Bought another bike.

The last bike I bought was in 1987. We still have it. So, I bought another bike after only 28 years.

forgive my ignorance but did you buy the same bike just 28 years later?

On a side note, do you like that air space between the top of the front cylinder head and the tank? For me, it makes the whole bike look like it was cobbled together by someone who didn't know what a measuring tape was or how to use a tube bender.

Just to show it isn't just a Harley thing, I think this is worst bike they make for the same reason.

Congrats on the new bike, Doc!

That space is part of the stretched, chopper look. Last bike was Dr.Linda's Sportster. The year before that, we bought my FLHT. Still have that one too.

Thanks, AC.

In reply to Flight Service:

Lot's of guy's in the sportster world go to great lengths to open that space up. They'll do tank lifts, reducing range, to tuck all the wiring above the frame where it can't be seen and relocate the coils and ignition switch to open it up. It's the same thing as people doing wire tucks in the engine compartment of show cars.

Looks nice Doc, any plans to mod it or just ride?

Well, I don't have any solid plans yet. It needs a few things: Short in the brake circuit, need to do something about the seat, rear fender needs some work, etc. I "kinda" have a vision of a springer front end, megasquirt and a turbocharger.

It'll be interesting to see what you do with it.

Congrats and have fun.

Softail with a wide glide and small wheel? Did HD ever make such a thing or is it something that someone built at home?

What year is it?

It's not a soft tail. It's a hard tail chopper. Aftermarket frame, '99 Evo motor. My friend built it. Another friend built the motor. Cam, etc.

Congrats on the new bike.

Forgive my ignorance, but why does the tank look so small? And why does the passenger seat look like someone would just slide right off the back?

Well, the tank is a full size 5 gallon one, same as on virtually every Harley for the last 20-ish years. It may look small in comparison to the stretched frame. The seat is kinda "field expedient." I'm going to have to change that to a solo seat. There's no foot pegs for a passenger anyway.

Gotcha. Makes sense.

I don't mind the space between the cyl head and the tank as much as the space between the seat and tank. If you are switching to a solo seat that my help with that gap. To me that seems the most off about the bike. I knew that they stretched the HDs but I always thought that meant the tank was custom stretched too and not just the frame.

Good on you, I hope you enjoy it.

Nice! Congrats on the purchase! I am very interested in any fuel injection developments; keep us updated if you don't mind!

I megasquirted Dr.Linda's Sportster a few years ago. It was before microsquirt was released, so I built it from scratch as a megasquirt derivative. After that one, another bike with a bigger electrical system should be pretty easy. This motor, being a '99 crate motor, should have the big alternator in it and be good for around 30 amps, v. 19A for the 883.

Hard tail, you say? The first thing I'd do is ditch that big stonking rear fender for something smaller and narrower. It doesn't jive with the rest of the bike.

Yeah, the fender has issues. I do like the tombstone tail light. Still thinking on what to do about that. And it needs some risers or taller bars.

Doc, you're a paradox but we luvs ya just the same.

Springer front end, apes, skinny rear fender. You'll look just like all the other hard-tail choppers.

With the lower bars, you've got a different look there. The big rear fender is placed wrong on the bike (the lines clash with the tires lines), but repositioned and it could look quite good and distinctive. I wonder is a cop solo seat might look quite good on there.

Just a few ruminations.

I think the wide front end is letting it down. I don't think I would go Springer but I would do something about that.

It's a 34 degree rake, 4" over down tubes and 6" over front end. I'm kinda thinking a 6" or 8" over springer front end with a 21" wheel. Not today, though. Definitely a solo seat with some padding or even that gel stuff we used in the OR. They sell the same stuff for seats. We called them "Jelly rolls." If you ever had back surgery, you were laying on one.

Great looking bike Dr.

I like the turbocharger idea. I used to ride with exactly two Buells that had turbos on them. Amazing power delivery on those.

I charged the battery and started it up for the first time last night. Sounds AWESOME. There must not be much for baffles in those pipes at all.

I don't understand it, but I have this strange desire to trailer it over to some Florida city and run it wide open up and down some residential neighborhood with a patio collection. Can't figger it out....

In reply to Dr. Hess:

I'll pull the mufflers off the sporty and join you

Been working on the seat. It looked to have been a late 80's softtail seat. Besides the vinyl being torn, the mount in the wrong place, no screw at the back and the pan cracked, it was fine. Here it is now:

And in the interest of not upsetting liberals and other clinically insane, please note that no nagahs were harmed in the recovering of that seat. 2 goats gave up their lives, however.