I was washing my bike yesterday, checking all the bolts/nuts/screws and came across two issues:

• Left front top engine bolt gone, vanished from sight!
• Right rear Progressive shock - top housing scraping belt guard

This has happened over the last month, as I wash and check my bike regularly. Could the two be linked? Have I installed the Progressives correctly - they were added about 8 months ago?

 

All of the motor mount bolts are on the 5K mile interval Service checklist. They should be checked for torque at each interval. Replace the bolt and use some Blue Loctite on the threads, and torque to spec.

The rear shock does not appear to be installed correctly, there should be a spacer between the upper shock mount and the side rail. That's why the Progressive shocks come with a bag of assorted spacers.

 

Spacers top and bottom:

 

Thanks guys.
My Nightster has reached just over 8,000 km's so it's due its service.

I can see from your pic HarleyScuba that my Progressives are definitely mounted incorrectly. I'll have to find some spacers.

 

Grade 8 washers work quite well. Stack up 2-3 of them.

 

That engine bolt is notorious for loosening.

Yep, blue Loctite.

Everyone should check its torque.

 

There is no top engine bolt. one back and one front on the bottom and only stabilizers on the top. looks ok to me?????

 

If you want to be technical about it, the "one back and one front on the bottom" are called motor mounts and motor mount bolts. The (1 of 2) bolts that the OP are missing is called the tie-link bracket bolts.

And, according to the Parts Manual, they are all referred to as Engine Mounts.

 

Oh yeah that bolt is gone!

 

had that same bolt come loose on me too. noticed it out on a ride and it was dangling. needless to say the bike got a once over....