Always wanted a Sport Glide. Always meant to buy one. But when I test rode one against the 117 LRS I couldn't get past the 117 engine and the blacked-out looks. But there's no getting away from it, it's not the most comfortable bike, whereas for me the SG was a lithe and nimble armchair. Every time I ride my LRS and my shoulders ache or my back starts playing up I start thinking about the SG again. But I don't think I can give up the 117 for a 107, particularly with the breather, pipe and cam I'm planning.

So... (and I'll probably get shot down as a heretic) I'm thinking about Sport-Glide-izing my LRS. Not least to replicate the truly pretty looks of the SG when it has its fairing and bags removed (they're quite-release for a reason - it looks great with them on but there's a real and often unsung beauty hiding underneath).
I know the SG seat is a straight swap. With a bit of custom fabrication and some canny cable routing I believe I can mount the gloss plain shell headlight onto the LRS. may even strip the clamps and have them polished or glossed black with polished highlights like the SG.
The heavy breather I'm going to replace with an Extreme Ventilator anyway as it's freer flowing. That will allow unencumbered forward controls which will be billet adjustable Wunderkind:
https://www.bikermart.co.uk/Harley-D...l-Footrest-Kit

Not sure the fairing can be fitted without changing the triple clamps and forks. But I'm not fussed about that. I like the SG fairing but I like the naked SG even more and it's that look I'm after. And I want to keep the LRS twin front discs and fit Ohlins cartridges with an Ohlins rear shock. Would like to change the LRS wheels too for something sexier (and black with maybe some milled highlights. Don't like the bronze things).

Fit the rear fender lugs and bracket from the ST and the ST bags will fit straight on. Add the Jackpot Riot pipe (ceramic blacked except for end cone) which I would have fitted if I'd bought a SG, and Cyclerama cam I'm planning for the LRS anyway and bingo: the high performance blacked-out Sport Glide I've always wanted.

Leaving aside the cost (I like customising for its own sake and accept it costs money), is it doable or am I mad?
Thoughts please.

 

Sounds like a plan! 👍

 

it's a great idea, I am sure you can do something interesting and I would like to see it...
everything is doable on a Harley, if you believe in it, do it...
the MoCo should have made 114 Sport glide, it's a good bike for long rides, I had one for three month in 2022 and about 6000 miles and found it very nice to ride, very nimble and comfy but the global style was not my taste, too modern perhaps, I don't know why but I trade it for the Heritage...

 

If I can get on to it over the winter I'll post progress in the projects section.

 

If they had, I'd almost certainly have bought one over the LRS. If it was a blacked out one, definitely so.
I kind of agree about the style. Maybe they thought it wouldn't appeal to the domestic market enough to justify it. But the fact the bags and fairing are so easily removed gives you two bikes in one. For day to day riding, I'd take them off and keep them for longer trips. In 40 seconds and four clips it can go from competent and practical light tourer to a drop-dead lovely street bike. It always surprises me that journos and Youtube reviewers don't make more of the SG's looks in naked form. It really is a stunner, even with the stock pipe which most people change anyway.

 

if you mount the bags of the Sport Glide (it would be great because they look fine), it would be preferable in my opinion to mount them like they are on the Sport Glide not like they are on the LRST in a higher position, thats one of the things I dislike on the LRST, with a two into one it will be nice....
for the fairing, I think the fork is the same and you could clamp it easely, just to mount a bigger head light as you said above...
I like the idea to make a different preparation on this bike, as most of the times they are modified in a club style way, I don't like the "club style" especially the very high risers (above 8") with the moto cross handlebars, it looks weird for me, they don't seem to be part of the bike so high up...
I'd also like to modify my LRS in a different way, not like you, but in a more road-going way, as I don't like the sporty driving and aggressive style it's often given...

 

Sounds like what you really want is a Sport Glide with a Stage 4 kit.

 

If you didn't already have the LRS I would say just get the Sport Glide with a Stage 4 as well. Lol
But more than half the fun of owning these bikes is making them your own. Your plan sounds totally doable. But since you asked for "thoughts" here are mine.
1. Very cool build planned!
2. The fairing should be doable as well. With the LRS you get the dual rotors and steeper rake so better handling than the Sport Glide
3. For the rims I too hated the bronze and had mine powder coated gloss black for $600. Best money spent. They look great and for me better fit with bikes colors.
4. Saddle bags. If you are planning a 2 into 1 pipe then definitely get the SG bags. I kept my LRST 2 into 2 and like the higher bags, but I don't think they look as good when going 2 into 1.

Should be a very fun build and very cool when done. You could get some graphics for the rear bags something like " FLSB-117 Custom". Lol

Blatant post of LRST rims powder coated black. I did the pull too as I saw one done and it looks great.

 

That's exactly what I do - I think its an unappreciated bike, to be honest, however, it does get a lot of compliments from other riders who don't know what it is.



Could it use a little more power??? Maybe... I'm pretty happy with the 107 although I am toying with throwing in a cam and tune, but that's just because I can, its not "needed" IMO.

Good Luck with your project, gonna be watching this one.

 

Kind of. I did think about that before I bought the LRS. Took two test rides to make my mind up. But with the 117 I was well ahead of the game to start with. I thought a stage 2 on the 117 would be equal or better or a stage 4 on the 107 for a lot less money and if I went a stage 4 on the 117, which is always an option, it would be streets ahead. I may be wrong in that but I knew from riding them that the 117 would still please straight out of the crate.
Then there's the matter of wanting a blacked out bike. I'm not a fan of chrome - although the SG does strike a nice balance without overdoing it. Swapping out the SG's brightware for black would involve a lot of expense in duplicate parts. And as Cali Fat Bob says, the LRS comes with twin rotors and (so seat-of-the-pants analysis tells me) stiffer suspension. It's a more performance orientated chassis.

And, I liked the LRS as it was when I bought it. Still do. But it's the SG ergos I want to replicate and the clean modern-retro looks of it with its clothes off. I just felt I'd get more satisfaction and bang for my buck putting the style and ergos of the SG into the LRS than trying to put the performance of the LRS into the SG.