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| This is where the motorcycles sleep. |
We recently replaced the garage door on our house and installed an automatic opener. Because of the ease of use, we have been using the garage as our main point of entry and egress. Unfortunately, that means we are greeted in the morning and evening by both bikes, sitting motionless, in the cold garage. With all this time to stare at the bike, I usually begin to look to accessorize and change out items on the bike that really don't need it.
I believe that I am in the literal 'bells and whistles' phase of the bike perfection process. A bit frightening to be sure, as usually this is followed by the 'let's sell it and start again' phase. Although I have no intention of selling, I do constantly look for ways to spend money like a fool.
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| You can buy literal bells for your bike. Keep those gremlins away! |
I have been browsing the depths of the harley touring accessories on EBay for while now. Among the items I thought about buying were engine guard chaps, saddlebag liners and a 4-point docking system. Do I need any of this? No. But not being able to ride fills me with anticipation which causes the mind to do some strange things.
For the most part I have strayed away or at least closed the webpage before committing any funds to the product but I have bitten some bullets for better or worse. Here are the top useless things I have added to the bike in a desperate attempt the bring it to completion and satisfy my obsession,
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| I didn't buy them...yet. |
I have rated these items in my own way along with some experiences I had.
Axle Nut Caps $15 from China Surprise of the Quality 9/10
Most bikes I have seen have some form of cap on the nuts that hold the front axle in place. There are a huge range of designs but as usual, simple and clean is my preference. After looking at all the options I decided that this part could be cheap. Harley sells some attractive options, but they clock in at anywhere from $30 to $50. I could not justify that much for a cosmetic item.
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| Cleaning up that exposed nut. |
I turned to everyone's favorite bootleg seller, EBay and was quickly flooded with cheap options. I took the chance and ordered a set of black caps from a seller in China (as most are) for $15. After waiting for about 2 weeks to arrive, I was shocked at how good they feel. The steel they use is thick and heavy and the set screws went into place with ease. They added a bit of class to the forks without breaking the bank. 10/10 would buy again.
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| The "Harley" logo, as imagined by a company in Hong Kong. |
French Ring/Light Visor $~70 Makes the headlight look less stupid 10/10
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| Yeah, it stuck out a bit. |
This was actually a long endured struggle. When we first decided to change out the whole light system for LEDs we had assumed that everything would fit and line up in the old places perfectly. For the most part, that was accurate save for the headlight. Although the headlight fit perfectly in the nacelle it was definitely longer. Like, really long. It stuck out beyond the stock beauty ring to the point where it just looked bad.
My uncle realized it and decided to buy a ring with a visor that would cover up this protrusion. The issue was that he bought the wrong size ring in the wrong finish. We attempted, for 2 weeks, to fix this problem and make it work. Alas, our efforts were for naught, we had to stop.
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| Money might not buy happiness, but it does buy good looks. |
The style was correct, we just needed the right type. I hit EBay and found a dealer take-off, gloss black powdercoated ring that would be perfect. I spent the absurd amount of money, performed the easiest installation ever and then admired the beauty. It was worth it, although now the passing lamps look like they could use the hoods as well.
Chrome License Plate screws with Black "Crystal" $10 Fanciness 7/10
Sometimes the most subtle changes have the largest impact on the way a bike looks. From behind, the bike was already looking great, except the license plate.
I didn't mind the plate itself, but rather the hardware. When the bike was delivered, the creepy asshole who sold it to me, decided to remove the old plate. No problem....except he felt it necessary to also take the screws holding the plate. Luckily my uncle came through as always with fresh hardware, but it was one of many small incidents that made me really regret giving that man my money.
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| They blend perfectly with the look. |
The two screws my uncle gave me were brass in color, completely clashing with everything on the back of the bike. I hit EBay hard and found tons of decorative screws. I settled with the chrome and black to add to the look of the bike. All in all I am very happy with the look.
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| Totally real, not at all fake, authentic crystals. |
EKLIPES Charging System $ Free because of Refund. 10/10 Worst Purchase Ever
I'm a bit of a technology nut. Every room in the house must have a screen and I require massive amounts of power outlets. It is my goal to make sure no matter where you are, you will have a screen and a charging port. I brought the same idea to the bike, wanting to make sure I could power my phone and IPod. I found this charger on Amazon, which appeared to do what I needed it to. Foolishly, I added it to cart without checking reviews.
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| Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. |
Installation was somewhat painful, I had to cut and splice wires to fit it through the tank's small opening for wires. Installing the unit was interesting. It felt cheap and not very secure. I figured it would work like normal though, despite the feeling I wasted my money on some cheap piece of crap.
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| Nope. Nope. Please do not buy this. |
As soon as I turned it on there were problems. My speakers were getting major interference. Any cable that I used was not charging properly. The antenna on the IPod would not get a signal or would lose it quickly. I came to realize that the unit itself had no shielding. I then started to read reviews. Most of them discussed how it would melt or destroy whatever they plugged in. For me, it was too late. I quickly realized the charger destroyed my IPod. Luckily it did not get my phone or I would have been terribly angry. Amazon refunded my money, but I ate the IPod cost. Buyer beware. Please do not give this company any money. Spend the $70 on a reputable charger instead. I wish I did.
There's always more!
Rest assured, I will find more things to put on the bike eventually. After the horrible experience with the charger, I think I need a break from accessories. I am still in the hole with the IPod being fried. The solution to the charger dilemma, at least that I found, was to buy a portable power source. I bought a huge power bank from a company called Kmashi that should be able to charge my phone around 5 times with ease. I have been testing it for a week now and will most likely review it when I have a moment.
I also tested out a camera I received with a video game I bought last year. This 'gopro junior' as it seems, can handle some very nice video quality. I made a test video, strapping the camera to the crash bar and using both YouTube and the bundled software. Feel free to check it out. Once this weather clears I intend to do much more.
At this point, I just hope to see a day in the 70's again.
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| The sun glistens off the pipes. The sun is something we have not seen in 2 weeks. |
Poorly made and edited video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIoSymoy1eg
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