got my ist harley today
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Stage II
Joined: Aug 2005
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got my ist harley today
i got my 1st harley today. 91 softail heritage classic. i took the advice of this forum looked for oil leaks & checked the rocker boxes.my bike is 2 tone maroon & cream. 21000 miles.im not used to the windshield im thinking of lowering it tomorrow. i wear a full face & at times was hard to see. i rode with the visor up.how high should the windscreen be. i have a shifter that has a set up. where i can go toe or heel. i accidently hit the toe a couple of times. does the heel a couple of times. any thouhts? i realize these subjects are elementary. thanks jim
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 991
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From: Campbellton NB
RE: got my ist harley today
Hello Jim,
I got a 1988 Heritage about 2 months ago with a few miles on it as well. The bike had been sitting for a while so I did have some leaks. Those are now mostly under control. Mine has a bolt on windshield and was way too high so I cut it down after I put a new seat on the bike. It's low enough to see over but high enough to deflect the wind. It took two cuts to get the height right. First measurement was done by sitting on the bike in riding position and pick a level line of sight then to cut about an inch lower, about the middle of the nose. Then took the bike for a ride a few more times each time trying a little different angle on the setup. Decided to then cut about another inch off and now have it so I can comfortably see over it in the rain and still keep the wind flow just at the top of the helmet: I also wear a full face helmet with the visor partway down unless it's cold out. You'll have to play with the angle of the windshield a bit to get it just right. It now takes me less than 2 minutes to get that shield on or off the bike. I only use it on long rides or when the forecast calls for sustained rain. Bill Norse has a good article in the DIY section about cutting windshields. It's easy to do.
When I first assembled the bike I installed the heel and toe shifters the same way as on the bikes at the dealer's. That set up does not work well for me. I'm used to having the toe shifter only so I rearranged the shifters so that the heel shifter is pointing up out of the way. One of the jobs on the to do list is to buy or make a spacer (probably make it myself) and to take the heel shifter out.
I also find the stock rear brake pedal annoying. There is not enough room under it to get my foot comfortably planted on the floor board. I've seen some pretty expensive billet brake levers that are longer but that is not my style at all. I'll likely live with the pedal until season end and through the winter either fabricate a longer one in steel or cut and lenghten the one on there now. A piece of steel tubing, a bushing, a grease nipple, a piece of flat steel , a footpeg, some nuts and bolts, and a bit of cutting, welding grinding and painting, and I'll have a brake pedal that's just right for me. Shouldn't take more than a day. (Welding isn't terribly complicated either - I bought a mig machine that runs on household current and just went for it. After about a dozen hours of practice to consistantly get good penetration you'll be welding safe welds. Then you can work on making them pretty. I have since fabricated steel quad decks for the trucks, headach racks, a couple of utility trailers and various small stuff - including the luggage rack for my bike.)
Have fun with your bike. I'm learning lots and enjoying every minute. I don't think I would have attemped as much had I bought a new bike for which I was making payments. With this one I don't mind, it's mine and there is no warranty that I can void, besides if I screw it up, I can ask for help here, or worst case bring it to the dealer to get it fixed.
Pat
I got a 1988 Heritage about 2 months ago with a few miles on it as well. The bike had been sitting for a while so I did have some leaks. Those are now mostly under control. Mine has a bolt on windshield and was way too high so I cut it down after I put a new seat on the bike. It's low enough to see over but high enough to deflect the wind. It took two cuts to get the height right. First measurement was done by sitting on the bike in riding position and pick a level line of sight then to cut about an inch lower, about the middle of the nose. Then took the bike for a ride a few more times each time trying a little different angle on the setup. Decided to then cut about another inch off and now have it so I can comfortably see over it in the rain and still keep the wind flow just at the top of the helmet: I also wear a full face helmet with the visor partway down unless it's cold out. You'll have to play with the angle of the windshield a bit to get it just right. It now takes me less than 2 minutes to get that shield on or off the bike. I only use it on long rides or when the forecast calls for sustained rain. Bill Norse has a good article in the DIY section about cutting windshields. It's easy to do.
When I first assembled the bike I installed the heel and toe shifters the same way as on the bikes at the dealer's. That set up does not work well for me. I'm used to having the toe shifter only so I rearranged the shifters so that the heel shifter is pointing up out of the way. One of the jobs on the to do list is to buy or make a spacer (probably make it myself) and to take the heel shifter out.
I also find the stock rear brake pedal annoying. There is not enough room under it to get my foot comfortably planted on the floor board. I've seen some pretty expensive billet brake levers that are longer but that is not my style at all. I'll likely live with the pedal until season end and through the winter either fabricate a longer one in steel or cut and lenghten the one on there now. A piece of steel tubing, a bushing, a grease nipple, a piece of flat steel , a footpeg, some nuts and bolts, and a bit of cutting, welding grinding and painting, and I'll have a brake pedal that's just right for me. Shouldn't take more than a day. (Welding isn't terribly complicated either - I bought a mig machine that runs on household current and just went for it. After about a dozen hours of practice to consistantly get good penetration you'll be welding safe welds. Then you can work on making them pretty. I have since fabricated steel quad decks for the trucks, headach racks, a couple of utility trailers and various small stuff - including the luggage rack for my bike.)
Have fun with your bike. I'm learning lots and enjoying every minute. I don't think I would have attemped as much had I bought a new bike for which I was making payments. With this one I don't mind, it's mine and there is no warranty that I can void, besides if I screw it up, I can ask for help here, or worst case bring it to the dealer to get it fixed.
Pat
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Joined: Feb 2005
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RE: got my ist harley today
Congrats to the both of you. I have a 05 FXST, I ride and when I see someone with a set up I like or think I like, I ask them about it. The Heel Toe is something to get used to. As for windsheilds, thanks for ther info Pat.
Ride lots.
Ride lots.
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