West Coast Choppers

[mardigrasbob 0]

Agreed, my '98 sporty is perfect for me, even though i am 6'2'' . I hear things like: nice piglet, or u ride a chicks' bike.
Sure I would like a Dyna Superglide Custom but I don't have $20 grand.
I ride the Ortegas between Perris/Elsinore and the coast and that is 'white knuckle' enough for me. A fellow jumper,who is always rag'n me about riding a Sportster, says he has a '55 panhead. Thing is: I ain't never seen it and i doubt he has the ass to kick it over.

[gjhdiver 0]

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Yeah, but if I'm going to buy a new one, it's going to be a Springer Softail Classic, or a Wide Glide.

Whoa, if you're looking for a nice comforable ride, steer clear of a softail. You'd get a softer ride out of a rigid with a pogo seat.

[flyingferret 0]

Well, I started to come in here and rant and rave about stupid WCC posers, but it already be said and Dave and I found the shirt.

Anyway, on

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I'm going to want something for long trips that doesn't have the engine mounted right to the frame

You would be surprised. I highly recommend you test ride a softtail with the 88B. Sounds like you would anyway, if you are thinking about a Springer Classic. I would rather had a solid mount counter balanced engine than a rubbermount anyday of the week. If you can, put them side by side at idle. Then watch the engine lope, and watch the mirrors. The 88B is an amazing engine.
I run my FatBoy with an SE intake, Power CommanderIII FI computer, and stock exhaust minus baffles. I will be moving to V&H 2n1 soon. A buddies WideGlide with V&H 2n1 can leave me, but for the most part my bike hauls ass for a 'heavy' bike.
Was playing on I20 the other day after a ride. Had to go around a Shadow or Vmax something, I guess he got annoyed, and dropped in HARD behind me. Ok fine, lets play. I rolled on and we were side by side through 100mph. At that point I backed off, cause it was interstate and I was wearing just a doo rag. I really got a kick out of it though....two bikes, ones guy on an import in all leather and a full face, me on an HD, jeans a long t-shirt, and a doo rag, freaking screaming down I20.

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All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI.

[flyingferret 0]

What?? What do you base that statement on? I have ridden FXRs, a vrod, a sporty, etc. and I have no problem what so ever with my fatboy. I am really curious what leads to your statement?

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All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI.

[cderham 0]

The newer softails with the twin cam (88B) engines run just as smooth as a rubber mount if not smoother. Now the suspension on softails could improve but that is a function that you give up for the look of a hardtail. I find it better then my sporty that has about 1-1 1/2" of rear suspension travel due to the ride height. Once again the things we give up for looks. I can't lean as much or corner as hard but my center of gravity is down there with a softail. If I was looking for a bike to ride like that I would own a Buell or a Hyabusa!!

Chris

Toys - No matter how many I have I still want more!!

[AggieDave 6]

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Hyabusa!!

Ugliest. Bike. Ever.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[cderham 0]

But ride one!!! When I passed a car changed lanes (in a wheelie) and looked down at the speedo (110mph) in no time. I damn near wet myself. I thought I was over that whole speed thing but obviously not. I'd add one to my garage just for fun factor. Besides streach it lower it paint it and add turbo and nitrous holy shit my sex life would never be the same!!!!!!!!!!

Chris

[PhillyKev 0]

Yeah, my bad, counter balance is technically mounted right to the frame, too. But not quite the same as my sporty mounted right on there with nothing to counter the vibration.

Any recommendations on rear suspension height for my sporty? It's stock right now (13.5"), but want to lower it. I don't want is slammed, but would like a little better footing when stopped, plus a cleaner look. I'm thinking 12" Progressive Suspension?

[gjhdiver 0]

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What?? What do you base that statement on? I have ridden FXRs, a vrod, a sporty, etc. and I have no problem what so ever with my fatboy. I am really curious what leads to your statement?

The fact that the stock softail comes with really shitty suspension components, (as do sporty's). The main problem is with the preload and the rebound on the stock units. The preload is very high, and the rebound is really soft. This means that it takes a lot to get the suspension to move, meaning that just about everything fails to get the suspension to adequately damp, causing most shocks to be transferred directly to your ass. Once the preload has been been reached, (approximately two seconds after you just swallowed your tongue,) the rebound is too soft, meaning that the suspension takes too long to return.

This makes for a hard ride and nasty wallowing, especially in corners. It's very hard to get a softail to ride as well as a normal swing arm machine because the design itself is a compromise based entirely on looks. You can get it to ride very well if you fit a White Bothers air ride suspension kit on them, but we're talking about $1700 here.

Nothing is as bad as the stock sporty 883 units though, so don't feel too bad. However, the gold standard for shitty hndling is the Springer Softail. You can save yourself time and pain on these by just pushing them over instead of trying to change a line through a corner.

A straight ahead hardtail has none of these problems because all of the suspension and damping is in the springs in the seat.

There's very few HD's that are set up well in this regard though, as most riders aren't fussy enough to either notice or want to pay for the correct units. I mean, they ship the things with 10 weight in the forks. They might as well put gatorade in there for the damping that gives. (I never go with less than 30 weight in forks, coupled with progressive springs and cartridge emulators). Just about any of the HD big twin line can be made to handle well with correct rear units and cartridge emulators in the front end.

Of course YMMV etc. I do a lot of riding and building, but if you spend most of your time on the slab and never hit the twisties at speed, you may never notice.

[gjhdiver 0]

[reply I don't want is slammed, but would like a little better footing when stopped, plus a cleaner look. I'm thinking 12" Progressive Suspension?

[cderham 0]

Go progressive - I put springs up front and upped the fork oil weight. I also lowerd the front 2 1/2" with 3 deg raked wide glide trees. Went with 11" Progressive 412's on the rear. Progressive makes multiple rears so log on to there web site and ask the experts thru the message board. explain what you want or expect and they will tell you which is the best for your expectations. Also check out www.xlfourms.net but you have to be careful. Ther are alot of people who know what they are talking about but also a few who have missed the boat JMO.

Chris

[LouDiamond 1]

I have progressives out back on mine as well and it didn't slam it but it did drop it to a very cool height and the ride is excellent. Mine are completely covered by my saddle bags so it makes for a nice look that fits with the overall look of the bike.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

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Hyabusa!!

Ugliest. Bike. Ever.

Jesse James has a Hyabusa; did you know that? He rode in on it on one episode of Monster Garage. He was also sporting a doghouse on his head and his "Way Fast Whitey" leathers.

Also, concerning new Harleys. All big twins, whether Softie framed, dyna framed, or dresser/fxr/roadking (identical except for the neck) have 88B's (or screamin eagle 95 or 103 inch modded "B" motors. All are incredibly smooth riding these days. It absolutely fascinated me the first time I took a ride on an 88B-equipped Night Train. Prior to that you could not have paid me to own a Softie-based bike. '04 and up Sporties are likewise smooth and don't beat your wrists up.

That Hypercharger is worthless and gives no increase in power whatsoever. An expensive Kuryaken doo-dad that does a great job of sucking in water in the rain. I don't know anyone who has one on that still has the vaccum line hooked to the butterflies. Most people who still run those things just rig them open all the time. I ran, and still have in my garage, a five-inch velocity stack on my FXR for quite a while.....without any sort of filter (dumb). I kept a black nylon sock under my seat that I would pull over the end of it if I was near dirt, but I still burned up my cylinders in like four months. Now? My S&S teardrop with an inch-longer K&N filter.

[flyingferret 0]

Well, for the record I don't feel too bad. I respect your opinion, but I think it is a bit overstated. Perhaps some of this comes down to taste. I have about 20K on my Fatboy in the two years I have had it, and ridden to Sturgis and back, as well as Oakland and back (dfw here). I ride with any mix from solo, to full t-bag and gear, and have never had any major complaints.
Now, it doesn't handle like a buell or anything, but then again I wanted a FAT look, and I bought one. I run Metzler ME tires, and drag floorboards everytime I ride, so I have no complaints about cornering.
Again, perhaps this is personal opinion, because I HATE the look of external struts, I think I would maybe even consider hardtail first. Secondly, I like the low 'sag' feel on my bike. The FXRs I have ridden tried to catapult you on rebound.
My ultimate setup will be legend air suspension. You mention white bros, although I have heard much better feedback on legend.
So, all that being said, what would you recommend on a Fat Boy if it were yours? Progressives, 30, and emulators? I am not sure what the emulators do, I know the rest.

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All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI.

[AggieDave 6]

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Jesse James has a Hyabusa; did you know that? He rode in on it on one episode of Monster Garage. He was also sporting a doghouse on his head and his "Way Fast Whitey" leathers.

Yeah, noticed that. Doesn't matter though. I dig his fabricating skills, but that's about as far as it goes. I'm not one of those asshats running around with huge iron crosses on all of my gear. That's fine if you ride a WCC bike, but beyond that, NOPE. IMO.

I don't care how powerful it is, how fast it is, the hyabusa is one shit ugly bike.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[gjhdiver 0]

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My ultimate setup will be legend air suspension. You mention white bros, although I have heard much better feedback on legend.
So, all that being said, what would you recommend on a Fat Boy if it were yours? Progressives, 30, and emulators? I am not sure what the emulators do, I know the rest.

I'd say the air ride suspension, progressive springs, and 30 weight. The cartridge emulators do what they suggest. Basically they allow your front end to mimic the effect of much more pricey racing cartridge forks.

Here's short blurb on them

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/RaceTechEmulators/

They are about $125 a set.

I know that is might be considered sacriledge, but I'd put lighter allow wheels on the FatBoy. You can get rid of a lot of rotational mass and unsprung weight that way.

[flyingferret 0]

Well, I kinda like my wheels, but not extrodinarily so. There are some alloy replacements I really like, but $$$. At 25, I am paying off students loans, paying off the HD, and paying a cheap steel cage. So, my budget for upgrades is off and on.

I will consider the springs/emulators. My dad rides a Heritage Softail, totally reworked with progressive and a 2" drop in the rear. It looks SWEET, but his ride quality is compromised. Hauling a second person is a rough ride, but then again, he never really does, and riding single it looks awesome.

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All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI.

[KawiZX900 0]

Hyabusa!!

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Ugliest. Bike. Ever.


I think Buell owns that title, but the BUS is a close second, and that whole really fast really straight, god forbid a corner or two is kinda self defeating.

Anybody ridden the Kawi ZX 1000? Team Green stopped making my love slave the ZX 900, need the poop on the new incarnation.

Accelerate hard to get them looking, then slam on the fronts and rollright beside the car, hanging the back wheel at eye level for a few seconds. Guaranteed reaction- Dave Sonsky