I got an e-mail this morning from brake-lines.co.uk. They're the ones who have been very helpful in trying to sort me out with a front brake line. Though it appears, that even they cannot get round the Harly spare parts curse.
Harley use an 11mm banjo instead of the more common 10mm and HEL only do them in silver. So either I have to have silver banjos or one black and one silver.
Sod this, I'm putting my original back on for now and will try to get parts from Goodridge and build the lines myself!
Then it was out to the garage. I filled the tank with petrol, did a final check and started the bike up. Fired first time too. So I backed it out of the garage but forgot that I had no front brake and had a bit of a panic moment as I was heading down the hill towards a wall and couldn't get my foot up to the rear brake very easily. I did manage to stop before any damage was done to my new tail light. Needless to say, the next job was to fit the front brake line and get it bled. The stock bleed nipple has got a bit damaged as in typical HD style its almost impossible to get a spanner on to it so I had to use vise grips, stripping the shoulder a bit. I had ordered a stainless one but it's too long and doesn't sit correctly in the socket.
Finally, it was time to do the oil change and yet again it was not to be straight-forward! The oil change was easy enough but trying to get the old filter off was a nightmare. First, the tool I have would probably have been adequate if the old fiter wasn't in so tight. I though it was moving after some effort ,but no it was the tool breaking! Then I had to revert to the old but messy way of stabbing a screwdriver though the body of the filter. It was so tight I broke one screwdriver then almost destroyed the filter before it finally began to move. What is it about hand tight that some people can't understand.
So, finally it got done and, after a quick adjustment of the clutch, I was ready and so on with the helmet. (Well I was actually so excited about riding the bike I was almost on the street before I realised I wasn't wearing it!). I had a short run and all seems to be running fine. I have noticed that the petrol warning light is on so that will need sorting.
I'm back on the road at last!
Harley use an 11mm banjo instead of the more common 10mm and HEL only do them in silver. So either I have to have silver banjos or one black and one silver.
Sod this, I'm putting my original back on for now and will try to get parts from Goodridge and build the lines myself!
Then it was out to the garage. I filled the tank with petrol, did a final check and started the bike up. Fired first time too. So I backed it out of the garage but forgot that I had no front brake and had a bit of a panic moment as I was heading down the hill towards a wall and couldn't get my foot up to the rear brake very easily. I did manage to stop before any damage was done to my new tail light. Needless to say, the next job was to fit the front brake line and get it bled. The stock bleed nipple has got a bit damaged as in typical HD style its almost impossible to get a spanner on to it so I had to use vise grips, stripping the shoulder a bit. I had ordered a stainless one but it's too long and doesn't sit correctly in the socket.
Finally, it was time to do the oil change and yet again it was not to be straight-forward! The oil change was easy enough but trying to get the old filter off was a nightmare. First, the tool I have would probably have been adequate if the old fiter wasn't in so tight. I though it was moving after some effort ,but no it was the tool breaking! Then I had to revert to the old but messy way of stabbing a screwdriver though the body of the filter. It was so tight I broke one screwdriver then almost destroyed the filter before it finally began to move. What is it about hand tight that some people can't understand.
So, finally it got done and, after a quick adjustment of the clutch, I was ready and so on with the helmet. (Well I was actually so excited about riding the bike I was almost on the street before I realised I wasn't wearing it!). I had a short run and all seems to be running fine. I have noticed that the petrol warning light is on so that will need sorting.
I'm back on the road at last!
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