| Author | Message | ||
     Adrenaline_junkie |
I have that bike, in flat black instead of red. 80 miles from full to low fuel light. Maybe I'm twisting too hard.  | ||
| Crusty |
When I finally get one, I'll be changing the bars for the same bend that are on my present Roadster, along with the 4-1/2 gallon tank and rear fender from a Superlow, a Sundowner seat and the front fender from an XR 1200 with a fenda extenda. Nobody makes the right bike for me. However, I can get everything I need to set the Roadster up pretty easily. That's the beauty of a Sportster; there are aftermarket parts to turn it into any kind of bike you want. It'll be my next Gentleman's Express. A worthy successor to the Roadster. (Message edited by Crusty on August 03, 2018) | ||
| Buellish |
John,who makes fender extenders for HD's? I have a friend who has a 2018 Softail Sport Glide that would like an extender to keep the crap off his oil cooler/radiator. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Sportster = legos for adults | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
I just noticed that the red machine above is not a U.S. spec bike. U.S. bikes get the side mount license plate. I kept running into mine with my knee so I converted to the center mount plate pictured above. Kind of a rear fender extension also. | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
Crusty, just a thought. It might be cheaper to bolt the new Roadster forks and triple trees onto your Sportster since you already have everything else figured out. Of course, if the issue is your bikes accumulated mileage then that idea goes out the window. | ||
| Crusty |
Mike; go here: https://www.pyramid-plastics.co.uk/categories.html ?catnum=6&dept=Harley-Davidson%20Motorcycle%20Acce ssories Roy; There are many reasons I want a new Roadster, not just for the improved suspension and brakes. I like fuel injection and the crankshafts are stronger than the one in my engine. Plus, I want a new bike. | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
Can't blame you John. I traded an '05 or '06 Roadster for the one I have now....and I had figured out pricing to do the suspension swap first. But I just wanted a new bike also. My only regret is that I didn't hold out for a red one. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Take it for a spin. Then...I can't remember if you have yet or not, take a Scout for a spin. Bobber will be most similar to the Roadster as far as style and ergos, but any 1199cc Scout is going to be a screamer by comparison, with a nice 100hp liquid cooled mill  Just sayin'. | ||
| Crusty |
I've ridden both bikes. I wouldn't compare the Scout to the Sportster as much as to compare it to a V-Rod. Both have forward controls, are liquid cooled and have OHC engines. I prefer the Roadster since it is so much easier to set up for my preferences. Indian doesn't offer mid footpegs. The Scout pretty much locked me into one position with no option to shift my weight around. On a ride of any length, it would become uncomfortable pretty quick. It's not a bad bike, but it's not what I want. My Roadster fits me like my old elkskin gauntlets. I can set up a new Roadster pretty easily to match. Plus, I've gotten addicted to the Sportster's personality. I personally believe that the Sportster is the most under rated motorcycle available today. It can be modified with minimal effort into a chopper, a bobber, a flat track replica, a road racer, a dresser or even a Sport Tourer. No other bike is as versatile or as malleable. Plus, maintenance is so easy, even a Cave Man can do it. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I've put RSD mids on a Scout. The reason they don't do it factory is, they're too close to the seat. Customer was all of 5'1" with a 27 or 28 inch inseam...and they were too close for him. He pulled them back off, and put reduced reach brackets on the stock controls. Just making sure you'd had a shot at the ergos on the Roadster is all | ||
| Hughlysses |
I imagine you need a taller seat (maybe much taller) to work with mid-mounts on the Scout. Stock seat height is only 25.3 inches, so you could raise it 5 inches and still have a reasonably low seat. | ||
| Tootal |
Indian seems to really be after the inseam challenged folks. I love the Indian Springfield but after just sitting on one for a few minutes I could feel my hips starting to cramp. Their other seats move you forward or backward, neither of which helps me at all. The Sportster being taller makes more sense for the average person. | ||
| Crusty |
A Low Profile Summer Tomorrow, I’m going to a Meet & Eat at Hillbilly Hot Dogs. I’m really looking forward to it. I’m going to be meeting up with a few people from the XL forum. Some I met at the Iron Horse Lodge. It’s the kind of get together that I enjoy. I don’t know if the folks at the XL forum have done Meet & Eats before. It’s a fairly common occurrence for Badwebbers up in the Northeast. People travel from all points of the compass for a meal, then head out in all directions to return home. It’s funny; I’m “Keeping a Low Profile” this summer to try and pay down my plastic. Yet I’ve been to seven Flat Track Nationals, April Buells, the XL Meet & Greet, tomorrow’s ride and then the West Virginia Buell Rally in a couple of weeks. After that, there’s the Springfield Labor Day weekend races, then my trip to Colorado and Idaho in September. I wonder what I’d be doing if I decided to keep a High Profile? (Actually, I know; I’ll save that for another time). I almost didn’t plan on the West Virginia Rally. It’s happening on the same weekend as the Peoria TT. This summer was going to be about attending a sh*tload of Flat Track races. But the people and good times in Harrisville swayed me to give the TT a miss. Some things about the WVBR just can’t be duplicated. It’s Good Times with Good People and it’s where I’ve had the absolute best pulled pork I’ve ever tasted. It’s also where Fire Pit Jenga was invented. And then Brad added to the attraction by putting metal beer bottles in the fire to explode. It loses a lot in the telling, but if you’ve been there, you know what I’m talking about. It looks like getting a new Roadster has been put on Hold for the time being. I think I’ll wait until next winter to get one. By then, certain things should improve my credit score and maybe I’ll be able to get a more reasonable interest rate. When I get home from tomorrow’s ride, I’ll be able to watch the Sturgis TT from the Buffalo Chip Campground streamed live on Fans Choice TV. I hope Henry Wiles runs away with it. He was leading by a large margin last year when he bottomed out after going over the jump and cracked his engine open. I really hope he cleans up this year. Well; that’s all the news from Lake Chevvy-ut (that’s how Cheviot is pronounced). Later. | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
Well, I think I know what I'm doing for lunch today. Mmm-Mmm, Hot Dogs.  | ||
| Crusty |
Come on down! You're not that far away. The address is: Hillbilly Hot Dogs 6951 Ohio River Rd, Lesage, WV 25537. We're meeting up between 2:30 and 3:00. | ||
| Damnut |
John...... make sure you leave a good tip at Hillbilly hotdogs! You won't be disappointed. LOL That place is awesome. If you go to the back buss about 3 booths from the rear you might be able find some signatures from Wolfie and myself.  | ||
| 1313 |
Interested in hearing your feedback on the place as well, John. It's near enough off the beaten path that I should be able to include it on my excursions to Homecoming. Most likely on the way back to NC, I'm thinking... | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
Had a nice lunch with Crusty and some guys from the XLForumn. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get logged in over there and I broke my glasses today so I'm working with an old pair. Can't see good enough to figure out the fine print. Oh well, had a good day anyhow. | ||
| Crusty |
Really quickly; I just got home. I’ll write a Snippet about today soon, but for now, here are a few photos Joe's bike  Roy's Roadster  Brian's bike  Some of the outside stuff     The luxurious Dining Room   This place is definitely worth a visit if you've never been here before. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Interesting Sporty. THAT's the kind of seat you'd need to put on a Scout for mid-mount pegs to work. | ||
| Pwnzor |
That looks like a group of guys who really enjoy hot dogs... and barbeque... and food in general. Looks like a good time and a great place to have it. | ||
| Crusty |
A Three State Sunday Yesterday, I rode to Lesage, West Virginia, ate a couple of Hot Dogs and then rode home. That’s the truth, but it doesn’t even begin to describe the day I had. To begin with, the weather was a stereotypically hot like an August Sunday is supposed to be. The thermometer that I saw when I was gassing up for the trip home said 930. It was hot, but tolerable at 70 MPH. I left Cincinnati and took a mix of Interstate and State highways there. I decided to stop at the first Rest Area in West Virginia and get a road map. When I stopped, there was a etched stone monument dedicating the Highway to the Airborne Paratroopers and Glidermen. I thought that was pretty nice. I’ve known a few former Airborne military, including one who got pretty seriously messed up when his chute didn’t open properly. Anyway, I followed Google’s directions and almost rode past Hillbilly Hot Dogs. The directions said 3.4 miles after I turned right onto Route 2, bit it was a bit less. I don’t know how to describe the place. It’s an assault on your eyes. There’s strange stuff everywhere. We parked beside a rusted old ‘70s vintage Suzuki four that was buried in the ground up to its axles. Everything (and there’s more there than I could look at) screams Hillbilly loudly. From the building construction, to the haphazard scattering of all kinds of stuff. And all of it is covered with graffiti. The Dining area is a couple of old school busses with about a brazillion names on the ceiling in magic marker. There’s a giant “Still” with water coming out of a spiral copper tube and falling into a bathtub that full of soapsuds with two legs sticking out. There’s a fiberglass speedboat with a “Flying Tigers” shark mouth painted on the bow (we all signed the boat on the forward deck). I saw some kid pick up the receiver on an old dial phone that was there. There’s so much stuff that there’s no way to take it all in. I’m going to have to go back again. Anyhow, Brian was there when I pulled up and Roy pulled up just after I did. Roy was riding a newer Roadster with the better suspension. He’s put motocross style bars on it and also had the seat reupholstered. A new exhaust and some shock extenders that really helped the handling added to the bike’s performance. Joe pulled up on his bike shortly after, followed by Kelly and his daughter. Hillbilly Hot dogs has about two dozen different varieties of hot dogs you can get They have one called The Home Wrecker it’s 15” long, and weighs a pound. Once all the condiments are on it, it weighs three pounds or so. And, if that’s not enough, they have one that’s even bigger. I don’t recall the name of it, not it’s specs, but I can’t imagine anyone being able to finish one, though I’m sure that there are people who can and have done so. The purpose of these Meet&Eats is for socializing. We did that. We talked about all different aspects of motorcycles and motorcycling. We hung around there until about 4:30, then headed out. I had planned my route as a big loop, so I was headed north for a little while before turning west towards Cincinnati. Four of us headed North while Kelly and his daughter (whose name I can’t remember) headed south towards Huntington. Once we got up to Rt. 35, Brian and I peeled off to go west while Roy and Joe continued north. I split from Brian at Rt. 32. He continued north while I went west. As the sun dropped lower in the sky, the temperatures fell into the mid to upper 80s, making for a delightful ride. I got home a little before sunset. For me, it was a very enjoyable day and I got to meet with some really good people.  | ||
| Crusty |
Handlebars, Tires and Cincinnati Chili I’ve been wanting to make some changes to the Roadster. Nothing really radical, just a few cosmetic upgrades. It started when I replaced the scratched mirrors with a pair of black mirrors. Then, I started looking at handlebars. I think a set of black bars would look better than the chrome bars. The issue is that I really like the bend of the bars that are on the bike. So I’ve been looking at bars every time I go to the Harley shop. There was a set of bars on an ’08 Nightster that looked right, but H-D wants 90 some odd dollars for them. Last week, I found a set of Nightster bars on fleaBay and got them for half of what the seller was asking. Once they arrived, I saw that they’re close, but not the same. Then I saw another set of bars that had all the measurements marked out. They look really close and they were brand new and only $28.00 with free shipping from China. So I bought them. Of course, they won’t arrive for a while, but if the bend is right, I’ll be one step closer. That has me looking at black handlebar clamps, but they’re fairly cheap. Also, I keep thinking about getting a black air filter cover. It’s fun and emotionally rewarding to personalize a bike. The funny part is that by the time I get it all finished, I’ll be getting a new bike and I’ll get to start over! R.D. came by yesterday to get his tires changed. After nearly five years, I have the NoMar bolted to the floor. I fully expected to just cruise through the tire change, but after not being able to use the NoMar properly for such a long stretch, I felt and acted like a rank amateur. Eventually, I did get the old tires off and the new tires on, and I didn’t scratch the wheels. Balancing the wheels went smoothly. I may have looked like an amateur, but the job turned out looking professional. I’ll be changing the tires on the Roadster soon, so hopefully, my technique will improve with practice. R.D. had never had Cincinnati style Chili, so we went to Skyline Chili for lunch and he got a regular size 5 Way, as did I. Like everybody else I’ve introduced to Cincinnati Chili, he liked it. And before all you Southwesterners get fired up, I like Texas Chili. Cincy Chili is nothing at all like Texas Chili. It’s not hot; the flavor is completely different and there are no beans in the chili. Beans are added on top of the chili, but under the chopped onions and shredded cheese. Oh; and the Chili is sitting on a bed of spaghetti. It may sound really bizarre if you’re from Texas, but it really tastes good. Next week is the West Virginia Buell Rally. I’m really pumped up about it. Mark, who puts it on every year, stated that the theme of this year’s rally is “Unusual Footwear” to wear at the Dinner on Saturday night and maybe back at the campground. I found a pair of Slippers that will definitely fit the bill. After looking at various posts on Badweb, I think there’s going to be quite a few people with Interesting things on their feet. I find the idea of sitting there, eating some of the best Pulled Pork I’ve ever tasted while looking at XXXXXXX on my feet to be quite a humorous vision. I also plotted out a route of secondary roads to Hillbilly Hot Dogs. Google says it’s 141 miles and it will take 3 hours, 14 minutes each way. Knowing the roads I’ve ridden on in West Virginia, it should be a fun ride. It looks like a few folks might want to do that. Well, I’d better get a start on the day. My lawn is really looking scraggly, and even though I have that pulled muscle in my back, I think I should mow the grass. The pulled muscle didn’t stop me from doing the tire change, so I don’t think I should let it stop me from pushing a mower. | ||
| 04buell |
So that’s where Steak and Shake 5 way chili comes from. I love that stuff!!!!! | ||
| Pwnzor |
I may have to come up and get a bowl of that chili some time. I'm always being told that my chili isn't really chili because it has beans in it... To them, I say pshaw. | ||
| 46champ |
Isn't that the difference between Texas style chili And New Mexico style chili without and with beans? | ||
| 1313 |
I love me some Skyline Chili! I prefer it 3 way style, however. It's a tradition now on my overnight stay on my way up for Homecoming. This year was no exception - as I got my Skyline fix in West Harrison, Ohio. Their cheese coneys are pretty good too. | ||
| Ourdee |
It looks like we have them all around Indianapolis. It was some good stuff. Probably as many types of chili as BBQ. Ever had white chili? | ||
| Zac4mac |
We are clear that Texas chili has no beans, right? Beans and cole slaw are SIDES and don't belong in proper Chili... Oh yeah, pickles. gotta have pickles... and iced tea.. |
