Originally Posted by Jackal

10.75's? Nice! I just did 11's...even then I was afraid 2-up would bite me in the *** later on. I rode em with no air, 15 lb. and 20 lb. 15 felt PERFECT, so I went with 20 till we can get a 2-up ride in. Always waitin' on parts, now the weather is here. :\

Originally Posted by Jackal

I think you'll be good as far as that goes...at 20, they don't sag one bit, but I can inflict enough pressure to make em squish about an inch just sitting in the garage. I'm at 210 lbs.

Originally Posted by Ergonight

Thanks Voony, and ya it's a good point. In fact, my wife asked me almost the very same question a few weeks ago, just not as politely.

Had I known then what I know now, I probably would have done it differently. I decided back in the Spring that after 20 some years of not riding I was gonna get back on a bike again, and for some reason I can't really explain I wanted a Harley. Took me a couple of months to get the wife used to the idea...she is not a biker babe and didn't realize she had signed up for that...in fact, she's still getting used to the idea... But anyway, I was browsing the local want ads, saw the Nightster and decided to buy it. I knew enough about stock bikes from my youth that I was anticipating doing some modifications to it. But the more I got into the whole thing the more I wanted to change/improve/modify to my taste. There was the whole engine paint problem, some rust on the frame, etc, that wasn't all that noticable when I bought it and I hadn't realized how bad it was until I really got into it. And that kind of thing bugs the **** out of me, knowing it's there even though hardly anyone but me would notice. This forum hasn't been any help at all either...or it's been a huge help, depending on your perspective. Reading about all the mods, seeing the pics of all the great sportys...I got the bug. Bad. I'm addicted. I feel compelled to really turn this stock Nightster into MY bike. I want to make it as unique/badass/bitchin/awsome as I am capable of, within a modest budget, and within the parameters I'm stuck with, i.e. - has to remain 2-up capable and it can't be too loud.

It's a creative outlet for me, something I can craft into a unique work of...dare I say...art. I am not an artist by any stretch, but I love being creative. I'm not a machinist or a carpenter but I love taking wood or metal and making it into something else, even if it's not very useful or pretty. The very kewl thing about motorcycles is that you don't need to be a master machinist or ace mechanic to turn a stock bike into something very unique. Those things help a lot if you really want to get serious, if you're building or rebuilding motorcycles, chopping frames and one-offing most or all of the components. But for us average Joe's, we can really express ourselves through our bikes without too much in the way of KSA's (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities). And you don't have to buy everything from Joker Machine, Roland Sands or god forbid, Harley Davidson, to do it. Not that there's anything wrong with that, and no offense to Kevin from DK Customs from whom I've already purchased a few sweet items.
But this sportster platform allows so much mixing and matching of purchased, crafted and altered components that everyone can be creative, regardless of your KSA level.

As I said in an earlier post, I am extremely fortunate to have a son-in-law that has his own machine shop and a wealth of KSA's when it comes to motorcycles and fabricating. I would not have gone near the extent I have if it weren't for him and his shop, to which I have complete access. That, and the long upstate NY winters which allow me at least five months of non-riding weather to do all the work. The more I thought about my bike and the things that I needed/wanted to do just sitting there for five months, the more creative I got with my plans.

I'm learning as I go, and loving every minute of it.

Originally Posted by Ergonight

... Took us about ten minutes to get the engine from the bench into the frame. Here's the way it's sitting now.

Originally Posted by Imold

Maybe I missed this; how are you planning to paint the frame? Seems like you'd want to do it with the engine out, if possible. I've only painted a frame when it was stripped down, would be a lot of masking otherwise. Would be great to have a heated garage or shop. I'm planning on bringing a couple bikes into the dining room this winter (don't eat in there much, anyway), but of course that won't get too complicated; the Harley will have to sit on it's own rubber and I won't be firing any of them up. It'll still give me a head start for spring.

Originally Posted by Voony

Another very inspiring post! Thanks for sharing. I too want to make my bike look like no other one, or almost. Luckily enough, my vision of my bike is not as radical as yours might be. By the way, I would love for you to show me a picture of a bike that would kinda look like what you want yours to look.

Best of luck with you project! I will keep an eye on that thread for sure.

Originally Posted by Ergonight

I see a lot of guys working on their bikes in the house. My old lady would divorce me fer shur at the mere mention of that.

Originally Posted by justglidin

Those bikes look killer bro!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep the info coming!!!!!!!!!!