Tech

    Nothing lasts forever and motorcycle batteries are no exception. The original equipment battery on my 2012 FLD Dyna Switchback had been dragging occasionally, after enduring a couple of summers and bad-ass winters in northern Virginia, plus another sweltering summer in the Conch Republic of south Florida. So I was pissed but not surprised […]

Editor’s Note: We’ve worked with JIMS staff for maybe 30 years, maybe longer. Jim Thiessen has one of the most solid companies in the industry. When the custom world is on fire JIMS keeps rolling along. So, when we decided to create something completely nuts for Bonneville in a Belly Tank configuration I discussed it

A few years ago Paul Aiken, out of Charlotte needed something to do. He loved motorcycles, was a machinist, and had a creative nature, so he bought a very small parts company called Aeromach. Paul’s shop was akin to Geppetto’s workshop in a storybook. It was dinky, but now contains two state of the art

Reposted from the J&P Cycles Blog Required Tools: DC voltmeter or battery tester As a general rule, modern charging systems are efficient, reliable and maintenance free; however, there are exceptions to every rule and few problems will leave you stranded as quickly as charging system that’s gone kaput. Fortunately keeping tabs on the system is

CV carbs have a strong reputation in the industry. Years ago, I did an article with Trock on his mods. I finally ran his modified CV on my Mudflap Girl FXR and it was terrific. I experienced sharp throttle response and almost 50 miles to the gallon out of the box. Then I tore the

Recently a Bikernet Contributor screamed at me in all caps, “Goddammit Bandit get off your ass and write something, give us a tech. Do something even if it’s wrong.” An easy assignment albeit daunting. For some reason the last couple of months scrambled like a holiday on meth. What happened? Hell I don’t know? So

  Here’s the latest hot shoe upgradefor Twin Cams from S&S. This tech included four element groups beginningwith the S&S Big Bore Kit, an updated Hybrid billet cam plate and enhancedHigh Flow oil pump from Harley-Davidson, an S&S Super E carb, and a set ofBub exhaust pipes. We could have wrapped up this operation and

If there’s anything that is worse than being stranded with a flat tire, it’s being stranded with no way to repair it. Picture it: you’re out on a beautiful Sunday morning, the bikes purring like Tony Bennett crooning I left my heart, and all of sudden the tire loses pressure. What moments ago was a pristine

  This handsome ribbed Cam Cover for ’91 to ’14 Sportster applications was designed by the folks at EMD to mount on top of your existing cam cover. Why ? Because they wanted you to be able to make your engine cool without having to mess with your camshafts blocks and have to bore and

We ran into a section of the S&S display in Cincinnati at the V-Twin Expo, called Viola V-Twin and we were immediately curious. We met with Bruce Tessmer and discussed it briefly. Here is the official description: S&S Cycle is extremely pleased to offer a selection of high quality service parts for Harley-Davidson and other

This just in from Brass Balls Cycles. They recently created a custom LED headlight for the bike market. “I wanted something containing LED technology,” said Dar Holdsworth, the boss of Brass Balls. “The light they throw out is amazing in a couple of respects. Not only does it light the road like never before, but

Howard Knight of Rocking K Customs is creating a Bug Out Bag aka The B.O.B. that holds all the essentials… Bourbon, Cigars, HelmetLok, sunglasses, and credentials. Howard Knight of Rocking K Custom Leathers worked hard designing and hand fabricating the ultimate leather container for all the essentials you need for day tripping. And The B.O.B.

    A motorcycle battery never gets a day off. The service experts at Harley-Davidson® point out that even when a motorcycle is parked the battery discharges continuously in small internal loads called “self-discharge.” Self-discharge speeds up drastically as the temperature rises – for example in a hot garage in the summer – and accessories

There I was at the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati in February wandering the isles, when I came across the LePera booth. Bob LePera built his first custom motorcycle seat in 1961 and the company has grown ever since, but it’s now taken over by the kids, Christine and Bob. I knew Bob for 30 years,

  Secure Cap locking systems are designed for all Harley-Davidson Softail motorcycles manufactured after 2000, including Deuce, Fat Boy and Heritage models. Secure Cap is available in black, chrome and pink finishes.   Vandalism and oil contamination are problems that every motorcyclist faces. Now, there’s a proven, cost-effective solution for deterring vandals and keeping oil

Samson builds the first fishtip mufflers for Polaris Indians. Just recently we received a flash announcement from the new Samson factory in Sturgis, South Dakota. Here are the specs, and the story behind the R&D effort: These puppies are 4×34 ½-inch Longtail mufflers with baffles. They Fit 2014 Indian Chief Classic, Indian Chief Vintage. “As

BRIGHTEN UP YOUR NIGHT RIDE! by Buck Lovell    photos by Buck Lovell  With technology advancing at the current rate, it’s surprising that an all  LED  headlight isn’t as common as it should be. The advantage is obvious. Brighter, better lighting for night riding makes any night ride safer and more enjoyable. With the Rivera

A while back, I spent a week one day in the garageof Bikernet headquarters with Bandit. Bandit was hot to putapehangers on his shiny new Road King Classic. Once I arrived and cooled down his “high-bar desire”, I suggestedputting all the handlebar switch wires inside the bars where theywould be safe from his undue attentions

I’ve known Ben Kudon, the general manager of Rivera/Primo for over 20 years, and no one knows Rivera Primo products like Ben. He won’t hesitate to let you know his level of expertise. Unfortunately, when the RP team developed these cool lighting systems, I was forced to ask Ben about them. Here’s his initial response:

  Ok, ok, ok….so you want me to check out a new oil pump by Fueling, Super Scavenger Oil Pump for Twin Power. Well, right off the bat I have to wonder if this pump is no good and they are just trying to “buy” my seal of approval.     With that in mind,

      1.  What is Ethanol?     Ethanol is referred to as grain alcohol or ethyl alcohol. It is used in alcoholic beverages, but is also used in gasoline as an oxygenate.  Ethanol used in gasoline applications is denatured which means that it contains a bittering agent in it to prevent it from

We peeled out to Saddlemen’s family-operated dream factory recently to see what was new, and maybe test a new bag on a 250 ATK cruiser. We worked with Saddlemen’s team on several occasions, building a totally custom seat for the Mudflap Girl FXR, creating seats for Bonneville Racers, you name it. The Saddlemen group is