 July 2008 Letters
A Pro?
Please tell me that the guy riding Crazy Horse wearing sandals, shorts, and questionable eye protection on page 80 of the April '07 issue of my favorite Harley magazine was a "professional rider on a closed course."
Jim R.
Via Internet
The rider is Mike Tomas of Kiwi Indian; he just went up and down a side street for our photographer. No worries. We’re not endorsing Mike’s ensemble as proper riding gear.
Nightster
The Sportster Nightster? Oh, please! Couldn't Harley-Davidson come up with a better model name than that? I rode a Sportster for 10 years and loved every minute of it. This new model deserves a better name and not necessarily something that ends in "ster." May I suggest the Sporster Low Shot or how about the Night Shot or Low Chop? This new bike really grabs your attention, especially if you are a fan of the minimalist look. All it needs to be complete is a tougher name.
Denis Matuszak
Menasha, Wisconsin
Straight-Shooting Stephanie
I've been reading American Iron Magazne for many years and have never been disappointed in the quality of writing found within your covers. All your writers are top-notch, but I have to say that Stephanie Feld is an absolute gem and my personal favorite. Over the years she has proven that she is extremely knowledgeable about motorcycling. She has also shown that she can throw knockout punches against anyone, even the all-powerful Wizard of Oz (aka the Motor Company), when they are called for, like her story on the
breakdown (2002). Stephanie's unique ability to fire straight from the hip is a breath of fresh and free air in a world where it feels like corporations have one hand in our pockets and the other over our mouths. As long as you have writers of this caliber and integrity, I will be reading, smiling, and subscribing.
H. Bollinger
Citrus Heights, California
A Honda!
I have been a faithful reader and subscriber to your magazine for a while now. I eagerly anticipate each new issue and enjoy nearly everything about them. I got my recent issue and began to thumb through and lo and behold there was an ad for a tool company with the wrench working on a Honda! With the write-up each month from American companies (Independant, Milwaukee Iron, BAKER, etc.) urging us to buy American parts from American companies, it seems a bit hypocritical to have an ad with a Japanese bike right there with them. For those of us who ride American and do our best to buy American, which is tough at times with the influx of foreign knockoff parts, it’s hard to see this in "our" mag. Other than that keep up the good work.
Grant Mullen
Via Internet
Welding Wisdom
With reality TV and the bike industry fueling the hands-on trend, more and more regular folks are venturing into the world of welding and fabrication. Even though there is endless reference and how-to material available, there is one basic tip that I see over looked. When tacking or welding on a motorcycle, it’s important to consider the placement of your ground clamp. As you know, electricity follows the path of least resistance. Therefore, if you have your powertrain between your ground clamp and the area you are welding, you risk arcing across bearings, causing permanent motor and tranny damage! The ground should be directly on the piece being welded or as close as practical. Just a little tip for all the "lay persons" taking on projects!
Dustin Audet
Driven Fabrication
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Puttering Panhandles
If you like seafood, have at it. If you like to ride year-round, maybe not. I have called the Florida Panhandle my home since August of 2006 and I have enjoyed much of it. I do not enjoy seafood and, more than that, I do not enjoy hopping on my ride when the ambient temp is below 30 degrees. Sorry, snowbirds, but it happens.
Before I arrived here, I actually debated the purchase of a car. I figured I was headed to Florida where I could ride year-round. Would you like to better understand the definition of “riding year- round”? It means if you dress like you’re mounting a snowmobile and can store the cold weather gear midday, you can ride year- round.
I’m thankful to be able to “ride year-round.” I just wanted folks to understand it’s not all short sleeves and flip-flops in the Panhandle year-round. I have been able to add a lot more miles to my Springer than all of my friends and family stranded up north. I just want to bring attention to the fact that winter is still winter here. The Panhandle has very cold mornings and the wind chill must be factored into the ambient temperature for riding and winter gear is a must for “riding year-round.”
Chad Reemtsma
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Doesn’t Like The New Victory
Not a day goes by here in Iraq that I don't think of my 2005 Victory TC. However, after seeing the new designs and the complete disappearance of any type of a classic road bike, I now realize it will be the last Victory I'll own. I love the ride, the power, and the look. That’s why I wonder, other than riding on the current fad of sleek, low, stretched, mag-wheeled machines, why would Victory pass the chance to refine the best all-around platform it had? If it put the new 100" motor and six-speed transmission in it and put the speedo on the tank and made some type of fairing available for it, everyday riders would still be riding when this fad is over. They would have still been with them, much like the success of Harley with its Softail Heritage Classic has had through all of the latest fads.
The new Kingpin Cruiser, with that little knot on the back and half-sized saddlebags, is not what people that ride a lot want. If you don't believe me, stand on Lazelle Street at Sturgis next year and count how many long riders are on Road Kings and Heritages. They should have used the R&R money to improve their add-ons and other products for guys that would like to have a fairing on their bike but can't find one. Get a new design team and get back to bikers and what they want -- Victory!
Sgt. Marion Wagaman
United States Air Force
Speedo Savior
This is in response to the letter you printed in the April ‘07 issue titled Fellow Old Shovel Pilot from Mike Abitz of Wild Rose, Wisconsin. He was inquiring about having a Shovelhead speedometer rebuilt. There is a shop here in Jacksonville, Florida, called A Plus Speedometer Repair. The address is 3134 Leon Road, Jacksonville, Florida. The phone number is 904/642-8120. The guy that owns the shop's name is Chris. He is a very nice guy and has rebuilt some speedos for me, including one from a 1977 FXE. He also rides a Shovel, so he is one of us.
C.J. Verderane
Jacksonville, Florida
Miracle Motorcycle
I am 61 years old and have been riding since 1965. While reading the Miracle Motorcycle story in the April issue I was literally moved to tears. My deepest condolences to Steve Groene and family. Nothing will ever take the place of their loss. A huge thank you to Ronna Snyder, Genevieve Schmitt, Chris Maida, George Latus, Dave Perewitz, Cycle Fab, Ken Gold, and the crew of Geraldo At Large. All of you stepped up big-time and demonstrated to the world what bikers are all about.
Rod Hall
Brick, New Jersey
Bleed On Me
I was reading your article about the R&R Twin Cam support plate, and I had a question about photo 19 where John adjusts the pushrods according to the manufacture’s instructions. He rotates the engine as needed, after the lifters have bleed down, which takes about 10 minutes. I have a 2002 Road King built to 95” with 62,000 miles on it. I’m in the process of changing the chain tensioners and removing cams and pushrods, so the question I have is What are the manufacture’s instructions for pushrod adjustments and what is “bleed down”?
Chuck Roszczewski
Lapeer, Michigan
Bleeding down is allowing the lifters to release the oil that’s inside them before trying to rotate the engine to adjust the next set. If you try to spin the engine right away you hit a valve with a piston, since the lifters are holding the valves open more than normal until they settle, which usually takes about 10 minutes.
How you adjust the pushrods depends on the brand you have installed. Each manufacturer has a different requirement that’s specified in the kit’s instructions.
Hot Topic
I own a 2007 Ultra Classic, and I also have complained about the heat issue, as well as the pipes bluing. I purchased my bike in July 2006. By August, my bike was in the shop for the 1,000-mile checkup and to address the complaints mentioned above. At this point, my bike only had 745 miles on it, but I wanted to get it addressed before I rode the bike to northern Wisconsin for four days. After much debate with my local dealer, he decided to get the factory rep involved. They test-ran it against other 2007 bikes. In the end, they were only able to tell me that my bike meets EPA/H-D specifications and there was nothing the Motor Company could do for me. They could not even tell me what temperature the bike ran at versus a 2006 or even the 2000, which I traded in. They did tell me that I could remove my lower fairings to get more airflow. My response was then why didn't I buy a Classic? I went as far as calling the lien holder to see if he had paid the dealer yet. If he hadn't, I was going to return the bike. Interestingly enough, I happened to be in another H-D store and starting talking to the sales person and asked him about this issue. He didn't even deny it. All he said is that H-D knows there is a heat issue and it’s being worked on.
I also wanted to address a comment you made in the letter that you didn't experience this in your test rides because you were not in stop-and-go traffic. While I was in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, we rode to La Crosse. When we left Prairie du Chien, it was a 60-degree morning. While the one-hour ride along the Mississippi was nice, my girlfriend kept complaining about the heat on her feet and legs, which she had mentioned the day before, but I just ignored. By the time we reach La Crosse she rolled up her pant leg and to my surprise her legs were beet-red from the heat, which, in turn, brought me to the issues with H-D and its not standing behind its product.
I now have a $22,000 plus motorcycle, which we would like to ride, but can't due to excessive heat. I would have been much better off keeping my 2000 Electra Glide Classic with the Big Bore Stage II kit and the severe oil blowby problem. In the 22,000 miles I had the old bike, heat was never an issue. Neither was the discoloring of my pipes. Now H-D tells me this is the norm and I should just ride my bike and enjoy it. Quite frankly, this sucks. I already have three trips planned for this summer. Should I have her follow me in a car? On another note, I have a good friend in Arizona who has chosen not to buy a new bike because of my story and after reading your article. Imagine how bad the heat issue would be in Arizona on a 100-degree day instead of a 60-degree day?
Tom Jarosinski
East Dundee, Illinois |
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