Power Curve Crossing
We really do pay attention! In the December issue, on page 119, there is the dyno chart for the Power X-Wing. On the chart, the torque curve crosses the horsepower curve at 5750 rpm. Donny explained once why it should cross at 5250. Thanks for the article and all your hard work.
Rob Wendt
Via Internet
You’re right, but it’s due to an art department error. If you look at the graph and scales, you’ll see they are not in sync with what the bike put out. In fact, the numbers on the sides of the chart don’t even align with the graph’s lines. Sorry about that, Chief! Law & Order
I’ve been a subscription holder of
American Iron Magazine since buying my first Harley nearly five years ago. I stepped up recently to a 2006 FLHR Peace Officer Special Edition after retiring from a 34-year law enforcement career. I’ve ridden to Wendover, Utah, for Bonneville Speed Week the past two years. On my last trip, I traveled US Highway 80 from Carson City to Wendover on the second leg of the ride. It was quite boring, so I decided to travel “America’s Loneliest Highway” US Highway 50, on the first leg of the return trip to Huntington Beach, California. I stopped in a quaint little town, Austin, Nevada; here’s a picture of me next to a historic cabin that is one of the many attractions in Austin. US 50 is probably one of the best roads I’ve been on.
T. Simpson
Huntington Beach, CA
G’ Day, Mate!
Hi from Australia! I’ve been a subscriber for many years, and hopefully I will be able to continue, as I like your magazine. I read your article in the January issue regarding the Wimmer Triflow air filter. You advise that a fuel adjuster is not required on 2007 or 2008 models if a high-flow air filter is installed as the ECM will automatically adjust the AFR to the stock 14.7:1. My dealer says that a SERT or Power Commander is required to install a high-flow air filter. Your article seems to suggest that I don’t need a fuel adjuster. Is this correct? I don’t want to run any leaner than 14.7:1.
Also, are you planning to do a review or install on Nightrider’s XiED in-line fuel enrichment device, which changes the AFR from 14.7:1 to 13.9:1? I have installed this device on my Fat Bob, which I think can’t do any harm if it runs slightly richer. Cheers.
Bob Latham
Via Internet
Bob, that’s what we’ve been seeing. Of course, you’ll get more power if you richen up the ratio, but you’d get more power if you do that without making any other changes. As for the Nightrider device, yes, we have one in house, and we hope to install it soon. Ahoy, Matey!
I sure do love reading
AIM each month, and I particularly look forward to the pics that get sent in. I ride a 2006 Softail Deluxe in Cobalt Blue and Pearl White (my second Harley). This one, however, is the United States Coast Guard Chopper that was at the 2008 Biketoberfest in Daytona. I thought it was a pretty cool ride, and the soldiers taking the pictures were pretty hot, too. God bless America!
Rebecca Batchelor
Satellite Beach, FL
110 Bad, AIM Good
Just wanted to say I’m glad to see that
AIM is doing articles on the problems with the new 110. Being an owner of a 2007 SERK, I find the information useful, although a bit depressing because of the work I’m going to have to do to correct it.
I also wanted to say that I love the magazine and read each issue cover to cover. You guys seem to include a lot of letters (pro and con) in response to Genevieve’s columns. I just wanted to add that I do enjoy her viewpoints along with the other editorials. Jim’s information on vintage rides is great, Don’s pointing out of safety items we can all easily overlook is certainly helpful, and Stephanie’s input is definitely different from Genevieve’s, and insightful. Bottom line is, all the info in AIM is top-notch. Keep up the good work.
Steve Robertson
Via Internet
Street Gliding
Genevieve, I read your article and was struck by how similar the experiences we’ve had with our new Street Glides are. Although I am a male rider, my physical dimensions are the same as yours at the inseam and in height. I also came up short, so to speak, when handling my bike. I first got back into motorcycling with a 2007 Sportster, which I had no trouble riding. I traded up to the 2008 Street Glide this past summer and found I had trouble handling the bike in certain circumstances. Like when at a stop sign with gravel underfoot or stopped at an intersection that has a slight slant to the side. Combined with sand and small gravel, this last circumstance caused me to go over center, and I couldn’t hold it up. I’m 62 and don’t have the upper body and leg strength I had just a
couple of years ago. I’m interested in the Reach seat as a solution for better control. I wonder, though, is the comfort level of that seat as good or better than the original seat? I ask because riding discomfort has been high on my list of things to fix, and the Sportster went away because of that. I could stand to be a little closer to the bars, and the Reach would fix that as well.
As far as the windshield is concerned, I feel the bike looks good with it, but it’s impractical for a rider who chooses to wear a helmet. My favorite is a half helmet because I can hear the pipes and still have noggin protection. However, the wind shearing over the top of that low windshield caused my helmet to buffet. This increased discomfort and was disconcerting because of the effect on my vision. When I hit the 105th, some friends and I went north of Milwaukee, to a Harley dealer; I purchased and installed a 9" windshield. Instant relief! I didn’t hear about the FLARE until a little later, but I may try one this summer if I can spring the money.
Jeff Wright
Albany, WI
Jeff, thanks for sharing your experience with your Street Glide with me. To answer your question, I’ve found the Reach seat to be as comfortable as the stock seat, if not more so because I get the added lumbar support from the seat pushing me forward and resting against my lower back. Honestly, I would still like the bike to be a little lower, but I’m not ready to install new shocks or experiment with any other aftermarket seats. But the Reach definitely makes a noticeable difference over the stock seat, enough that I have more control over the bike in those sticky situations you describe. I’m told the Badlander Harley seat can also get you down low, but it won’t push you forward. While it looks quite flat, unlike the cushy Reach seat, the Badlander is what I had on my Dyna Low Rider all these years, and it was comfortable in that firm-is-better kind of way.
Regarding the FLARE windshield, you should check out the rally schedule for Klock Werks to see where it has a booth. At Sturgis last year, they let you try out the windshield on your bike without buying it first — a test ride of sorts. You can see if it works to your expectations before you buy. I’ve ridden with the FLARE and a half-shell helmet, and did not experience any buffeting. Hope to see you on the road someday! — Genevieve
Make Mine Root Beer!
This letter is in reference to the article by Jim Babchak. Although I have no reference as to the performance of the springer front end, I certainly prefer the look! When I went to my local Harley dealership to talk to my friend Bruce (who is a salesman), it happened to be the Thursday before the local Labor Day rally. I was telling him of the Root-Beer-and-Cream custom Harley I had seen 10 years earlier. As he just turned and walked away without comment, I figured he intended to continue the conversation in his office. He walked me around the outside sales area and right up to a pair of 105th Anniversary Softails, one a Heritage, and one (now mine) a Springer. Though the Heritage is a nice bike, as soon as I sat on the Springer, it was definitely destined to be mine! Sat in it on Thursday, rode off on it on Friday!
I’ve watched them go by and drooled for years! I’ve listened to them go by and dreamed. Now, at 50, I’m finally livin’ the dream. My thanks to Jim for the quick history of the springer front end, as I absolutely love the look and handling.
Duane “Gypsy DW” Greer
Durango, CO
Feature Index
I believe I saw an article in the November ’08 issue regarding a reader’s Dyna. He’d totally customized it; I remember a fat rear tire, wider forks, and a bit of a rake in the front. Is this the correct issue? All I need is this article.
“Mellow”
Via Internet
Yes, it was. And now you can check this out for yourself on our www.AIMag.com web site. There’s an issue index on the site, so you can hunt down articles and features to your heart’s content! Bargain Basement Brakes
In the project bike article Getting It Onto Two Wheels, you install Brembo brakes, which may be a great setup. But I’m guessing it can get costly for the average person. Here’s a cheap tip for the rest of us. I own and ride a 1987 FXRS-SP. Same basic chassis as the 1993 FXRP. The OEM single-piston brakes leave a lot to be desired. After fighting with this arrangement, I upgraded to a four-piston caliper from a 2003 Touring model. This was done cheaply, and I now have better brakes than ever.
The swap is simple. There are a lot of black OEM four-piston calipers out there that were discarded in favor of chrome calipers. The FXR-series used a 3/4" axle and the Touring models use a 1" axle. All that is needed is a bushing, available at any local bearing supplier for less than $10. You need to get one that has a 3/4" inside diameter (ID), 1" outside diameter (OD), and is 1-1/2" long. This bushing slides into the hole in the caliper for the axle. A little grinding may be necessary to get it flush to the edges of the caliper. Then set things in place: rear wheel, caliper, axle, and swingarm. The thickness of the caliper is the same as the thickness of the OEM FXR caliper mounting bracket. Spacing shouldn’t be an issue at all; it wasn’t on mine.
There are a couple of different methods to anchor the caliper to the swingarm. A tab can be made from a piece of 1/4" plate that measures approximately 2" by 2-1/4". You can find this in just about any scrap bin. This can be welded to the swingarm. I’ve seen others machine out the factory anchor point and install a link to the swingarm, similar to what is shown in photo 19 of the article.
Dave Miller
Monrovia, CA
Thanks for the tip, Dave. Though we went for a different end result that you, this setup should do the trick for a number of do-it-yourselfers. Chirps & Squeaks
I have read several letters to AIM regarding chirps and squeaks from the drive belt on Harleys. I had the local H-D dealer change the rear tire on my 2002 FLHRCI. Within days, the belt was chirping when I applied and released the throttle but not in steady cruise. After a short time (about 25 miles), the belt began squeaking steadily except on acceleration. I let the bike cool down and put it on a jack, and when I turned the wheel the belt was squeaking. On checking the pulley bolts, I found that they were somewhat loose. I torqued them to 55 ft-lbs. and took the bike out for a ride. No more squeak. The bolts were not very loose, but they were not to spec. The dealer told me that he always torques the pulley bolts when he changes tires. Not this time! In fact, the belt never squeaked before. I hope this helps some people with noisy belts.
Edward Morgera
Via Internet
Sugar & Stick
I’ve been a H-D mechanic for more than 20 years and I’m now semiretired. I’ve been reading motorcycle mags since 1968. I thoroughly enjoy yours and most of the writing/editorials. My first stop in reading your mag has always been Donny’s column, and not just because I’m a Canuck, but because of his no-nonsense approach to motorcycle mechanics, honesty, and outright knowledge. It’s also reassuring to know that the principles operating the mag are not just writers, but people of the same attitude as us, the readers, riders, and fixers of things mechanical. Thankfully, everyone can’t be a mechanic, as I wouldn’t make much money if they were.
I was reading How It Works in the January issue, and there are a few small things that Mr. Frank messed up or your copy editor didn’t catch. First, 1964-2008 Softails? Come on! Second, what about the Shovelhead FXS? Third, what about the Shovelhead FXSB? These were two very popular models and not mentioned at all. When I as a reader come across mistakes like this, I tend to tune out and just skip most of the article. Maybe the writer left out some copy or really didn’t know what he was talking about. Maybe he was quoting someone else who didn’t know. These are trivial mistakes that I find more of in today’s print media, since the advent of computer writing. Are there any proofreaders any more? I'm sure this mistake has already been pointed out to you, and, as always, you will acknowledge it. Yours is a quality magazine, and I don’t expect to see these mistakes.
Gerry Penney
Via Internet
Gerry, you’re right about the errors, of course, but the 1964 error was done here at the office. As for the others, John did say he may miss a couple. After all, there was a lot to cover. However, we know that if and when we do screw up, our readers will note it and report it, so we can acknowledge it. Many thanks for the good words about the mag and for taking the time to write in. Double J
Here’s two pictures of my friends, Jeff and Joy Little, cruising along Route 68 in western Maryland. Jeff works for Harley at the York facility. He’s piloting a 2008 H-D Classic. They would be tickled to see their picture in your fine mag.
Tom Smith
Hanover, PA
May 2009 Letters 
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