If you decide to go bigger bore, have your machining done by a shop that is familiar with Harleys. If you just hone the cylinders yourself, be sure to allow about .0005″ more clearance in the rear cylinder.  The rear cylinder gets hotter than the front because it is hidden by and gets heat from the front cylinder. Make sure ring gap is adequate. With Keith Black pistons and rings if the top rings get too tight when hot, they will take the top of the piston off. Not good. 

When replacing the crankshaft pin. I recommend you have a shop familiar with harleys do the assembly to be sure the parts are lined up perfectly. Have the crankshaft, pitons and rings balanced.

 When choosing a cam,choose a mid range cam that perform well through the rpm ranges. When adjusting push rods do not set them to tight. Re-adjust after the engine has run for a few minutes and is warm. I also added a Dyna electronic ignition. So simple. You remove the crankshaft inspection plug. Set the piston timing marks to top dead center. Replace the plug. Remove the points and plate. Install the new ignition. Turn the plate until the small light on the plate comes on. Select how you want the ignition to respond using the instructions and toggle switches provided on the plate. Done. Play with the toggle switches to find the setting best suited to your engine.

When assembling the engine take your time, be super clean and super careful. Again take your time this should be a labor of love. Choose premium oil for your engine. I only use synthetic oils 5/50. When your finished and fire up the engine you should be satisfied and proud.

If you have the picture of the people you can fill in the real dialogue for this little story.

If you have the picture, this is the story. One morning Joe comes to work about one hour late. By the way, I was living  with Joe and his wife at the time and we left the house at the same time. Joe comes into the shop, walks up to me and asks, can we talk?  Sure let’s talk. We go outside away from everyone else and it begins. Joe asks me. What do you think of me? I’m confused. My response is What? Joe asks again what do you think of me? Still confused. My response is the same. What? Joe asks. What do think of me as a man. I looked at him puzzled and said I’m guessing must be your time of the month and what the hell do you mean? What do I think of you as a man? I’m quietly thinking a lot less than I did ten minutes ago.

Then the wining starts. Joe says I don’t think it’s fair. I’m thinking my god, what is going on? I bite. What’s not fair? Joe says I’ve been doing the same job for three days, while Bill has had the easier job. This is two guys working together one assembling, while the other welds. I looked Joe straight in the eyes and asked him. Are you for real? What would you do if it was you and me working together? Joe’s reply. Ask you to trade. Then ask Bill.

Joe tells me he can’t. He’s intimidated by Bill. He and Bill have been friends since they were little and Bill always got his way. So now you want me to be your mother? Joe says Ya could you ask him to trade with me? Shaking my head in disbelief. Let’s go. We walk in the shop together. Go to the area where Bill is working. I asked Bill trade with Joe. No problem was the reply but with a weird expression. Oh and switch jobs with  each other every four hours. OK? They both agreed and went to work. However, I don’t think they spoke to each other the rest of that day.

Until that day I thought bikers were rough, tough, true men without a lot of boyish feelings. Goes to show men are just little boys caught in big boy bodies with really expensive toys.

One beautiful Sunday in April a couple years back.  I decided it was a great day to get the bike out of moth balls and go for my first ride of the season. The girl friend and I get ready, dressed fairly warm. Off we go. As we leave Kamloops the weather starts to change. Clouds rolling in and getting dark and cold. One half hour out of Kamloops it starts to rain. Now I’m thinking. Do we turn back or keep going? I’m not sure if I have enough gas to make it back to Kamloops. Decision made. On to Falkland. By the time we get to Falkland it’s starting to snow.

Now freezing. We get gas and head for the Falkland Pub. We walk through the doors. The waitress is already putting coffee on the table. Guess she heard us pull up in front. My bike is also really loud. There’s a few people in the pub. All looking at us like we were out of our minds. Everyone in the place and I mean everyone. Said hello and the conversations started. Where you from? Typical conversations about the weather. Spent about two hours trying to warm up.

While we were there people offered us some where to stay, use if a truck and trailer to get back to Kamloops and tons of free coffee. When we decided the weather had cleared enough to make the trip back home. People offered me a heavy sweat shirt and my girl friend a snow suit. We declined all the offers, bundled up and started towards home.

The trip home was wild. The road between Kamloops and Falkland twists around  between the mountains. Almost around every bend the weather changed. We hit rain, hail, snow and once out of the mountains sun again. I have never been shown hospitality like that day. In a tiny town biker pub called the Falkland Pub. Great food. Great People. Bikers just never seem to stop amazing me.

So if your every riding or driving by be sure to stop. You might be as impressed as we were. Do have a bar in your area that is a must stop?

Harley Davidson has gone to great lengths in their newer designs trying to accomplish the right mix. Touring bikes with power. The other models with comfort. If you buy new you will still want to make changes. Louder, faster, more chrome, custom paint on and on. Be prepared.

Why Harley? Just ride one! There just something about a V twin. The sound, the feeling of power and the biggest for me freedom. Would you rather say my Harley or my Yamaha? Do you say my truck or my mini-van? There’s your answer. It’s all about pride and who you are. Owning a Harley is a statement in itself. Owning the right Harley is an adventure.

Some questions to consider before you buy. Price range and how much are you prepared to spend to make the bike you purchase “ Your Bike”? Intended use? Are you married or single?  What type of bikes do your friends have? Is the bike right for you?  Right height, width, look? Is it comfortable? 

If you are buying used a long test ride is probably out of the question. Most Harleys are the owners pride and joy. You scratch it you buy it. Ask for all receipts for parts and repairs, history, true mileage and previous owner. Take some time to check it out. Don’t panic to buy the first bike you look at. You may love them all.

With my second Harley a custom Dyna almost everything that could be ended up chrome. A shovel head at the time. Engine  ended up at 84 ci. with Keith Black pitons and rings. New charging system. Programmable electronic ignition. Looked great and ran very strong.

Not one part purchased from a Harley Davidson dealer. No one could tell. Using a custom parts dealer probably save me about $3000.00. There are lots of custom dealers and builders which can be found on the net.