Road Kings on my 89....Take #2.

[KIC]

I posted this in the Watering Hole and had 65 views with zero responses. Not even 1 sarcastic response from a 2nd Genner. So my fellow 1st Genners...

 

My brother in law just gave me a set of Road Kings that he took off right after buying his bike. They have been in his garage in the box that his upgrades came in. I have read a few threads on the Road Kings being mounted on a 1st Gen, but couldn't find a thread about the specifics needed to do it. For those who have mounted the Road Kings, what should I be prepared for ? Any information on the modified mounts I recall reading about ? I will be home with them in about a week so I am going to try to put them on before I go TDY to the frozen East again.

 

What should I prepare for ?

[Prairiehammer]

Here's a thread about Road King mufflers on a First Gen, including a video with sound by Rosie.

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?76299-Road-King-mufflers-on-my-91&highlight=Road+King

And another thread:

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?48441-first-gen-RK-mufflers&highlight=harley%20muffler%20bracket

[KIC]

Thanks Kevin, that is pretty much what I needed. I didn't want to have to take the bike to the muffler shop to get everything to fit. It looks like just getting two pipes bent and possibly flared is all I need. The brackets I can create.

[KIC]

WOW..this has turned into a Royal Pain in the exhaust. Took the RK's and the original set that was on my 89 to a Midas shop. They couldn't do it. Said they did not have anything small enough to make th epipes and bends. Nothing under 2-inches.

 

They recommended a custom shop down the road. There was a Harley sitting out front. Popped the trunk explained that I only needed a connecting pipe with a 16-degree bend in it to measure the same length as the originals from end to end. He hemmed and hawed and wanted the whole bike saying that he couldn't guarantee that he could make it perfect without the whole bike. . I again explained that I just needed the connecting pipes and I was making a mount so I "wiggle" room. He made a comment about putting Harley pipes on a 'Jap" bike and decided he did not want to mess with it.

 

Drove further down the street to a VW repair shop thinking they must use smaller pipes. He didn't have a clue and did not want to get involved. Guess I will keep looking.

 

I need to measure the inside diameter that goes into the RK and the outside diameter of the end that attaches to existing and just see what I can come up with. I know with the right amount of $$$$ anything is possible but I was hoping that it would be easier.

[BlueSky]

You gonna have to take the bike down I suspect.

[videoarizona]

Bill,

I was reading another post from way back and the suggestion to go to a local small town type muffler shop and they would probably have some spare pipe that's small enough. Some phone calls....

 

david

I'm paying attention here as I have another set of HD pipes I can get for a few bux and would like those on my 1st gen as well. Like them a lot on the 2nd gen...I think it even makes it a tad faster!

[KIC]

So I tried 3 more places today. 2 motorcycle shops and another exhaust shop. Yesterday was 2 places. I finally needed up at 2 different PepBoys and found some pieces so I could try to fabricate my own pipes. Tomorrow I will take them over to a friend’s shop to have the fittings welded together. Then I will still have to find somebody to bend the pipes. Nobody wants to work on anything under 2-inches.

 

I took my extra crossover collector off one of my parts bikes and also have the pipes from my 87 off to try to mock up what I need.

 

Here are the pieces I have so far:

 

Exhaust HD Road King Conversion

 

2 – 1 ¾ ID X 1 ½ OD adapter Pepboys #17533

2- Connector 1 ½ ID Pepboys #17519

1 – 1 ¾ ID 18-inch tailpipe extension

1- Can Krylon High Heat black

1-Package Permatex Orange muffler sealer

 

 

I am just documenting this so somebody else in the future might want to try this adVenture...

[videoarizona]

Is there a community college (or trade school or high school with welding/metal shop class) nearby? Sometimes they take on outside projects to teach the kiddies how to....

[Hummingbird]

I posted this in the Watering Hole and had 65 views with zero responses. Not even 1 sarcastic response from a 2nd Genner. So my fellow 1st Genners...

 

My brother in law just gave me a set of Road Kings that he took off right after buying his bike. They have been in his garage in the box that his upgrades came in. I have read a few threads on the Road Kings being mounted on a 1st Gen, but couldn't find a thread about the specifics needed to do it. For those who have mounted the Road Kings, what should I be prepared for ? Any information on the modified mounts I recall reading about ? I will be home with them in about a week so I am going to try to put them on before I go TDY to the frozen East again.

 

What should I prepare for ?

 

OK - you asked for it BUT I need to say up front that this is the first I've seen this .

 

RK's will bolt right up to a 2nd Gen. Did you hear that ? SECOND GEN Yamaha, for example my 2007 that found a new owner a few years ago.

Again, BOLT right on. no bending, no running for parts, no this nor that BOLT ON !

 

Doncha wish you had bought a 2nd gen so life would be easier ?

 

 

 

 

 

OK - all seriousness aside - the RK's do bolt right on to the 2nd gens, sorry you're having such an ordeal for what should be a simple job.

[KIC]

OK - you asked for it BUT I need to say up front that this is the first I've seen this .

 

RK's will bolt right up to a 2nd Gen. Did you hear that ? SECOND GEN Yamaha, for example my 2007 that found a new owner a few years ago.

Again, BOLT right on. no bending, no running for parts, no this nor that BOLT ON !

 

Doncha wish you had bought a 2nd gen so life would be easier ?

 

OK - all seriousness aside - the RK's do bolt right on to the 2nd gens, sorry you're having such an ordeal for what should be a simple job.

 

But rumor has it that as soon as they bolt on to a 2nd Gen they then become Road Queens...

 

 

SilverT... you shouldn't have deleted your response...it was hilarious and I should have known my statement would elicit that response from somebody.. And as part of an answer to your statement...

 

The two Harley guys were just jerks about putting the RK's on a "Jap" bike. The second Harley place I went to was a Custom Bike shop.. so they built custom Harleys..would've thought they would know where to get some pipes done. All the one guy could do is argue with me that the the exhaust collector/crossover was a catalytic converter. I explained that it wasn't and he was adamant that it was. I was holding the one off of one of my 84 parts bikes and again stated that it wasn't and he said it was and that the one I had had been cut opened and gutted.

 

So to answer your question.... Yep they were.....

[Hummingbird]

But rumor has it that as soon as they bolt on to a 2nd Gen they then become Road Queens...

 

 

Then that would make a 1st gen a Princess - right ?

[dna9656]

I was going to post a wise ass remark like "What are "Road Kings"?" Cigarettes? Tires? Mirrors? Now I know they are some kind of muffler bearing.

[KIC]

I was going to post a wise ass remark like "What are "Road Kings"?" Cigarettes? Tires? Mirrors? Now I know they are some kind of muffler bearing.

 

Road Kings come with the muffler bearings already installed. There is a small oil tank to assist with the HD oil drip system. On the Venture you can fill the oil tank with auto trans fluid and use it when you pass the slower 2nd Gens creating a smoke screen so they can't see how fast the 1st Gen's really are, which usually makes them cry and creating a blurry vision issue while riding...

 

 

[videoarizona]

Road Kings come with the muffler bearings already installed. There is a small oil tank to assist with the HD oil drip system. On the Venture you can fill the oil tank with auto trans fluid and use it when you pass the slower 2nd Gens creating a smoke screen so they can't see how fast the 1st Gen's really are, which usually makes them cry and creating a blurry vision issue while riding...

 

 

Hmmm....

[djh3]

The thread I remember about adapting the RK muffs I thought the fellow bought the pieces at like autozone or advance. Thinking a little more I think maybe he had to fishmouth the 2 adapter together to make the pipes fit.

[KIC]

This is what I have ended up doing. After figuring out that I could not get the pipes "bent" easily ( never did find a shop willing to do them) I then re-evaluated the whole situation and came up with this configuration below. I went to a friend's shop to has just about every type of welder and we put this together. I am lucky that I have my extra exhaust collector to use while mocking up the pieces. So we got it all welded together and I only needed 3 of pieces from PepBoys.

The bummer is that after loading all the other exhaust and stuff back into my car, I left the pieces at the shop.

[syscrusher]

Looks good! Hows about you post us up some measurements and angles, etc?

Or are you going to start selling them?

[KIC]

Looks good! Hows about you post us up some measurements and angles, etc?

Or are you going to start selling them?

 

I will do something once I finish mounting them and have a final knowledge of the actual installation needs. ( Hows that for a disclaimer ? ) My friend said that he could make a JIG that would allow an easier replication of the angle size etc. I have not installed them yet. I have a group ride on Saturday so i will probably try to mount them on Sunday.

 

If anybody is interested I can ask my friend what he would charge to build and weld a set.

[garyS-NJ]

for my 1984 I used a harbor freight pipe bender & bent a piece of fence pipe by eye, just tweeking it up more and more until I got the right angle. then I traced it on cardboard. It slips right into the RK muffs but even expanded (another harbor freight tool) it wouldn't go over the OEM collector gaskets. then I made gaskets from copper pipe (type K) but found I need type L or M (thicker wall). I bailed on the job when I looked at fabbing the mounts (too frigging ugly), and modified my oem muffs. I like the way they sound and perform (posted a thread with pics) but will also bend a few pipes to run straights or some other kind of light free flowing can..

[dna9656]

There are a LOT of Harley snobs out there. I run into them all the time. The last one i had dealings with Charged me $138 for a front tube install and mounting MY tire. and installing it on the bike. The bike in question is a '99 Yammy Road Star, basically a Harley knock- off. He said he used to do just HDs (ok fine; I have dealt with prejudice before) but he "opened it (the business) up to (metric bikes) "jap" bike because (basically he said because he was a nice guy doing us all a favor) the owners couldn't find anyone to do the work...yeah right. How about admitting you're too expensive ($138.00 plus tax for a tube and labor to change and mount a front tire?) and your location stinks, and you are going broke? No I didn't HAVE to pay the $138.00 but at that time I didn't know where to look. Now I can get a tire mounted for$20.00 to 30.00 if I bring in the wheel. Having mostly Ventures that's not a problem for me. I have a HF M/C lift that works just fine; as a matter of fact it has payed for itself with savings realized through doing the work on the stand myself. Those guys charging $90.00 and up to change a tire just drive me to buy my own tire changing tools; half of which I now have. Now my bike riding acquaintances want to use my tools for free. I mean they don't even want to bring a 6 pack over (friends would offer $ or beer) for the use of the tools and my shop so they can save (IMHO) the big bucks on tire mounting. I don't thinka 6 pack of anyone's fav brew is too much to ask....your feelings?

 

 

WOW..this has turned into a Royal Pain in the exhaust. Took the RK's and the original set that was on my 89 to a Midas shop. They couldn't do it. Said they did not have anything small enough to make th epipes and bends. Nothing under 2-inches.

 

They recommended a custom shop down the road. There was a Harley sitting out front. Popped the trunk explained that I only needed a connecting pipe with a 16-degree bend in it to measure the same length as the originals from end to end. He hemmed and hawed and wanted the whole bike saying that he couldn't guarantee that he could make it perfect without the whole bike. . I again explained that I just needed the connecting pipes and I was making a mount so I "wiggle" room. He made a comment about putting Harley pipes on a 'Jap" bike and decided he did not want to mess with it.

 

Drove further down the street to a VW repair shop thinking they must use smaller pipes. He didn't have a clue and did not want to get involved. Guess I will keep looking.

 

I need to measure the inside diameter that goes into the RK and the outside diameter of the end that attaches to existing and just see what I can come up with. I know with the right amount of $$$$ anything is possible but I was hoping that it would be easier.

[syscrusher]

A six pack is pretty cheap. I'd bring you one if I was going to use your tools......

[dna9656]

A six pack is pretty cheap. I'd bring you one if I was going to use your tools......

 

See there; here's a guy that knows how to be a good friend! Like the guy offering the tools and the place to do the work and knows that what goes around comes around; you be nice to others and others will be nice to you

[KIC]

I never take advantage of my friends. The guy who welded my connector pipes is a friend of over 44 years, and was the best man at my wedding ( which was nice since I married the girl he was trying to date) he refused money so I gave it to his son and told him to buy him and his dad lunch. There are times when friends will, and can do things for free, and times when some type of reimbursement is a good token of gratitude.

[jdbaker.vet]

There are a LOT of Harley snobs out there. I run into them all the time. The last one i had dealings with Charged me $138 for a front tube install and mounting MY tire. and installing it on the bike. The bike in question is a '99 Yammy Road Star, basically a Harley knock- off. He said he used to do just HDs (ok fine; I have dealt with prejudice before) but he "opened it (the business) up to (metric bikes) "jap" bike because (basically he said because he was a nice guy doing us all a favor) the owners couldn't find anyone to do the work...yeah right. How about admitting you're too expensive ($138.00 plus tax for a tube and labor to change and mount a front tire?) and your location stinks, and you are going broke? No I didn't HAVE to pay the $138.00 but at that time I didn't know where to look. Now I can get a tire mounted for$20.00 to 30.00 if I bring in the wheel. Having mostly Ventures that's not a problem for me. I have a HF M/C lift that works just fine; as a matter of fact it has payed for itself with savings realized through doing the work on the stand myself. Those guys charging $90.00 and up to change a tire just drive me to buy my own tire changing tools; half of which I now have. Now my bike riding acquaintances want to use my tools for free. I mean they don't even want to bring a 6 pack over (friends would offer $ or beer) for the use of the tools and my shop so they can save (IMHO) the big bucks on tire mounting. I don't thinka 6 pack of anyone's fav brew is too much to ask....your feelings?

 

Brother, I have a mini fridge in the Garage just for these types of situations. My quotes go like this. "You want to use my tools? Hold on let me give you a CQ (Can Quote) or BQ(Bottle Quote)." How ever many bottles or cans the mini fridge might be down that day. That's how many it will cost you to use the geerage... My son when he comes over to use, almost always grills the dinner so pretty much its covered.. lol.