Less is more!

Well to start with it sure is an honor to have ‘Ole Black’ as Roadie of the Month. What a surprise.  I started riding in 1965. Started with BSA’s then moved too Triumphs, Sportsters, then SuperGlides. In ‘97’ I bought a ‘97’ Shadow Spirit. Put 21 or 22,000 miles on it.
Went to my dealer on Feb. 8, 99 to order a front tire for the Shadow and when I walked in the front door guess what was sitting right there waiting on me. It wasn’t a new front tire for sure. It was that beautiful ‘99’ Black Standard Road Star.
I called the salesman over asked how much for my Shadow and the difference for the Roadie. After a little further dealing I went home and road the Shadow to the dealer and road the Roadie home.
This is undoubtedly the sweetest bike I’ve ever set my butt on. And I am totally engrossed with it. I can’t stay off of it either.
Put 23,600 miles on it so far.  Being retired from Chrysler Corp. gives me a lot of riding time. These things aren’t necessarily in the order that I did them.

As with every bike I’ve had with factory turn signals, I got rid of them. I like things tucked in as opposed to sticking two feet out to the side. I tried several different things and ended up with the bullet marker lights tucked between the forks and the Tombstone taillight with baron marker lights mounted to the sides of the TS.  For the front turn signals I made a bracket that bolts up where the stock turn signal bar bolted.  Then made a plate to kind of dress it up a little. Used 1/8” steel with a slight bend at the ends to come close the fork covers. Held the piece against the belt sander to give it the same appearance of the stainless. Then cut a gas tank badge and stuck the Road Star part of it to the plate. Also had to make the bottom headlight support into the bullet light bracket.

Then came the BAK, torque master and Big Brother junk removal kit. And like everyone else that has done this - I really like the difference in performance and looks.
I ran V&H LongShots for several thousand miles then switched to Samson Big Gun Classics (Y-118). Tried several different baffle set-ups trying to find the right sound. (ex HD rider) Then I saw a pic of a custom HD with Samson’s with a downward slash cut right at the rear axle nut. Had to have a set. But, of course, they don’t make them for a Roadie. So I cut them myself. I did think long and hard before cutting up $400. I am really glad I cut them. Not only do I like the looks but also the sound changed slightly. So I started looking for the right sound again. Got the Khrome Werks HP+ 2” baffles. And of course they won’t fit inside 2 ¼” pipes very well. So I went to one of the local muffler shops and they gave me two 9” pcs of 2” OD pipe. They slip right inside the 118s and the HP+’s slip right inside of those. And it was the exact sound I was looking for.

The Tombstone taillight does not even come close to matching the contour of the fender. It was either - make an adapter, which would make the light stick out farther from the fender, or grind the light to fit the fender. I chose the latter. I also did not like the width of the light so while I was grinding and fitting I narrowed the base.  Then after having the baron marker lights mounted in two different locations I decided to mount them on the sides of the Tombstone.  While I was drilling those holes I drilled quite a few extra holes on the inside of the light to reduce the weight some because it was heavy by itself without the marker lights. Also wired them as taillights. Made a half moon shaped box as a plate holder that mounts to the light that allows the wiring connections to stay where they were and it’s small and not too noticeable.

Then I did the fuel pump/filter relocation thing.  Tried under the seat first but after a week or two decided - not. So like a couple of the other guys had already done I put the pump behind the right side cover. The filter is under the left side of the tank slightly to the rear of center.

I replaced the stock bars with the Royal Star ‘Double-T Fat Bars’.  Takes very slight modifying to do that.
Put a Drag Specialties mini tach on. Didn’t want it mounted to the bars so I made a bracket that bolts underneath the top triple tree. The tach is right in my line of sight and tucked in. Wired it to the right side coil although I don’t think it makes any difference, which one you wire it to

.  Ran the stock driver’s seat and a fender rack until just a few weeks ago. Been eyeing the Stiletto for quite some time and by golly one day it just appeared! Haven’t had a chance too ride with it yet but just sitting on it day dreaming it sure is comfortable.
Well, running solo and stripped you just don’t have any place to carry anything (small stuff even.). So I got a ‘Super Tool Pouch’ from Jamin’ Leather. Made a bracket out of some aluminum plate I had lying around and mounted it to the left side foot peg mounting holes. Can’t see the plate or the mounting bolts.  Then I tried a crankcase filter to keep the oil/water mix out of the BAK cover and filter. That didn’t work the way I wanted so I ended up getting a “Spyke Krank Vent”. Mounted it under the left side of the gas tank and forward. Run the exit hose down the frame into a 2 oz. Plastic bottle (painted black) mounted upside down between the frame and the oil filter. It’s barely noticeable. It will fill with just plain water.  Unscrew the cap and let it drain. Works great.  After these pic’s were taken I replaced the axle adjuster on the right side with one like the one on the left side. Sure cleaned that up.

I did run the Boulevard Windshield for a while but took it off a couple of months ago. I just like that stripped look!  The running boards are very comfortable but I just don’t like the looks of them. I decided to remove them in favor of pegs.  I had to make mounts so the brake/master cylinder assembly and the shifter assembly location wouldn’t change and still let me mount KuryAkyn Dually ISO Pegs using the KuryAkyn Magnum peg mounts. So after doing several concept drawings of different ways to do this I finally found it.  Have only been able to ride with them a couple of hundred miles but I really like them. I think they go better with the stripped look.
I also removed the front hubcaps after reading about it on the forum. I like that too.  Well, I don’t want to wear out my welcome so I’d better quit while I’m ahead!  I’m probably leaving out a few things more than likely but . . .
Bill Heuermann
Kokomo, IN
Retired and lovin it.
Woodyh_00@yahoo.com

Very nice job, Bill!  Looks like less really is more...

...Take me home...