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What I did with my bike today

7K views 110 replies 12 participants last post by  anybike 
#1 ·
Have appointment at the Harley store for my ElectraGlide tomorrow, recall about the brake fluid.

Just so happens I ordered owners manual at the same time I was checking on recall

I'm living right, Friday my owners manual came in.

EG has been in tent, so I switched it with the dyna that has been my jump on and go bike

Well I had EG out, it's 57*, might as well use some gas so I'll be closer to empty when I get to the big city where 93 is 65cents a gal cheaper

So I went out to ride the ridge, very different than on the dyna or crotch rocket, but I was happy with it's handling, first time I've had that bike on the ridge

I had noticed on the left grip, the end had a on/off symbol and numbers, I thought that might be heated grips

Halfway through I remember the grip and the heated seat and turned them both on.

After a few minutes my butt didn't have a chill, I never felt heat coming through my pants

My hands did the same but eventually I felt heat coming through my deerskin work gloves

Got to my brothers, took gloves off and felt grips.....pretty warm

I rank heated grips and seat way up there, that was nice

I had this little windshield extension that I put on the C90T, cut the wind noise down so much I could hear the stock pipes......when I traded it in I took the extension off, today I put it on the EG, it is a perfect fit, the windshield is about chin level, the extension adjusted down is at nose level......on the C90T it was too high

I had Jimi on the cd, I could hear it planly without cranking the volume way up.
 
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#2 ·
recall about the brake fluid.
The FLUID????

I know they have hydraulic brake problems but this would be the first about fluid I've heard. You sure it's a fluid problem? That would affect cars as well I'd think. That would be a major recall.
 
#5 ·
I've got that same gadget on my EG's left hand grip. One day last year I was out riding and started fiddling with it. After a few minutes I figured it just wasn't working. A little while later, after I had forgot about it, both grips seemed to be getting uncomfortably hot, they worked! Didn't notice the seat getting any warmer though. Didn't know it was supposed to.
 
#7 ·
I've got that same gadget on my EG's left hand grip. One day last year I was out riding and started fiddling with it. After a few minutes I figured it just wasn't working. A little while later, after I had forgot about it, both grips seemed to be getting uncomfortably hot, they worked! Didn't notice the seat getting any warmer though. Didn't know it was supposed toTe
The thingy on grip only controls grip heat, my seat has 2 switches for heat...1 for me, 1 for wife
 
#6 ·
The recall is for touring models only with ABS, the fluid(dot4) somehow retains atmospheric moisture and needs to be changed every 2yrs......this recall is a recent recall because some brakes have locked up while riding

The first change of fluid is on the house, now every 2yrs it's on me

I suspect the moisture makes its way in thru the ABS, my Dyna is dot4 non-ABS and no recall
 
#8 ·
Brake fluid is hygroscopic it absorbs water right out of the atmosphere or anywhere else,
your brake reservoir is required to be vented, ever wonder why there is a rubber bladder between your glycol based brake fluid in the reservoir and the air space above it :/ that is to reduce the exposure to atmospheric moisture, ever see water droplets on top of that bladder, that is water from condensation get it out of there.
Dot 5 is silicone based and silicone does not absorb water, but water can still get into a hydraulic system other ways.
 
#9 ·
Went to the big city Harley store. Last WK my phone said it would 70* today.....it was wrong

Couple other things I wanted to check on while there......backrest for me

There's 2 types of brackets for backrest, my bike has the cheap one which requires the expensive backrest

I tried one, me and mechanic couldn't get it to lock in, one pin that locks in was bent. Got another and I thought I got it locked in, tried it, went and paid for it(forgot the other thing I wanted to get), half way home it came loose.

Got home, discovered while trying to get it into the bracket I had worked the spring loose. Instead of trying to work thru that hole in the seat I unstrapped the seat, got on right side, opened saddle bag and raising the seat just a little I could see what I was doing and get my hands to it.........went in and locked, very easy when you can see what you're doing

Mine being the cheap bracket, in order to adjust it forward or back, there is 4 mounting holes on each side, so you have to take it off and remount it to make adjustment.......the expensive bracket bolts in, run a cable and switch out from under left front of seat.....pull switch, move backrest where you want it, let go of switch......this setup would have cost $350, but since I already had the cheap bracket, the backrest cost me $200

I hit the interstate and went to set cruise....oh man I forgot I needed the button cap for the set/resume switch

Man-O-War hd had already replaced it no charge, and they washed my bike while they had it

Sitting at home waiting for wife to get home so I can head out on the Dyna
 
#12 ·
I forgot yesterday the Harley store also washed my bike for free

Today I went insurance comparing, my Harleys were at progressive which beat the **** out of State Farm, I had full coverage minus collision and medical, both $285/yr

My crotch rocket at Farm Bureau, full coverage minus medical...I owe on this one......$95/yr

It went there because progressive wanted $450/yr for GSX-S750Z ABS

I went to Farm Bureau to check......now both Harleys are full coverage minus medical....collision included + I got medical for passenger ($4.50 each bike/yr), I doubt I'll have a passenger without medical, but just in case, I won't have any passenger on the crotch rocket. Total both Harleys $220/yr

Got all that done

Then took the dyna for ride around the ridge, it was nice today, once on the ridge didn't see a single car, got to 504 and there was a car turned in before me, he ran good pace, got to passing zone he slowed down, on up the road I came up on a UPS van, behind him about half mile and he turned off

Only saw one bike and that was after I got back into town
 
#13 ·
It was a BEEUUUTIFUL day here today.
So my buddy and I played hooky and hit the road for a while.
Not a cloud in the sky, 65 degrees, so we headed out on big
loop through the back roads of northwestern New Jersey.
The best part was following roads we'd never ridden before.
Didn't know where we were going but the roads were so nice
that we didn't care!
Of course we had to stop for ice cream.
(can't have a bike ride without ice cream)
Put on just about 100 miles by the time we got home.
Only a short ride, but it was a good one.
 
#15 ·
Got some stuff done today, worn out, and the text comes in

Just about an HR ride with my buddy, both shoulders about to fall off, still a little on recovery, muscles drained after couple hrs of mild work

We hit the curves, I think he was seeing if he could get away from me...... that's good to try every now and then..... I try sometimes to get away from my cousin......not ever going to happen
 
#16 ·
Yesterday 70's, after getting a few things done(not all), adjusted chain on crotch rocket, then took it out, been awhile.

This thing gets funner everytime I ride it. Went out the ridge and back 504. Going out I was flying(for me) until approaching the horseshoe that, if you got the balls, can be done on a dyna at 60, but I came upon a suv and got to do a blistering 30, got thru the curve and halfway through the next is a dump truck, down to 20, wee little bit of a straight and I passed the car, after a couple more wasted curves we do a right, with an immediate left and I can see .1m ahead....... I'm gone

Back on 504, it's way longer, got plenty of curves, but actually has some passing zones.....it's not as famous because it is call 504 not something cool like Brown Ridge. It is less traveled and just got repaved

504 had no traffic, except me too much fun.

Got back, picked up this winters mess of limbs, and mowed for the first time this yr.

Today it's snowing

That horseshoe on the ridge, I've got the balls to do 50 on the inside lane(on my dyna), the outside best is 45, if you go off the outside it's going to be a horrible death.
 
#17 ·
One day Dyna wouldn't start so I rode the crotch rocket for a quicky around the ridge. After getting back tightened neg terminal and took dyna around the lake, found a new man made road hazard, a traffic circle, in an area where the people don't understand the use of a 4way stop.

Today, I was going to take friend out the ridge, he's never been, had to go a round about way to get there, once there he chickened out.
 
#18 ·
found a new man made road hazard, a traffic circle, in an area where the people don't understand the use of a 4way stop.

I hate roundabouts... Most of the ones around here we're installed where there was only a two way stop because the highway was the throughway. Now the highway gets to dance too. Of course they don't highlight the inner curbing, so when it's dark and raining, good luck seeing it
 
#21 ·
They install something that requires thinking and timing when they installed them in the first place because people couldn't stop and proceed safely. Yeah, that's going to work well. :rolleyes:
 
#24 ·
What a nightmare! Idiots going around it in both directions!!
Years ago, Jersey had LOTS of "Traffic circles". And for the
most part, they worked well until traffic volume increased and the "idiot level" of drivers decreased. Over the last twenty years or so, most of them have been removed and the intersections converted to traffic lights.
But from what I've read, in other parts of the country, they are removing the traffic lights and putting in circles!
 
#26 ·
Many places in Texas you’ll find you can drive on the wrong side sorta. One way frontage roads. So it isn’t surprising seeing the idiots here do just like that video. Right hand stops are yields instead of stops too in a lot of places. You really have to be on your toes riding in Texas.
 
#27 ·
The video is just as funny as it is dangerous.

Anyone remember J turns? I think it was Jersey that had them. You turned slight right onto a short road that ended in a left 90 degrees to the road you came of off at a stop sign or light. You could then proceed with the left turn that you wanted to make in the first place.
 
#36 ·
Saturday I went to the HD store, picked up a try it before you buy it seat for my Dyna, Signature Series.

While there, the main salesman had a personal offer for me, a very slightly used solo with pillion from a '16 Wide Glide for $100.......try it before I buy it

I took off my 07 seat, just set the solo on and took a seat, hmmmmm sets me down about 2inches.....I like it

Put on the signature series with backrest, took wife on a ride to test passangener seat, she likes it, and I like the backrest. Having backrest adjusted to do any good it moves me forward a bit and thats ok.

Backrest comes off and back on much easier than the one on my Ultra

If my son comes home he'll have a seat his gf can ride on

If I decide to go down to my brothers, about 6hrs, and run over to the dragon, that backrest on the Dyna will be real handy

I need some stuff to make the solo/pillion installable, thats going to be main seat
 
#38 ·
Sunday gott off at 7am, ate some breakfast, took off to meet the group.......on my crotch rocket

I'm not fast, nor experienced on a crotch rocket, I'm trying to keep up on these roads I've never been on

In my neck of the woods, we're quite proud of the ridge and surrounding roads......they don't come close to these snakes.

Couple times we were slowed down by a truck in front.......relief for me, I was pushing myself to much

Got home 1:30, can't recall any part that didn't hurt, the worst of it was my butt, legs, the bottoms of my feet, and just before making it home my hips started cramping. After getting in bed(about 2) I realized how much my back ached.......I'm getting better, first time I rode it 3hrs I was much worse.

I slept almost 3hrs, got up and ate a hotdog, back to bed and my puppy came to lay on me to help me sleep
 
#39 ·
Yesterday decided I'm buying the Harley Signature Series seat w/backrest, so took the demo back and ordered

I also bought a '17 Wide Glide stock solo w/pillion from the Harley stores number 1 salesman, this seat sets me down quite a bit, more comfortable on arms and legs, seat not as soft as old seat but if I want to go on a trip I'll change seat or ride my ultra......the big seat is so my son can ride his girlfriend on a seat that's worth something to the passenger.

To make the solo w/pillion work I had to buy some parts(need pillion to cover rubber bumpers on fender).

First needed fender nut and the part that screws into the fender nut......which has a knob that the pillion slides onto then bolts to the rear fender nut........both parts $8.......they gave me the wrong part that screws into fender nut, this was the knob only ....... female, nothing to screw into fender nut

Today called hd store, after massive confusion I finally got the right part ordered......12days

Went to big4 bought a brass screw, cut it to length, screwed on the knob, screwed into fender nut, slid pillion on, called hd store and cancelled order.

Rode bike to work for boss to see..... he's not there

Rode on over to brothers for him to see....... he's not there

5:30p almost bedtime so I can get up and go to work at 11p, last one, tomorrow start my week off
 
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