How to Replace a Harley Throttle Cable

Harleys with carbureted engines utilize a dual push-pull system for their throttles.

Harley-Davidson motorcycles with carbureted engines utilize a dual push-pull system for their throttles. One throttle cable pulls the throttle cable bracket to provide acceleration, while the other cable helps to push the bracket back into place. Harley recommends replacing both of these cables should one of them become broken or excessively worn. The length of time to complete this replacement should be between 45 minutes and an hour, depending on your skill level.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Cross-tip screwdriver
• New throttle cables
• SAE wrench set

1. Removing the Cable

   • 1

     Remove the two screws securing the handle bar housing with a cross-tip screwdriver. Separate the housing components.

   • 2

     Disconnect the two throttle cable ferrules from the throttle grip. Pull the cables out of the housing.

   • 3

     Pull both throttle cables out of the throttle bracket on the carburetor. Withdraw the cables from the engine area, observing their correct installation position as you do so.

   Installing the Cable

   • 1

     Insert two new throttle cables into correct position through the engine area.

   • 2

     Connect the two cables to the throttle cable bracket on the carburetor. On the opposite ends, insert both cables through the handlebar housing. Insert the metallic ferrules into the ends of the cables and connect them to the throttle.

   • 3

     Reconnect the housing components together and secure with their screws.

   • 4

     Adjust the throttle cable adjuster nut with a wrench with the throttle wide open, making sure the throttle cam touches the cam stop. Release the throttle.

   • 5

     Adjust the idle cable adjuster nut with a wrench, making sure the cable housing touches the spring located on the throttle cable bracket of the carburetor.

Why Do You Break in a New Harley Davidson?

Breaking in a Harley's engine properly has long-term benefits.

Breaking in your new Harley Davidson motorcycle is an important step that ultimately affects your bike's performance in the long run. There are several ways to do it, depending on whom you ask.

1. Ring Seating

   • One of the biggest reasons for breaking in a new Harley engine is ring seating. The rings on the pistons need to achieve compatibility with the cylinder wall, and breaking in your engine will help do so.

   Horsepower

   • If the rings aren't properly set, your engine won't achieve its maximum horsepower, as blow by will regularly occur. Blow by is the escaping of gases into the engine's crankcase, which will in turn cause it to burn oil.

   Head Gaskets

   • The first start up of the engine is important for the care of the head gaskets. The motor needs to run for about a minute at 1,200 rpm with no extra stress applied at first.

How to Charge the Motorcycle Battery for an Electrical Harley

The batteries on an electric Harley Davidson motorcycle need to be fully charged before each ride. Both batteries are located under the seat in the same compartment. One battery powers the engine and the other battery powers all other components on the bike. You can buy the battery charger at any Harley dealership. The charging process will take about 24 hours for the engine's battery and three hours for the other battery.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Ratchet set
• Harley battery charger

1. • 1

     Park the electric Harley on a clean flat surface. Allow the engine to completely cool before proceeding.

   • 2

     Remove the bolts that secure the seat to the frame using the ratchet set. The bolt placement will be different between models but they will be along the edge of the seat in clear view.

   • 3

     Pull the seat off the frame and pull the plastic cover from the top of the battery. Plug the battery charger into an output and turn the power on.

   • 4

     Connect the red clamp to the red connector on the battery. Connect the black clamp to the black connector.

   • 5

     Turn the knob on the charger to the charge position. Allow the battey to charge over night.

How to Measure Harley Shocks

The shock absorbers are the metal piston and spring mechanism on the back of this bike.

The simplest job you can do on a Harley is measure the shock absorbers. Depending on the year and model of your motorcycle, replacement shock absorbers can be found in lengths from about 11 inches to about 14 inches. Commonly, aftermarket shocks are sold in pairs that are described either as stock or as some measurement, up to 1 1/2 inches, "under" standard length. Standard length of the shocks on most recent Sportsters, for example, is 13.5 inches. So a 12.5-inch-long Sportster shock absorber would be sold as a "one under." Aftermarket manufacturers do not always agree with Harley-Davidson on how shocks should be measured; this is how Harley says to do it.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Steel ruler at least 18 inches long

1. • 1
     Shock absorbers connect the frame to the swingarm.

     Unload the motorcycle. Unload the saddlebags.

   • 2

     Bounce the rear of the motorcycle up and down several times. Ensure the suspension is free and not binding.

   • 3

     Measure the distance from the center of the upper shock bolt to the center of the lower shock bolt with a steel ruler.

How to Service 1991 Harley Front Forks

The forks are the long tubes on the front of this V-Rod.

In 1991, Harley-Davidson shipped motorcycles with two radically different styles of forks. Springer Softail models shipped with "springer" forks, or what old-timers call "new style springer" forks. The ones Harley shipped include two exposed coil springs and a shock absorber. Most of the motorcycles Harley shipped in 1991, though, had telescoping tube forks of several widths and tube diameters. These forks are hydraulic shock absorbers, and the only service Harley recommends is that you change the fork oil every 20,000 miles. There are a half dozen methods for changing fork oil in these forks; this is a method of which Harley-Davidson approves.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1-3/8 inch open end or adjustable wrench
• Phillips head screwdriver
• Drain pan
• Teflon paste
• Fork oil
• Pint measuring cup
• Funnel

1. • 1

     Loosen the fork cap on top of the left fork with a 1-3/8 inch open-end wrench or a large adjustable wrench. Remove the fork cap, washer and O-ring.

   • 2

     Remove the drain plug on the bottom, side or back of the fork slider assembly with a Phillips head screwdriver. Drain the fork oil into a pan.

   • 3

     Coat the drain plug threads with Teflon paste. Replace the plug into the drain hole and tighten with a Phillips head screwdriver.

   • 4

     Measure the correct weight and amount of fork oil, as specified in the owner's manual or shop manual, for your motorcycle into a pint measuring cup. Most 1991 Harleys will use about 11 ounces of 10-weight oil.

   • 5

     Stick a funnel into the top of the fork; pour the measured amount of oil into the funnel.

   • 6

     Reinstall the O-ring, washer and fork cap. Tighten the cap wrench securely with a 1-/38 inch open-end or adjustable wrench.

   • 7

     Repeat all these steps for the right fork.

Harley Davidson Fatboy History

Harley Davidson, an American motorcycle company, has a history of paying homage to the American Armed Forces. According to Kevin Lang, parts manager at New Roc Harley Davidson and life-long Harley Davidson enthusiast, the company named the Fat Boy after Little Boy and Fat Man, the two atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively.

1. Family

   • The Fat Boy belongs to the Softail family, a line of motorcycles known for its hardtail look with hidden rear suspension that Harley Davidson first introduced in 1984. As of 2009, all members of the Softail family, unless otherwise noted, have a rigid mountain twin-cam 96B engine, 6-speed cruise drive transmission, horseshoe-style gas tank with chrome external oil lines, a 5.0-gallon fuel tank and a Rockertail, Bobtail or FL-style rear fender.

   Original Model

   • The Harley Davidson Motor Company unveiled the Fat Boy in 1990. Inspiration for this bike came from the B-29 bombers that the American armed forces used during World War II. This original Fat Boy model featured the patented Evolution engine, silver grey color (the only color option available), solid-cast aluminum wheels, a wide-bodied fuel tank and a wide front fork.

   Customization

   • Each year, beginning in 1999, the Harley Davidson Motor Company releases a customized version of a few select motorcycles. Available only for one year, these bikes, known as Custom Vehicle Operations (CVOs), have custom paint options, custom wheels, added accessories and the patented Screamin' Eagle engine. In 2005, the Fat Boy joined the CVO program to commemorate its 15th anniversary and featured a lower suspension than the original model, as well as a solo seat called the steel pan.

   Additional Model

   • In 2010, the Harley Davidson company introduced another Fat Boy model: the Fat Boy Lo. This motorcycle sports a very low suspension, an inch-and-a-quarter lower than the original Fat boy and the lowest of any Harley-brand motorcycle. Other details that separate the Fat Boy Lo from the original model include a narrower seat, narrow handle bars and a new tank panel with a Harley Davidson medallion.

   Fun Facts

   • In the movie "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," Arnold Schwarzenegger rides around Los Angeles on the original Fat Boy model. Universal Studios in Hollywood, California, created an attraction based on this film, which features a custom-built Fat Boy similar to the one used in the film. Other films that feature the Fat Boy include "Wild Hogs," "Bulworth" and "Renegade."

How to Install Harley Oil Pumps

Harley Davidson oil pumps are two-sided, gear-type, positive-displacement pumps. The oil pump drive shaft is driven by the cam gear-train which passes through the case and into the back of the oil pump body. Two sets of gears are keyed to the drive shaft: a thick set and a thin set. The thin set supplies high-volume, low-pressure oil to the engine's oil system. The thick set, or return set, draws oil that is collected by the breather valve and forces it through the oil filter and back into the oil tank.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Standard socket set
• 3/8-inch ratchet
• New hose clamps
• Hose clamp crimper
• Fresh engine oil
• Pump gasket kit
• 3/8-inch torque wrench
• New oil pump keys (2)

1. Installing Harley Oil Pumps

   • 1

     Locate the drive key slot in the drive shaft close to where it exits the case. Insert a key into the slot and insure that it nests fully in the groove evenly without cocking. Slide the thin drive gear onto this shaft and engage the drive gear key into its slot on the gear.

   • 2

     Place the thin driven gear onto its mounting stud on the backside of the pump body and hold it in place. Place the new inner pump gasket onto the locating studs on the case and slide the pump body onto the drive shaft. Rotate the driven gear until the drive and driven gears nest together, allowing the pump body to slide up tightly against the case.

   • 3

     Insert a key into the drive shaft where it exits the front of the pump body. Slide the thick drive gear onto the shaft and engage the drive gear key onto its slot on the gear. Slide the thick driven gear onto its mounting stud and rotate the gear until it nests with the thick drive gear.

   • 4

     Place the pump cover gasket onto the locating studs. Slide the pump cover onto the locating studs and install the cover bolts finger-tight. Tighten the cover bolts to factory spec and in the approved pattern set by the manufacturer. Install the oil return line onto the spigot on top of the pump and install a new clamp with the factory crimping tool.