February Prep
As April showers continue in February I have started prepping the new bike for a road trip. The weather had been unpredictable with hot, cold, and rain but I have been trying to make the best of it. I joined Rock City Harley's Frosty Bottom challenge, which measured your miles for December, January, & February, so I have been going out in the cold!
When I rode in CO, I had my '14 Road King with the saddlebag guards, that came in handy and a luggage rack. So with the Christmas Harley gift cards, I ordered the saddlebag guards. Upon getting there I got some bad advice, that saved $100. I quickly got the LED brake lights I had been eyeing. The LED lights were a quick and easy install, that were very disappointing. In-store they looked much brighter than the factory bulb. And ever since I got this bike, Kristen's biggest compliant when following me, were the brake lights were not very noticeable.
Back to the saddlebag guards, took the seats off, took off the saddlebags and opened the new guards and quickly realized I had been given incorrect information (bad advice mentioned earlier). When ordering the saddlebag guards you do need the saddlebag supports. This just topped off the evening. I had the feeling of wasting money on the taillights, and then was ready to put the guards on and needed the other bars. So not only did I not have them but I wasted the money on the disappointing taillights. So trying to look past the frustration, I got the caliper out and measured the inside/outside of the two bars and realized that the ones that come on the bike would indeed fit inside the guards, with some modifications. I put the bike back together and started weighing my options. To get ready for the trip in May I need a luggage rack. So knowing that the bars could be modified, why not give it a try. I mess the bars up and it doesn't work, I go spend $100 on the bars. I mess them up and it does work, I save $100 that could go towards the luggage rack.
A week or so passed and it was warm enough that I was ready to give it a try. So I tore the bike down and got ready. I'm at the point of no return!
With the bend cut off the saddlebag support bars, it was time to try it.
It looks like it was made this way! The only thing left to do was put it all back together and see how it looks.
I thought it had turned out pretty good. It was now time to wash the bike, it had not had one for a couple of months, and I had been riding it through the wet streets. While cleaning everything up I noticed that the newly installed guards had an abrasion on it, due to the shipping. They were wrapped in a plastic bag, with bubble wrap in a cardboard box. The bubble wrap was in the box to keep it from flopping around, not to keep it stationary and it shows.
When I rode in CO, I had my '14 Road King with the saddlebag guards, that came in handy and a luggage rack. So with the Christmas Harley gift cards, I ordered the saddlebag guards. Upon getting there I got some bad advice, that saved $100. I quickly got the LED brake lights I had been eyeing. The LED lights were a quick and easy install, that were very disappointing. In-store they looked much brighter than the factory bulb. And ever since I got this bike, Kristen's biggest compliant when following me, were the brake lights were not very noticeable.
Original
LED / Original
LED / Original Brake
The pics didn't do the best job of showing exactly the difference, but I definitely didn't feel like it was $100 worth of difference!
Back to the saddlebag guards, took the seats off, took off the saddlebags and opened the new guards and quickly realized I had been given incorrect information (bad advice mentioned earlier). When ordering the saddlebag guards you do need the saddlebag supports. This just topped off the evening. I had the feeling of wasting money on the taillights, and then was ready to put the guards on and needed the other bars. So not only did I not have them but I wasted the money on the disappointing taillights. So trying to look past the frustration, I got the caliper out and measured the inside/outside of the two bars and realized that the ones that come on the bike would indeed fit inside the guards, with some modifications. I put the bike back together and started weighing my options. To get ready for the trip in May I need a luggage rack. So knowing that the bars could be modified, why not give it a try. I mess the bars up and it doesn't work, I go spend $100 on the bars. I mess them up and it does work, I save $100 that could go towards the luggage rack.
A week or so passed and it was warm enough that I was ready to give it a try. So I tore the bike down and got ready. I'm at the point of no return!
extra pieces
It looks like it was made this way! The only thing left to do was put it all back together and see how it looks.
I thought it had turned out pretty good. It was now time to wash the bike, it had not had one for a couple of months, and I had been riding it through the wet streets. While cleaning everything up I noticed that the newly installed guards had an abrasion on it, due to the shipping. They were wrapped in a plastic bag, with bubble wrap in a cardboard box. The bubble wrap was in the box to keep it from flopping around, not to keep it stationary and it shows.
Being on the bottom side of the guard, and having already put everything back together, I will be the only one to notice it. So I will just get over it, but it was still very irritating! I placed the order for the luggage rack today. And with every day my anticipation grows for the Riding the Ozarks H.O.G. Touring Rally. The first one I went on was in Colorado in the Rockies, Black Canyon of the Gunnison. It seems like so long ago and I am ready for a nice long ride!
Comments
Post a Comment