Alway being an Honda owner with my first purchase being an 1970 Honda CT 70, (ok so I am showing my age), I have purchased my first Harley. It is a 07 FD Street Bob. As I started working on it I have been purchasing OEM and after market parts and it seem that I am having to modify the part, cut the bolt shorter or go to the hardware store for the longer bolt. Also it seams that I have to take off several parts do to simple task, such as adding rear pegs. Not to mention that there is always a relocation kit. Is it just me being anal or is it just that farm fit way of doing things. I love the ride of cruising down the road. Just curious as to what other folks think.
Sorry I have no experience with HD. Merely with Honda. So far every part that I have bought for my bike was a direct bolt up. Sorry that you are having such a bad experience with your parts.
I have no idea about that but it sounds like poor quality after market parts. I do have to say that we have no less than 5 Harley riders at the office. They talk about stuff breaking, the bike not starting, and towing it just like the 'other riders' talk about enjoying the ride. They act like having to trailer their Harley is no big deal and just a part of motorcycle ownership.
I'm really interested to hear other opinions. One day when I get too old to be comfortable on a sport bike, maybe I'll get a Harley.
Hey I resemble that remark to old stuff lol..... That is to funny... As my wife told me I was shamed into buying the Harley by my best friend so I joined the brother hood.....
Trying putting an OEM "quick-release" back rest on Hertiage Springer ... bahahaha!
It's not you. It's a Harley thing. Much of the stuff is an after thought. Some of the stuff is old designs retooled and redesigned. A little less stuff is over engineering for added safety.
__________________ It's better to have loved and lost than live with the psycho for life!
There are many many manufacturers of aftermarket HD parts, some better than others no doubt. Go w/ vendors that have been around longer and you may have better luck. May not be easy to mod but there's no end to the list of stuff you can do. Can't say quite the same for our group of naked bikes.
Harley has been around a while and owners often like to put serious miles on the bikes, I'll wager more miles than the average sport bike owner based on the classified adds I see. Not that there aren't a bunch of bar hoppers, just that there are also many folks who like to hit the road and rack up the miles.
I know for a fact some of the South Florida H.O.G. chapters rack up the miles each weekend.
One of the guys I work with just got a new Fat Bob. I thought he meant Fat Boy, but he said it's a worked over Fat Boy. His is brand new so no issues that I know of yet.
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Ratdog is right. Some aftermarket stuff is better than others. Most of the time using Genuine HD stuff you wont have fitment issues with stuff, depends on what mods you are stacking together though. As far as relocation kits, Anytime you mod one thing it affects other things, doesnt matter if its an undertaill on a Honda or Sissy bar etc on a Harley. There are so many aftermarket parts available for HD with so many possible combinations its almost impossible for parts designers to make everything interact perfectly.
As far as reliability, anyone that thinks a HD from the factory isnt as reliable as any other make is stuck in the 70's or at the best the early 80's. Even highly modded HD's are easily very reliable with today's technologies. My FXR is pushing twice the HP it came with stock( and much more than a new HD), in an 18 yr old chassis and has had zero issues since I put it together almost 2 years ago, over 12,000+ miles. Shoot the stock evo in it was still running fine in 2007 when I pulled it, I just wanted way more power.
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"He was a wise man who invented Beer"--Plato
One of the guys I work with just got a new Fat Bob. I thought he meant Fat Boy, but he said it's a worked over Fat Boy. His is brand new so no issues that I know of yet.
Tell your friend his Fatbob is not a worked over Fat boy, Fat boy's are a softail chasis(rear shocks are hidden under the bike) with an FL series(touring bikes + Fatboys and Heritage softtails) front end. The FatBob is a Dyna Chasis(exposed dual rear shocks), with Dyna forks and dual headlights, it does use a 16" front wheel similar to the fatbob or FL series touring bikes though.
The Fatbob is one of my Favorite new HD's
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"He was a wise man who invented Beer"--Plato
went to a shop that works on mostly cruisers but has many sportbikes and the machanic rides sport bike for his own choice! I asked with so much experience working on all cruisers of today to yester year which one if he bought a new one what would it be, and the first words were Harley! I was shocked a bit and asked why of course and he responded with its not that they are still unreliable its the dealers working on them that screw them up.... I don't know about that but he is a pretty good mechanic.
Either way enjoy the ride!! I wished i had the money to buy lots of bikes especially the ones i've road in the last few weeks!! Some cruisers have really impressed me
I want to thank everyone as now I am a bit smarter. For me it is a learning experience. My friend Jerry builds bikes in his garage and he laughed at me when I shared my frustration and said it is all about fabrication. His garage looks like a repair shop. I just needed a reality check and advice from new found friends. Thanks again. As requested here is a pic....
Right thoughtful of you for giving your 'ol lady someplace to put her feet with them pegs but I bet she still bitches about the rear seat being kinda hard on her tail!
I know mine would be chewing my ear off till I spent good money getting her some vinyl covered foam for that rack.
What the hell, I got a boat cushion that's blue and could be bungied on!.
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JDubya
Harleyville, South Carolina
USA
Some cruisers have really impressed me 
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