is it time to trade or stick more money in her
#41
08-14-2010 | 09:32 PM
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,990
Likes: 8
From: Marina del Rey
worth keeping
Sounds like a smart move, keeping a bike you like.
My previous Harley was a black '89 FXRS-SP which I bought new. I really loved that bike. It even had dual-disk front brakes, stock! It was also an 80" EVO, like yours. I would have that bike today, except for wrecking it. So I can see why you'd want to keep it. The maintenance is simple enough to save money doing it yourself. And you know where this bike's been.
When I was faced w/ having to buy a new bike, I chose the latest I could afford
, an '09, 'cause I wanted to get the 96-inch engine & 6-speed (+ all the rest of the improvements). And, w/ a few additions (Q/R w/s & bags...) my "new" Super Glide is very close to a direct replacement for my old Low Rider Sport Convertible.
I had a hugely-powerful engine built for it, eventually, and was thrilled well enough by the result, though I just threw money away. But let me assure you that I just wouldn't do it again that way, today. Of utmost importance to me w/ my new bike is reliability. And I also like the fuel economy of my stock bike. I would really think twice about hot-rodding the engine. Stock, it could easily last you another 30,000 miles or much more.
My previous Harley was a black '89 FXRS-SP which I bought new. I really loved that bike. It even had dual-disk front brakes, stock! It was also an 80" EVO, like yours. I would have that bike today, except for wrecking it. So I can see why you'd want to keep it. The maintenance is simple enough to save money doing it yourself. And you know where this bike's been.
When I was faced w/ having to buy a new bike, I chose the latest I could afford
, an '09, 'cause I wanted to get the 96-inch engine & 6-speed (+ all the rest of the improvements). And, w/ a few additions (Q/R w/s & bags...) my "new" Super Glide is very close to a direct replacement for my old Low Rider Sport Convertible. I had a hugely-powerful engine built for it, eventually, and was thrilled well enough by the result, though I just threw money away. But let me assure you that I just wouldn't do it again that way, today. Of utmost importance to me w/ my new bike is reliability. And I also like the fuel economy of my stock bike. I would really think twice about hot-rodding the engine. Stock, it could easily last you another 30,000 miles or much more.
#43
08-14-2010 | 10:39 PM
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 4
From: North Atlanta Area, GA
AGREED! Besides, I LIKE being the only Evo in a parking lot. Most twinkie riders don't even notice that Bertha IS an Evo because she looks so much like a newer bike anyway - with all the chrome, 2007 Tour Pak, Mustang seat, and all... and if they do bother to take a close look, it's normally something like "What IS that bike?" That always makes me chuckle! Silly twinkie riders!
#45
08-14-2010 | 10:55 PM
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 4
From: North Atlanta Area, GA
#46
08-15-2010 | 12:14 AM
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 535
Likes: 14
From: Highspire Pa
pajoe and the rest of the guys talked me into keeping this bike. I mean whats wrong with having the only evo in the parking lot. I think investing a few buck in the bike is the best thing for me to do. The few things that are issues can be delt with and I do love the way this bike sounds. now to find a good radio that will work in this thing. Thanks, Paul D.
We have been using a Biketronics retro-radio kit with a Sony radio for several years. I keep a cheap plastic cover that fits over it when it rains. My setup is a few years old, back then you had to solder the wires but these days I think they have the plugs already attached. Sony sold an iPod controller for the older Sony radios and I have that under the seat and one cable going into the tourpak where I keep the iPod.I think my next radio will have an usb port and i will eliminate the iPod - 4-5 years ago the iPod was my favorite but times change. The Infinity Kappa series 4" speakers are designed to give more output from low powered head units, but cost a little more than regular speakers. Our system works pretty good.
http://www.biketronics.com/categorie...-Install-Kits/
picture of the marine cover: http://bayimg.com/CAjiOaabC
#47
08-15-2010 | 12:26 AM
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 535
Likes: 14
From: Highspire Pa
I rigged up a custom sound system on Bertha. I can plug in my little Pioneer Inno XM satellite radio or my iPhone with thousands of tunes on it, and have great sound through 2 Polk 4" front speakers and two Kenwood 6 1/2" two-way speakers in the rear pods, powered by two separate amps - one under each side cover with 300W in for the front and 500W for the rear, on separate power switches. I may even put a damn subwoofer in the Tour Pak!
What amps are you using that work well and fit behind the side covers?
#49
08-15-2010 | 11:03 AM
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 4
From: North Atlanta Area, GA
They are small ones that I bought on eBay for like $30 each. They are about 4 1/2" x 3" x 1 1/2". They have small screw holes on each end. They are not waterproof but being inside the side covers keeps them dry. I wired them to the ACC circuit. They are readily available on eBay - search for "motorcycle amp" and you'll see lots of listings. They are not super high quality, but the system sounds pretty good! They have a low and hi pass filter switch, and a bass boost switch that makes the music sound better.
I rigged up the cables under the seat and under the tank up to the bars, where I have a RAM mount to hold the iPhone or Inno. I usually just use the iPhone nowadays. I got a splitter cable at Radio Shack to join the front and rear audio cables, and a little 90 degree stereo plug to plug into the top of the iPhone.
I rigged up the cables under the seat and under the tank up to the bars, where I have a RAM mount to hold the iPhone or Inno. I usually just use the iPhone nowadays. I got a splitter cable at Radio Shack to join the front and rear audio cables, and a little 90 degree stereo plug to plug into the top of the iPhone.
#50
08-15-2010 | 01:57 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,576
Likes: 4,749
From: Black Hills
Thanks guy for all of your input. I think I need to get a better service manual for the bike. The one thse dealer sold mre is not the best one, it cover a couple of diffirent bike and is not easy to follow. So what mods are reasonable to do to the 80" to increase output? I would still like to keep my gas mileage around the same. Thanks, Paul D.