Well, the Retro-Glide, also known as the VatoBike or Gringo Low Rider here in S. Texas, is nearing completion. It's starting to rain and I'm bored so I thought I'd run through the mods for you boys and girls. I started out by ordering and installing a bagger brace and 2" drop shocks from Phoenix Customs. Brace really works well and the shocks were perfect. Nice company to deal with and the product was first rate. Next I removed the pancake turn signals for the bullet LED units front and rear and licence plate relocater and added a Harley solo seat.
I found some wire wheels from a late model RK and added some wide whites. Bumped the rear tire up to a 140mm (Bike is a 2003) with a spacer from Pingle for the rear pulley. Works fine but I've got about a business card space between the swingarm and pulley. Also put some chrome lower forks on. Bought the Samson 39" Fishtails and ended up just bolting the mufflers to my V&H true duals. Samson told me they wouldn't work but they do and I like the look of the V&H better so I've got some Samson true dual exhaust (No O2) for sale.
Next project was to upgrade the radio with a Pioneer CD/DVD/GPS unit. I purchased an install kit from Biketronics and dove in. What they sent me was a module to plug into the stock harness and two blocks of wood and a piece of plastic. After a day or so of working with this junk, I found a nicer piece from Hawg-Wired and ordered it. They include a really nice billet piece with 2 rubber o-rings for the radio opening and a metal bracket to sit it in and bolt to the stock brackets. I still used the module from Biketronics and I'm still not happy with it. The AVC doesn't work very well and I can't seem to adjust it like they tell you to. If you want to do an aftermarket radio install, stay away from Biketronics and use the Hawg-Wired stuff. I also upgraded the speakers to some from J&M. I was surprised to have a little distortion when I crank it up, but I'm still learning all the settings for the new player as far as EQ, Loudness, etc. I emailed J&M about which ohm speaker I should buy for the Pioneer and the owner emailed back and said the 8ohm would be fine and then said the 2ohm would work as well?
While the fairing was off and the radio was out, I changed out the bars for some Klockwerks mini-apes. I really like the riding position. I feel like Captain America now. The new hand position blocks the batwing mirrors so I removed them and added some handlebar mount from HD. I like the look and my rear vision is really improved. I have a love/hate relationship with the Klockwerks windshield. Wish it was a little taller. I know they make a 10.5" now but I think that's taller than I want.
Next the Dagmar bullet LED saddlebag lights. Got them installed and was ready to wire them when I decided to do a little internet search. Found a sub harness from NAMZ cycle products that plugs into the rear harness under the seat. Includes a load equalizer and should give me run-brake-turn for the bullets when installed. Just ordered it so I'll let ya know how it does.
Only thing I have left is to fill the holes on the saddlebag lids from the removal of the luggage racks and repaint them and I also plan to repaint the tank and add some tank badges from a 62 Panhead. So, including the purchase of the bike, I've got less than 15K in it. I was looking at it the other day and thought, "Damn, this thing looks 9 feet long". So I grabbed my tape and damn if it isn't exactly 9 feet from nose to tail.
Any comments from the peanut gallery, good, bad, or indifferent are welcome.
Retro-Glide Recap 
Linear Mode
