So I was at the dealer yesterday and checked out a 2018 Fatbob 114. While sitting on the bike I looked at the instrument cluster and saw that it was secured by two plain steel button head bolts. The handlebar clamp bolts were also plain steel.
For some reason, this looked very cheap to me. Harley sales are down but bike prices are still high. So why can't Harley spend a buck and put black/chrome/stainless bolts in such a visible location. It just diminishes the look of the bike. Nice paint, cheap fasteners.
You see the same thing on softail fender bolts, mild steel when they could be made much more attractive from the factory.
I get it that the Harley model is to have the buyer customize from their catalog but, in my opinion, on a bike that costs over $20K these bolts should look like they belong.
You ride a late model Twinky I'd say.
Andyour butthurt !
My ‘94 FLSTN (top of the Softail line back then) came with zinc plated fasteners way back then, so this is nothing new. Over the years I’ve replaced most of the non-critical fasteners with stainless steel. I buy them in bulk and polish them myself.
Tearunner I started riding winters in 1956/57 to go to school and work after school.
I ride a 07 FXSTC, 14 XL1200T, 08 Buell Ulysses and a 14 Freewheeler as my winter rides. The 07 still looks like it came off the showroom floor. Not a rust spot anywhere. The spokes, heat shield, fasteners or whatever. I had pictures of all of them in snow situation but lost them on Photobucket with their wanting to be paid now.
I do have one of the Freewheeler.
Didn't you ever learn to clean a bike that you are using?
So now we've gone from, "Harley's don't rust" to "Don't you clean your bike?"
I live nowhere near the ocean, our roads aren't salted, my bike is parked in the garage, and it's cleaned every week.
HD uses crap parts. If it was my neglect, there would be rust all over not just on isolated parts from top to bottom. Seriously, stainless steel band clamps just for the heat shields are around a dollar and change each at AutoZone. Could HD be bothered to use them? Nope.
Give it a rest, they're cutting corners. Stop trying to shift blame.
So I was at the dealer yesterday and checked out a 2018 Fatbob 114. While sitting on the bike I looked at the instrument cluster and saw that it was secured by two plain steel button head bolts. The handlebar clamp bolts were also plain steel.
For some reason, this looked very cheap to me. Harley sales are down but bike prices are still high. So why can't Harley spend a buck and put black/chrome/stainless bolts in such a visible location. It just diminishes the look of the bike. Nice paint, cheap fasteners.
You see the same thing on softail fender bolts, mild steel when they could be made much more attractive from the factory.
I get it that the Harley model is to have the buyer customize from their catalog but, in my opinion, on a bike that costs over $20K these bolts should look like they belong.
I think you should go buy a an Indian. It's such a better made bike, stronger motor, cool looking 1960's Buick fenders and that tan leather with all those shiny button caps..... OMG it gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.
I'm sure you get more for your dollar there and the bike will be around forever since a snowmobile company now owns it. BTW... $20k is chump change. You should be looking at GXR oR something more in your price range
I think you should go buy a an Indian. It's such a better made bike, stronger motor, cool looking 1960's Buick fenders and that tan leather with all those shiny button caps..... OMG it gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.
I'm sure you get more for your dollar there and the bike will be around forever since a snowmobile company now owns it. BTW... $20k is chump change. You should be looking at GXR oR something more in your price range
To each their own. Their fast but I think they're hideous. Also, don't ever lay it down and need a part, the prices are staggering. You could buy a have a stage 4 professionally installed for what they want for a new gas tank, front and rear fender.
Trust me, friend of mine crashed one couple years back. It was close to $5k to replace those parts.
I prefer the non shiny fasteners, actually. While reaper doesn't have any rust on her to speak of, all the chrome bolts (the few that she has on her) that she does have, have rust in where the tool goes to tighten/remove them. I've replaced a number of chrome fasteners with brushed stainless steel, which I much prefer anyway.
10-24-2017 | 07:44 PM
