Today's example of over-engineering-Harley-Davidson Sportster edition

Look at that wiring harness!  I've removed the tank from my Sportster to finish the rattle can paint job.  The picture is along the backbone of the bike.  While I have relocated the coil, so some wiring is re-routed back instead of forward to the original coil mount under the tank, look at that monstrous amount of wiring for what is a pretty basic bike!  No Gucci electronics like cruise, radio, accessory power-just the basics according to DoT, CARB, and H-D.  But that is 2 wiring looms both of which are about 1 inch in diameter.  How much is needed for ignition, turn signals and a brake light?  Really.

Everything "beneath" the rail (in the picture) is all wiring.  I'm going to see if I can tuck more of it up out of sight, but previous attempts failed and I don't want to mess with the frame and route it internally.  If I was better at wiring and what electricity is required where, I would take everything off, buy an older wiring harness and start over, but that is beyond my ability to manage trons and the magic blue smoke.  Guess I'm living with this excessive wiring eyesore.  Yuck.

Will finish sanding the tank tonight and shoot paint sometime over the next few days.  I'm awaiting chrome cash certificates for the fork seals, so I probably will get the tank back on and keep running the bike using the "bandana on the forks" trick to keep from wearing too much more fork oil.  Good thing it smells pretty much like veggie oil!

Tool Review: Harbor Freight Lift Table

I'm still working on the rattle can paint job and will post an update in the next few days on that project.  But to keep from going too long without a post, here's my update on the Harbor Freight Lift Table I have owned for about three years.  Like many Harbor Freight products, by watching their website, flyers and ads I was able to get a pretty good deal on it-I think about 50% of it's normal list price.  While a solid piece of equipment, the normal list price seems high compared to other table lifts that are a few hundred dollars (or more) expensive but also higher quality.  That said, at the current web price of $429.99 (as of 9/24) I think it's a satisfactory lift and if you can get it even cheaper, there is more money for improvements or other tools.

There is the picture of the lift (from the Harbor Freight website-my lift looks the same, well with some stickers, fluids, dirt, a bit of damage but more on that as we go!).  Don't be freaked out by the ramp hanging off the back-it comes off easily, and most times when I raise mine I take it off.  It's fairly sturdy, as is the table itself.  I have put both a Kawasaki Concours and a Concours parts bike on the lift without any concerns.  I haven't gotten to the 1000 pound advertised capability, but the Connie is about 2/3s that weight.

Goods:

Price for the home mechanic
Assembly is straightforward and mainly the installation of the chock parts and the wheels to the frame
Durable construction-Again, for the home mechanic, most components will outlast me
Two heights for locking bar to be passed through legs and lock lift in-both get the bike up at decent heights to work on seated or standing

Bads:
Front chock isn't very secure.   Either tie down the bike EVERY TIME or replace the chock (more later)
Mounting hardware for wheels and chock low quality-I snapped one bolt during installation without much torque whatsoever
Cylinder leaks, but could be from not using lift for almost 2 years while remodeling house/garage
While lock bar is substantial, two heights are sometimes too limiting

I have used this lift for various projects and also use it as an adjustable height workbench at times.  Over-all I am pleased with it with the major warning that the front wheel chock should be replaced.  One of the local independent shops uses this lift as their back-up lift (with a power lift being their go-to lift) and have mounted a wheel chock that almost doubles the value of the lift table.  Another option I am considering is mounting a Cycle Gear Trackside Wheel chock in place of the chock on the lift.

With that caveat, I'd recommend this to someone looking to get a lift table for periodic use, especially on lighter bikes.

2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Heritage Classic for sale-$10,000 (San Diego County CA)

OK folks, another bike for sale by a friend of mine: (his write-up, although I can personally vouch for 90% of this, only exceptions are work he did before we started riding together)
Harley Davidson Softail Heritage Classic, 57,500 miles
Red-Black Original Harley Paint Scheme,
88 CI engine (balanced),

Custom (Red) Screaming-Eagle Spark Plug Wires
Thunderheader 2 into 1 header pipes, flat black (the best sounding pipes out there, in my humble opinion!)
MoFlo High-Flow Air Cleaner
Replacement Saddlebags (the right ones for this year and model), Leather, Studded
Always run Mobil 1 V-Twin Synthetic oil
PowerCommander with custom map (Tweaked the map to get rid of decel backfiring which is common with the Thunderheader muffler)
Custom Corbin seat (buddy type, 2-passenger, one piece)
Sissy Bar by Harley (permanent fixed mount)
18 inch 80-spoke rear wheel (Michelin Tire) with about 2,000 miles, 1/3 worn
Standard 16-inch 40 spoke front wheel (Dunlop H-D Tire)
Kevlar compound brake pads, over 50% front and rear; both discs completely serviceable, no grooves
Cigar Lighter Fixture run to handlebars
"Mini-Apes", below the shoulder, kicked back about 5 inches.

This bike runs perfectly, paint is 8/10 and I am willing to get a professional painter to touch it up if you wish.
Removable H-D Windshield, 7/10 condition; battery 4 months old and is a Cycle Gear lifetime warranty.

This bike is a real runner, starts every time and no issues at all with any of the running gear. It is better than average for this year bike, lots of chrome on this model, and although it has miles, it has been meticulously maintained and I have 95% of the maintenance records with miles. Oil changed every 4,000 miles with Mobil 1 V-Twin Synthetic, filter changed every time with H-D Chrome filter, Spark Plugs new, All wiring 100%, all bulbs work, all controls work 100%. Just changed trans and primary oil with H-D standard Trans Oil. No fork leaks; I will change the fork oil before I sell it (it's due.) Shop Manual by Clymer and H-D Parts manual