[AlanRides]

Got a new tire mounted. Man these stiff tires are more work than a car tire. I meant to post in this thread last weekend and forgot. As you can see I have the Road Star stripped down a bit. Getting ready to sand/clean the rear frame and swing arm area for paint.

BTW this wheel had both stick on weights to balance the old tire and a couple smaller ones that go over the spoke. Do all the weights come off or just the tape on ones? I plan to use Ride On to balance the tire going forward. I cleaned off the stick ons but left the spoke weights until I got some feedback.
View attachment 123709

I use balance beads and have a cast wheel, so not an exact comparison, but I use no weights on the wheel and let the beads do their thing.

Did you heat your tire before spooning it on? I tried to manually mount my front tire (130/70-18) last summer and finally gave up as I could not get the last 25% of the tire on the rim. I can't even imagine spooning on that fat back tire. The guys on YouTube make it look easy, but not for me......

 

[lesblank]

Ride On will take place of all weights. I'll agree with @AlanRides, tires are a bugger to do when bigger. I noticed you large cheater bar. Anyway to buy adapter to use the tire machine I see in background without breaking the bank?

 

[Brad_G]

@AlanRides thanks for the input. That's kind of what I was thinking as wheels are generally manufactured to be pretty well balances. I did not try heat but that's a good suggestion. I still have the front to do and may give that a shot. It wasn't terrible to do but the narrow width and dealing with a tube made it a little harder than a tubeless tire.

@lesblank that's not a cheater bar, it's actually a slide hammer type thing. I used it to break the bead while I was standing on the tire. It was actually something in a pile from an auction buy. I was after the tire spreader that holds a car tire open when patching. That old tire machine in the background has seen a fair amount of use over the 30ish years we've had it. I keep thinking I'll steal an old Coats machine at an auction one day to replace it. But until then it serves it's purpose.

 

[lesblank]

Did some additions to trike today. I added my cup holder that fits my thermos perfectly. I've used it on three bikes now. It looks a little rough, but was on my EG when I flipped it last year. I like keeping it as a reminder.

Driver view, out of way and easy to reach.

I have a second camera that I'd tried a few different locations and was getting some vibration, dang Harley. This is where it seems to work best.

Yea, camera a little beat up to, it survived wreck also.

So I went out on test ride to see how camera would do. The first 10 minutes went well till this:

Here's a clip from today's test ride, unedited. Each section is the bike camera that I was having issues picking up to much vibration, dang Harley, then same section of road filmed at same time with helmet cam. There's slow speeds, fast speeds, smooth road and rough roads. Would both views be watchable? I know my videos aren't very good but I at least try.

 

[Jspree]

I installed a new trunk bag that Trish got me for my Birthday tomorrow. The other was about 8 years old and the rivets rusting out of it.

It also came with a top bag we will use for rain gear.

 

[AlanRides]

I installed a new trunk bag that Trish got me for my Birthday tomorrow. The other was about 8 years old and the rivets rusting out of it.
It also came with a top bag we will use for rain gear.

Good choice. I like those bags, but then I have the exact same ones, purchased in 2009, to use with my Nomad when I needed some extra luggage capacity. I still use the top bag on occasion with the SVTC. Mine don't have a huge amount of miles on them and have lived most of their lives indoors, so they are holding up nicely, so far..

 

[Jo hart]

Finally finished up making cut outs and polishing out the customized bag gaurds. I left them ugly enough to look homemade.(that's my justification at

least LOL).

 

[lesblank]

That looks pretty nice to me.

 

[Jspree]

Those are really good,you need to pat yourself on the back for those. 👍

 

[Lup69]

Hi,
it looks good as a polished chrome part, but as a safety, in case that your bike falls on that side, won't it also damage the upper exhaust pipe? Obviously I don't wish that...

 

[Jo hart]

That is a concern, but with the shark fin shaped added, they are much stronger than without. If it drops with enough force to damage the exhaust, I think I'll have a lot more to worry about . It's 1" wide by 1/4" thick.

 

[Lup69]

It's not the 1" pipe that I'm concerned, is the plate that it is welded as link between the pipe and the connection plate with the frame ...

 

[Pancake81]

Removed my stick exhaust and polished it, cleaned rims and frame with exhaust off and will reassemble next weekend.

Had purchased some turn downs and debated making a shorty straight exhaust. Love the way it looked, and sounded. But with my hearing on its way out, and my daily commute of 45-50 mins, and a few long trips planned for the summer I opted to stick to stock. Will miss the rumble, but my ears will thank me. I also wanted to avoid rejetting and the backfiring (AIS not disabled), it was too many strikes against the build. MAybe after my long trips I will give it another go.

I am also really just wanting a really reliable bike with no fuss and no muss. I think I will take my time and money and put it towards a nice helmet, which I am due for. Perhaps some chaps for poor weather on the trip.

If I can find a pair of used cobras or V&H, maybe go that way. SO I still get some rumble, but not an unsafe volume.

 

[Jo hart]

It's not the 1" pipe that I'm concerned, is the plate that it is welded as link between the pipe and the connection plate with the frame ... View attachment 123916

Yes, I understand the concern, it is the weakest spot for certain. 🤞

 

[Shotround]

took some paint off the side covers when i fumbled the new phone mount. wishing the thing was plastic and not heavy aluminuminmum. also scratched up the windshield removing month old bugs from it.

 

[Jspree]

took some paint off the side covers when i fumbled the new phone mount. wishing the thing was plastic and not heavy aluminuminmum. also scratched up the windshield removing month old bugs from it.

Something I found to clean the windshield, go to the auto parts and get a clear coat safe cleaner wax. It's what I use 90 percent of the time, it also helps with rain and fog, do both sides of the windshield.

 

[Pancake81]

Something I found to clean the windshield, go to the auto parts and get a clear coat safe cleaner wax. It's what I use 90 percent of the time, it also helps with rain and fog, do both sides of the windshield.

I have not found a better product than Plexus. Amazing on windshields and visors, and a spray bottle will last 5 years plus even with frequent usage