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Freebird

By Freebird
in Watering Hole

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djh3

djh3

Posted
Posted

I like those. I forget what model, heck they all look the same pretty much. But I like the ones with the frame mounted fairings and double headlight.

A couple of questions though. why those air filters VS K&N? And how come you needed to have a bracket to move the trunk? Not as much room as the RSV?

Freebird

Freebird

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I bought the filter and the tuner from Fuel Moto. They are a great company with excellent customer support. The filter is much the same as the K&N and I don't know that it's not made by K&N. I bought it from Fuel Moto because I got it CHEAP when packaged with the tuner and they also send you the new program based upon their vast experience with various combinations of exhaust, filters, etc.

 

I think that the passenger space is very close to the same as the RSV. My wife likes to put a pouch on the back of the drivers backrest so that takes up some room. I had the trunk on the RSV moved to the rear holes to give more room. She was OK with it the way it was but VentureRider member Ironmike happened to have this KuryAkyn adjustable trunk relocator and did some trading with me for it. So....free is good and I like it.

BigLenny

BigLenny

Posted
Posted

Wow, Don! Good lookin bike!

 

I gotta ask ya few questions though:

 

How is the handling of that bike as compared to the 2nd gen RSV? Be honest.

Is the heat from the engine as noticeable as a lot of folks claim?

Have you had any issues with the belt drive system?

What is your overall impression of your dealings with Harley dealers and such as compared to Yamaha?

And, finally; What about the timing of Harley coming out with the water cooled bikes with all of the other cool adds and changes right after you bought your bike. Do you wish you would've waited?

cowpuc

cowpuc

Posted
Posted

THAT'S DOWNRIGHT GORGEOUS DON!!:clap2::thumbsup:

Here is hoping that she brings you many many miles of fun and relaxation!! Thanks for sharing those pics with us!!

WOW thats nice brother!

Puc

Freebird

Freebird

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Of course I will be 100% honest. My answer are inserted below.

 

Wow, Don! Good lookin bike!

 

I gotta ask ya few questions though:

 

How is the handling of that bike as compared to the 2nd gen RSV? Be honest.

 

In my opinion, the handling is much better than the RSV. I never had a problem with the handling of the RSV either but this one is defiantly not as top heavy. It seems to have a lower center of gravity. Feels very solid in the twists but the RSV wasn't bad in that regard either.

 

Is the heat from the engine as noticeable as a lot of folks claim?

 

Yes, the heat can be an issue. It runs much hotter than the RSV. I got stuck in Chicago traffic coming home from the International last year and thought my thighs were going to roast. Since that time, I have removed the catalytic convertor from the head pipe and it runs much cooler now. I think that made close to 20 degrees difference. Haven't got stuck in traffic on a hot day since I did it but I expect it will be MUCH better. Still runs hotter than the RSV though but I've never been real sensitive to the engine heat on bikes. Some have complained loudly about the heat off the RSV engine. It never bothered me at all.

 

Have you had any issues with the belt drive system?

 

No, not at all and don't expect to. I had an '86 Harley FXRD before I bought the RSV in '99. I never had any problem with the belt or drive system on it either. I have no concerns at all about the belt drive.

 

What is your overall impression of your dealings with Harley dealers and such as compared to Yamaha?

 

I suppose they are probably like the dealers of other makes. I bought my bike at Century Harley in Medina and they have been fantastic. From the sales, accessories and what little I have dealt with the service department they have been fantastic. The only service I've had done though was the first service. I did the next one and will do them from now on. While there for the service, I had them install new handlebars with more pullback and they did a great job and were very friendly. I know there are some good dealers and very likely some bad ones as there are with Yamaha. I couldn't stand my local Yamaha dealer and wouldn't even walk into the place unless it was almost an emergency.

 

And, finally; What about the timing of Harley coming out with the water cooled bikes with all of the other cool adds and changes right after you bought your bike. Do you wish you would've waited?

 

I'm not disappointed at all. I would had to wait for a long time. First of all, I would not have wanted to buy the first model year of a bike with such a huge re-design. Also, it is not truly water cooled, not in the sense that most people think. There is no water jacket around the heads and etc. They are only cooling a small area around the exhaust valves. As happens with many first year models, there have been a number of recalls and small issues with the new design. Secondly, from all reports, the new 2015 Road Glide is coming out sometime next month. Word is that it will NOT be water cooled at all. From what I've seen, the only changes will be a slight re-design of the fairing and instrumentation and I think the bags are a little different. From what little I've seen, I'm glad that I bought the 2013 model.

 

Eck

Eck

Posted
Posted

Nice looking ride my friend. Real nice!!!

If I ever decide to sell my wing, I would be looking to buy one just like yours.

However.. I really like my wing and am no where close to selling ...(yet) ...

My best friend has one just like it and he and I have rode many a trouble free mile together..:thumbsup2:

:twing:

cowpuc

cowpuc

Posted
Posted

Hey Don, was there any discussion with your Harley shop about the removal of the converter and affect, if any, on your warranty? If it had no affect on your warranty, did your Harley shop have to do the work to keep the warranty going?

Also, concerning the heat that you guys are talking about,,, Tip and I have test rode several of the new HD models and have had on a number of occasions, experienced the "rear cylinder shut down mode" on them.. I am sure yours is equipped with such, do you find this "mode" to help with the heat issue compared to your Evo?

I follow you on the "never being sensitive to heat on bikes" thought.. My 78 Lowrider LOVED the desert and I loved riding it out there.. Problem now is I havent been a solo rider for years,, like I was back then... How does your wife, as passenger, feel about the difference between the two (RSV/Harley)?

REALLY enjoying this thread! Thanks for posting it up Don!!

Puc

Freebird

Freebird

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Hey Don, was there any discussion with your Harley shop about the removal of the converter and affect, if any, on your warranty? If it had no affect on your warranty, did your Harley shop have to do the work to keep the warranty going?

Also, concerning the heat that you guys are talking about,,, Tip and I have test rode several of the new HD models and have had on a number of occasions, experienced the "rear cylinder shut down mode" on them.. I am sure yours is equipped with such, do you find this "mode" to help with the heat issue compared to your Evo?

I follow you on the "never being sensitive to heat on bikes" thought.. My 78 Lowrider LOVED the desert and I loved riding it out there.. Problem now is I havent been a solo rider for years,, like I was back then... How does your wife, as passenger, feel about the difference between the two (RSV/Harley)?

REALLY enjoying this thread! Thanks for posting it up Don!!

Puc

 

OK...first let me say that in regards to the warranty, I don't give it a lot of thought. Never did with the RSV and didn't with the Harley. If I have a warranty issue and they refuse it because of a mod that I did, they need to be ready to prove that my mod caused it. I will fight them tooth and nail and have done so in the past with Chrysler and even with Yamaha and I won both times. The bottom line though is that though the warranty is important, making the bike my own is more important to me so if I lose a warranty issue because of it, so be it.

 

Now that being said, my Harley dealer actually sells the gutted head pipe. They are the one that told me about it. They cut the head pipe open and remove the catalytic convertor and then weld it back up. You take your old pipe in and they an exchange for $100.00. I removed the original and installed the replacement myself. That is what I did and they assured me that it would not affect my warranty. Now if I run into a major problem on the road and have to visit a different dealer? Who knows.

 

As for the rear cylinder cutoff, yes, mine has it. On older models, you rolled the throttle back at idle to deactivate the rear cylinder. On the newer ones, it does it automatically when are are idling for a specific amount of time. Probably has some type of temp sensor too but I'm not sure. At any rate, I'm sure it helps but when I was stuck in Chicago traffic on that hot day it really didn't seem to matter. I was already VERY hot. There is a sequence of pushing buttons and etc. that allows you to deactivate the rear cylinder cutoff but I have never done it. I have found nothing negative about it shutting down and if I'm not mistaken, it resets to activated again once you turn the bike off and then start it up again. Eileen never complained about the heat at all. When I mentioned it to her she said yes, she noticed it but she didn't say much else about it.

 

As for comparing it to the EVO, heck that was so long ago that I really don't remember. I think that with the catalytic convertor removed, it is probably not much hotter if any.

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