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Fork oil on Harleys is a pain and fuel filter. But I just hate working on jap bikes in general. Especially carbs. Getting 4 carbs in place is pain. Everything is so tight
Lack of frame for jacking up sucks on jap. Some tire changes are easy with shaft
Oh my God the carburetors. 4 of them jammed between the cylinders on a V4 engine no space other than carburator. Taking them off and on is a nightmare.
It's 90 percent of the talk in the Honda V4 forums.
I do not miss that.
When I was looking at this Harley to buy as I was sitting on it it was explained to me it was fuel injected I became sexually excited.
Sold!
I have that H-D speedo/tach combo on my King. It's a nice unit, but the gear indicator is too small for my old eyes. I got one of the H-D gear indicators pictured below, but not sure if they still sell on the H-D site. Might check with your dealer. Very convenient and has big numbers. It also has a space for an extra switch if you want. Part # 70900038.
I have that H-D speedo/tach combo on my King. It's a nice unit, but the gear indicator is too small for my old eyes. I got one of the H-D gear indicators pictured below, but not sure if they still sell on the H-D site. Might check with your dealer. Very convenient and has big numbers. It also has a space for an extra switch if you want. Part # 70900038.
Wow!
A reason to go to my dealer!
$231.17 Plug and play. Sold!
Thank you
Last edited by Robertbc3141; May 27, 2025 at 10:30 AM.
Oh my God the carburetors. 4 of them jammed between the cylinders on a V4 engine no space other than carburator. Taking them off and on is a nightmare.
It's 90 percent of the talk in the Honda V4 forums.
I do not miss that.
When I was looking at this Harley to buy as I was sitting on it it was explained to me it was fuel injected I became sexually excited.
Sold!
I've got carbed and fuel injection. FI starts right away in spring. Has pump and filter to maintain.
You can plug in and tune FI. But how often do you do that and it tuners ain't cheap.
Flip a coin.
Yeah I forgot about those handlebar gear indicators. Harley doesn't sell them anymore, but I think the part number for the OPs bike is 70900078. If one of those isn't available (that switch housing is really cool - you can add some groovy gadgets to it) googling that part number will come up with some aftermarket alternatives:
It also brought up some aftermarket speedos with gear indicators in them as well. Don't know how well they work, but the handlebar indicator is cheap enough might be worth a try.
All that talk of Magnas brought back some memories. My late Wife had an 84 VF700 Magna. That thing was pretty quick. So much so after she passed I sold it, didn't need the temptation. As far as gear indicators go I never had one myself until I got the 23 Ultra. As others have said it only works when the clutch is out, so I don't find my self noticing it much.
I think one reason Harley riders don't think much about those indicators much is we know roughly what gear we are in based on the sound and feel of the motor. After riding four speeds long enough I think that mindset sort of gets second nature.
I think one reason Harley riders don't think much about those indicators much is we know roughly what gear we are in based on the sound and feel of the motor. After riding four speeds long enough I think that mindset sort of gets second nature.
Up shifting is no issue with me, as you said, sound and feel. It's the 'round town riding with a lot of stops and downshifting for me. That alzheimer's starts to kick in for some reason.
Knowing your gears down shifting is prob more important for aggressive riders.
I am far from an an aggressive Rider.
I ride like the old man I now am
But I rode like an old man when I was younger.
I attribute that to still being alive.
I don't Lane split. I don't rev my engine at every intersection (never understood that). When I was a kid I asked my dad why they reved their engines like that. He said you know how you put a playing card with a clothespin in the spokes of your bicycle? Same thing.
One of the selling points of my current Harley was that he didn't rev the **** out of the engine showing it to me.
I have mistaken first gear for second rounding a corner and lurched forward and third gear for second bogging down.
If I need training wheels I need training wheels.
I'm going to try that $50 one first.
Last edited by Robertbc3141; May 27, 2025 at 10:58 AM.
I am far from an an aggressive Rider.
I ride like the old man I am.
I have mistaken first gear for second rounding a corner and lurched forward + third gear for second bogging down.
If I need training wheels I need training wheels.
I'm going to try that $50 one first.
Let us know. It is cheap. I think somewhat novelty. But I have wasted money before
I have let the clutch out in wrong gear, but you have to be looking and know what gear you want to be in.
I see taking turns aggressively, down shifting, coming into play
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