Harley Davidson Forty-Eight Build

[nickyreno]

Posting this on T3G because this is the only forum I like and I figured there might be a handful of folks on here who would appreciate it.

First: I don’t give a shit about ride quality, heated grips, or triple-digit horsepower.
Second: Forgive me for my lack of knowledge. This my first motorcycle, and I have zero friends who ride.
Third: If it comes up, spare me the safety speech. I’m not worried about your safety and you shouldn’t be worried about mine.

So, I’ve always wanted a motorcycle and at the end of October I bought this brand new Sportster Forty-Eight. I did not tell my wife until I asked her to drop me off at the dealership so I could take delivery. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission. I don’t have a motorcycle license. Literally the first time I had ever ridden a motorcycle or anything that required I clutch with my hand was when I rode this thing away from the dealership after taking delivery. I was dialed in after 2 laps around the parking lot. I’ll get a license when it’s convenient.

‘21 HD Forty-Eight

Hard Candy Gold gas tank. 2.1 gallons and always empty.	Black oil dipstick and dipstick trim. Harder to find and more expensive than they should be.
Black inspection and derby covers. Black parts matter.	Limitless solo springer seat. Cushy for my tushy.
ODI Vans Cult grips. Match my shoes. Next level shit.	Kinetic 2.5” Tank lift. As if my fuel capacity wasn’t bad enough already.
Kinetic I.C.S. Relocation. For the Gram.	Kinetic Heavy knurl shifter and foot pegs. Who gives a hoot.
T.C. Bros Slant Z handlebars because I think I’m Jax Teller.	Thrashin Supply top clamp. Cute.
Eagle Lights slim front indicators. Illegal in the state of NV.	Combustion Industries license plate mount. Illegal in the state of NV.
Front and rear reflector delete. Illegal in the state of NV.	Limitless rear running/brake/turn lights. Illegal in the state of NV.
Front fender delete. Put out on the rear. Illegal in the state of NV.	Custom oil separator. Illegal in the state of NV.
Flywheel cover delete. For no reason at all.	Rear and chop. Expensive new bike, meet old cheap cutoff wheel.
Wire tuck. Like a tummy tuck but completely different.	Kinetic Twist exhaust. Illegal in the state of NV.
Kinetic transparent intake. Stage 1 complete. That was easy.	Kinetic 8mm ignition wires. Red like my tampon.
MOONSMC Moonmaker Fly Eye Headlight. 9,800 lumens so I can wear my sunglasses at night.	Hardcore Parts rigid struts because fuck my kidneys.

In the works:

40 spoke wheels.	180 rear tire.
Chain conversion.	Hammer 1275 kit.

 

[nickyreno]

After I brought it home my wife warmed up to it almost immediately. Even jumped on it 8 months preggo.



Next day I removed the front and rear reflectors and took it on a trip up to Virginia City.



I parked it 3 weeks ago with about 250 miles on it to start choppin’.

 

[nickyreno]

They scratched my tank during delivery so they ordered me a new one. I talked them into giving me the new one so I could install it myself. I’ve hated the tank graphic since day one so I flipped both the scratched one and the new one on eBay and bought the tank I wanted. Made about $400 bucks on the deal.

After I stripped everything off, I installed my primary mounted license plate. 21B was my MOS in the Army. Next I put on my new handlebars and grips. Then I chopped the rear fender supports off.

 

[nickyreno]

New intake and shifter/foot pegs from Kinetic, plus rigid struts in the rear.

 

[nickyreno]

New pipes and solo seat. Modified my front fender onto the rear. Also installed new tail lights attached onto the upper strut mount.

 

[nickyreno]

Wire tuck complete. Wrapped with E-Z fuse silicon tape. New tank installed (partially while I way for the Tank lift to arrive). Then went straight Goldmember and blinged out my helmet to match the new tank.

 

[nickyreno]

Wasn’t feeling the Led Sled exhaust I had installed. Just not happy with the craftsmanship. The pipes also didn’t look big enough, so I bought a used Kinetic exhaust on eBay. Also installed front turn signals under the handlebars and a new MOONSMC headlight.



Still waiting on my ignition, coil and speedometer relocation bracket, as well as the tank lift supports. Also waiting on my Derby cover from Lords. Then I’ll finally be able to fire it up and hear those pipes. I fully expect them to be too loud so I’m already researching baffles. Will be tough to do though since I’ve only got about 4.5 inches of room to baffle in each pipe.

 

[B-Man]

Enjoy the ride! I have a 2014 StreetGlide Special and love it!

 

[TCOTUE]

Awesome! I have a few friends who are into bikes. I've always wanted one. My wife and I don't see eye to eye on this one. I think I'd enjoy a Grom. I'm not a tall guy and my dad is shorter than me, he just looked weird on a Harley

Excited to watch this build.

 

[Bird dog]

You are in a great area for riding. I have a 2012 Street Glide and like you, I had to make it my own before it was even broken in. Have been told that isn’t normal behavior. I say who the fuck wants to be normal. Good on you Brother.

 

[nickyreno]

Awesome! I have a few friends who are into bikes. I've always wanted one. My wife and I don't see eye to eye on this one. I think I'd enjoy a Grom. I'm not a tall guy and my dad is shorter than me, he just looked weird on a Harley

Excited to watch this build.

My wife and I did not see eye to eye on this either. Married 10 years now and I finally said fuck it.

I’m not that tall either, 5’9” but I can flat foot any cruiser and most tourings.

 

[nickyreno]

You are in a great area for riding. I have a 2012 Street Glide and like you, I had to make it my own before it was even broken in. Have been told that isn’t normal behavior. I say who the fuck wants to be normal. Good on you Brother.

I can’t wait to see the look on the faces of the techs when I drop it off for my 500 mile service. I expect them to be similar to the salespersons face when I asked him to show me how to start the bike and then I hopped on and rode off all easy peasy.

 

[TCOTUE]

I’m not that tall either, 5’9” but I can flat foot any cruiser and most tourings.

I should of clarified. I'm 5'5", my dad is 5'3" so you are way taller than me

 

[nickyreno]

I should of clarified. I'm 5'5", my dad is 5'3" so you are way taller than me

My wife is 5’3” and she flat footed my 48 with an 8.5 lb baby in her belly!

 

[nickyreno]

So the aftermarket intake I installed from Kinetic is designed just like the OEM air cleaner and routes blow-by back into the system through the throttle body. So I threw some shit laying around in my garage cabinets together and reinstalled the OEM breather bolts to make a DIY oil catch can (without the catch or the can). I think it looks wicked cool and almost factory. Probably would have cost me less than $10.

 

[nickyreno]

Kinetic ignition, coil & speedo relocated to left side of the engine. Phase 1 of the build is officially complete. Have it sitting on the battery tender and will fire it up in the morning to hear those pipes sing.

 

[B-Man]

Lookin' good!