it's been quiet, I know

I hope you all are having a good festive season.

I have looked in on my bike just once over the holidays, just to check all is well.
And, it was. The good fairies hadn't been in to do the fiddly things I've been putting off or to deliver all the shiny new bits I'd like to have fitted, to improve the way the bike looks. But again, neither had the roof of my lock-up fallen in so, on the whole, things are good.

Although I've had a bit of time I just haven't been able to get anything done. The weather (it's been snowing for days now) and the fact there's been other things to spend on, have slightly hampered what I've been able to do.

I need to buy extended cables before I can do any more to the handlebars. I'm almost daily changing my mind about how I'll set up my bars. One day I think I'll just go with the 10" drag bars. Then the next I find myself thinking about apes.
I've even contemplated just re-fitting the stock bars and waiting 'till I can get the front end completely built, then swapping over the whole thing. That way I wouldn't have to buy a brake line to fit the single disc then replace it when I fit the twin disc wheel.

No matter what I end up with though, I can't really proceed until I have spent some money. I need to go out and buy the cables and other bits and pieces like billet grips.
Until I get the next lot of parts I need, I will just have to be patient and content myself with making plans and changing plans.

By the time I get started again who knows what direction the "train" will be going in.
So, in a few days time when the new year is upon us, I'll start once again to work on getting my bike to where I want it to be!

setback

Well, that's another idea sunk into the depths of good intentions.

I had been e-mailing back and forth to Simon at Ironside Choppers about unchromed bars and finally got the answer that I didn't want. The unchromed ones have been discontinued. Despite the disappointment, the service I got from him was great. Definitely folk I would recommend for their helpfulness, even though I can't vouch for their craftsmanship.

There's not much point buying the chromed ones as I already have a pair, even though the ones they would have supplied are a good bit cheaper. I doubt if the two inches shorter I had planned to get them would have made that much difference in look. It was primarily the colour I wanted changed.

Maybe now I should look at getting a set of bars made up. Then they would be truly custom made!

the devil and idle hands (or minds)

It's been a while (a whole week) since I did any work on my bike.
That's as much to do with the rainy weather as anything else. When it's over-cast the light goes early here in Scotland and so, some days at the weekends, I can only effectively utilise a couple of hours. And, as usual, it always seems to be rainier at weekends!

My wheel arrived and it's a good 'un! So that will now sit in the garage until I can afford to get the front end built around it. With Christmas coming up on us like a freight train, I'm not able to go out and purchase the things I need to even get on with re-wiring the bars, never mind swapping the forks.
Which has caused me to have my next crisis!

I've been putting the bars on to the yokes, just to give me some idea of how they'd look and that's got me thinking. That's always a dangerous thing, especially when it comes to customising my bike.
As I'm hoping to buy black, upside-down, Cerianni forks, matched to black billet callipers, I finally decided that the bars would look much better in black. So one evening in an idle moment, I googled and came across a site which sells the same bars as I've already got. The only difference being, they also do them in raw steel. The web-page had a pic of a bike with them fitted. They looked just right until I realised that the ones on the bike were 8 inch risers and not the 10 inch that I bought.
So, now I've e-mailed to get a price and am seriously considering buying them. I can then decide on the height I prefer and if it turns out that I keep the lower ones I'll put the chrome ones on e-bay and powder coat the raw steel ones.

Just as well I hadn't started to rewire the bars, as I would probably have regretted fitting them and only wanted to do the swap anyway!

Why is nothing straightforward?

another step forward

I've managed to get access to the clutch cable at last.

I was able to do it it by only taking off the front muffler. The manual says to take off both as a unit but that seems to be just a bit too much work for the same result. Once I got the fasteners loosened, it wasn't so difficult after all. Having left everything soaking in WD40 overnight helped a bit too.

Now I have removed all the control cables, moving on to fit extended ones seems like a possibility at last. For a while there I wasn't sure if I really should have started it all. To be honest I was doubting my skill with tools, at times, but it's all starting to come back , ever so slowly!

The obstacles in front of me now are only financial ones. It's not a cheap hobby, customising a Harley!
So, with Christmas rapidly approaching I'm going to have to put off purchasing too many bits and bobs until into the New Year. Then I can start worrying if I'm going to finish in time to get some riding in the spring!

Planning ahead, to the day when I swap the front forks, one thing I have bought is a front wheel I found on e-bay. It's a 19" spoked, dual disc from a dyna but although the axle size is different, that shouldn't be a problem if I'm fitting it into new forks. At the price I got it for and considering it comes complete with discs and tyre, I couldn't let it pass by. At least that will be the case if it's in as good condition as the seller claims. As I wont be changing the front end until I've got all the bits together I will have time to refurbish the wheel if necessary. Then I can keep an eye open for a new master-cylinder as the dual set up has a larger bore.
Brakes are something I will have to think long and hard about. I like the look of Harris four pot billet callipers but the more expensive my option the longer it may be before I can afford them.

how difficult

Can it be to remove the mufflers on a night train?

I've got the air cleaner off and I have removed the throttle and idle cables (yet another reason for switching to a carb maybe?). All I need to do now is get the exhaust off in order to get the clutch cable disconnected. Then I can go buy the extended cables.
But, were it only as easy as the service manual makes out!

"See Figure 4-57. Remove front (1) and rear (28) mufflers as an assembly."

That's great but for a couple of problems, the main one being that the nuts are seized on the fasteners. Then there's the choice of bolts and nuts which could be removed. Working out which ones are the important and necessary ones to remove in order to remove the "assembly" is just not as easy as it sounds.
Anyway that's for another day now.
I managed to get the tank off without too much petrol getting on myself though I did lose some onto the garage floor. Though I followed the tip and blocked off one end of a length of tubing with a bolt and got it connected to one side of the crossover line, I was so engrossed on trying to keep my finger over the other nozzle, then catch the fuel coming out of that in a funnel draining into my petrol can, I didn't notice the bolt had been knocked out of the first side.
Result - a petrol covered floor. Oh well at least it evaporated reasonably quickly!
Anyway, the tank is now off and I'm gradually learning about my bike and how it's held together. So with the handlebar cables disconnected I can start to plan extending them. There's only one side which will need extended as the other is long enough to reach as it is. I will have to cut and solder both though, in order to feed them through the bars!
Once I get the bars powder coated that is!

marching on

And, as the reply I got to a post on a Harley forum, went:-
"every day's a school day!"
That could be taken at least two ways. One, that it's a good thing to get to bed early as tomorrow will bring new problems. Or, that there's something new to learn every day!
Well today's lesson was that no matter what tools are available, for a Harley there will always be a need for the one that's NOT available to hand. The tool I could have done with today was a syphon tube.

Replacing the bars is turning out to be a real lesson in HD maintenance.
So far I've got the bars off, the controls stripped down and the cables disconnected. At least diconnected from the front end. To get the clutch cable disconnected I've had to drain the tranny fluid and now will need to remove the mufflers from the exhaust pipes. At least I hope I will get away with just removing the mufflers. I ran out of daylight so didn't get round to it. All this just to remove the plate which covers the clutch.

To get back to my need of a syphon tube.
It's to empty the fuel tank. I had hoped that I'd be able to lift the tank high enough to allow access to the electrical cables from the handlebars which run beneath the tank. Wasn't to be.
So I've now had to order some stainless covered tubing. The instructions in the HD service manual says "cut clamp from crossover tube" but from what I gather, because it's so difficult to do this, the best method is to cut the hose, catch the leaking petrol in a funnel and then replace the hose. Up side is that the stainless braided hose and new clamps will be easier to remove in future and will look a lot better.
At least I'm all ready to lift the tank off as soon as I can get most of the fuel syphoned off. I've released the pressure in the system by starting the engine and pulling the fuse until the bike stalls. So now it's just the myriad of connectors to release and with the tank off I should have access to the wires.

My next task will be to remove the cables, strip them down and then solder in extension lengths. I had bought an extended cable kit but that requires re-soldering the wires into the handlebar switch assemblies and then refitting connectors. (After my previous attempts at doing that, anything will be a suitable alternative!) I reckon it will be much simpler to use in-line solder splices which I have ordered from Vehicle Wiring Products.
Look out for the kit on e-bay soon! Then that cash can go towards paying for the extended cables I need. Not that I'm in a great hurry as I have not finally made my mind up about whether to get the handle bars powder coated black or to leave them chromed.
That's a decision which once made, may involve a bit of work, getting the bars de-shiney stuff offed before taking them to the coating shop.

As the man said "every days a school day!"

working

Well, the turn-signals are at least!

I got them fitted, connected up and flashing away. I think they look just right but I'll post some pics so you can see for yourself.
In the end I had to cut a bit off the indicator stalk to allow the bolt to reach through the thickness of the fender and the supporting bracket inside (something I hadn't calculated for when I did the dry build) but in my opinion bringing the bullet closer to the fender looks even better!
Getting that job done means I can finally fit the back rest and now that's on I have decided on a wider touring pad for it. It will only be fitted when I'm taking someone pillion so comfort is more important than looks in this instance.

I have also made up my mind how I want the front end to look and that involves black bars so I'm now on the look-out for somewhere to get parts powder-coated. These will include the foot controls brake and gearshift so I'm hopeful that it will work out cheaper than buying the black billet levers that Harley sell.

small (TINY) steps

Had almost a full (well as much as the light at this time of year allowed) day's working on the bike today, and still I haven't got very far!

I re-connected the electrical system and tried out the turn signals. Guess what! They work!!
I was amazed that I had actually guessed the polarity right at the first time of trying. I had soldered wires to match the original colours on to the bits of wire that came with the lamps. These were going on to black and purple wires on the original connectors which I had to re-use. There was always the chance (50/50) that I'd got it wrong and the two ends wouldn't match. Not a big deal really but it felt so good that something had gone right first time.
That was the end of my good luck!

Next, I had to fit a waterproof connector onto the stub of wire from the multilock which plugs into the tail-lamp assembly. This is the only way I could see of doing this as the wiring from the turn signals has to be fed through the bolt which fits the signal onto the fender. As I've no power in the garage, I can't solder it as the connection must be made after all the parts are assembled.
The connectors proved to be so fiddly they are just not practical to fit in such a confined space. So, once more, it is back to the drawing board.
I had a read through Vehicle Wiring Products catalogue and decided on using heat seal bullet terminals which I will wrap in a cable cover. Hopefully this will give it enough weather-proofing. At least they deliver exceptionally quickly so I will have all of the stuff I need in the next few days.

To be fair to myself, I did also manage to strip down the front brake hose and measure up the control cables. So next weekend I can go back to Area 51 and order up the extended cables I need. I had considered buying them myself from V-Twin Mania but the ones they have on sale are fitted with chrome banjo bolts whereas I'd prefer black stainless ones. I also want black braided control cables so hopefully they will be able to source them as the HD ones, which while looking the biz, are just over the top price-wise.

None of this is ideal but at least I know that my ideas have worked even if putting them into practice takes longer than planned. And, just so you can see what's going on, here's some pics:-

getting there slowly

I called in to Area 51 this morning to pick up my new bars.
They looked huge!
To be honest, when I first picked them up I did think for a minute or two that I had gone over the top in getting the drag bars with a 10 inch riser but when I had a look at another night train, with a similar rise to its bars which was being worked on in the shop, I am glad I did go for the ones I did. They are only about three inches higher than the stock risers and drag bars but the simpler lines will make them stand out more. So, although they do look much bigger, they are not going to change the riding position too radically.
I've got them on to the bike and with them being 50% thicker than stock , they go some way to giving the front end the "beefy" look that I want. The only down side is, they emphasise the "spindlyness "of the forks and wheel, so I'll definately have to look at changing the rest of the front end. I'm narrowing my choice down with every custom bike I see so by the time I get the cash together I should be ready to get exactly the look I desire!

Next step is to start to work out how long I need the control cables to be.

Chatting to Colin, who was so helpful in giving advice on things I could do for myself, helped me decide that cutting and soldering the wires for my rear turn signals was the only way to go. On Monday I'll finish the wiring, check that it all works and get the rear fender back on.

Then I can start on preparing the front end electrics.

buying parts

I'm all set to finish replacing the rear turn-signals.
Well, almost! I've decided (finally) where they are going to go, I've checked out how I'm going to extend the wiring on the new indicators and I've even removed the fender tail light and indicators.
So what IS the hold-up this time?
I don't want to cut off the connector from the stock indicators in case I ever want to re-use (or sell) them. So I thought the easiest solution would be to buy new connectors, solder or crimp them on and away I go.
So, I went on to a Harley forum and asked where I could buy replacement connectors.
No-one seems to know. So now I've got yet another wait untill I can source these little bits of plastic.

on my way home

I dropped in to Area 51 Custom Cycles on my way back from a shortish run this morning.

I was out catching the best of the autumnal weather. The sun was shining and the leaves are turning. All around are the glorious colours of "the fall" as our yankee cousins would say. There was a slight nip in the air from last night's frost but the sun soon warmed me up. Great biking weather!

But, to get back to Area 51.

It's good to see that they're still there and not just an idea which didn't work and is no more but a site on the web. There is a feel-good experience being in a workshop that is doing something that you love. It's almost as good as being able to do it yourself. Almost I said!
The guys there are really friendly and helpful. I've ordered a set of drag bars and was even contemplating getting them to fit them too. Only thing about that is the cost. I will order extended cable from them but as Richard pointed out, it is the time it will take, as it's a labour intensive job, which will drive up the price. He even as much as said that it is a job which wouldn't be too complicated so I will most likely do it myself.

That way I will be able to keep the difference to buy more parts.

I also had another look at the fitting for the rear turn signals and have changed my mind yet again!

I'm sure that I can attach them through the fitment for the back-rest supports.

That seems to be the best solution I've come up with so far!

tools

One thing I have had to do since buying my Harley is to get together a new tool-box.

With so many of Harley's fasteners being imperial sizes, many of my old sockets, wrenches and spanners were just no use.

Maybe one day HD will go down the metric road.

But until that day, Prime Tools is an excellent source for all those sockets and things which often only seem to be available from the USA.

something for the future

Buying a shiny (well matt) new and modern bike has its benefits.

If anything breaks I can get it repaired under warranty, there is an efficiency which makes that event more unlikely and it has all the latest gadgets and gizmos.

But, and it is a big but, sometimes there are also the down-sides.

The warranty is very likely to be negated by customising the bike. I, and lots of other people, may think that adapting the stock bike definately is an improvement but HD only view this as a way out of fulfilling their post-sale responsibilities when they provide a machine.

The bike may not readily break down  but if this does happen, the gadgets and gizmos just make it more complicated to carry out repairs.

Fuel injection is one of these things. It took me a while to understand the intricies of carburrretion, especially in multiple carb rice-burners. So, as you can imagine, having fuel injection on my bike is enough to make my eyes glaze over and go watch Strictly Come Dancing.

Therefore when I came across this site, little wheels and cogs in my head started whirring.

Maybe one day!

going up and down (safely)

I tried out the bike lift today for the first time and it works a treat.

I'll need to think up some method of holding back the bar when lowering the lift. Either that or grow an extra arm! The bar which lifts the safety supports needs to be held back, to allow the lift to lower, while the relase knob is turned at the same time. I just wouldn't feel safe lowering the bike on the lift without having a hand on the bike at the same time. Just in case!

I was considering what to do to the bike while it was up on the lift and was just about to start the job of replacing the rear turn signals when I had a brainwave.
I think I will move the turn signals forwards a bit on the fender support. This will mean I'll have to drill new holes in the fender support to take the signal mounting bolt. Hopefully, I'll be able to run the wires along the underside of the support to the hole in the fender and from there follow the original route to the tail-light assembly. Because of the drilling I will have to consider carefully how it will look and more importantly if it will work. I will strip the fender down and see where I'm going from there.

I also removed the Harley badges from the tank and am going to leave the tank bare and black.

Definately NOT ......

.........on a Harley.

But you've got to recognise this guys bottle.
Or gasp at his stupidity!

WD 40

Isn't it just wonderful stuff.

I have just removed the side reflectors from the lower fork legs and the fender struts. I read a tip on the net and tried it out.

"First heat the reflector (works on tank decals etc as well) with a heat source like a hairdryer or heat gun.Then run a length of fishing line or dental floss behind the reflector to remove the adhesive backing.

Any residue can be removed using WD40."

I didn't have a heat source, (to be more precise I've no power for the heat source in my garage) so I missed that stage out. The rest worked well though I had to employ a bit of scraping with my fingernails to remove some of the more dogged bits of adhesive.
So I've got fork lowers with no trace of those silly looking orange things.
Now, should I remove the tank badges?

cheap as chips?

That could be used to describe the quality of build of the americana 2 bike lift.

Only because of one part mind you. The bottle jack is a cheapo chinese mass produced one. Even so it should work OK.

The gripe I have is with one of the two safety bars.

When I went to assemble the lift I tried to fit the safety bars and bolt on the connecting arm. That was when I noticed that one of the bars fitted but the other had the holes for the connecting arm drilled in the wrong place. They were on the wrong face of the square bar.

I pondered returning the lift or at least phoning up the supplier for a replacement bar but decided that it would be so much easier just drilling new holes myself.

So I did and the lift now works perfectly!

just too quick

I was out and about yesterday when I got a call on my mobile.

It was a delivery company driver to say that he was at my door with a parcel. It has since turned out to be my Americana 2 bike lift. I ordered it on-line on Wednesday, got an e-mail to say that it would be delivered within 2-3 days and a tracking number would be forwarded to me. That arrived afer the lift did the first time!

Anyway, I managed to re-arrange delivery for today and so I've now got my lift in the garage just waiting to be used.

I finally decided on the Americana as opposed to the Clarke. This was as much to do with cost and availability as to functionality. Though, the hand release on the Americana, as opposed to the  combined  raising and lowering mechanism, by foot pedal, on the Clarke seemed to be a better option.
I ordered it, with free shipping, from V-twin Mania and the speed it got  here will no doubt encourage me to use them again.

I've also cancelled my order from Brakes4U for the stainless brake lines. Nothing at all to do with the company, they were especially helpful. It's just a job I'm going to have to think about before beginning.

Next week I'm off work so will be able to spend some time in the garage doing some of the thing I've been talking about.

Will let you know how things go soon.

I could scream

More problems with my brake lines.

When I looked at the lines to measure them up I realised, once again, that HD have ensured that replacement parts will not be easy to fit to their machine.

Replacing the brake line will by no means be as straightforward as I had hoped. Apart from having the brake light switch integrated into and operated by pressure from the line, the brake line itself is in three parts. There's a rigid, formed pipe leading from the master cylider. That is crimped onto a length of rubber hose which goes into the switch and then another length of plastic line to the caliper.

I looks as though the whole system will need to be replaced as a unit. That is unless I can work out a way to put one together using aftermarket parts to replace the Harley ones, especially the switch and rigid tubing.

But, as the route it takes will mean removal of the brake lever. exhaust pipes and who knows what else, I have decided to just replace the front line for now and do the rear one when I can get to a shop which will design and fit a replacement.

delays and indecisions

I've been hanging about the house for two days awaiting the arrival of several packages.

OK, I've also been ill so I wouldn't have been able to do anything with my bits 'n' pieces if they had come.

Guess what? As soon as I left the house for twenty minutes today the postman had been and left a card.

So tomorrow morning I will go and collect my turn signals and stainless fasteners. I know that's what they are as I got a phone call from Brakes4U to say that Goodridge no longer do the kit I've ordered (WTF... it's for a '09 model!).

So now I've got to measure the lines, take a picture of the banjo bolts and e-mail them in order for them to get it right and get a set built by HEL.

I've no idea what HEL lines are like so should I take the chance and just get them to go ahead or should I get my money back and try somewhere else?

The post script to this is, that having done a bit of research, I've decided that HEL seem to be every bit as good as Goodridge. So I've decided to go for them. They are also a bit less expensive. So, as Brakes4U are getting the rear set made up, I'll get them to manufacture the front as well. I'll just have to make a guesstimate and get them 2" longer than stock and hope that's long enough for my new bars, when I get them.

manual

I was browsing the 'net looking for tips on bleeding my brakes for when I come to change the lines when I happened across a site offering Harley Manuals for download.

They're not free as I noticed once before on a site which has since been taken down but they are not that expensive either.

The manual for my FXSTB cost me $7.99, about £5.50 at current exchange rates. It is in PDF format and I've now got it on my computer to print off pages as and when I need them.

It's really straightforward. Follow the link to the right for Tradebit, go to the "browse files" section and then type your bike model into the search box.

strike!

Much as I support the postal workers in their struggle to protect their terms and conditions, I just wish the strike action wasn't taking place while I'm awaiting a delivery of bike parts!

I've got my rear turn signals, a stainless fastener kit and a Goodridge rear brake line kit winging their way, sometime, to me.

The stainless fasteners will be something for me to replace, bit by bit over the winter months, so I'm not really in a hurry for them. The turn signals on the other hand are a different priority. I am waiting for those in order to finish fitting my sissy bar. I'm still not entirely sure that the RBS mini bullet signals will fit with my side plates without the relocation kit.

As for the stainless brake lines. I've only gone for the rear at the moment as I will most definately replace my bars in the near future and will wait to see if the stock length lines fit before ordering either a front kit or get one made up. It will be good to see how they look as I've ordered black coated ones. I've had Goodridge lines on a bike before and the difference in stopping power was well worth the cost.

Just not too sure how they will look.

another step

I picked up my side-plates and sissy bar yesterday.

I can't use them yet as I haven't got round to fitting the mounting kit. In true Harley style, buying one part necessitates the purchase of another. The mounting kit is in white metal but as the side-plates and sissy bar are wrinkle black I'm considering blacking them out, either by painting or trying to strip them down and getting the metal parts powdercoated.

In my last post I talked about RBS bullet LED indicators. I've since found a site which sells them as pairs so I'm going to go with the rear ones first. Then, once they are fitted I can take my time (and save up the cash!) before deciding whether to have them black, back and front or if having black at the rear and shiny up front is a "look" or a mistake!

At least having made a decision on the indicators has meant I've saved some money on the turn signal relocation kit.

turn around

I've moved my front indicators.
Not, As I've seen in some pics, to the inside of the fork legs so that they sit close together. This looks, at first sight, to be a much neater solution but I'm not convinced as to how safe it will be. Would on-coming drivers be able to distinguish between left and right when you're turning? Or would it also necessitate the use of hand signals?
I had toyed with the idea of mounting the turn signals on the handlebars, the way most other models have them. They are usually attached to the handlebar controls. I'm not really happy with that look and the number of people on HD forums asking how to mount them onto the fork legs may show that others agree with me.
All I've done is to move them down the fork leg so that the bracket sits tight against the underside of the lower triple tree. It leaves the forks looking much cleaner and the headlight is now sitting on its own and less cluttered.
I will leave it like this until I decide what to do about the front end. I'm going to replace the rear turn signals with RBS black billet ones but will leave the fronts in chrome until I've decided on black or shiny forks.
Then again, I may splash out on RBS bullet signals. Much smaller but expensive.
But, as they only come in sets of four, back and front have to be purchased at the same time.

raising the bar!

I've been looking at bike lifts recently.
I had planned (other financial commitments stopped me for now) to fit a sissy-bar on detachable side-rails and wanted to do the work myself. That's when I got to thinking about doing other maintenance and the fact that my bike only has a side-stand. This would surely be an obstacle to working on the bike? The angle aside, I don't think I'd be at all comfortable working on my bike in such a precarious position.
That's when I went through some bike forums and started reading what other bikers do to get round this.
I had no idea that hydraulic bike lifts were so common-place or so affordable.
I'm going to do a bit more research for a couple of weeks and then decide which one I'll go for. The front runners are the Clarke CML2 or the Americana 2. Maybe someone reading this would like to post a recommendation!
I'm off work in September, so that will give me time to decide and get it ordered so that delivery will suit my time off.

gloves

I've just received, in the post, my new pair of gloves.

I was looking for gloves which were suitable for riding in the summer (or at least in what passes for summer, here in Scotland!) but didn't want a pair of out and out bike gloves. I prefer the shorter style of glove which will fit under the cuff of my jacket.
So, what I eventually settled on, after a lot of browsing, were black roper gloves by redwing. I've already got a pair of redwing engineer boots and am pleased with the quality, so all that concerned me when I ordered them, from Silvermans, was the sizing. The smallest they do is medium and often I fit into small gloves. Wee hands!
Not to worry though, thanks to good ol' US of A sizing they fit perfectly!
They are extremely well made and comfortable. I'm sure they will also improve in look with weathering. I'll do a review when I've worn them on the bike a couple of times.
Now I'm wondering if I should have gone for the tan, to give me that Dennis Hopper's Billy, look from Easy Rider.

One word of caution though, to anyone considering following my recommendation and buying a pair. When I got them and took them out of the packaging I was about to pull the labels off. I then noticed that the staple which held the main label onto the gloves was a big, beefy one. I had expected one of the light ones which usually fasten labels to clothing and therefore come off with one swift jerk. Not so this garment. Had I yanked this one off I'd most likely have torn the glove! So take care and use a pair of pliers!

Bulldog Bash

I see the annual biker fest run by the Hells Angels went ahead this weekend.
It was attended by more than 25,000 bikers. This, despite the best efforts of Warwickshire Police to have it banned.
The Assistant Chief Constable had claimed that there were public safefty concerns following the murder of Hells Angel Gerry Tobin on his way home from the Bash in 2007 and a fight between rival bike gangs in Birmingham airport. The claim was that these were reasons enough to have this well established bike show cancelled and, more than likely, banned altogether.
No matter what you think of the HA and other bike "gangs" this seems to have been a classic example of heavy-handed policing at best and at worse a direct infringement of the rights of bikers who want to be a bit different from main-stream society.
You don't need to be a 1%er to understand the lure of the "back-patch" and want to feel the freedom that biking brings. All bikers, whether "outlaws" or not, should be worried at these moves.
Well, in the end, the police were wrong and the weekend seems to have been a great success. The Bash has always been a top drag race event and this year's seems to be no exception by the look of the records that were broken.
And, that's on top of the custom bike show!
Check out the website here .

small beginnings

Well, I have just added my first customisation to my bike.

Nothing huge, just the tax-disc holder. The shop had put on a cheepo when I bought the bike and its appearance didn't do anything at all to disguise the fact that it cost almost nowt.
So, I bought a cylindrical one from Oberon and it looks looks so much better. From the build I'm sure it will be much more robust and water-tight than the round one I've replaced with it.
I don't have a pic of it on the bike but here's one half-inched from their site. (I'm sure they wont mind). They also do it in silver finish as well as an illuminated one.

The other small beginning is my idea for a bike club.
It really is a small beginning. In fact it's not only small but extremely slow too. So far there hasn't been much traffic to the site never mind anyone joining. Even the forum hasn't had any takers.
I will leave it up and meanwhile will consider how I make joining the club more attractive. There's no money so cannot consider anything like merchandise or even membership cards at this moment so the only avenue at the moment is to try to put together some rationale that makes a case for joining a club which only exists, at present on-line. I would like to be able to offer a membership package which could include a card and maybe a badge or patch. That will have to wait as I really don't want to be laying out cash up front if there are going to be no takers!

old soldiers never die....

.... they just become bikers!

I was out all day yesterday and am now feeling my age!

My shoulders are a bit stiff so maybe I need to consider my riding position and look at slightly higher and more pulled back bars.
It was a great day though.
I set out at 8.00 to meet up with some guys who served in the same army regiment as me and are also bikers. It was good to catch up and brush away the years (and believe me there are a lot of years). Then after an hour of talk over breakfast it was onto our bikes for a run through the highland scenery.
We set off fom Tyndrum and rode towards Oban, stopping at a pub in Connol for refreshments. Then it was eastwards to Ballachullish and Glencoe and a stop at the ski centre for a photo op before heading back towards Tyndrum over Rannoch moor.
Another hour shooting the breeze and then I headed back home.
350 miles in glorious sunny weather through some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland. Makes me glad to be a biker!
And the bit of the ride I enjoyed the most? The bit first thing in the morning and then the run home.
I really do think I am a lone rider through and through!

virtual biking?

The weather has been typically Scottish summer!
Rain, rain and more rain!
So, I haven't been able to get much riding done apart from a short ride, now and again, between showers. Not that I'm adverse to riding my bike in the rain. if there's a good reason for it. And yes, riding is reason enough! It's the getting soaked that I find harder to justify as I get older.
What I have been doing is working on a new web-site for an idea I have for a virtual bike club.
You can find a link to Lone-Rider MCC over there in the right side-bar.
Go see what you think.

custom and (good) practice

I've spent months surfing the web, pouring over catalogues and looking at other Harleys any time I came across customised bikes.
I'm almost there with knowing the look I want. Though I've yet to plan how I'm going to get there. What's more important is just how I think I'm going to be able to pay for it.
Just adding up the cost of basic things, like blacked out controls, grips, levers and the like is a scary excercise which soon mounts up into the high hundreds. Then, when the price tag is examined, the larger items like forks will easily be in the thousands.
So, what I need to do, is to have an end result in my head then start to buy the bits which I can do in isolation and don't need other parts to complement them or even to make them work.
I want to keep the "train" black with any chrome, shiny bits kept to an absolute minimum. Some of that blacked-out stuff will be Harley. I like the look of their Diamond Black collection for grips and footpegs. None of the aftermarket manufacturers offer anything which quite matches my taste.
For a single seat and pillion pad, I'll go for maybe a Corbin but the sissy bar is also likely to be H-D as I would want to use the detachable one as I only want it on when necessary. This is one area where I've changed my mind dozens of times before making my final decision. Only to change it back again.

The biggest change, both in money and individuality, terms will be the front end.
I like the wider front end of the night train but would just like it to be that bit more beefy. Well, to be honest I want it MUCH beefier. The skinny front wheel just doesn't do it for me.
So what I plan (eventually) is to fit fat and wide front forks, probably running on a wider rimmed wheel. I'd like to get twin discs, both for the added stopping power but also for that balanced look that I think the single disc on the front lacks.
That will definately take a bit of saving up for, so what I intend to do, to start the process, is to replace the seven inch risers and drag bar with extra fat t-bars. Mucho-fatzo 1 1/2 inch bars look like just what I need.

So the bars, seat and sissy bars are going to be my first steps at owning a bike which is only mine and mine alone. This may take years but I WILL get there.

just a few of a kind

The rumours being passed around internet forums are saying that Harley-Davidson are dropping several models from their range for 2010. They are the FLHT, FLTR, FXSTB, FXCW, FXDL and XL883C
The FXSTB is the one of them that interests me. That's my night train, so it may be that my wish for individuality will be fulfilled to a greater degree than I had imagined. Even better, if as a result, I need to spend even less money on customising!
I would imagine that the reason for dropping a model would be that it's not selling as well as others in their stable.
So maybe there are less night trains around.
I still will go down the custom route though. I may have to, if I'm riding a soon to be discontinued bike. Changing parts will not be so simple as picking them off the shelf and to be honest, I'm glad about that. Aftermarket's and bits from other Harleys can make things that little bit more exciting.
Watch out for my ideas as I do believe they are becoming clearer in my mind and so may find their way on to these pages soon.

fatal freedoms

This weekend was a tragic one for motorcyclists in Scotland.

Three fatalities and one young man in a serious condition in hospital. Add those on to the others who have lost their lives biking this year, so far, and these become worrying statistics.

Yes, I know that these were people with lives and families and that they are much more than statistics. But, they were people whose individuality will be lost among the growing number of fatalities and the consequential growing criticism of motor-bikes.

We, as bikers, have often claimed that the most dangerous thing about riding a motor-cycle is car drivers. How long can we continue to take this line? Especially when you look at what actually happened over the weekend. In three out of the four accidents, the bike was the only vehicle involved.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists reckon that speed and a lack of experience are the two biggest dangers facing bikers in rural areas whereas in cities it is other traffic on the road.

I would hazard a guess that most serious bike accidents happen on rural roads. We've all seen the rice rockets burning up the country roads. Taking corners at speeds and road positions which, were something coming the other way, would certainly be the end. Speed is the thrill that many youngsters take up biking to experience. They're just not good enough to handle it.

Then there are the born again bikers. Some of us go down the route of buying a cruiser. The harleys and goldwings which are big machines but just don't go that fast. But I'm sure for every harley rider there must be dozens of thirty/forty-something year olds who are trying to recreate the thrills they knew in their teens and twenties. Thrills are one thing but how often do they end in spills?

Already the call has started, through the media, for more training. Would compulsory training be the answer? should all new riders be banned from riding alone for a time? Legislation is at the moment being tightened up to increase the age that someone can use the Direct Access Scheme. Should everyone be limited in the size of bike they can ride for a couple of years?

Freedom is the creed of motorcyclists and almost every call for tighter legislation or tougher and lengthier training can be (and is) seen as a restriction on that freedom. There are still some bikers who proclaim that "helmet laws suck". But, meanwhile, road deaths amongst bikers continue to fill the news headlines.

So what is the answer?

all sewn up

Here's a couple of pics of my waistcoat.
As you can see, I've succumbed to the "wannabe" habit of wearing a vest with patches and thus "proclaiming my rebelliousness".
Hopefully, as I start to customise my bike that will be the statement of my individuality as I dress like every other biker I know!

I've got a couple more patches to sew on but, as my fingers are worn ragged (it's hard work sewing onto leather!) they'll have to wait.
Will post more pics then.

p.s. I just got a packet of "pin lockers". They are like a little metal barrel with a tiny allen grub screw. They're designed to replace the butterfly clip on the back of pins. You know the ones that keep falling off and getting lost. These seem like they will be much more secure. If they are then they will be well worth the £5.96 inc P&P I paid for a dozen.
I'll let you know how they fare.

hot, hot, hot

It was as hot as the proverbial, this afternoon.
So, when I decided to go for a spin on the bike, I put on my leather jacket and immediately it stuck to my back. The sweat was pouring out of me and I wasn't even out the house. As I knew that the temperature outside was likely to be higher still, I decided to leave the jacket behind and go ride in my t-shirt and leather vest.
I also left my gloves off. I figured that if I was to come off, the amount of exposed skin was such that a little more wouldn't make a lot of difference.
Hopefully, my appearance approximated that of the guy at the beginning of the HD video at the foot of this page. It certainly felt good to be cool (temperature wise).
I even managed to relax a bit and stop worrying over the lack of protection. I think that when you feel that bit more exposed you adjust your awareness and end up riding more carefully. Not that I'm advocating doing it all the time. No doubt your mind would soon re-adjust itself and you'd soon forget your vulnerability once more. So, as soon as the weather goes back to its normal wet and cool summer condition, the leathers will be back on again.
But while we are experiencing this heat-wave I can always pretend I'm in west coast USA and enjoy summer riding as it should be.
It's just not like the west of Scotland at all.

preconceptions corrected

I just got in from a HOG meeting.
Before I started going along to the weekly meetings I had all sorts of silly ideas of how it would be organised. I had thoughts running through my mind of little men in big crash-helmets and black shiny leathers barking out orders. Or, sometimes I could picture plots and schemes being organised in hushed tones with coded messages being spoken with a wink or a secret sign.
It's nothing like that. In fact there seems to be no organisation at all. I guess there are office bearers who do all the putting together of programs of the ride-outs, barbecues and parties which just seem to appear on the web-site and folk turn up to.
We stand around chatting about our bikes and how much H-D spares are compared to after-market ones. Occasionally another topic will come up but usually it's still Harley related in some way. Or if not Harley-Davidson then it will be some other make of bike.

Someone was telling us about his last bike which was a Royal Enfield Bullet. An ex-British classic now built in India. Coincidentally, on my way home tonight what should pass me but a Royal Enfield? It's a lovely 500cc single cylinder, black and gold machine and is one of the range of the longest running motorcycle brands in the world.

So tonight's ride was a short one of only a few miles, though I did manage to add a on a couple of extra miles to put gas in the tank. Not that I needed to go so far just to buy petrol. There's a filling station a lot closer.
But, any excuse will do!

(I haven't forgotten! I will relate my other encounters with the Blues, soon.)

short nights, short runs

I've been getting out in the evening as the weather has been great this week and I'm off work. (Though I have a list of domestic chores which makes my day job seem like a lazy week-end!)
So, if it keeps up I should be able to ride every evening this week. It's all on familiar roads so I have the luxury of just being able to take it easy and enjoy being on the bike.
There are lots of other bikers, probably all with the same feelings, taking advantage of the good weather. I'm glad to see that bikers still acknowledge each other with the customary nod or wave. That bond is there, no matter what machine you're on. Sports bike, scooter, tourer and custom riders all feel part of a common brother and sisterhood.
S**t! Am I becoming sentimental or what? It's just good to be a biker.

These miles will certainly take me up to the time to get the bike through its first service. This one's free and the next one is not due for another 4,000 miles. If it wasn't for the warranty I'd be tempted to do it myself. I always used to do the servicing on all my own bikes. That way I was sure it was done on time though I often used to change things like oil and brake fluid when I was bored rather than when the bike needed it doing.
Just as well the joys outweigh the pitfalls when it comes to owning a new bike!

custom and (dodgy) practices

The Alba West Bike Show was held over the weekend just gone. It's an annual weekend bike show with the proceeds going to disabled bikers. It's run by the Alba West Association (Scotland) which may or may not be the Blue Angels. The show has a custom bike competition and if the standard of bikes has continued to improve since the last time I was at the show, it must have been fantastic.

I didn't get to it though, as the past few days had offered a plethora of rallies, ride-outs and camping week-ends as well as non-biking activities surrounding Armed Forces Day. I could have been camping in the Campsies, boogieing in Blackpool, drinking in Drymen or swinging the lamp with soldiers either in Glasgow or Edinburgh.

In the end domestic duties held my attention and so I had to forgo mixing with bikers and content myself with solo rides on Friday and Sunday evenings.

While on my way back on Friday I passed more than a few groups of riders heading out to the Drymen Show Ground where Alba West was held. One group stood out because their bikes looked that bit different from the shiny chrome of the Harleys and the plastic sky-rocket Japanese bikes. They were the type of bike I used to ride and love. Well used, road worn, not so shiny and definitely not stock.
Looking back in my mirror I could see why these guys stood out. They were all wearing back patches. Not the clean, tidy "gold-lamé" HOG back patch or the HD corporate logo sported by us week-end bikers. These were the aforementioned Blue Angels.

The Blue Angels are a biker gang. They have been around for years and I have crossed paths with them on quite a few occasions. None of my encounters have been particularly close and I can't count any of them amongst my friends. Though to be honest, on the other hand, none of the meetings have been in any way threatening apart from those feelings brought on by my own fears and prejudices.

I first saw the "Blues" when I was a schoolboy living in a small village and we were "invaded" one summer day in the late sixties by dozens of Blues on their bikes. Truthfully, they were there for an hour or so, went into the local café for a drink and rode up and down the main street a few times then left. A couple of them played an impromptu game with my football which I had left lying but offered to give it back as soon as they noticed me. Another village was not quite so peaceful when a publican tried to eject them from his premises but the word was that the news-paper reports of rioting and mayhem were ever so slightly exaggerated. It did go down in our school-days' mythology as the day the Angels tried to destroy our civilised world.

My next encounter was in my late teens when I was going through my "hippy" stage. I used to drink in a pub in Glasgow which had a real community spirit about it. Our "thing" was trying to revive the sixties "peace and love" and the pub became the southside of Glasgow's place to be. That was until the local gangs decided that they were going to battle to make it "their territory". Fighting became an almost nightly occurrence and the ensuing police presence threatened to upset our easy-going outlook, due in some measure, to a somewhat liberal attitude to drugs and alcohol laws.
It was following a raid by Glasgow's "finest" that a friend got talking to a, previously un-noticed, group of guys who regularly came in for a few pints but on the whole kept to themselves. It turned out they were Blue Angels who drank in that particular pub because it offered them a peaceful haven where they didn't have to defend reputations and the like. They offered to help sort out the bother the next time it happened and gave us a phone number to get in touch should anything kick off again.
A week later and, following a fight, a phone call was made. The next thing we knew shot-guns were being unloaded from the back of a car. By that time the police were already in the pub so the guns were quickly replaced and the occupants of the car (no-one could actually identify them as Blues) disappeared round the corner never to come back, to that pub at least. Gradually the pub returned to normal but it was never quite so exiting again!

Years later, when I had discovered the joys of riding bikes and had decided that I would not make a racer, got into custom bikes and rode a chopped Suzuki, I had my next meeting with the Blue Angels.
That one will have to wait for another post though..........

joining H-D?

I've decided to allow ads on this blog.
So, is this me just going down the same road as Harley-Davidson and all the other corporate money-makers? Have I sold my soul, or at least the soul of this blog, for a few bucks gleaned from the curiosity of readers who click on the ads, thus making me money? Or am I just taking a bit further, the advertising I already publish in my "sites to visit" in the side panel? Some (if not most) take you to commercial sites but which I don't get a penny for.
I would love to say that I'm doing it for altruistic reasons and I'm trying to provide a service to some of my readers.
But no! I'm really only doing it 'cos I hope to make some extra cash.
Running and customising a Harley is, after all, an expensive exercise!
Now I' ve just got to make it interesting enough to attract visitors.

dreams and rude awakenings

I sewed a HOG patch onto my waistcoat last night and shortly afterwards, while browsing, happened upon this article.
It's a report on one Harley rider's experience attending a large, organised rally, the H-D centenary bash in Barcelona a few years back.
Nothing has changed though, since then. HOG is still the corporation's route into the pockets of Harley owners. From custom parts, branded spares and clothing to Harley breakdown assistance, the company offers everything the biker, who doesn't have the time or inclination to do anything for himself, needs. The opportunity for some hassle-free riding is there for the buying.

Harleys are not cheap to buy and with the cost of recent second hand bikes, with all their added chrome and baubles, often overtaking the price of a new bike, the owner of the bike with just a few miles on the clock is much more common than the one who gets his or her hands dirty maintaining an older iron horse.

So, once I started reading, the article got me thinking a bit about the "biker lifestyle" and about just who is pulling whose wire!
A few weeks ago I met a Harley rider who didn't have much good to say about HOG. In fact he thought of them as no more than a bunch of "wannabees". When you read the following excerpt from the article his sentiments are precisely echoed there.

"But for me, Harley Davidson crossed the line into parody with the establishment of HOG, the Harley Owners Group, back in '83. Now don't get me wrong, I have no beef with any individual HOG members and have some good friends who wear HOG patches, but lets get one thing straight. HOG is not a club. It exists solely and purely to capture a target market and sell them more product."

It's all very true and I must confess that I'm as guilty as anyone of indulging in the "rebel" dream.
I used to be that DILLIGAF biker. The one whose "ride free" tattoo meant just what it (still) says. But, can I really still claim the lifestyle? Has the rebel in me been tamed and have I just bought into the corporate nightmare rather than the dream of freedom?

Yes, I do enjoy riding a style of bike which suggests, but not quite screams, rebellion and lawlessness. Yes ,I do love the thought that I'm part of a group which sits a couple of steps away from being on the fringes of what "polite" society finds acceptable. I dress in black leather with all its connotations of the outlaw's finger, raised at everyone not on a bike.
But, at the same time I retain the safety net of salary and nine to five drudgery. The wind in my hair is reserved for weekends and long sunny summer evenings.
It has been a few years since I last stripped down a bike in the garage and took bits into the house to work on the more fiddly components of a carburettor and even longer since I rebuilt a bike into something which was individual and unique to me.
My scoot is standard H-D straight out of the Milwaukee factory and just as Harley want it to be. I even look at buying patented spares and worry about the standard of aftermarket bits and pieces. A far cry from the days when my bikes were a mix of marques and even had the odd home made spare-part, stuck on with superglue and copper wire. Nowadays, I doubt if I'd have the courage to pull my bike apart without really knowing how it was going to go together again.

So, I'm maybe just the rebel without a clue after all!

funny, the things you notice

I rode down to meet up with the guys from CVH last night.
It was a wet(ish) evening and we were all inside the pub at first. But as soon as there was a break in the weather some of us made our way outside and stood chatting. The talk as usual was all about bikes and even when the rain came on again we still chatted away.
That's when I realised that I'd rather be one of those stood in the rain, having a good laugh and talking about interesting things than sat inside in the warm and dry but away from the thing that has allegedly brought us all there in the first place.
The Harleys!
Anyway, while I was discussing the merits and demerits of various custom additions and the plus points of my night train (what else), a mark on the badge on my tank caught my eye. On closer examination I realised it wasn't just any old mark. The background of the badge is made up of a black colour with lots of tiny little skulls on it.
Never noticed that before!

too busy to ride?

My life at work is still interfering with my enjoyment and not having won the lottery (yet) there's not a lot I can do about it.
So where has that rebel spirit, I once had when I first started riding, gone? Surely the middle-age crisis has not signalled the end of my free spirit! Growing old is inevitable but growing up is surely optional.

So why have I not been out more on my bike?

ride-out to Erskine

It was going to be my first organised ride-out.

I got myself ready and rode down to where I thought CVH were meeting to ride to Erskine Hospital for this fund raising event.
Trouble was I hadn't read the notice on the web-site properly and so I was at the wrong venue.
So, after hanging about there for a while after they were due to leave, I made my own way to the hospital. I really wanted to go as charities looking after vets are something I like to support.
I eventually found my way there, after crossing the Erskine bridge and back again. That was more just for the sheer fun of it rather than actually beiing lost. (my story and I'm sticking to it!)
Once I got there it was good to see all the bikes, especially the Harleys which were by far in the majority. I've since heard that there were 250 bikes there and £1500 was raised for the hospital.
On the way back I got caught up in another chapter's ride, by mistake, and rode with them for a few miles before they turned off and I went my own way.
To be honest I'm still not too sure if I entirely enjoyed the experience of riding in a group.
Maybe I'm too much of a loner!

Anyway, here's some pics.

meeting up with (new) old friends

That's what it felt like when I went to my first ever meeting of Clyde Valley HOG chapter.
There were around twenty bikes, their riders and a few pillions, just standing around chatting bikes, especially Harleys, or in the cafe having tea or other refreshments.
My arrival gave everyone watching a humorous moment when I got lost in the car park.
When I finally got there, after a detour to avoid a road closure, I could see all the Harleys parked up with folk standing around chatting. So I knew exactly where I wanted to be. Trouble was they were on a paved area with a high kerb so I naturally figured out that there MUST be another way to get there and surely it would be round the back. So off I went looking for the way onto the concourse, to give it a posher name.
Round and round I went. It took a couple of circuits before I noticed a worn down pedestrian crossing just at the exit of the roundabout they were all standing beside.
I might have known, that the way to take your bike onto the pavement was across the pedestrian crossing!
Anyway, a pleasant couple of hours ensued, chatting about bikes, picking up tips about customising and wistfully regretting that I cannot make the "Gathering", Clyde Valley's annual bike show, which is on at Ayr racecourse this weekend.
I did get to look at a couple of examples of sissy bars and have decided to go for a wrinkle black medium-low one with fixed plates as they are neater than the detachable ones.
So, I'm going to sacrifice a little adaptability for a sleeker look. Hopefully I'll get them next weekend and fitted soon after.

decisions

The weather has not been too great lately. Nor have I had the time (life keeps getting in the way of enjoyment) to get out as often as I'd like for long runs.
So I've been grabbing a few miles here and there. Like this morning. The forecast was to be rain later in the day so I headed out at nine for an hour or two. Being Sunday morning there was also the benefit of really quiet roads.
The one good thing about not running up a huge mileage tally, is that I'm taking my time and considering how I'm going to customise the night train.
There are three areas I'd like to personalise. Comfort, style and performance.
Style will most likely be "keep it black!" Then for performance, some new pipes.
So, the first is probably the one I should take time over to get right.
Although I do like the drag styling of the stock "train", I feel that I'd fit better with a more upright riding stance, so I've decided to replace the high riser and flat bars with apes. It's just getting the style of riser and height of the bars right. There are so many choices it's not an easy pick.
Hopefully I'll have it worked out in my mind soon.

social lives

I've just signed up for a Harley Davidson forum.
It's amazing the social life that Harley riders have. The list of weekend rallies is getting longer and longer. It emphasises the creed of H.O.G.

"The place to get together with fellow HOG members and have a great time".

So, hopefully I'll be able to attend at least one or two this summer and report back here on them.

500 and run in

I had a great ride today. Took my mileage over the 500 which should mean that the bike is now "broken in". Not that it will make much difference to my riding style as its not a rocket ship anyway!
Today's ride took me through Aberfoyle and over the Dukes Pass. Then it was along the same road as last week to Crianlarich. This time, instead of heading straight back down the A82 I continued to Tyndrum. There were so many bikers there it was almost impossible to park a bike. It's amazing the people who make the most of sunny days!
I continued on the road towards Oban. The wide sweeping bends weren't spoiled, too much, by the annoyingly situated speed camera-van, right on the longest straight.
It's a great road for the bike and when the vista opens up and the Cruachan range comes into view, quite spectacular.
Shortly after that I turned off on the Glen Orchy road. The single track road was quiet and the only drawback was the gravel which seems to accumulate just at the places where it causes most problems for a bike. Just as well I rode slowly to take in the peace and quiet and the views.
On the return by Loch Lomond, everywhere was so busy I didn't stop until Inveruglas where I bought a drink then straight home.
Here's a couple of pics. The quality isn't so good as they were taken on my phone:-

first pics

Finally got round to it!

black leather rebel...

....or safety conscious motorcyclist?
I need a new jacket to wear on the bike.
So, should I stick with the mean, moody and black, James Dean look or maybe go with the "textile but protectively armoured in all the right places", safety first idea? Does style really matter? Am I too concerned over how I will look off the bike rather than my comfort and safety on it?
The jacket I'm currently wearing is a classic styled patrol jacket. It's ten years old and has no armour. Though to be fair to it, it did protect me from at least one tumble and the resulting argument with a bus. It even has the scuffs and tears to show for it.
I'm really unsure about which way to go. Thinking about it, the question about armour is really an irrelevant one as whichever style I go for will have protection at shoulders and elbows.
I guess I can always buy a leather waistcoat for the patches and pins I'm inadvertently collecting. (Seems as though this is yet another Harley-owners trait which comes with the marque!). Then I'd still have the leather look, although it may well serve to emphasise the middle-aged tag in my blog title.
Buying all these accessories is taking up precious cash which I could be using to buy bits for the bike itself. That list is getting longer and longer.
Each time I come across another harley I pick up ideas about how I want MY bike to look. The joys of owning the most-customised bike make ever!

proper run

Yesterday was the first chance I've had to get out early and get a good run on the bike.
The weather wasn't as glorious as it had been on Friday and Saturday but isn't that always the way of holiday weekends?
I set off at just after nine to avoid the heaviest of the traffic. Just as well really. The roads were fairly quiet for the first part of my ride but on the return the "holiday weekenders" were out in force.
I left Glasgow and headed towards Stirling on the A81 then A811. I then cut off and headed to Callander. When I got onto the A84 the sun came out and the ride to Crianlarich was warmer despite the snow scenes which were Ben More and Stob Binnian.
Following a brief stop at Crianlarich, an increasingly busy A82 saw me head back to Glasgow and down to WCH for the barbeque.
It was great and all things Harley. I didn't take my camera and once again regretted it. There were all models and styles of bike along with all shapes and sizes of rider. Everyone was very friendly, sharing a love of bikes and especially HDs. The burgers were good too!
It was all enough to make me look forward to the next one.

Easter Weekend

and the MAG Egg Run has been cancelled. West of Scotland HOG chapter have organised a ride out on Sunday morning followed by a barbeque at WCH. I'm still not too sure about riding in a group so I may just go somewhere on my own and then go down to the BBQ. That will give me the opportunity to meet some of the other members.
Will post after my ride.
Meanwhile:-

We believe in going our own way, no matter which way the rest of the world is going.
We believe in bucking the system that’s built to smash individuals as bugs on a windshield.
Some of us believe in the man upstairs. All of us believe in sticking it to the man down here.
We believe in the sky, and we don’t believe in the sunroof.
We believe in freedom.
We believe in dust, tumbleweeds, buffalo, mountain ranges and riding off into the sunset.
We believe in saddle bags and we believe that cowboys had it right.
We believe in refusing to knuckle under to anyone.
We believe in wearing black, because it doesn’t show any dirt or weakness.
We believe the world is going soft, and we’re not going along with it.
We believe in motor cycle rallies that last a week.
We believe in road side attractions, gas station hot dogs, and finding out what’s over the next hill.
We believe in rumbling engines, pistons the size of garbage cans, fuel tanks designed in 1936, freight-train size headlights, chrome and custom paint.
We believe in flames and skulls. We believe life is what you make it, and we make it one hell of a ride.
We believe the machine you sit on can tell the world exactly where you stand.
We don’t care what everyone else believes.
Amen.

Pictures

My camera is in the shop for a repair.
So until I get it fixed or get the use of another camera I can't post any pictures of my bike.
Until then, here's a photo, from a good few years back, of my Suzuki GSX 1100 which, when I customised it, looked (a little bit) like a Harley.

Last for a while?

Sunny day that is.

So, this morning I was desperate to get everything I needed doing out of the way as quickly as possible. Then it was onto the bike and off into the west!
Well out towards the Campsie Fells at least. That's the closest we've got here in the West of Scotland to "heading for them thar hills!"

The more I ride my night train, the more I'm getting to appreciate what a great bike it is.
The feet forward, arms stretched out riding position takes a little getting used to. Though I have ridden this style of bike before, it was so many years ago and I've had more conventional bikes since. So, I do find I get a bit stiff after an hour or so in the saddle but not as much as I was dreading. I am 50-something after all.

I also found out today that the ideal cruising speed is just below 50. Just a tad fast for posing in town!

Sunny days are here again

The weather continues to be very spring-like, so I'm managing to get out for an hour here and there. I'ts great just to be out riding, getting used to the feel of the bike and the controls.

There are one or two things which are taking just a little longer to become familiarised with. The indicators for one. This is the first bike I've had which has had one indicator control on each side. I keep wanting to change direction and use my left thumb for both left and right indicators. I eventually worked out how to use the small button at the side of the tacho to give me readings like time, trip meter and distance remaining in the tank.

I also wore my open-face helmet for the first time.
I went into WCH yesterday to buy a pair of goggles. The ones I tried on just didn't feel right and were slipping down my nose. Any of the other ones with a smaller frame would not have been suitable to wear with my specs.
I ended up buying a half visor. It fits, with little clips, into the rim of the helmet which is just as well as my lid doesn't have any visor studs. It worked well and protected my eyes from the wind well but allowed enough wind around it to still give that airy feeling that is half the fun of wearing an open-faced helmet.
It's Italian made and the translation in the instructions is hilarious.

Hopefully this good weather will continue over the weekend as I'm back to work on Monday which will curtail my freedom somewhat. I'll try to get some photos posted when I take them. (I've been more interested in riding rather than stopping to take pics)

Danger

I couldn't get out on the bike today despite it being perfect weather for biking. so I've had to make do with spending the latter part of the evening reading through the owner's manual, a thing that H-D recommend you do thouroughly before riding for the first time. Yeah, like that's going to happen! "I'll not go out on my new bike until I've read all 192 pages."

What I did notice was that almost every page carries the following words:- "which could result in death or serious injury".
Makes me wonder if Harley-Davidson ever write to owners who have had an accident and say, "We told you so!".

Though, for me, the best line has to be:-

"Motorcycles are different from other vehicles. They operate, steer, handle and brake differently. Unskilled or improper use could result in loss of control, death or serious injury."

Happy biking from Harley-Davidson, Milwaukee, USA.

Wwww-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-de

That's the only way to describe the smile on my face!
I went down to West Coast Harley at noon today. I had told them that it would be early afternoon but I just couldn't wait any longer.

I was nervous. It's been a few years since I've been on a bike and here was I, just about to do a couple of firsts.
My first time on a brand-spanking-new bike. One mile on the clock. The nearest I'd been to that before, with any bike, was 19 1/2 K.
It was also my first time on a Harley-Davidson, apart from a cabby around a car park years ago.

So, there's me in the shop, full of nervous trepidation and my bike is still on display. Somehow wires had gotten crossed along the way and they weren't expecting me for another day. I could excuse them that little oversight, especially as the diary proved me right, as they'd had a busy weekend at the Scottish Bike Show.

It wasn't too bad a wait. I got the chance to talk with some of the staff about all things Harley. I also racked up a few more extra pounds on future purchases. Then finally I got the shout that my bike was ready. A quick run through the controls and switches, directions out of the yard and I was away.

My first time, proper, on a H-D was definitely all I had dreamed it would be. The sun was shining and once I got out of town, the roads were reasonably quiet. A good thing, as I was having to take it easy to break the machine in. Must be a Harley thing that, as most vehicles get "run" in. Even taking things easy I could feel the power of the 96 cubic inch engine rumbling away beneath me. Heads were turning as I made my way through traffic up the busy main route out of town. The feeling was so good I just had to keep going. Practicing low speed manoeuvers would come later. I wanted the open road.

By the time I had reached Aberfoyle and felt like a coffee I had clocked up my first 25 miles. The coffee was really just an excuse to get off and look at my bike, so I didn't take very long over it. The run back home saw me clock up my first half ton.

I'm sure that every mile will just keep on getting better and better.
Happy St. Patricks day! It certainly has been one for me to remember.

.....and closer

Just a few days to go and all's ready for me to collect my bike.

I've purchased everything I need, for now, to get on the road. The insurance is in place with a copy to the dealer so they can get the tax sorted. I've got the locks, helmet, jacket, gloves and spent as much as I can afford for now. So anything else I want to buy will just have to wait. Some of it is gear I've had around the house since my previous bike. Other items I've had to go out and buy.
My helmets, yes I have bought an open face as well as a full face, are both matt black, so match the bike. Hell, I'm nowt but a poser!

I bought a Davida Jet open face. I had tried other makes but the spec of the British made Davida was the factor which won that one over for me.Being ACU approved for racing in the UK it carries their Gold Sticker. It is constructed from fibreglass and has a leather and satin lining.
Though, to be honest, I nearly didn't buy it at all. I tried a large size on and it hardly went over my ears. Even the XL was painful to put on and felt as though my ears, never mind my earrings, were being ripped off when I removed it. The assistant in the shop assured me that everyone who had bought one found them tight at first but with use they eased off. When I tried on an XXL I realised that the size below was the correct one and that if the padding round the lower edge were to ease up then it would be an extremely comfortable and secure feeling helmet.
So I forked out the £215 and took it home. I seriously questioned my wisdom when I almost had a panic attack at the thought of the pain I was faced with, taking it off after the third or fourth attempt. I was beginning to doubt if it would ever ease off enough to allow me to comfortably wear it.
Then I had an idea. The sales assistant had mentioned to me that they change the helmets on the display mannekins regularly in order to allow for some stretching (or is it compression?) of the padding. So I looked for something I could use as an alternative head and came up with the arm of my sofa! I squeezed the helmet over the arm and left it over-night. It worked! The following morning the helmet went on much easier. Another couple of times with that treatment and it should be a comfortable fit. Then I can go get the goggles!

I've now got everything but the bike and I'll be sitting on that on Tuesday. All I want now is a dry day. If the weather is half-way good I'm going to just get the bike from the shop and ride and ride and ride.

So my next post is going to be the first after my first ride on my FXSTB night train.