Back to the 'Dark Side'

Delighted with my Intruder apehangers, so much so that I have hardly ridden my DL through the winter which has been unusually dry and frost free this time. Got to thinking I would Iike a tall-bar cruiser with a bit more oomph and as my only bike too. I spend quite a lot of time with the Harley boys being that Swansea has a main dealer so a change of franchise seems quite natural again - my Sportster went about 4 years ago. Anyway a Wide Glide caught  my eye - 13 plate with just 2k miles and pretty immaculate. It's1690cc with Stage 1 including V&H Big Radius Pipes, Screaming Eagle Heavy Breather and Power Commander. The seat is a Sundowner and the bar kit is a Harley extra. I have put in the Intruder and the DL and the deal was sealed today. Should pick her up on Thursday. Here she is:

Sad to see the Intruder go but pretty excited about the new power and noise!

Hope you enjoy your new machine John

Sometimes you just get an itch that has to be scratched, so I can understand why you decided to have a change.                                                                                               

...... and it looks like the weather will hold for your first runs out !                            

Very nice!  enjoy your new ride John    2nd best looking 'Dyna' out there 

  bet you'll sleep well Wednesday night John (I dont think), enjoy m8

Wow your keeping up the, buy them and sell them quick thingy you have always had going on.
Looks nice John, I am sure your going to lover her. Looking forward to this thread growing a bit with your write up. 

Nice bike, welcome to the dark side!

Looks good John enjoy.

Looks ok for a tractor lol! Enjoy John!!!

Thanks for the good wishes. I parted with my Intruder today   in readiness for tomorrow  . They wanted me to put the bars and exhaust back to stock  . I explained that It was not possible and anyway someone could buy a nice modded Intruder unlike the hundreds of stock machines that you can buy for the same price. They suddenly thought   hey, he might be on to something there! So the bike's gone as it is, thankfully. 
The V-Strom goes tomorrow and then my garage gets some American metal.  . Yes Dave, I do swap rather a lot but.....I know two guys who get through twice as many bikes as me so I don't feel so bad  . I will do a write-up. The test ride was good.....100ft/lb torque as near as damn it. As Sim will tell you - these things pull. As Yam says, at least the weather's looking promising!

Bluesman wrote:

. I will do a write-up. The test ride was good.....100ft/lb torque as near as damn it. As Sim will tell you - these things pull.!

Very torquey for sure   you'll love the comfort that Sundowner seat gives too, even if they look like a sofa bolted to the bike! 

Very true Sim. I'd prefer a solo seat - the guy who owned it before he swapped it (for a Busa!) has the original so I might make him an offer.

Anything fell off it yet? broke down and waiting for recovery? or just didn't start at the dealers? 

You speaking from experience Sim ?

Nice looking ride John - can we expect to see you back in a year on an 1800 Intruder ????

simbo wrote:

Anything fell off it yet? broke down and waiting for recovery? or just didn't start at the dealers? 

OK - the not so good first. My kneck hurt after my first ride but the reason soon became clear. The bars need to go forward and the levers much further up to stop my arms arching and causing the tension up to my head. Nothing that a couple of allen keys ( have I got Imperial?) can't sort tomorrow in half an hour. But that's it - the rest is good. First off, it's confirmed God is a biker - blue sky, sunshine and sparkling sea on my first day on the Glide! The Sundowner seat is really comfy and the lower back support allows you to lean back and relax (well, when the bars are sorted). Loving the power - I went out on the twisty Gower road to Port Eynon and was able to overtake more times than usual - 3rd gear has got amazing pull. The skinny front wheel was better than I expected making the handling not half bad. When leaned, it's the boot soles that touch the road which is quite a pleasant sensation. Love the exhaust note and def not too loud. The gear indicator is not as good as the Suzuki as it does not work in neutral but the mileage range calculation as a scroll option, I like. I found I rode faster than usual because the torque is almost intoxicating. Not as  smooth a ride as the Intruder but never hitting a gear ceiling was nice. Brakes are adequate although my Suzuki braided front was better. Although heavier I found the WG a doddle to manoeuvre to park. Turned a few heads and loving the power, albeit a bit vibey in first. Speed is a dream as the revs and gears progress. Will do a video and take a few pics sometime. I'm a happy bunny but then I was on my 800 too! Bought a new HD helmet today - hmmm slippery slope!
Ps I still wave to everyone!

I'm pleased it has met your expectations, enjoy the new bike and stay safe. Regards.

Quote: 'Bought a new HD helmet today-hmmm slippery slope!'       How's the air filter John? mine gets in the way of my knee, not as much as the stock one but still mildly irritating.

simbo wrote:

How's the air filter John? mine gets in the way of my knee, not as much as the stock one but still mildly irritating.

Yup, sticks out just in the wrong place! Adjusted my bars today but didn't have a Torx T27 to move the switch gear so had to put them back  (bloody Yanks).

Will you be doing your own maintenance on it John?

simbo wrote:

How's the air filter John? mine gets in the way of my knee, not as much as the stock one but still mildly irritating.

You said that about the Iron too if I remember correctly? Are the air filters the same 'pain' on all of them?

Skidalot wrote:

simbo wrote:

How's the air filter John? mine gets in the way of my knee, not as much as the stock one but still mildly irritating.

You said that about the Iron too if I remember correctly? Are the air filters the same 'pain' on all of them?

It would appear so  the suzuki one used to get in the way too  until I put the spiked one on, maybe it's my knee that's the real problem 

simbo wrote:

Will you be doing your own maintenance on it John?

Well I sorted the bars with my nice new torx set and then lubricated levers and pivots today. As for the rest, I think the 5k service will be about £280! I'll do small things in between like clutch cable lube as it looks a bit dry. The bike looks very easy to work on I must say. There is nothing on the schedule for the next service that seems hard. I might do the oil/filter and if anything crops up, pay the £70 quid an hour  at Swansea Harley to have it fixed. We'll see.
On another point Sim, I was having problem getting neutral when stopped compared with the Intruder which always clicked out of gear first time even when stopped in a gear. Anyway as soon as I started going into neutral before coming to a halt, light comes on no trouble now so that's what I will have to do. I'm learning to live without slickety slick that the 800 gave. Anyway, I'm committed now what with an HD patch I sewed on my jacket today!

Sounds great John, glad you like it. Keep waving !

Bluesman wrote:

simbo wrote:

Will you be doing your own maintenance on it John?

On another point Sim, I was having problem getting neutral when stopped compared with the Intruder which always clicked out of gear first time even when stopped in a gear. Anyway as soon as I started going into neutral before coming to a halt, light comes on no trouble now so that's what I will have to do. I'm learning to live without slickety slick that the 800 gave. Anyway, I'm committed now what with an HD patch I sewed on my jacket today!

Could just be the cable needs adjusting John? they also don't like having too much oil in the primary case, it's worth ordering a HD service manual, I think they're about £70 ish but worth their weight in gold with the money you'll save at the dealers.

simbo wrote:

Bluesman wrote:

simbo wrote:

Will you be doing your own maintenance on it John?

On another point Sim, I was having problem getting neutral when stopped compared with the Intruder which always clicked out of gear first time even when stopped in a gear. Anyway as soon as I started going into neutral before coming to a halt, light comes on no trouble now so that's what I will have to do. I'm learning to live without slickety slick that the 800 gave. Anyway, I'm committed now what with an HD patch I sewed on my jacket today!

Could just be the cable needs adjusting John? they also don't like having too much oil in the primary case, it's worth ordering a HD service manual, I think they're about £70 ish but worth their weight in gold with the money you'll save at the dealers.

Yes I think the cable needs checking also the shift linkage could be incorrectly adjusted. I've read that excessive primary oil could be the culprit too. Will investigate, thanks! Might be worth getting a manual 

Sounds like a trip back to the dealer - surely they should have done a PDI before you collected it

Sorted! The clutch cable was too tight. Once I found the adjuster (it's under a ferrule almost invisible on the extended cable) and gave  it 1/2 a turn, neutral light comes on every time. Thanks Sim!

Has it improved the slickness of the gear change John ?

katsd wrote:

Has it improved the slickness of the gear change John ?

Yes a bit less of an 'event' but not quite up to Suzuki standards   .

Sure you'll learn to live with it John

katsd wrote:

Has it improved the slickness of the gear change John ?

'slickness' isn't a term usually associated with Harleys Dave 

Unless it's leaking from somewhere !!!

I too have been tempted John, a little on the lighter side, and a local dealer.
Monster 821
' Adjusting the valve clearance is scheduled for every 30,000 km and changing the oil every 15,000 km, increasing service intervals and cutting running costs'.

What's that, 18,000 miles and 9,300 miles.   That's nice to read. 



Keeping on topic, I also like this ......but they cost a whack more.

Badger wrote:

I too have been tempted John, a little on the lighter side, and a local dealer.
Monster 821
' Adjusting the valve clearance is scheduled for every 30,000 km and changing the oil every 15,000 km, increasing service intervals and cutting running costs'.

What's that, 18,000 miles and 9,300 miles.   That's nice to read.

I sometimes wonder if low mileage service intervals are just the motorcycle industries way of self perpetuating an income, engines have come a long way since back in the day.

Mind, I still remember the days of the 1k oil n filter change and regular decoking of the screaming two strokes.

Old Luner wrote:

Mind, I still remember the days of the 1k oil n filter change and regular decoking of the screaming two strokes.

Don't forget the pocket full of spark plugs and the spanner. Haha
Bloody addictive two stroke smell though, and fun.

Old Luner wrote:

Mind, I still remember the days of the 1k oil n filter change and regular decoking of the screaming two strokes.

And the endless chain adjustment and "points" contact breaker ignition. At least my strokers had automix systems on them, never had to mix the oil / petrol in the tank myself.

It was all worth it though Martin eh ? .......... If only for the aforementioned smell, the fact that every traffic light was like a Motorcycle Grand Prix starting grid ( !) and the addictive 2 stroke power delivery we got !!!

Oh blimey, I quite forgot about buggering about with feeler gauges and points etc.

And the smell of two stroke still brings a smile to my mug, Mod Week at Brid is worth the trip just for the blue haze in the air.

My second 'proper bike' was a yam rd250, which was two stroke. That had one of the auto mix setups that Mick mentioned. My old man had been helping me service it, and had somehow 'adjusted' the pump that delivered the 2 stroke oil.

Off I set to the Lake District.... All was going well at a happy 70mph on the m6, when the engine blew up. Unknown to me the fuel pump had been squirting in about 10 times too much oil, so it ran out..... Totally knackered my bike, and totally knackered my weeks camping at Ulleswater... Had to rent a bloody bicycle!

Badger wrote:

Keeping on topic, I also like this ......but they cost a whack more.

Reading the spec and reviews, that sportster CAN actually be called 'sporty' now. 

Looks and sounds good!