Fred Warr
Chris, what a truly outstanding magazine you have the honor of editing. I’m proud to be a member of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. My 1942 45" is sadly in the hands of a very nice man who owns a rental company, but at least I get to ride it fairly often until the time comes when I can liberate it. The antique scene is very active here in the UK, and even more so perhaps in Europe. My own dealer, Warr’s Harley-Davidson, has an enormous interest in the earlier bikes, and John and Rob Warr have a substantial personal collection thanks in the main, I guess, to their father, the legendary Fred Warr. Fred’s health is not the best these days, and I haven’t spoken to him in some time, but he still maintains an active interest, and I suspect reads your magazine avidly.
Scottie
London, England
Safety Alert I
A good friend of mine crashed his Harley, killing his wife and severely injuring himself. The rear tire came off the rim and he lost control. A new Harley-Davidson tire and a new valve stem were installed by an aftermarket motorcycle shop 35 miles before the crash. This crash happened several years ago, and the case was in litigation for some time. Cause of the crash was never officially determined.
After the motorcycle was released by the authorities, my friend brought it to me to rebuild. He also brought the tire and wheel. The old bead material did not appear to have been cleaned from the wheel. The valve stem was still on the wheel. However, the valve stem cover and valve stem core were missing. The stem in the damaged wheel has the following information on it: Pacific, Japan, 4002. Exclusive of a valve stem cover, it sticks approximately 1-1/2" out of the wheel; with a cover, it would stick out farther. Since the wheel and tire were damaged, I replaced them, requiring a new valve stem. The Harley-Davidson-supplied valve stem has the following information on it: Schrader, China, TR 412. Exclusive of the valve stem cover, it sticks approximately 3/4" out of the wheel.
When I looked at the old and new valve stems, I saw they were different lengths. After reading the Harley-Davidson service manual warnings for this bike, the only thing I thought the valve stem could hit was the brake caliper. I looked at the back of the brake caliper and discovered an arc worn into it where it appears the valve stem cover and valve stem were rubbing. The Harley-Davidson service manual warns “A valve, or valve and cap combination, that is too long may strike adjacent components, damage the valve and cause rapid tire deflation. Rapid tire deflation can cause loss of vehicle control, which could result in death or serious injury.”
I cannot say unequivocally that installing a valve stem that was twice as long as the Harley-Davidson valve stem caused this crash, but this appears to me to be the cause. I am sending this letter to you to hopefully save others from this type of tragedy. While my friend knows I am writing to you about this, neither he nor I want to stir up any issues over this. We only hope that people who read your magazine will check their tires and valve stems now, and when any new tires are installed, to possibly save their lives or the lives of their loved ones.
Anonymous
Via Internet
Brady Bunch?
I started riding six years ago with a
LearnToRide.org safety class, after not riding since I was a teenager in the late 1950s. Bought a starter bike, traded it for a new 1200 Sportster in 2004, then traded that 18 months later for my present bike, a 2006 Screamin’ Eagle 103" Heritage Softail Classic. My fiancée, Holly, grew up in the 1960s riding an Indian dirt bike, and she and I decided to get her and the kids into riding in 2007. We all enjoy trading the bikes around, though no one has yet graduated to riding my big Harley, except as passengers. We have found that riding together has been great fun and a welcome bonding experience for a new family!
Fred Arnold
Brentwood, TN
Get A Grip
I pulled out June’s issue in a desperate search for a functional and stylish set of hand grips for my FXDF. I really liked the ones used on the Rocker in your Rock On article. Naturally I went to the Tech Sheet and found that it listed the hand controls as Stock so off I went to the H-D web site to verify this. Turns out those grips are not stock. What gives? Who’s the manufacturer, and what’s the name of those grips? They look a little like Avon Custom Contours.
Parish Elliott
Lago Vista, TX
They are made by Todds Cycle, 15665 Commerce Lane, Huntington Beach, CA 92649, 714/901-4516, Todd@ToddsCycle.com. Safety Alert II
I went on a trip through Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado in early June. The storms that I rode through were crazy with wind, rain, hail, and lightning. Some tornadoes were sighted in these areas also. I knew that I was riding into storms when I left home, and went anyway. If I listened to the weatherman, I would probably not ride as much as I do. Instead of stopping and chancing the weather getting worse, I kept moving, stopping only to fuel and use the facilities. My 2002 T-Sport came with rain covers for the detachable saddlebags, and I installed them on the bags for the trip. After riding most of the way across Nebraska and crossing into Wyoming for a spell, I noticed that my left-side rain cover had come partially off, and gotten chewed up and spit out by the sprocket. After seeing this, I removed the right cover also. This could have locked up the back wheel or worse. If you have a T-Sport, and you decide to use the rain covers, you may want to consider bungee-cording the cover in place to prevent this. As for me, I’m pretty sure I will not use these covers again. All that is left of the left cover is an 8" x 12" piece of material; it also bent the support bracket below the saddlebag. I hope this letter may save somebody else from damage, injury, or even death. I got lucky.
Tony Ellis
Lincoln, NE
Louie Rat
Thanks for always putting antique bikes in
American Iron Magazine; they’re the first thing I look for. This picture is of me returning from a weekend 20th anniversary Panhead Party in South Carolina on my 1935 VL rat bike. It’s one of my favorite bikes to ride the back roads! There’s always several Pans and Knuckles at the party, so I thought someone should ride an “old” bike there!
Louie Hale
Augusta, GA
He’s Got Complaints
I’m writing to you about an article by Donny Petersen that appeared in the August 2008 issue. He states that detonation can be caused by elevated piston speeds, which is only partially fact. With a high rod-to-stroke ratio, the piston does dwell longer at TDC, but it doesn’t change the piston speed overall, and he states that elevated piston speed is a cause of detonation or contributes to it. But I know he meant something different here. Also he states the chemical formula for nitrous oxide is NO2, which is wrong also. And in another article he stated that high rocker arm ratios give more lift at the valve, but they also change the valve timing. Not at the lifter, but at the valve as they open sooner and faster, and close later. You guys obviously don’t proofread the stories very well. Not that I’m being hard on you, as you have a fine rag and I get it every month. But you have to report things properly, as you’re trying to be the best you can be. Thanks for the ear, and have a nice day
Ken
Via Internet
Well, it seems there are three complaints here so let’s deal with them one at a time. The first is a matter of interpretation of what is being said. While both interpretations are correct if viewed in a certain way, it is really splitting hairs since the articles are aimed at enthusiast gearheads, and not engineers.
As for the second one, I checked my text, and I have nitrous oxide as N2O. It got changed during editing. Thirdly, I am not sure which article you’re referring to so I cannot accurately comment except to say that I agree with the interpretation you have written. — Donny Raring To Ride
I discovered your magazine a few months ago at the camp’s post exchange. I was hooked after the first copy, and try to make sure I get there before the new copies are sold out. I’m deployed here until sometime early next year, and plan to pick up a brand-new H-D when I return home to Wisconsin. This will be my first Harley. I’ve had some pretty crappy bikes before, like a ’79 Kawasaki KZ750 and an ’83 Honda NightHawk 350. I figured I would treat myself and make a dream come true by owning a Harley! I’ve included a picture of me and your great mag. We’re just outside of Camp Bucca and to the west of a city called Um Qasar. Thanks for the great articles. It really helps pass the time here until I can go home and ride!
Keith Kunze, Private First Class
Camp Bucca, Iraq
Gliding With Gen
I am a 68-year-old man with my first motorcycle in about 30 years. I’ve wanted a Harley for all of those years, so even though the Heritage Softail was more my size, after seeing the big improvements to the FL series, I bought a 2009 Road Glide. I say the Heritage is more my size because I am 5'6" with a 29" inseam. I did the same mods you did, Genevieve, with shorter rear shocks, a Reach seat, and a 12" Flare windshield. I love it now. Even though I bought my first cycle in 1956, I took the basic rider MSF course and learned a few things. I plan to take the experienced rider course this autumn, and hope to take the professional course later. I enjoy reading your articles in AIM because I relate to you due to your size.
Ogden C. “Bill” Usher
Johnson City, TN
Winter Project
My machine is a reworked 2004 FLHPI that I picked up from a police department in Birmingham, Alabama. It has always been a daily rider, but this past winter I decided it was time to up the ante. Performance-wise, the bike has a 95" engine with Woods .600" lift cams, gear drive, and adjustable pushrods, breathing through a Horsepower Inc. 48mm throttle body and K&N air filter with the fuel enhanced by a Power Commander.
Dyno results came out at a decent 100/100 in the horsepower and torque department. Image-wise, I wanted long, low, and fat. I installed a set of RC Components Calypso wheels with matching rotors and Avon tires, a set of 4" stretched bags and a street sweeper rear fender extension from Milwaukee Bagger (this allowed me to mount a set of boom can mufflers). I changed out the rear shocks to a set of Street Glide units, and lowered the front forks with a 1" drop. Last but not least, I deleted the factory police tach and added a combination tach and speedo.
Doug Davenport
Great Falls, MT
Face-Off
Genevieve, your column in the August issue of AIM took the words right out of my mouth. I was beginning to think that I was the only one who thought of Facebook as a colossal waste of time. All the 20- and 30-somethings at work practically live on it. I, too, signed up some months ago, thinking it would be a great way to stay in touch with friends. I quickly discovered those who don’t have much of a life post every waking thought for the world to see. I think I said “Hell, yes!” at least five times while reading the column.
Dan Tischendorf
Verona, WI AIM
November 2009 - Letters 
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