Any Other Harley Davidson Riders on the Board??

[Tobagoman]

Been riding since I was a teenager and clubing for a few years since. For years it was the only mode of transportation that I had. Up until last year I was with the North Beach Charter of the Hells Angels, now I'm independent (for now).
My inventory today:
1969 rigid ironhead chopper
1998 RK classic

 

[cushdiver]

I pulled out my springer softail from it's winter sleep yesterday. Started right up, besides a little dust/dirt and a low front tire everything is in great shape.

I put on a beanie cap and my goggles and got a nice ride in (58 degrees F). Woke up this morning to two inches of snow on the ground. I guess I was a little premature getting it out, but it sure was fun.

Any other HD riders on the board?? Riding here in Utah is fantastic 7 months a year. Alpine mountains, painted deserts, red rock, and winding canyons. I go into withdrawls during winter or go on a good dive trip to compensate.

So what do you ride and where have been on your bike??

Dave

I ride a 1996 Electra Glide and a 2004 Road King. Just won the road king in a raffle Aug 2004. Rode the Glide to Milwaukee for H.D.'s 100th. Just got back from Cozumel and met/ dove with some S.B. members. Dive / Ride safe. Jim

 

[Goose75]

I've spent the last 8 months in Seattle and return to Texas next month. Still diving and riding year round. I don't go for snow and ice, but otherwise I'm not off it too long. '97 Dyna - always covered in road dust. I have a fear that I'll leave it in the garrage to stay pretty if I clean it too often

 

[XJae]

2001 softail standard with radical paint. been riding all winter to keep her alive. it’s been cooold, one of these days i'll get a chance to install the heated handgrips that i have sitting in a box. it's awaiting thunder headers cause it's too dam quiet. a friend of mine is working on a removable scuba tank mount which will hopefully fit behind a solo seat. we'll see.

also have a 1979 sporty. all original and i have collected many oem parts over the years, including two sets of the unique siamese exhaust pipes and the kick start kit. 79 is a bast-ard year, most parts fit bikes up to -78 or from 80- on, it's also one of the dreaded bowling pin years. i found out recently that most of the early 79's, which this is, were made with leftover cafe racer parts. cafe's being discontinued in 78. i put a set of stock cafe mufflers on her, pretty much open pipe, and it sounds sweet.

 

[Goose75]

also have a 1979 sporty. all original and i have collected many oem parts over the years, including two sets of the unique siamese exhaust pipes and the kick start kit. 79 is a bast-ard year, most parts fit bikes up to -78 or from 80- on, it's also one of the dreaded bowling pin years. i found out recently that most of the early 79's, which this is, were made with leftover cafe racer parts. cafe's being discontinued in 78. i put a set of stock cafe mufflers on her, pretty much open pipe, and it sounds sweet.

I had a '79 sport with all the original parts supplied separately. Broke down every 25 miles. Oil pump quit at 85mph on the freeway and electrical failure didn't give me any warning until right before the back tire locked up. I got it back under me and had to walk until a sport bike picked me up - no pride left to loose. I completely rebuilt it and it still broke down every 25 miles. Found other '79 owners with similar problems, multiple with oil pump failures - get a gage. Headlight rattled off, had to catch it so it wouldn't get run over - too bad that one wasn't on camera. Tank screw rattled out, had to bring paper to stuff into the gap. Foot pegs fell off, my foot hit the ground and gave me a scare. Started wearing a full-face helmet out of fear. Bike coughed and died, helmet fogged up, couldn't get it loose, had to stop in the middle of the road and get that visor up - seat screw rattled out and the seat popped off while working the helmet free, caught me by surprise and tumbled me into the bar ditch with the bike. I kicked it and left it. No one would steal it, had to go pick it up. Multiple mechanics, shops, thousands of dollars and a new appreciation for the evolution bikes. I ride my '97 Dyna all the time, only had two problems. Alternator clutch quit after a few years and I keep wearing out tires because it doesn’t break down

My sport was pretty with those pipes, but you can have it. All it gave me was holes in my shoes from all the walking.

I kept my welded rods to hang up like a shark bit surfboard.

 

[XJae]

You had me rolling there. Glad you’re ok. Well, as you can guess I get way more mileage on my big twin. My sporty must be one of the black sheep, somewhat. The electrical is fine, other than the directionals, not that I use them except for inspection day. (I failed once cause one blinked faster than the other.) Never had a problem with the oil pump, knock wood. The only problem I know of that went across the year was related to the I'm stupid. It a really crappy I'm stupid. Besides the fact that the gears slam, especially 4th (it wishes it had a 5th), and the amount of filings you find in the oil, it only shifts into neutral if you are doing precisely 3mph. Took me a while to get use to that, I actually catch myself shifting the softail into neutral at the same speed. It certainly is a giant 1000cc vibrator, at least that’s what the ladies like to say when they get off the back smiling, the front tire almost bounces up off the ground when in neutral on the kickstand, so I use a lot of locktite. It also won’t start unless you roll it backwards for at least 6 inches, something to do with the worn brushes in the starter, I think. I kinda like it that way. It’s kinda quirky and a tough bike to ride but I’m use to it, I’ve had it for 17 years. Still not as tough as my buddies old triumph with the right foot gear shifter. Now that blows my mind.

 

[Goose75]

...The only problem I know of that went across the year was related to the I'm stupid. It a really crappy I'm stupid...

Never had a lick of trouble with the tanny. Too bad, it sounds like mixing the two bikes would have had one running well and the other a possessed demon.

I traded it on my Dyna. The last shop owner called me in to talk about the "blue demon bike" (they were so affectionate). He asked what I wanted to get rid of it and credited that towards any of his bikes. I think he was afraid his mechanic was going to toss it over a bridge after he asked about my theft coverage. They ended up selling it to someone who wanted to tinker more than ride.

My favorite breakdown was on a rural Texas country road that my mechanic happened to drive by. I call that service. It's like being hit by an ambulance, you can't beat the response time.