February 2008 Letters

[Buzz Kanter]

TC 88 Timing Chains
I have a 2004 Electra Glide Classic with 25,000 miles on it and have not had a single problem with it. However, after hearing of and reading about the timing chain issues, and having a friend dealing with this issue on his Road King, I would like to nip this problem in the bud before it becomes an issue for me. I do not want to change any more of the internal components than necessary, I have had three different mechanics tell me that my bike runs exceptionally strong for a stock bike with a Stage I kit and Screamin’ Eagle slip-ons, and I do not want to change that.
I just finished reading Donny Petersen's article in the October issue on the TC 96 chains and tensioners, and my question is … why can't a manufacturer design an improved chain and tensioner setup without having to change cams and cases? You shouldn't have to tear the fence down to get to greener grass. Or is this just a case of planned obsolescence on the part of both the Motor Company and the aftermarket industry? I hope to get more miles out of my bike before any major work is performed on it. If there is, in fact, a manufacturer making a better setup I would appreciate someone letting me know.
Brian Bevers
Redding, California

Since your bike is basically stock, just have the tensioner shoes checked. Actually, a check should be done every 25,000 miles. If the outer shoe is worn, the inner one is worse, so have both changed. You should then be good for another 20,000 to 25,000, depending on the condition that the old ones were at 25,000 miles.


Likes Donny, Eh?
Donny, I just finished reading your 2007 Twin Cam 96 article in the September issue of American Iron. It was extremely well done. Great info. I especially liked your breakdown on the engine components. I didn't realize just how much the 96 varied from the 88. This past February I purchased a new 2007 Fat Boy. It's without a doubt, the most refined H-D I've ever owned. Now if I could only find neutral on this bike. Please keep up the good work!
Gregg A. Meyer
Via Internet


No Heat & Whine Here
I have a 2007 Ultra 96" with a ‘04 sidecar. I have not had any troubles with pinging at all, nor any heat issues unless it’s over 90 F and I’m in city stop-and-barely-go traffic. I have not yet found an oil cooler that can be used on any bike with a sidecar. (The brake lines and sidecar mount occupy the same space as the oil cooler lines would.) In fact, it’s really nice and will pull me, my wife, the car, and a weeks worth of stuff 80 mph on cruise.
All that said, at about 500 miles it developed a problem with oil blow-by. I mounted the sidecar after 1,000 miles, after it was broken in, and it never pinged or got noticeably hot. The factory decided that the rear rings had overheated and had the engine torn down and the rings and pistons replaced. They then ran nine runs on the dyno, letting it cool down completely between runs -- basically its perfect. When I hear of Ultras running real hot and pinging, I wonder if mine is lucky, if the repairs fixed it all, or if the ones that ping have some sort of particular problem. After all, if I can pull a car all day at speed and have no ping or overheating with the old-style sidecar (lowers and all) something must be different with the engines that overheat.
One note for the letter: Factory 110” Ultras have a particular air cleaner that is not supplied with the 110” kit and only appears on 110” Ultras. The cover is not what’s different, it’s the backplate. It might be worth digging into that to try and get the air cleaner and EFI program of the factory 110” Ultras. It might work better. Also, all factory 110s come with an oil cooler.
Tim Olson
Via Internet


Noise Issues
I just got a chance to read the piece in the October issue regarding the New Denver Noise Law. Now I don't necessarily advocate loud pipes (although I personally like them), and discriminatory laws targeting motorcyclists vs. other motorists bug me, but hey, what else is new. But that's not what I wanted to express. What about helicopters? One parked over my house Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. for a half hour at only several hundred feet altitude, watching a freeway incident. The deafening noise it made caused the house to shake. That's maybe the worst, but they seem to be flying over all the time. I never hear of any legislation to deal with that nuisance/annoyance noise. Anybody else care?
Jaxon
Glendora, California


GPS Convert
Ms. Schmitt, I always carry paper maps as backups. In fact, I carry two -- my annual HOG maps and the Harley maps I paid for. But, they are backups to my GPS. I’ve been using GPS systems for five years and won’t do a LD (long distance) trip without it. My first GPS was a Garmin Street Pilot III Deluxe, an excellent GPS but with limited memory for routes. My current GPS is a Garmin Zumo 550. It arrived just before I left on my ill-fated trip to my son’s home in Monterrey, California. (No accidents, just a lot of trips to Harley shops and trips via tow trucks.) It got me everywhere I needed/wanted to go with detailed information. When I had to make an unplanned stop, I did a search of campgrounds from my GPS’s extensive database and found two. After I setup my camp, I, again, did a search of restaurants and, again, my GPS provided me with a list, along with the distances. When I found myself running low on gas, my GPS, using a rough estimate of gas consumption based upon information provided by me, told me to start looking. Well, it displayed the gas pump symbol and when I pressed it, I was presented with all nearby gas stations. All I needed to do was select one and it routed me to that gas station. How many times did I use that feature? Once but once was enough considering where I was.
You are correct that using a GPS can be distracting and, thus, dangerous. So can just about anything else. For example, I have a Kissan ChargeGuard (actually had, I went down on 8/27 and the bike is toast), and I like to look at the volts, amps, or temperature. Anytime I take my eyes off the road it’s dangerous. When I ride using my Garmin, I keep my eyes on the road and listen to the voice commands via Bluetooth. Has it taken me the wrong way? Once with the Zumo, but where I was going was right in front of me, so no problems.
Perhaps you should give a GPS another try. My wife tried it in her car and now carries hers everywhere she goes. When I travel on business by air, I take my Zumo with me to use in rental cars.
Nick Shaw
Maj., US Army, retired
Via Internet


No More Noise!
Chris -- I currently ride a 2003 FLHPI with a Stage I kit, which I have had for about two and a half years. I have been riding off and on since age 14 or so (I’m approaching 50) and truly enjoy taking my bike out for a road trip. My last two bikes have been Harleys, and I can't see not having one in my garage from here on out.
The reason I am writing is that this past weekend (Sept. 14-16, 2007), I rode down for the annual poker run sponsored by Phil Peterson's Harley-Davidson of Miami. The run started in Miami and ended in Key West. All in all, a great event, and, from what I understand, it raises a lot of money for the American Diabetes Foundation. This weekend, however, I had an epiphany. It had to do with motorcycle noise. While I ride pretty regularly, I still have the baffles in my Screamin' Eagle mufflers. Some friends of mine don't, but I never thought it was too loud. That is, until the poker run. The nice bed and breakfast my wife and I stayed at was right on Truman Avenue (U.S. 1) in Key West, just a few blocks from Duval Street, the main drag for the bike show and vendors. The number of bikes that were roaring up and down that road with straight pipes and ear-piercing noise was unbelievable.
I have to tell you that I am surprised that the local constabulary was not enforcing the noise ordinance, which they said they would do. I realized for the first time how non-riders must feel when they hear the roar of a group of bikes heading into (or out of town). It also explains the less than receptive attitude we received at some of the shops around town. I think that all riders need to take a second to think about how the non-riding public sees those of us who ride, and especially think about how loud their bikes are. In the future, I see law enforcement cracking down on noise, and the public likely getting fed up and trying to do something about it.
Frank Cosmen
Miami, Florida


Gotta Have ‘Em!
In your November ‘07 issue, on page 117, an ad for BUB 7 showed a Road King with a cover between the bags/fenders and the pipes. Where can I get these? I checked with Drag Specialties online to no avail. Please help!
Terry Yokofich
Muskego, Wisconsin

No worries, Terry! We placed a call to BUB and was told that those are actually Drag items.