad on a Evo Bagger, Sportster needle is a old school upgrade that works. The carb may be tuned right because the 4th gear drops on hills with a stock 80" is common, they are only 65 hp engines in stock form pulling a barge.
45-46 and 175 seem to be the go to jetting with a stock engine. Easy way to tell where the low jet is by the amount of time needed for choke operation, a stock Evo lives on the choke at start up. Sportster needle might be slightly on the rich side but pulling a long hill loaded in 95 degrees weather you won't need to worry about sticking a piston, trying to squeeze a couple miles to a gallon just seems like a gamble. Evo's are known to get 50 mph but sticking a piston turns into $2000 with a Evo
Those slush ride rear air shocks are not a good system, set of Progressives or better shocks makes a big difference in handling. Not really sure how a full tank of fuel can mess with handling and ride quality's.
45 mph isn't bad on a Evo Bagger, Sportster needle is a old school upgrade that works. The carb may be tuned right because the 4th gear drops on hills with a stock 80" is common, they are only 65 hp engines in stock form pulling a barge.
45-46 and 175 seem to be the go to jetting with a stock engine. Easy way to tell where the low jet is by the amount of time needed for choke operation, a stock Evo lives on the choke at start up. Sportster needle might be slightly on the rich side but pulling a long hill loaded in 95 degrees weather you won't need to worry about sticking a piston, trying to squeeze a couple miles to a gallon just seems like a gamble. Evo's are known to get 50 mph but sticking a piston turns into $2000 with a Evo
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 466
Likes: 400
From: Sedro Woolley, Wa
Think I'll leave it be for now then, pulled the plugs this morning and they look great. Timing mark is right on the money as well. Bike hasn't been ridden much in the last few years so I'm thinking some of that soot was just from sitting and I was just cleaning the pipes out.
Last edited by Numinex; Jun 13, 2021 at 03:17 PM.