Sturgis prep: getting a 94 wide glide to go 5k mi in 2 weeks
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 172
Likes: 44
From: Aarau
Aloha,
if you made a normal service with oil change, new spark plugs and fresh grease at the wheel bearings you're fine.
These bikes are made for riding and that worked well in the past.
Pack your normal bike tool kit, cellphone and a AAA or other roadside assistance and don't think to much what bad could happen.
If your to afraid, stay at home.
At the end of the day your prepared of everything but with bad luck something will happen where you couldn't be prepared and with good luck nothing bad will happen.
Life is to enjoy the time on earth and expect the experience you can have on a trip like that.
Ride safe and enjoy your trip.
if you made a normal service with oil change, new spark plugs and fresh grease at the wheel bearings you're fine.
These bikes are made for riding and that worked well in the past.
Pack your normal bike tool kit, cellphone and a AAA or other roadside assistance and don't think to much what bad could happen.
If your to afraid, stay at home.
At the end of the day your prepared of everything but with bad luck something will happen where you couldn't be prepared and with good luck nothing bad will happen.
Life is to enjoy the time on earth and expect the experience you can have on a trip like that.
Ride safe and enjoy your trip.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,488
Likes: 3,687
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Leave the cam alone. if you want to do a cam change, do it once you get back. Leave the bars alone. Shortening them means all the associated wires and cables also need to be changed. If you want shoreter bars do so after you get home.
Once you've got your wheels off inspect the brake pads. When was the last time they were changed?
When was the last time you flushed your brakes?
When was your last oil change? Not sure but the last time I was in Sturgis, the dealer in Rapid City offered a spot to do oil changes.
If you've never done a long trip on the bike, you need to do a dry run. Pack what you are taking, put it on the bike and ride it around. Make your adjustments prior to the trip so that you are not constantly dicking around with the load.
I use the same tool kit for both my Pans And Shovels. (Definitely take some duct tape.) I know EVO models do not vibrate as badly as earlier models, but you might consider spending a couple of hours on the day before you leave Sturgis and sit down, have a beer and slowly go over the bike while checking fasteners, looking for leaks that should not bee there, and just overall condition.
The major issue I see is your statement that your tranny slips into neutral from second and has issues getting into first. I wouldn't even consider a long trip with that as an issue. And with the knowledge that the prior owner was doing stupid $hit on it, that probably means he beat the crap out of it slamming through the gears.
So, just a suggestion, forget all the changes you are thinking about doing prior to your trip and concentrate on the one problem that could strand you along HWY 50... a busted tranny.
Once you've got your wheels off inspect the brake pads. When was the last time they were changed?
When was the last time you flushed your brakes?
When was your last oil change? Not sure but the last time I was in Sturgis, the dealer in Rapid City offered a spot to do oil changes.
If you've never done a long trip on the bike, you need to do a dry run. Pack what you are taking, put it on the bike and ride it around. Make your adjustments prior to the trip so that you are not constantly dicking around with the load.
I use the same tool kit for both my Pans And Shovels. (Definitely take some duct tape.) I know EVO models do not vibrate as badly as earlier models, but you might consider spending a couple of hours on the day before you leave Sturgis and sit down, have a beer and slowly go over the bike while checking fasteners, looking for leaks that should not bee there, and just overall condition.
The major issue I see is your statement that your tranny slips into neutral from second and has issues getting into first. I wouldn't even consider a long trip with that as an issue. And with the knowledge that the prior owner was doing stupid $hit on it, that probably means he beat the crap out of it slamming through the gears.
So, just a suggestion, forget all the changes you are thinking about doing prior to your trip and concentrate on the one problem that could strand you along HWY 50... a busted tranny.
Last edited by panz4ever; Jul 15, 2021 at 10:14 AM.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 307
Likes: 108
Transmissions are easy work and good takeouts (whatever the donor case casting) are cheap/reasonable. If there are none locally I'd spring for overnight shipping because every day lost loses time cushion. Order a complete engine/trans gasket seal kit and you're covered for any surprises and can replace what ya don't use. Bench stock is your friend. Have the factory service manual and factory parts catalog. (I keep .pdfs on my phone too, handy at swap meets as well as the road.) There is plenty of
Doing performance mods prior to a trip is silly. It's just a lot of boring cruising at which stock engines excel.
Bearings being trivially cheap I keep two sets handy (I've multiple bikes but did that when I did not as there's no reason not to have a personal bench stock of parts one is guaranteed to eventually use). Timken-style bearings are sold as matched sets fitted to correct clearance (always buy the bearing/race as a set not separately from different mfrs). One can get away with a lot but why for such minor work and cost? Do a dry run as panz4ever advises. Fuel is and time are cheap. Inspect spark plugs and if you've not done a compression test perform one because what is not measured is not known.
Pull the tappet filter screen and inspect it. That should be done every oil change as small chips land there first. It's widely ignored but a very good idea and takes but a few minutes.
Doing performance mods prior to a trip is silly. It's just a lot of boring cruising at which stock engines excel.
Bearings being trivially cheap I keep two sets handy (I've multiple bikes but did that when I did not as there's no reason not to have a personal bench stock of parts one is guaranteed to eventually use). Timken-style bearings are sold as matched sets fitted to correct clearance (always buy the bearing/race as a set not separately from different mfrs). One can get away with a lot but why for such minor work and cost? Do a dry run as panz4ever advises. Fuel is and time are cheap. Inspect spark plugs and if you've not done a compression test perform one because what is not measured is not known.
Pull the tappet filter screen and inspect it. That should be done every oil change as small chips land there first. It's widely ignored but a very good idea and takes but a few minutes.
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 210
Likes: 39
From: SoCal
Leave the cam alone. if you want to do a cam change, do it once you get back. Leave the bars alone. Shortening them means all the associated wires and cables also need to be changed. If you want shoreter bars do so after you get home.
Once you've got your wheels off inspect the brake pads. When was the last time they were changed?
When was the last time you flushed your brakes?
When was your last oil change? Not sure but the last time I was in Sturgis, the dealer in Rapid City offered a spot to do oil changes.
If you've never done a long trip on the bike, you need to do a dry run. Pack what you are taking, put it on the bike and ride it around. Make your adjustments prior to the trip so that you are not constantly dicking around with the load.
I use the same tool kit for both my Pans And Shovels. (Definitely take some duct tape.) I know EVO models do not vibrate as badly as earlier models, but you might consider spending a couple of hours on the day before you leave Sturgis and sit down, have a beer and slowly go over the bike while checking fasteners, looking for leaks that should not bee there, and just overall condition.
The major issue I see is your statement that your tranny slips into neutral from second and has issues getting into first. I wouldn't even consider a long trip with that as an issue. And with the knowledge that the prior owner was doing stupid $hit on it, that probably means he beat the crap out of it slamming through the gears.
So, just a suggestion, forget all the changes you are thinking about doing prior to your trip and concentrate on the one problem that could strand you along HWY 50... a busted tranny.
Once you've got your wheels off inspect the brake pads. When was the last time they were changed?
When was the last time you flushed your brakes?
When was your last oil change? Not sure but the last time I was in Sturgis, the dealer in Rapid City offered a spot to do oil changes.
If you've never done a long trip on the bike, you need to do a dry run. Pack what you are taking, put it on the bike and ride it around. Make your adjustments prior to the trip so that you are not constantly dicking around with the load.
I use the same tool kit for both my Pans And Shovels. (Definitely take some duct tape.) I know EVO models do not vibrate as badly as earlier models, but you might consider spending a couple of hours on the day before you leave Sturgis and sit down, have a beer and slowly go over the bike while checking fasteners, looking for leaks that should not bee there, and just overall condition.
The major issue I see is your statement that your tranny slips into neutral from second and has issues getting into first. I wouldn't even consider a long trip with that as an issue. And with the knowledge that the prior owner was doing stupid $hit on it, that probably means he beat the crap out of it slamming through the gears.
So, just a suggestion, forget all the changes you are thinking about doing prior to your trip and concentrate on the one problem that could strand you along HWY 50... a busted tranny.
Good advice guys thank you. Its not my first lomg trip, Ive done 2000 miles around CA on a newer road king, several moto camping trips to mammoth Lakes, a 10 day NV bdr on my Honda dual sport, I've got my kit and gear mostly figured out, just wanted advice on harley evo-specific stuff to be prepared for. I'm considering leaving the cam alone but it makes the bike shake a lot more than it was designed for and im a little concerned about what the extra power and shakes would do to the bottom end of the engine over a long trip like this. I was going to go from a performance Andrews ev27 cam thats in there now, back to stock.
Brakes are good, I did the pads and fluids about 1k miles ago, definitely going to do an oil change, check for particles, check primary tensioner, etc.
How do you check to make sure the transmission will be ok?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,093
Likes: 12,638
From: South Carolina
Remove the gearset, disassemble and inspect all the parts...
Forget about it, if it is shifting good, just make sure the lube level is correct and ride.
Forget about it, if it is shifting good, just make sure the lube level is correct and ride.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,488
Likes: 3,687
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
This is an indication that your transmission is not okay...."My transmission likes to slip into neutral from second, but refuses to go in from first, so I'm going to tinker with the shift pawl adjuster....". If you cannot get thru the gears after you make the adjustments, I would pull the tranny and pop the lid in order to see what the problem is. Been coast to coast on my 65 and 84. Never ever left on a trip knowing I had an engine or tranny problem to start out the trip.
Whether you are taking the super slab or 2-lane blacktop to get there, you want to be on the road knowing (to the best of your knowledge anyway) that your bike is fully prepared for the trip and not wondering if the bike is going to get you there and back home again.
EVO bikes are a solid platform and very reliable. Your bike is talking to you, telling you that something is wrong. Listen to the bike and solve the problem.
You do not want to be that guy on the side of the road explaining to someone who stops to help, about the problem you knew you had before you left, but figured you could make the trip anyway....until you couldn't.
Whether you are taking the super slab or 2-lane blacktop to get there, you want to be on the road knowing (to the best of your knowledge anyway) that your bike is fully prepared for the trip and not wondering if the bike is going to get you there and back home again.
EVO bikes are a solid platform and very reliable. Your bike is talking to you, telling you that something is wrong. Listen to the bike and solve the problem.
You do not want to be that guy on the side of the road explaining to someone who stops to help, about the problem you knew you had before you left, but figured you could make the trip anyway....until you couldn't.
Last edited by panz4ever; Jul 16, 2021 at 09:43 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 2,333
Likes: 628
From: the South
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 35,239
Likes: 19,070
From: 40.2444° N, 75.6419° W
Do what i used to do when the second gear synchro went on my 4 speed, (in a car) just wind out first and skip over second right to third, then get into high gear and keep it there on the super slab...
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 441
From: Tejas
"My transmission likes to slip into neutral from second, but refuses to go in from first"
I took this to me when downshifting into neutral on approaching a light. Mine goes in from 2nd easier than from first as well.
It's not a problem.
Griz
I took this to me when downshifting into neutral on approaching a light. Mine goes in from 2nd easier than from first as well.
It's not a problem.
Griz