I made some time today to work on my Sportster that has been laid up since American visitor Chris Wiggins crashed it and ripped the throttle cables in two at Dirt Quake. I took it over to CFM in Sleaford, because I like hanging out there, they lend me a bench to work on and there is never a problem Carl can't fix when I get stuck.
Today I put on a Motone ribbed CV carb top. I wasn't sure whether to fit it or not, but it's a nice unfussy dress-up part. I'm glad I did because when I looked in the top of the carb, the diaphragm was so split that Carl CFM couldn't believe the bike even ran. So no wonder Wiggins thought it felt more like an 883 than the 1200 it was sold to me as. I got a replacement diaphragm for £31.50 from local Harley specialist Cycle Haven.
The original big Sportster tank was replaced with a Lowbrow/ Cycle Standard 2.2 gallon tank. I can't believe the quality of this tank that retails in the US at just $130. Unreal. Bolted straight on with all new fasteners and rubbers included in the box.
The rusty, cutdown original rear fender was junked in favour of a $199 Lowbrow aluminium Tsunami fender, in an anodised grey finish. It was designed to fit Later Sportsters than my 1991 model, so I had to drill a couple of side mounting holes, then some more holes to mount some of the original (archaic) relays, and then another hole for the rear mounting of the Biltwell Banana seat. It needs yet more holes from
I also fitted new Venhill throttle cables the UK company made up for me. The cables were made using the remnants of the wrecked cables as a template.
Now I have to get it back to being road legal.
Also already fitted:
The Speed Merchant triple clamps
Roland Sands Designs tracker exhaust
Roland Sands Design air cleaner
19in rear rim laced by Hagon
Biltwell Moto Bars
Biltwell Mushman footpegs
Biltwell Thruster grips
Chain conversion
Maxxis DT1 tyres
Harley XR1200 rear shocks
Alloy Art folding shift peg
Modified mid controls
Motone knurled filler cap
Motone mini Bates LED rear light (not pictured)