I've had my Harley for 24 years. I still find myself walking to the garage, opening the door and turning on the light, just to look at it.

 

Enjoy the new project. There is nothing like the feeling of riding the finished bike, knowing that you made it just the way you wanted it with your own hands. But be warned. It is extremely addicting, and you will quickly find yourself planning the next project.

 

Purchase a repair manual and use it when ever you have a question!

 

While you're dreaming up new stuff to go on the bike, get some paragraph breaks to go on that post.

 

Wall of text. It was probably a good post but I couldn't get thru it.

 

...the FACTORY service manual...

 

factory service manual and the parts manual. Also get a three ring binder and keep track of what you do....did...fixed repaired whatever. Not only will it be great reference of your build, but you will find for your normal maintenance it will help keep track of things. I get **** about some of this stuff...but it is nice to know how long or far something lasted. or when and what you had done.
good luck!!

 

I keep track of that stuff too...I set up a table in Microsoft Word, and I keep my receipts/invoices/like that in a manila folder. I track what I do maintenance-wise, just cuz I should.

 

I drove 100 miles to check out my first Harley, on a Sunday. I said I'd come back Wednesday to pick it up. I needed a few days to get the funds, transportation, etc.
Sun night I got maybe 2 hours of sleep. Work the next day was brutal.
Mon night I slept maybe 3 hours. I was totally trashed the next day.
Finally the night before, I said omg if I don't get sleep I'm never going to make it. Thankfully I slept, probably from pure exhaustion. Brought the bike home the next day.

For at least the next year and a half, anytime I planned to ride to work, I'd have trouble falling asleep the night before. I'm finally able to sleep now, but man I love riding!