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On the way to the workshop, I felt that every time I roll on the throttle the drive belt pulls forward the right side of the rear wheel. That gave me an idea, that my wobbling is actually a wiggling of the rear fork. The reason showed itself as soon as I jacked up the bike: the pivot bolt #10 on the rear fork wasn't tightened at all! That was a close call, I might say. Would be very unfortunate to lose it doing 70 mph on a highway. That would be an epic fail. 15 minutes on a lift, tighten the bolt to 68 N-m and off we go!
I'm glad you caught that. You're right, that would have been catastrophic. Although you'd probably have had some warning before the pivot bolt departed entirely.
Great job man, bike looking absolutely amazing, what's air filter is that?
Thanks pal! Here is the link to the air filter. Looks wicked and works great! Amazon says it doesn't fit 1200 Sportster, but it is really a bolt on thing.
Now let's talk business)) After 3000 miles after the rebuild, I've got a few minor problems. Mostly cosmetic this time. The exhaust was kinda predictable because it wasn't powder coated. I used high-temperature paint and it turned out to be not very durable.
Last edited by Rokolya87; Sep 25, 2017 at 06:51 PM.
Also, two victims of the constant vibration: the speedometer needle plastic cover fell off, and I've lost the peg for the gear lever during the last ride)) That was funny when I figured it was gone when stopped at the traffic light. Quick fix at Home Depot using a bolt and electric tape.
No big deal, just need to order a new peg and disassemble the speedometer once again. This time I'll use super glue for this stubborn plastic cover.
One more thing! Can't find a proper relay to make my LED turn signals blink. Any suggestions? My turn signals work, just don't blink.
Two solutions possible, both available from Badlands and other brands: either a total replacement of your current indicator module to suit LEDs; or a 'ballast' (there are various other names) to use with your current indicator module.
As I mentioned earlier, the high heat VHT enamel wasn't the best choice for the exhausts. Road dust and gravel chipped off quite a bit of the VHT paint. It is good for the exhaust manifolds if they are protected with wrapping or shields. Yet, if mufflers are fully exposed, VHT isn't the best option due to the lack of durability.
Since the exhaust on my bike is never too hot, I decided to use the same matte black powder coating that I used for the tanks and fenders. Applied one layer, baked for 12 min at 400F, then another layer and another 12 min in the oven. Two thick coats should last forever!
Harley is more environmentally friendly than Prius))) or the best MPG ever!
Last weekend I went for another trip down to Pacific Coast Highway after it was reopened. The bridge collapsed because of the mudslide 6 months earlier this year and the most beautiful road was shut down for a long time. They fixed only the bridge to open a 50-mile stretch with the best views, yet the rest of the PCH is still closed for through traffic.
Because of that, I had to search for an alternative route which took me away from the gas stations. The absence of cell phone signal wasn't helping either. After a couple of wrong turns, I found myself on the gravel back road near Fort Hunter Liggett, surrounded by combat training camps and exploded car shells.
I didn't trespass anything, so I stopped the first Humvee that I saw coming towards me. Soldiers were very polite and told me the nearest gas station is 32 miles away. Odometer was reading 111 miles by then.
I wasn't sure if I can make it. However, the fact that I still didn't switch to reserve gave me some confidence.
By the time I pulled up to the gas station, the odometer showed me 143 miles. Still not on reserve! I filled up the tank with just 2.3 gallons! Incredible!
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.
