When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Ive been on the fence with the style/look of the tail light for sometime now. Apparently, Ive got bigger problems.
While riding with my son last month he let me know the brake light sucked from a functional perspective. He was following me most of the afternoon and said he had trouble recognizing when I hit my brakes.
The CD ProBeam lamp can be installed up or down. I recall reading somewhere that in one of the positions, the orientation of the LEDs is less effective. Apparently thats the way it fits on my bike.
So . New brake light for me. I settled on a Joker Machine LED taillight. Problem was, they do not offer a compatible mounting option for my bike.
I bought the cheapest compatible taillight I could find so that I had a bracket to work with. I drilled the bracket to fit the Joker Machine taillight.
The bracket did not completely fill the space under the fender and I wasnt happy with the gaps.
I cut a 1/16 rubber overlay for the bracket to fill the void. This also provided a more stable and slip-resistant surface for the taillight.
The license plate mounting surface was wider than the plate - wheel cutter made easy work of that.
I filed the edges clean and painted all exposed sides and edges flat black.
I wired-up a Deutsch connector for the taillight and tucked the wiring against the back of the bracket.
I cut and fitted an additional rubber sheet to create a mudflap over the wiring.
Im digging the final product - and feel much better about being a bit more visible when braking.
All parts for the front-end are in house - I hope to be on the road Sunday afternoon.
Just my opinion mind you, but I think that tail light is too small looking. Nice job on the install tho
So, the good news is I got the front-end all buttoned-up, including ditching the fork-brace (what the hell was I thinking!?).
The not so good news is I could not get the "fall-away" method to work for me. Here's the page from the service manual...
I started by getting the bike up off the ground. Note: the manual does not specify whether or not to keep the frame level when performing this test. I saw some references online that suggested the bike should be level...
Front wheel was actually about an inch off the floor for the adjustment. I had my pointer-tool ready to go!
Unfortunately, I could not get the adjustment according to spec, specifically had issues with the left-side (primary side) sticking. I had removed the clutch cable and made sure there were no other impediments, but could not get the neck loose enough to provide the right amount of fall-away.
Every time I tried loosening the steering-head adjuster I created play in the steering stem BEFORE I was able to significantly impact the fall-away measurements. If I snugged-it up just enough to remove the play, the fall-away measurement was still way too wide - like 4+" wide.
To be honest, I did not loosen the pinch-bolts per the manual instructions because I did not want to risk slipping the forks and creating a twisting-torque on the axle. Unsure if this has something to do with it. I also did not try alternate lift angles (e.g., rear wheel on the floor).
In the end, I snugged-up the adjustment nut to remove any play in the steering head, then locked-it all up. I was then off for a 70 mile round-trip rendezvous to hand-off my LTR parts to @Joe12RK .
Bike rides great - the monotubes made a world of difference. The ride is much improved and braking is now smooth and predictable without any discernible dive.
Front-end feels good - certainly no more clunking. Handling feels fine - straight and true. Bike is stable through 75mph (didn't have an opportunity to push past that).
I am open to thoughts and direction re: the adjustment to the steering head, especially from those with experience. I can take another pass at it when the new rim arrives. For now, I think all is good. Next weekends ride to Daytona will provide a good test (abt 350 miles round trip plus the local running-around).
Last edited by Old Sport; Mar 1, 2026 at 06:12 PM.
Finally got my '99 Softail Custom home last weekend. I have been lusting for an EVO for a l-o-n-g time. Here's a look at my new run-around:
Bike is generally unmolested, save for the "Live to Ride" bling that will need to find a new home. About 45K miles from one previous owner. Now begins the process of comfort and style updates.
At the moment, the pipes stay and the bars go. Wild 1 Chubby's W0500 bars are on the way. I will likely keep the seat for the very rare 2-up ride, but a LePera Bare Bones Solo saddle is also on the way for the anticipated "everyday" ride.
Also looking at lighting and foot controls. Not looking at engine mods for the time being (other than what may present itself as a necessary maintenance) . I've about 100 miles on the bike so far and it runs great and pulls strong - certainly satisfies my riding style.
I'm excited - and looking for input / feedback from folks with stories to share regarding the mods that worked - or didn't.
let me know if you get rid of your forward controls, I need a brake forward control
Every used Harley I've bought has been plastered in that live to ride garbage. Removing and throwing it away, is one of the first things I do. I've always preferred the solid wheel myself but admittedly, Im old and spoke wheels use to have tubes, and nothing sucked worse than getting a flat that you couldn't quickly fix on the side of the road.
You can easily seal a spoke wheel. I dont have tubes in my Shovel or Springer. And when I do tires next on the king Ill seal those too.
The V&H Big Radius look and work great on this bike. I've had a half dozen pipes on my '88 until I found the BR's. Next thing I would do is lower that rear end to get rid of the unsightly gap between the fender and tire. I run the Progressive Suspension afjustable rear shocks set at their lowest height.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Spokes no more...
