Online DIY Resource: H-D Service Information Portal
Daily Slideshow: A must for DIYers, the H-D Service Information Portal is a year and model-specific technical resource. Just a click away, the online database is an expansive collection of diagrams and product installation sheets.
Custom Gone Wrong
Improperly installed parts and accessories can have serious consequences for your ride. Whether it is a handlebar swap or a signal relocation kit, some applications require modifications or cutting into the stock wiring harness. To get the job done right and avoid disaster, DIYers can turn to the online H-D Service Information Portal for wiring diagrams and installation guides.
The Good Book
The H-D Service Information Portal is an excellent companion, but no replacement for a Harley-Davidson Factory-Authorized service manual. Before delving into a custom project, the home mechanic should consider picking up a service manual. While a Factory-Authorized service manual is the best, Clymer and Haynes manuals also offer essential service and maintenance guides.
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Happy Birthday
Along with procuring a Factory-Authorized service manual, any Harley-Davidson dealership is able to generate an H-DNET 'birth certificate' for 1987 and newer motorcycles. Registering any new or used Harley-Davidson with a Dealer facilitates access to vehicle-specific history, factory recalls, and perhaps most importantly, the assembly date.
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SIP Interface
Available free of charge, the H-D Service Information Portal permits regulars to access year and model specific information for 1981 and newer motorcycles. Follow the link provided or do an online search for 'H-D Service Information Portal.'
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Portal Access
Once at the H-D Service Information Portal, click the 'Search' button under 'Customer VIN or Instruction Sheet Look-up' to access Owner’s Manuals, Parts Catalogs, Instruction Sheets, and Wiring Diagrams.
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More Than a Number
On the next screen, under 'Select a Vehicle,' enter the 17-digit VIN number found on the right-hand side of a Harley-Davidson's steering neck, then click 'Find.' The H-D Service Information Portal does not store the VIN numbers entered, but depending on one's browser settings, the numbers entered will be 'cached' for future access.
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Specific Results
The result of a VIN entry should provide a comprehensive list of options, along with make and model. Any Factory Recalls or Safety Campaigns will also be highlighted. In some cases, information may be available on video. While regular users do not have access to all the Dealer specific information, registering your motorcycle through H-DNET, as mentioned before, should fill that information gap.
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Eliminates Guesswork
Selecting a category from the left-hand menu such as 'Wiring Diagrams' opens a Pandora's box of information and diagrams. No more fumbling around guessing where wires are connected or what they operate — the details are at your fingertips. The pages are also printable, which is a better option than dragging your laptop out to the shop.
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Workaround
If your VIN number is not available, performing a web search should yield similar results. In a browser search engine, enter a year (1986 or newer), followed by 'Harley-Davidson,' and then 'SIP,' like so: '1986 Harley-Davidson sip.' For added specificity enter a term such as 'wiring diagram' to your search, like so: '1986 H-D wiring diagram sip.' Follow the top, or most relevant link, to the H-D Service Information Portal page — no VIN required.
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Direct Access
Results from an online search should provide a direct link to a particular manual. However, once inside the H-D Service Information Portal, one can use the 'Search' function on the top right to expand the results.
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Reading Library
Searching the H-D Service Information Portal by specific term or date should provide a comprehensive list of literature available for all the Harley-Davidson models produced in that given year. For example, all the Owner's Manuals ever produced by Harley-Davidson, dating back to 1982, should be available.
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Rabbit Hole Search
Even though regular users are limited to the 1981 and newer 17-digit VIN number, the H-D Service Information Portal has a wealth of early model information. For example, searching by a specific term such as 'shovelhead' will produce all the information for that motor. The result may vary for a term such as 'Panhead,' as it is a common bolt name found in a multitude of information sheets.
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Make It Fit
In addition to year and model resources, the H-D Service Information Portal contains downloadable PDF accessory guides. These guides contain the most recent information and cover technical specification and applications, among other critical data. While a Harley-Davidson Service Technicians are the expert, it pays to be informed when stepping up to the parts counter.
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Instructions?
While it might be true that no one reads instructions, in the rare case when it is necessary, all Harley-Davidson parts and accessory information sheets are available through the H-D Service Information Portal. Click 'Lookup' below 'Lookup Instruction Sheets' — no VIN number required.
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Papers Please
In the event that the Instruction Sheet that accompanies all new Harley-Davidson parts and accessories was mistakenly discarded as extra packing, or a used part purchased online did not arrive with instructions, then all one needs to do is enter the part number in the space provided. Part numbers can be found on the original packaging, there is also a handy online slideshow that indicates where to look.
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Missing Digits
There may be an occasion when there is no original packaging. If this is the case, then a visit to the Official Harley-Davidson Online Store may help identify the mystery part number. Either search a term such as 'mirror' or browse the various collections. The part numbers are listed below the part name. Copy and paste the part number into the Instruction Sheet Lookup on the H-D Service Information Portal.
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Need to Know
The results from an Instruction Sheet Lookup should result in the most up-to-date information available. Depending on the application, the Instruction Sheet might cover multiple models and styles.
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Detailed View
Interactive images are a useful feature of the Instruction Sheet. The ability to zoom and, in some cases, rotate images, can make the difference when trying to determine the correct part's sequence when reassembling.
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Bit-by-Bit
Whether satisfying a hankering to customize your ride, performing a simple accessory swap, or troubleshooting the inner workings of your motor, the H-D Service Information Portal is an invaluable resource, accessible 24/7, almost anywhere in the world. [Image: HDMC | Carmichael Lynch]
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