I bought a new set of Dunlops for the bike this weekend, and I told the tire dealer to put a 140/90-15 on intead of the 140/80.  What a difference.  It looks fat.  Only thing is, when I picked the bike up from the shop, I was greatly concerned about the clearance between the bolts holding the chrome, and the tire on the left side.  I eyed them up as close as I could and they looked like it might be OK.  I was wrong.  At the first light from the shop, I reached back and touched the edge of the tire, and it was molten rubber.  Didn't really hurt anything since it was just the very tip of the tread, but it had to be fixed.  I stopped at Bobo's on the way home, and we removed the bolt.  Had to use an engine lift to pick the bike up.  There was no way to get the bolt out with the tire up in the fender.  Now, everything's alright, and these new tires handle and ride great.  Feels better than when I first got the bike.  I tell ya, there's no way I could have saddle bag brackets with these tires.  While I was at Bobo's, we swapped mufflers.  He got my Jardine, I got his HD sportster muffler.  Getting that Sportster muffler on is a whole other story.

set your shocks to hardest seting thats what i had to do

Hey!!! Those Chrome stips look PHAT too!

Got the back rest on, real pleased with it..   I'll email you a pick as soon as my camera is back operational..

I use aluminium mushroom head hex-key bolts for all my plastic bodywork, better than steel x head and washers.

Clive W  

I also have a 140/90-15, and want saddlebags on the bike, so I've fabbed up some saddlebag supports to go outside the chrome fender rail.  The front uses the stock bolt, and the back required another hole drilled and tapped.  

That was this morning.  Waiting for the paint to dry right now so I can install.  Where's the digital camera when I need it?  Maybe my Palm camera will work.

You chrome-happy folks will hate this, as mine are black.  Copper tubing was all I had laying around the garage when I got the urge to fab.  You could use aluminum or stainless.  I might re-do them later, depending on how well the copper holds up.

bobo383 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:


If your chrome fender rails start to flak from the drilling let me know and I will re chrome them for you say .01 thick. 8)

I have a feeling the copper will be a little too soft over time & vibes, and I'll be re-fabbing with stronger metal someday. May chrome those re-do supports.  Do you have the inside gouge at a plating shop?

LANCER wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:


Yes the shop I work at does Areospace High wear and high temp coating. Chrome, E-Nickle, Anodize, Plasma and HVOF coatings. I am in the process of coating my full lenght headers for my 1970 GMC C10 With Sermatel I plan on coating my Savage header pipe with it as well. Just waiting till winter to do it.



I also paint every once and a while. Yes I did in myself.  



You need something done? 8)