Can I build a nice Harley Kit Bike for about $13,000?

I agree. Arlen Ness stuff is pure butt jewelry, not real motorcycles,
and is probably one of the most expensive stuff you can buy.

--
Odinn

'03 FLHTI ........... http://www.sloanclan.org/gallery/ElectraGlide
'97 VN1500D ......... http://www.sloanclan.org/gallery/VulcanClassic
Atlanta Biker Net ... http://www.atlantabiker.net
Vulcan Riders Assoc . http://www.vulcanriders.org

rot13 to reply

 

No shit, I bet you could blow 13k on one part, let alone a whole bike.

 

I think the mole lied to us as there has been no replies from him. Or
perhaps his 10 years turned to 10 days.

-julie

 

Bob La Londe is right I have 43000 miles on my 98 electroglide it is as
comfortable as my couch at home only my wife cant bitch at me I paid
$11500 for mine and it was the best investment I ever made.

 

Add me to the list. I have close to 200,000 (that's right) miles on my 90
FLHTC, 50,000 the first year! It was 100% trouble free for 90,000 then it
cracked a valve guide in 120 degree heat while stuck in traffic in Laughlin
Nv. HD fixed that under the warranty then replaced the cases (with all
bearings) then o'hauled the tranny to replace a spring (this time I paid for
bearings, etc but they covered labor) so I got essentially a new motor and
tranny at 90,000 for the cost of a few parts. I got nervous and replaced
the belt and sprockets at 145,000 - didn't need to but they were getting
old. Bike has been coast to coast 9 times via different routes and in every
state but Maine and Washington and I hope to fix that when I retire.

If you can't afford new buy a well cared for FLH a few years old. AFAIK
they're bulletproof. I paid $10,000 for mine, have had 15 years of good use
from her and she still runs like new. Can't beat that with a stick!

 

Sheesh, what's with all the damn top posting?

My '03 ElectraGlide Standard has 53,000 miles on it, not one problem
with it. It's a daily rider (80 miles a day). I do need a new battery
for it now (I ran it down a few too many times listening to the stereo).

--
Odinn

'03 FLHTI ........... http://www.sloanclan.org/gallery/ElectraGlide
'97 VN1500D ......... http://www.sloanclan.org/gallery/VulcanClassic
Atlanta Biker Net ... http://www.atlantabiker.net
Vulcan Riders Assoc . http://www.vulcanriders.org

rot13 to reply

 

An FLHT(X) won't do a 108 MPH much less uphill without some serious mods.
MIne FLHT bearly ran in the mid 90s. After a cam, pipes, and carb work it
would still only labor upto to the 100 mark. On the other hand it would
haul me a passnger, and a 300+ loaded trailer at 80+ all day long without
breaking a sweat.

 

roach wrote...

Yep, but you left the fully loaded part out (I assume it was the bike).

 

Funny, my FLHTI will do 100+ stock with no problems. Besides, you
totally missed the point of Roach's post.

--
Odinn

'03 FLHTI ........... http://www.sloanclan.org/gallery/ElectraGlide
'97 VN1500D ......... http://www.sloanclan.org/gallery/VulcanClassic
Atlanta Biker Net ... http://www.atlantabiker.net
Vulcan Riders Assoc . http://www.vulcanriders.org

rot13 to reply

 

The last time I rode an FLHT, up hill, at 108 I ended up with a tank slapper
(bwahahahaaaa)!

--
Tony D
1971 R75/5 boxer
2004 R1150 Rockster
Philly Hoodlum©#37
SENS (less) LFS#38 PHS
BS#149 FYYFMFFY

 

Okay Tony, you've got me confused, you replied to my message, dropped my
reply. Do you have Bob kf'd and are replying to him thru my message?

--
Odinn

'03 FLHTI ........... http://www.sloanclan.org/gallery/ElectraGlide
'97 VN1500D ......... http://www.sloanclan.org/gallery/VulcanClassic
Atlanta Biker Net ... http://www.atlantabiker.net
Vulcan Riders Assoc . http://www.vulcanriders.org

rot13 to reply

 

Sorry Roach but when I wanna go fast I reach for rice. HDs are for enjoying
the scenery in comfort. Why spend $20G on a good bike then another pile
screwing it up to go 108 MPH when you can buy rice that'll do 200 out of the
box?

 

'cuz any dickhead can buy an off the showroom floor taco bike and go 180 mph.
Doesn't mean shit to do that. You're just a passenger anyway. Might as
well brag about how fast the last airliner you rode in was.

But on the other hand, to take an archaic, outmoded machine with strange
handling, no power to speak of and work on it, redesign it, modify it to fit
your own image of what it could have been, to take it down to individual
nuts, bolts, and bits and tweak every single one of them, put it back
together and run that sumbitch 120mph through the twisties knowing that if
you did any small thing wrong they're going to scrape your macerated ass off
the pavement and sell it to McDonald's for burger meat, to do that and get
away with it means something. It's like walking up to the devil himself,
tweaking his nose, turning and walking slowly away without ever once looking
back.

That's the only reason I **** with Harleys and have for coming up on 40
years.

Spunky's Two Truths About Harleys:

All Harleys, no matter what their state of repair, no matter what their state
of modification, are merely starter kits for the realization of somebody's
dream.

Any chimp can ride a modern superbike fast. But to take a badly suspended,
undertired, oversprung, poorly balanced behemoth and ride the same road at
high speed takes a Rider.

I'm sorry that you don't get it, Vito, but on the chance that you just never
had it explained properly, I'm offering this.

 

"Spunky the Tuna"

SNIP

You can say the same about a REAL Gold Wing...GL1000

Again with the Gold Wing references. Grante I can increase
the power signifigantly with abolt on part and save more
money than doing the same on a Harley. As for the
suspension...30 minutes to drop in a set of springs and the
handling is as good as it can get with out a compleate
transplant for the front end.

Explain what? That you'd have to spend the price of a
sportster to increase performance (that's just the engine
mods) and still not handle as well at speed? Don't get me
wrong Harley is nice for what it is. But when you want
performance NOW... You buy something already built. Then
again Buell already does this with a Harley...first thing
they do is throw the frame away. Now all they have to do is
make a smaller transmission/clutch that still handles the
torque.

 

Keith Schiffner wrote...

Maybe you could talk Sunpky into getting a Goldwing, but I doubt it, he's a
pretty closed minded fucker.

 

"Tud"
SNIP

I don't know. It's a REAL challenge as there are more "Hop
up" parts out there for just about EVERY Harley built. The
ONLY hop up part that does this for the GL1000 is a
supercharger that takes the better part of a day to install.
There WERE some hotter cams being made at one time, not sure
if they are still made. That and swapping out carbs from
GL1100 are about it for doing anything to the motor except
for setting it up differently. The single carb mod doesn't
really make it faster and has some issues with a slower warm
up.

Definitely a challenge to hop up as there isn't anything
MADE for it. If you do anything it has to all be one off
items...as for improving handling...the options are VERY
limited. Oh and YES AAMOF a GL1000 can corner with sport
bikes to a point BTDT...biggest problem is those damn valve
cover bolts are getting hard to find so I don't lean it all
the way over.

 

Reassembler wrote...

We don't all love the thrill of driving to the grocery store in our SUV's.
You've obviously never done anything more to your bike than change the
fluids. A great deal of enjoyment and pride can be had out of working on
your bike. I get on my stock bike and I know I have a reliable ride under
me and it's a joy to drive. I get on my chopper that's been completely torn
apart and rebult by *me*, a less that half assed hack, and I'l grittin' my
teeth and praying the front wheel doesn't come off for at least the first
half hour, and I love it.

 

Seems to be one of those binary schism deals. Divides the world into two
groups. Those who get it/those who don't.

You obviously get it. I knew that all along. The other guy doesn't. No
surprise there, either.

The upside is that the ones who don't get it sooner or later create more
cheap used parts for the ones who get it to mess with.

Everybody wins.

 

mph. <snip>

Different strokes for different folks. Any dickhead can take an engine
designed to make 70 hp and get twice that and more by bolting on aftermarket
accessories, but only at the cost of reliability, smoothness and lots of
money. Still, if that's your thing go for it - just don't knock others who
think, but don't say, it's idiotic. Same goes for riding 108mph on most
roads I travel. Once you've been really fast, cornered with both tires
sliding lap after lap, going "fast" on the street just don't cut it.

My 1990 FLH was my 12th HD and I have had several more in addition since but
if I wanted to win a road race I'd reach for a TZ250 Yamaha cuz there is
nothing you can do to a HD, or any street bike for that matter, that'll make
it keep up with even a little 250cc race bike. Similarly, if I wanted to go
coast to coast and back again as fast as possible I'd buy an new Ducati or
BMW because designing and adding a fairing and luggage to a VRSC wont get
it. But I don't do any of these things any more. I want a bike that will
carry me anywhere a road goes, that I can do up to 1000 miles a day on and
be rested enough to pleasure a pretty local gal when I stop. My FLH does
that fine with just a cam and pipes, and lets me enjoy the scenery and
scents along the way. You'll understand someday.

 

Didn't somebody make a Roots (GMC) type blower for the GL1000 that made
200HP?