Daily Slideshow: Can't-Miss First Mods for the 2018 Softail Sport Glide
Any biker worth his leathers wants to make his bike his own- to put his own mark on it. While some may be satisfied with simply racking up the miles, others want a little something more. These are just a few ideas to take your Sport Glide from showroom to show-off.
The factory transformer...
The 2018 Harley-Davidson is an already cool bike. It is functional and attractive, with easily removable bags and a mini-batwing fairing that pulls right off to reveal a classic, bottom-mount headlight. But, Harley-Davidson knows that their customers want to customize their bikes, so they provide for that with their "bike builder" program and their extensive line of custom goodies.
...never looked so good
How many times have we seen that bike at the local watering hole? You know the one...the bike that has every piece of chrome trim that can be bolted, glued or clamped on; the bike that has the "live to ride, ride to live" derby covers, mirrors, timing covers, fender trim and seat covers stuck to it; the one that always seems to have the novelty helmet that has every sticker ever made stuck to it, hanging off the bars, right over the odometer that shows less miles on it than you rode last month? If you're that guy, then more power to you, but if you're the guy that is more interested in performance than just some bolt-on chrome, keep reading.
Have a plan
The guy with all of the crap bolted on his bike is a great example of someone that lacks a plan, and as such, his bike is the one that is often the root of snarky remarks and the cause of chronic R.E.S. (rolled eye syndrome). Listen, it's simple- your bike, your vision. Build or customize your bike in whatever way you see fit and to any style that you want to accomplish, but please- just have a plan. Think about what you want to accomplish, and think about how you want to achieve that goal. H-D's Bike Builder is a great way to sample some styles, without having to drop a small fortune, only to realize that you don't like the look that you ended up with. It's free, easy to use and lets you, virtually, customize any bike in their current lineup. It also keeps a tally of your mods and gives you an itemized list including prices. It's a pretty neat and fun tool to play with.
Limitations
The main problem with the H-D Bike Builder though, is that it's limited to H-D only accessories. While you can add and preview things like backrests, luggage racks, taller windscreens and a variety of seats and other accessories like you see here, you can't preview goodies and offerings from any other companies. For that, you need to rely on your fellow motorcycle enthusiasts that have more money than you, that are buying the cool stuff as it comes out. Even the guy bolting everything under the sun on his bike can be a helpful and useful resource for previewing a part.
Parts like this
While this is a Harley-Davidson part, for some reason it isn't listed in the options for the Sport Glide on their Bike Builder. A trunk is a great addition to the Sport Glide- it's both functional and stylish, and if you've ever been on a long road trip, you'll agree that having more storage is always better than having less. This one is offered by the MoCo for a hefty $650 (only 23 cents per cubic inch). If you consider that it uses all factory hardware to attach to your bike, shares the same quality as the rest of your bike, and is often covered under the same warranties as the rest of your bike, that really isn't such a bad deal. The trunk is a great way to add almost 3,000 cubic inches of storage space to your mid-sized touring platform.
Performance preference
If you're more interested in the performance enhancements, Two Brothers Racing has you covered. They are offering a sweet looking, awesome sounding 2-into-1 system that reduces weight by 17 pounds, increases horsepower and that is completely bolt-on. Pricing on their system is right on par with its competitors, in the mid $700 range.
Don't forget to tune 'er
Don't forget to tune 'er with a proper tuner. Motorcycles with electronic fuel injection, smog control programming and all sorts of other EPA regulated functions need to have their ECM's reprogrammed. You can pay a shop a few hundred to do it, each time you add a new performance part or save yourself a bunch of money by installing your own. DynoJet offers the Power Commander series of tuners that are easily connected to your laptop at home, letting you choose from pre-programmed maps or create your own based on your riding style. The cost for the PC-V by DynoJet will set you back around four bills ($399). That price might scare you, but don't skimp here...a poorly tuned engine could create serious problems for your new bike.
Gear drive cams for the win
Installing a gear drive in your new M-8 might not get you props from the overly chromed "live to ride" guy at the bike night, but it will get you increased torque and horsepower. It will also reduce your maintenance by eliminating the cam drive chain and tensioner and it will improve your valve timing and accuracy. For a mere $380, S&S Cycles will give you the complete, bolt-in kit.
Asphalt warrior
Now that you've got a plan, get your parts and go make that new Sport Glide reflect the awesomeness that is you. Adding performance parts is always a great way to make a good bike, great and making that great bike fit your specific needs, is even better.
Customizing and modifying our bikes is easily the best way to capture the essence that is the true motorcycle culture. Whether you're the bearded, tattooed dude on the home-built hardtail or the collar-shirted goober on the chrome-to-home garage queen, we all share the same passion- our motorcycles.
For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.
