Go Sportsters

Before:


Now:


Almost there but still little something to do before I'm ready for the season.

Nice S&S ! Who makes those rear sets ?

Snick. Snick. :) Thank you Mr. H.

Nice redo... Classic, but not over the top......

Thanks :) Rearsets are from LSL. If I'd have to choose again, I'd go for chainsikle reverse pattern... (I have their reverse pattern shifter peg anyway.)

Reason I chose LSL was the left side mounting bracket:

Thanks I'm trying to make it joy to ride and keep the looks close to stock... When using aftermarket parts, I like to go for the proven classics like s&s air cleaner and supertrapp exhaust. Ohlins are exception to the rule since I really dig their stuff.

Here is the side view with new seat from Biltwell & 18" Sissy bar

I keep seeing bikes like this, and I'll have pull the batwing off and scrounge some lower bars. My first thought when I considered a Sportster was to cafe it.....

I happen to know where a set of bars off of a 2002 sport are :)

My forty eight with mid pegs.

I much prefer the feel of mine since I put the mids on it. Just got my new Sick Saddles solo seat installed this weekend too. Much better than stock!



Have all the parts I need for the phase 1 suspension upgrades now. Just need time to get it all installed and sorted...

Longer, Roadster length shocks for the rear (until I can afford to upgrade to Ohlins). Pulled the springs and powder coated them black this weekend. Longer Roadster damper rods, and Ricor Intiminators for the forks...



Continue to be pleased with the front brake upgrade that I posted about earlier as well...

DIdnt catch you on the front brake upgrade, did you get a brembo caliper?

Back on page 140, in THIS post.

I'd read about that upgrade. Gonna have to do that one. Way simpler then adding a caliper. Digging the bare bones look. Tried my bike without the batwing this weekend. Liked the feel. Just felt lighter. Bags may need to be stored also. Need to get some Nightster or standard bars to replace my low buckhorns......

Might want to take a look around over on xlforum to see how it will work on your bike. I know it works great with the 48's wheels, but I've read that it does present clearance issues with the wheels on some models. If it works on your bike it is definitely a worthwhile mod. While the brakes on my 48 may not rival those on some of my other bikes, I don't feel like the brakes are underpowered anymore. Much more confidence inspiring!

aaa, yeah that one, its good?

Well, while I haven't compared it to other options, I'm very happy with it. It's a straight bolt on swap for the 48, works with the stock master cylinder, is relatively inexpensive, and substantially improves braking performance. I never feel the need for more than two fingers on the lever now, and I couldn't say that about the stock brakes.

All you need is the caliper (it comes with pads already installed), two sealing washers, and a bottle of brake fluid. Easy peasy. Takes just minutes to swap the calipers. The only time consuming part is bleeding the system. That'd be easier if you also installed a speed bleeder on the caliper and run a hose back up to the master cylinder. Done that way all you have to do is crack the bleeder and keep pumping the lever while letting the fluid return back up to the master cylinder.

I may upgrade the hose to SS braided lines later on, and if I do I'll install a speed bleeder then. But for now I'm pleased.

Yeah the technical aspect is a piece of cake. though I think the stock caliper works fine too, I've thought about the brembo one. I have one of those vacuum bleeders you attach to an airline from my car days.

You can also get a steering dampener for the forty eight.

Well, IDK, but my stockker was woefully inadequate in my opinion. Perhaps yours is better, but it was the first thing that I did to my bike when I got it. I mean, yeah it "worked", in a '70s sort of way. But the lever effort was too high, and the feel and power was too low. If I'd never ridden a bike with powerful brakes before I guess I wouldn't have known better, but that's not the case and I like a bike with GOOD brakes. This bike didn't have that from the factory, IMO. It still doesn't rival a modern sport bikes, or even an older one, by any stretch of the imagination, but it is MUCH better, and entirely adequate for my needs. For a buck fifty it was well worth every penny.

I have a vacuum bleeder too, and used it when doing the swap. It does work much better than the old fashioned way, but you still have to keep topping off the fluid, and be careful to not suck the master cylinder dry while sucking the fluid out of the caliper. Ask me how I know! :huh

It took a good long time and a lot of refilling the reservoir, and dumping the vacuum pump container, doing it this way.

That's the only real advantage to recirculating it... it just keeps the reservoir full while the air escapes, and lets you just keep pumping and pumping until you've gotten all the air out, while preventing absent minded screw ups.

I don't feel the need for a steering damper on this bike. With the rather lazy steering geometry of these bikes, and unless one were to pretty radically change things up, I can't see that they'd be useful. In fact, IMO, and in most cases, for a street bike I sorta think of steering dampers as bandaid fixes for an improper suspension set-up. I don't ever plan to change the geometry enough, or push this bike hard enough to need one anyway.

Heh, yeah those vacuum bleeders are fast. But for 150bucks the caliper change isnt that bad of an idea. Gotta find out what the calipers cost here. They also sell brembo kits that change both front and rear calipers, but its a bit more than 150.

As for the sportsbikes, well yeah, no contest there, but still the forty eight with its big tires is quite nice to ride here, because the roads are in shit condition after winter. It still has pretty good pull, though it is underpowered and heavy compared to sportsbikes.