my brother and I just bought an 08 sportster and we are complete and total newbies to HD. on the last trip my brother took, the license plate screws came loose and fell off. This leads me to think that the same could happen to the other nuts and bolts that may have more serious function on the bike.

Is this a common issue with HD? specifically the sportsters?

would medium loctite even work?

any insight and advice would be greatly appreciated

 

In my tool box I keep a good supply of both Blue and Red Loctite, I always use the Blue when doing any work on a Harley I have had, and yes there is a small drop of Blue Loctite on my license plate bolts on both my Harleys.
Any other work that I have done that calls for Red Loctite I use it, if you don't have a Harley shop manual for that year bike, buy it.

 

Yup put that **** on everything.

 

welp..guess i'll be busy this weekend. thanks!

 

Be careful with the red stuff. It works better than you think. You need a couple torque wrenches, one for inch /lbs, the other for foot/lbs as well. The service manual has several pages of torque values. Between that, and blue locktite, the nut that holds the handlebars is the only one you might have problems with

 

I don't really go crazy with the locktite...just do an overall check on your bike for loose parts and tighten them. Previous owner probably didn't pay attn. This way (1) you learn the ride and all it's fasteners and (2) you're completing an important safety ritual. I check both bikes at least once a month...just me & my routine.

 

+1 on what Iceman said. Don't go crazy with loctite everywhere. I don't use it for the derby cover screws, in fact I use an anti-seize and have never had a screw come loose...others swear that you have to put on the blue stuff or the screws will work out. Note: this may not be true for the older non-rubber motor mounted scoots. They put out some serious vibrations!

As far a your license plate screws, how about a decent lockwasher or a nyloc nut (the ones with the nylon insert)-that should keep them in place. Best advice is go with the factory manual says.

 

There's not too many parts I'll use loctite on....pretty much only on parts that keep coming loose. Example....my rear passenger mini boards, they have a recessed allen screw to adjust their angle...no matter how tight I did it, would start to wobble loose. So I used loctite blue.

Loctite has a chapstick like tube of the blue stuff which is easy to use...kinda like a waxy putty like stuff which is easier to apply just a little bit.
Otherwise...I agree with what Iceman said above...learn to go over your bike every now 'n then and check everything. It's good to do that, plus you learn your bike more. Part of owning a bike!

 

This post reminded me I need to buy some. My heel/toe shifter came apart about 2 weeks ago on my new street glide. Harleys vibrate, you'll get used to that

 

It's cheap insurance, I put blue on almost anything I remove and have to put back on. The blue makes it totally removable down the road just have a good wire wheel on your bench grinder to clean it off when you have to pull the same bolt to get it ready to put back in.