Screamin Eagle slip-on mufflers

I've cleaned the Sportster and temporarily stripped it down; removing the windscreen and saddlebags. I was feeling nostalgic for the more simple sporty appearance and riding of the bike. It's amazing how much the windscreen changes the look of the bike – not to mention the feel of wind-in-your-face riding. In the attached pictures you can see the Harley-Davidson XL with the Tour Master saddlebag center strap across the rear fender. Later, I loosened the seat and removed the center strap.

I've finally recorded the Sportster with the Screamin Eagle mufflers. The mufflers are very easy to install, only requiring the loosening of the clamps, the removal of the four mounting bolts, and the loosening of the lower bracket for the rear pipe. Removing the original mufflers required the application of a little force and some twisting. The Screamin Eagle mufflers provided the sound I was hoping for and based on seat-of-the-pants measurements improved the throttle response.

According to the Harley-Davidson dyno metrics the Screamin Eagle mufflers for the Sportster add about 5 or 6 horsepower and 10 foot pounds of torque. Pretty good price/performance results for bolt-on parts. With the slip-on mufflers the Sportster has great sound, not too loud in the lower RPM range, but with a twist of the wrist they provide a great result. I use the added sound to 'notify' drivers when I'm passing them, especially if I see them on the phone or not paying attention to what is going on around them.

BTW, after doing some research I decided not to add the Screamin Eagle intake. From what I've read on Sportster related forums the performance gains from the intake are minimal given the comparative costs. Upgrading the intake requires either taking the Sportster to the dealer for an update to the engine management computer or buying and tuning an aftermarket engine control unit. Given the cost and hassle of the two options I made the choice to take the less complex route. I may change my mind in future though I am more inclined to update the rear shocks and front springs with products from Progressive Suspension.

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Installing the Harley Davidson Layback License Plate and Turn Signal Relocation Kit

Well before I ever wrenched on a motorcycle I worked on cars, there was a time when I even did that as a profession. I've always been pretty good at applying a strong dose of common sense to the job and figuring out when things just don't seem right.

Having previously owned BMW and Suzuki motorcycles I became accustomed to working on those machines and following the instructions provided by the manufacturers. Both manufacturers provide clear, concise instructions that are every bit as precise as their products. Anyone who could follow instructions and could tell the difference between a Phillips and Flat head screwdriver could do many straight forward tasks and fit most accessories.

With the Harley Davidson products I've learned that there is room for interpretation and that the ability sense when things aren't quite right are required for successful, or at least less frustrating, projects. I may be spoiled by the Germans and the Japanese, but it seems to me the good folks in Milwaukee like to leave out some useful bits of information, likely to make the jobs more interesting.

When installing the layback license plate and turn signal relocation kit (PN 60215-06) on my 2008 Sportster XL1200C Custom I found that most of the directions were accurate but there were certain pieces of information left out that would have been nice to have had. First of all, the Sportster Custom is low enough that unless you have pretty small hands your going to need to lift the bike to get underneath the rear fender and loosen the original license plate mounting hardware. Fortunately for me, I've hands suited for getting into tight spots.

Removing the original turn signals from the fender support required a little extra common sense as removing the parts specified in the kit instructions does not suffice. Rather, the outer chrome cover must be completely removed by loosening all of the torx bolts. At that time the nut head for the "stud" running through the turn signal mount can be accessed.

Also, when running the turn signal wires through the new, cylindrical mount on the license plate frame it is required to remove the original shrink tubing as the internal diameter of the mount is not sufficient. I had some small diameter shrink tubing on hand and once I ran the wires through the mount covered the exposed portions in the new tubing.

Finally, the kit provides instructions for removing the original connectors from the wire ends, and new connectors to attach once the wires are routed through the mount. Again, the diameter is too narrow to run the original connectors through. Problem is, attaching the new connectors can be an issue if you don't have a crimping tool sufficient to the task. I did have a tool that with a bit of care worked for me. If you're not comfortable with this than use the original connectors and instead splice the wires. If you cut back about 2-3 inches you will have plenty of room to run the wires through the mount and then solder the ends back on. Don't forget to slip the new shrink tube over the wires before you attach the ends and use a heat sink to keep from inadvertently shrinking the tubing.

Finally, once you've successfully installed the layback license plate and turn signal relocation kit you will have two holes on each side of the rear fender support chrome cover. The instructions provide part numbers for the hole plugs. What I found that worked are 2 of PN 53377-04 for the front holes and 2 of PN 68446-00 for the rear. Funny (ha ha) thing is that the 53377 hole plugs are $5.95 each while the latter are only $0.95 a piece. Go figure.

For the rest of the install, follow the Harley-Davidson instructions. Overall, it's a good kit that adds to the looks of the Sportster and get's the turn signals relocated in preparation of saddle bags.

Installing the Tour Master Cruiser II Slant Saddlebags

As mentioned in previous posts I recently purchased a set of the Tour Master Cruiser II Slant Saddlebags, size large, from Tonker.com. I was impressed when the bags arrived two days after ordering (free shipping) and quickly went about getting them installed.

I'd already installed the Harley-Davidson Saddlebag Supports (see previous post) so the work requiring tools was pretty much done. The Tour Master bags out of the box hung a bit high on my 2008 Sportster XL1200 Custom so the first step was to adjust the length (or width depending on how you want to look at it) of the yoke. This is very easy to do, simply untie the know, remove the laces, and then lay the bags across the rear fender.

I aligned the top of the bags with the rear frame rail and then matched the holes on the two sides of the yoke. The overlap was four holes in. With this set I laced up the pieces and tied the knot securely.

To keep the bags from shifting Tour Master provides buckles and links made out of nylon strap. Simply find a spot on the bike to attach the strap and snap the buckle to the bag. I fastened the straps to the saddlebag supports at the back and to the frame below the oil tank/battery cover up front. This is probably overkill but I've read enough posts about accidents caused by luggage getting wrapped around to the rear wheel to get a little freaked.

Bottom line, the installation is very easy, the product very nice, and I'm very happy with my decision to go this route. The bags are not big enough to hold a laptop computer, especially with the slant, but there is enough capacity for my leather jacket (no armor). The bags make the Sportster more versatile, making runs to the video store, post office, etc. very convenient. And for longer trips the bags have enough capacity to store extra shirts, hats, etc. handy to have when riding in areas where the climate and temperature change significantly.

Motorcycle Helmets

I am writing this as follow up to an earlier posting on helmet options for my 2008 Harley-Davidson Sportster. There have been more than a few strong feelings expressed on the topic of helmets so I’m providing some feedback and a poll so others can weigh in.

I’ve ridden the Sportster XL1200 Custom for about a thousand miles with a half helmet and no windscreen. Overall it has been a lot of fun and is a true immersion into the experience of riding. There is really nothing out there to separate rider from the full experience, sites, sounds, smells, temperature. That said, I’ve never really felt comfortable riding with my face fully exposed, probably a result of starting on sportbikes.

A Harley windscreen was fitted to the Sportster in October and that has made long distance riding much more enjoyable. Behind the screen I feel I can ride all day, without the screen long rides became tiresome. With the windscreen I experienced some significant buffeting about the head, very noticeable with the smaller helmet. With the full face Arai the buffeting is hardly noticeable, another benefit.

I do find that visibility is much better with the smaller helmet, the Arai blocks some peripheral vision and make lane changes solely reliant on the mirrors. I’m going to look into other full face helmets and see if I can find something with a wider portal.

What do you think about helmets? Take the poll.

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From Sea to Sea with Desert in Between

October 14 friend and local banker John Harelson and I head East up through Ramona. It’s early Sunday morning, the sun is just cresting the Eastern mountains and the further we go the colder it gets. To put things in perspective, cold for a Southern Californian is anything below sixty degrees. As we wind up the 78 into the town of Ramona we enter a fog bank and in the moisture the temperature drops, the official low is 51, including wind speed and moisture it was damn cold.

Riding out old Julian highway and into Julian proper we made good time – not many people on the road in the early morning, just riders out looking for some fresh air and no traffic. On the way to Julian we detour down Wynola road, enjoying the twisty road and beautiful fall colors. We pass a group of wild turkeys standing by the side of the road and then wind into the town proper, stopping at the Julian Coffee House on the East side of Main Street, next to the gas station.

A few cups of coffee and the tanks topped up, John and I head East on the 78, to the desert of Borrego Springs. The ride down the mountain is fantastic, the air crisp and the wide-open roads phenomenal. We continue through the desert on the long, long road, past the sand dunes and desert rats. The Harley Sportster's XL1200 engine motors along a comfortable vibration coming from the v-twin, seemingly effortlessly moving us along at a cool 70 mph. North on the 86 we head up through the first traffic of the day to Salton City.

The Salton City area is the land of lost expectations with streets named Sea Oasis, Desert Shores, and other names that came from a more optimistic time. The Salton Sea has receded over time shore-front properties are now in the middle of arid lands, far from the water. Looking for a road that will take us to the water’s edge, we finally come across an RV park that has access to the sea.

We ride down one of two jetties to get a look out at the Salton Sea. Further out the water is blue, up close it is mostly clear. Most striking is the lack of activity; used to seeing people enjoying in water, boating, jet skiing, fishing, swimming and more, it is strange to see so much water with only the occasional bird.

Riding back we head up through the town of Borrego Springs and into the mountains. The air is remarkably blue and crisp, perfect riding weather. We ride back down into the valley and head back West on the 76. In all we cover 270 miles in about six hours. The whole time we are reminded of the beauty of rural San Diego, the sights, the sounds, the smells. All of nuance isn’t noticed in the climate controlled environment of a car.

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