"DIY MODS" and TRICKS to SAVE $$$$$$
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 3
From: Sevierville, TN
I was thinking of sending a solo seat I have to someone to get it reformed and then it hit me that I have an old seat in the workshop. I got the old seat removed the seat cover and with a 4" grinder with a standard grinding disk and a variable speed sander I reformed the old seat. Then I put the seat cover back on, being sure I pulled it tight, using an electric stapler. Turned out great. So then I removed the solo seat from my EGC and did the same to that seat. And less than an hour later I was done. It looks great and much more importantly it feels great. I shaved down the sides enough to now I can be flat footed at stop lights. It was so easy to do, find a old seat and give it a shot!
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,802
Likes: 2
From: Salt Lake City, UT. Dushore, Pa.
Chrome French Headlight Ring Gap on ELectra Glides. If the new ring hits the fairing and leaves a gap, the light has to be move out with something behind it to get some depth. I just got the French ring #69627-99 yesterday and had about 1/4 " gap on the right side but the ring edge was all the way back to the fairing. Went to the shop today and the service manager says some just fit that way and there were two there that had the gap. I loosened the inner headlight retaining ring that holds everything in, put some rubber behind it, I had an old mouse pad that I cut in 1/4 " strips, you don't want any hanging out past the ring. Then you should check that you have the headlight out far enough, else put a little more packing behind the retainging ring and if OK realign your light . I also put a piece of rubber strip behind the OEM chrome ring where the little screw goes so that ring doesn't go so far back on the light. Then put your new chrome ring bezel on and you should have no gap! I think I'll replace the rubber strips w rubber washers behind the retaining ring.
__________________
__________________
Last edited by gmc; Jan 22, 2009 at 10:15 AM.
Banned
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,036
Likes: 67
Rusty ends on stock 2009 touring mufflers..the fix
Look at nearly any new 2009 touring bike and the ends of the mufflers will be rusted, even on the showroom floor. There is an easy and cheap fix for this. For less than $5.00 you can get a brass wire "fine" cup brush at the hardware store. Put it in your 1/4" electric drill and go to work. The small cup brush will remove any rust or crud in there and you will be left with a brilliant and shiny new tip on the "inside" end of your stock mufflers. You can either tape them off and paint black using a rattle can or simple buff them out once a month to keep that chrome look. The mechanic at the Harley shop happened to see mine in the parking lot and asked what I did. It told him. He said that if I didn't use official Harley paint that I would probably void my warranty. Then he laughed and said "Just kidding".
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 118
Likes: 2
From: Utah
In the spirit of "Improvosational Engineering" (I prefer that over jury rigging) I was removing myfairing from my Ultra yesterday and was being real carefull not to rub up against my spot lights and scratch anything, when it hit me. I reached into my rag bag (I keep for waxing and polishing) and pulled out two sweat socks, covered thespot lights and slid the fairing off, no fuss, no muss, no scratches.
Put a Harley Bar and Sheild on the socks, and they'd be Genuine Harley Davidson Scratch Inhibitors, $39.95.
Put a Harley Bar and Sheild on the socks, and they'd be Genuine Harley Davidson Scratch Inhibitors, $39.95.
Great idea! I'll try the socks!!
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: ohio
More of a trick than a mod Picked up a cheap 12 volt air pump and took it
out of the plastic housing to make it as small as possible ( takes up less room
in the saddle bag) then made up a plug to use ether in the cig lighter or plug
into charger plug on the battery carry tire plug kit with it just to get where
you can replace tire or air up my buddy,s front tire that has a slow leak !
out of the plastic housing to make it as small as possible ( takes up less room
in the saddle bag) then made up a plug to use ether in the cig lighter or plug
into charger plug on the battery carry tire plug kit with it just to get where
you can replace tire or air up my buddy,s front tire that has a slow leak !
Needed a light in the tour pac but didn't want to spend the bucks HD wants for their setup.
Went to AutoZone, purchased a glovebox light with intregrated switch for about $3.00. Mounted the light with doubleface tape to the lid of the tour pac near the lock. Ran wire down into the tour pac and taped in place with black Gorilla tape - then to a hot lead and a ground.
Open the lid, flip the switch and there is adequate light to see whatever is needed in the tour pac.
This job didn't take very long and did not cost much other than the purchase of the light with an intregrated switch.
Happy riding.
Went to AutoZone, purchased a glovebox light with intregrated switch for about $3.00. Mounted the light with doubleface tape to the lid of the tour pac near the lock. Ran wire down into the tour pac and taped in place with black Gorilla tape - then to a hot lead and a ground.
Open the lid, flip the switch and there is adequate light to see whatever is needed in the tour pac.
This job didn't take very long and did not cost much other than the purchase of the light with an intregrated switch.
Happy riding.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
I'm not really into bling, don't like shinny stuff, (obvious by user name) and kinda like the vintage look. wanted to do something with the shift linkage but not pay the $$ for a cool replacement. got a lace maker from Tandy Leather, cut really long laces out of some old chaps and wrapped a double layer around the stock linkage while I had it off for some other repairs.
did the same on the Dyna along with the grips, clutch cable, front brake line and the forks between the triple tree's.
lace maker tool
did the same on the Dyna along with the grips, clutch cable, front brake line and the forks between the triple tree's.
lace maker tool