92stoccord

I know that just about everyone on this forum is "Rable rable rawr drool scharch kibewoolah" about Harley, but I'm getting my old man's bike, and it needs a couple things. I have to get the back tire replaced on it, and possibly the master cylinder. It needs an air cleaner, and I figured going aftermarket would be better than buying one that I hate. I like the "hyper chargers" but they're sooo damn expensive. So I've been searching. and I can't really find a lot that I like. I'm looking at hard tail struts because I don't have the money or patience for putting my bike down while I do it. I've been looking for a springer seat though, just so I don't bust my nuts, and the best I've found so far is big dans. I like everything about them, except the leather strap used for sewing. id rather just have it stitched on the bottom, no lines at all.

So my question to you is, (phyre?) do you know where to get decent aftermarket parts for a sportster.

I've been lurking in the shadows on xlforum.net, but it seems like H-T, but everyones name is injen.

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Originally Posted by Phyregod The big goal of the cafe racers back in the day was to hit 100mph. If you put a 600rr engine in one, you're going to hit mach 3 and then get spokes and brake fragments lodged into your torso.

Battle Pope

LOL HARLEYS *cough* uh, what?

Get used to seeing more zeroes than you'd like in the price of parts, that is a harley characteristic of the most basic kind. I'd have to ask my friends where they get their stuff from.

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92stoccord

Yeah, that's what I hate about Harley. I don't have any kind of brand loyalty to them, and I think they're assholes frankly, but its different cause its the bike road. Hell, theres a ford oil filter on it right now.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Phyregod The big goal of the cafe racers back in the day was to hit 100mph. If you put a 600rr engine in one, you're going to hit mach 3 and then get spokes and brake fragments lodged into your torso.

Battle Pope

The problem is, they've created this image that makes it okay to pay more for their stuff because you're "buying american". It's the same bullshit as the domestic auto companies, but because harley doesn't have any real domestic bike competition they milk the name for every dollar they can.

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92stoccord

yeah. Not only do they overcharge, they overcharge for shit. but really, if you can, find out for me.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Phyregod The big goal of the cafe racers back in the day was to hit 100mph. If you put a 600rr engine in one, you're going to hit mach 3 and then get spokes and brake fragments lodged into your torso.

NissanNiNjA2nd

Kryakyn

Good luck on finding ANYTHING cheap.

92stoccord

/\ checked them out, but I think I found a winner for everything but the seat. Deville Cycles got some nice shat. Still can't find a seat that I like. I just want a thinly padded brown leather seat with no stitching showing. is that that hard?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Phyregod The big goal of the cafe racers back in the day was to hit 100mph. If you put a 600rr engine in one, you're going to hit mach 3 and then get spokes and brake fragments lodged into your torso.

BlackFrog

Kryakyn has nice stuff, but the problem is that there isnt as much stuff out there for the sportsters as most think there should be. All the big harleys have tons of support, but their most popular bike has gotten left behind for some reason. When it comes to parts, search the aftermarket as much as possible, I personally dont like the fact that almost all harley parts are made overseas, like Korea for instance. But your can find really great stuff made here at a good price from the big independent chopper builders (the guys you see on TV). For instance, I picked up an Indian Larry points cover for my sporty for 35 bucks, the local harley dealer wanted 80 for some junk one. Ive got bolt covers with maltese crosses on them that i scored for about .5 cents a piece, a set of hottoppers will run about 100 just for a starter set. Avoid the dealer at all costs, be patient, search for what you want, its out there for a decent price, you just have to find it.

The only factory piece i would recommend would be the screamin eagle intake/ air filter which i had installed before i picked up my bike. though, i'll be taking that off this winter for an S&S carb instead

And dont get those harley dunlop tires, put a matching set of avon's on there!

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EG2

Drink Beer.

SlushboxTeggy

I'll be getting an American Sportster for next summer. I'm going to try and avoid Harley but I'll see what's available used when the time comes. I say go to a custom bike shop. I have the luxury of knowing the owner so I'll probably get most of my parts at price. But stay out of Harley shops if you can. Like everyone said, overpriced for the sake of being overpriced. I wouldn't doubt Harley parts being cheaper at a custom shop. Plus they have the luxury of possibly offering a better part for cheaper.

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phyregod

I bought a little tie-on tool bag for the front of my Sportster.. From harley.. To carry around spare spark plugs and a plug wrench because it ate spark plugs all the time. So, the little leather bag, that had "harley davidson" embroidered on it cost $54+tax. I got stuck in the rain once, and all the D-rings and metal hardware on the bag instantly rusted.. ALOT! They charged $54 for a $10 bag and didn't bother using stainless hardware on it. Lots of other factory parts on the bike like that as well.

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jeffie7

Should have known better.....

Harley is the biggest MADE IN AMERICA company that I know of that uses almost everything from China.

Look at anything they put out, somewhere on it it will say CHINA

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92stoccord

Yeah, I'm not buying anything from the harley store. Amurrican or not, it doesn't bother me. Found a seat that I really like, prolly gonna get it before too long. It's black, but I really like that style, and I can work around black on an all black bike.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Phyregod The big goal of the cafe racers back in the day was to hit 100mph. If you put a 600rr engine in one, you're going to hit mach 3 and then get spokes and brake fragments lodged into your torso.

Honda20000

Sell the Harley and get a Honda "old mans bike".

92stoccord

No, its MY old man's bike. its my dads. If I got a honda it'd be a cbr.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Phyregod The big goal of the cafe racers back in the day was to hit 100mph. If you put a 600rr engine in one, you're going to hit mach 3 and then get spokes and brake fragments lodged into your torso.

BlackFrog

ive always liked cbr's

BTW, do all or as much maintance on the bike yourself as you can. Maybe its just the dealers around me, but none of them have a clue what they are doing. Took them 10 times to get my carb tuned correct when i bought my bike (new) and put on pipes and a screamin eagle intake. Then when i took it to another dealer who said they would honor my warranty, they actually got it running right, but tried to charge me $600 saying the pipes and intake voided the warranty. The real bitch of it all was this was literally 4 days before i was going to Myrtle Beach bike week and had to get the bike back, so i talked em down to 200 for labor and told em to go fuck themselves. And the carb started leaking fuel when i was in Myrtle cuz the "mechanic" opted not to replace the float bowl seal he tore!!! When i called the dealer, the manager tells me, go to the local harley dealer down and ask them if they can do him a professionaly favor and get my bike right in. Like their gonna get my leaky carb that some other dealer f'd up right in, infront of the other 600,000 paying customers there that week!

Sorry, little rant, still pisses me off, moral is, do your own work.

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EG2

Drink Beer.

92stoccord

Yeah, once again, harley can eat my ass. If my dad can build an 8 second pre-evo harley with his family, then I think we can take care of the tuning.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Phyregod The big goal of the cafe racers back in the day was to hit 100mph. If you put a 600rr engine in one, you're going to hit mach 3 and then get spokes and brake fragments lodged into your torso.

BlackFrog

yeah, you should be just fine.

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EG2

Drink Beer.