Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Superbikes & Imports (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/superbikes-imports/)

-   -   Harley Davidson Iron 883 - Beauty in the Beast (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/superbikes-imports/148326-harley-davidson-iron-883-beauty-beast-4.html)

Doc, I don't have a stake in Harley Davidson so I can open up my heart to love and at times hammer it when due lol: This time it got what it deserved.

I just realized something so indulge me here. You know why the average american car can't corner...because of all the straight roads they have. The designers and test engineers never planned or expected the need to corner well. On a similar note, the HD guys never imagined that there could be a pothole anywhere in the world so huge as to knock off the side plate. Poor bloke never realized the sheer grandeur of the pothole our roads are scattered with lol:

And it wasn't the vibration for sure as I had checked the panel before starting back from the ride. I am certain it was the jolt from the rough patch that did me in.

Also please spare the poor bullet...I have had an old school crush on them that didn't go too far but surely I wouldn't want to ridicule their quality. The moto here is that you cuss and complain but love them as they are. Enjoy!

I just Checked! It is possible to Lock the side cover without actually hooking up its bottom slot into its bracket!
and the answer is Yes!
you can get away with very stock looking side cover with just its top locks in place and bottom slot actually out of its bracket. (2nd pic)
In this case entire weight of Side cover is on two plastic locks at the upper rim. If you meet a pot hole flush , you loose the side cover.
I also tried to simulate if cover can come off while the lower bracket is put into its intended slot .
As soon as upper plastic locks open / dislodge, the side cover opens like a door downwards and gets stuck absolutely firm.
May be a case of negligence!
Even when you intend to remove the side cover completely, it takes quite a bit of manipulation at different angles to get it out of slot ( which is completely unnecessary , as most of the work can be done with side cover just opened as a door without actually removing it from lower slot)

^
Exactly. Just returned from a 600km hill ride and on some roads where Harleys never venture with zero issues (more on that on my ownership thread). Your side cover may not have been hooked up properly on the lower hook otherwise it's impossible for it to fall off.

Dear Dustom, I appreciate you sharing details on the bottom U lock for the folks here but I feel compelled to say that I have already dissected this case like Sherlock Holmes trying to decipher the cause and effect.

As a matter of fact, I have never removed or fiddled with the side cover personally. The only time it was taken off was at the last service by a very professional Harley Service guy. My ride is always parked safe so I have no reason to suspect someone acted funny with the cover previously. As I shared earlier, I had checked the cover and wiped it clean before starting back from the HOG ride. It was perfectly clamped with no signs of hanging loose or free. Now I am still in run-in with the IRON so do not ride over 3500rpm. Therefore the HD engine is never near as brash to knock off the links.

Given these considerations, the only logical possibilities that either the service guy goofed up or the melevolent encounter of moving in and out of the pothole dislodged it. By the way some old time HOGs in my group shared that this stuff happens and so they recommended tying the stuff permanently.

I am told this isn't very common but on the other hand not a rogue case either. Accept, learn and move on is my 2 cents of learning from this fiasco.

Breakfast with G.O.D.S

Doesn't this title sounds jazzy! Now I am not getting religious here but it sure was a moving experience to join one of the biggest and most respected names in the biking community...GODS aka Group Of Delhi Superbikers. No offence here but you aren't a biker and surely not from planet Earth if you haven't heard about them. You can find their facebook page for information if you happen to be in this category :)

I had connected with their founder Dr. Arun who invited me join them during their Gurgaon ride. His passion for bikes is unparalleled and he has been riding since 1984 or something. Phenomenal experience and the sheer oomph factor of the group was magnificent. Caught up for breakfast at Crowne Plaza and made some new buddies. Looking forward to joining their next ride.



(Courtesy - GODS ;I am in the last row middle with Dr. Arun kneeling down up front and center)

Now my dear HOG friends, don't hate me for jumping on the superbike side. If you have been following my thread I am completely equivalent towards the cruiser as well as the superbike types. I distinctly remember being a spectator to one of their rides and had a childlike yearning for riding with them. Wish fulfilled.

Sharing some neat pics of the rides in the group.




If Triumph has launched sooner this is what I would have been riding!! Now Iron is my one true love clap:

A beautiful "Indian"!






I can spend an entire day sitting and staring at a collection like this.

Till next time happy and safe riding :)

Drool worthy bilkes!!! Awesome to always ride in groups. :)

Which is the white bike in the pics above? Though I dont prefer the sport bikes the white one kind of made me to like it. :D

That my friend is the Triumph Daytona 675R. An awesome machine that is capable of wonders both on the road and track. This model comes with a parallel triple engine, Ohlins suspension, quick shifter and brembo brakes if I recall correctly.

This model got my attention as well. If Triumph hadn't delayed their launch by over 2 years, I would have picked this one for sure.

Awesome bike. This sure is a bike with looks as well as the mechanics to go with it.

Yes triumph bikes are good. I love the Thunderbird versions of their cruiser bikes along with the harleys nightrod. :)

Once again congrats for the nice bike and also group to start touring. :) Will keep looking out for more travelogues from you.

I am really curious about this.
What does HD recommend to tackle uphill inclines and stop-go traffic?
Anyway while starting a bike from standstill one would release the clutch slowly, which puts it in half-clutch position for some time, and that's when the bike starts ambling.

Of course, all clutches will get burnt if used at half engaged positions for prolonged times ... but the point that newbies carry over their previous riding experience means that their previous bikes/cars didn't suffer the same fate.
So why should HD be different?

That situation is totally different than half depressing the clutch even when the bike is ambling along.

The suggested technique is - fully depress the clutch, fully let go of the clutch. Try as much as possible NOT to let the bike run long with the lever half depressed.

And the "Clutch burn" hasn't been a rampant issue. just about 2 or 3 folks encountered it.

Agreed and I am not disputing that but I also said:

Which can only mean either of these two:
1. their technique was not really bad - otherwise the previous machines would also end up with burnt clutch. (I am including cars in the previous machines - similar CC/BHP/Torque etc compared to the 10-20 bhp prevailing bikes)
2. HD engine, clutch and transmission have something different.

Agreed sir, their technique need not be bad. I am not sure how other bikes would respond riding in half clutch. but being heavier (lets ask Bullet owners too) -- how would a heavier bike/heavier clutch react to half-clutch riding.

On most other bikes ,engines does not produce that much torque just off the Idle. so even on half clutch , the engine side Clutch plates and the transmission side clutch plates gets on similar speeds very quickly .
Once they are on same speed / no more heat is generated!
On harley , you hardly need to rev the motor to get rolling.
If you tackel Inclines like you would on a Honda , you will end up using clutch life on a Harley

But newbies are used to revving(1.5-2k) the motor to get going and on harley they generate torque enough to keep clutch plates slipping amongst each other much longer than usual bikes.


Also Newbies find it difficult to control sudden response from wheel due to torque available soo low down the revs , hence they tend to ride the bike on Half clutch much more than they would ride other bikes , In hope to keep the beasty in check.
On other bikes if you knowingly or accidently let go off the clutch lever , the engine rpm falls down to match the wheel rpm as per gearing , On a Harley if you dump , the wheel rpm tries to match the engine rpm, scary situation for a new rider!


I do not think there were recomendations in Owners manual regarding clutch use in stop go / incline . although It was mentioned not to keep the riding on half clutch!
All i remember reading is "Stick to so and so limit of rpm in 1,2,3,4,5 gears for First 1600km, downshift / upshift on so and so speed. "post that 1600km ,they say ride as you want"

Got it! I believe this would be the major cause, since the engine behavior would be completely different compared to their earlier rides (or even cars).
So this is like a petrol engine guy changing over to turbo-Diesel engine ...

Sunday Ride : New Bearings for Harley in Gurgaon

Harley has been growing leaps and bounds in India. It is one of the few imported bike makers that have really found their foothold in our home land. Last Sunday they added another feather to their cap with the Capital Harley opening a new showroom and workshop in Gurgaon. Now personally I have been one hassled soul trying to drive through the maddening Delhi traffic for reaching their Vasant Kunj showroom or the workshop in Oakhla. So when the toy shop comes closer to home, I am one happy kid at heart. Nonetheless, I do suspect this would have a northwards impact on my "Harley Tax" with those tempting accessories and HD gear in easy reach.

Anyways who cares, I knew this was an open ended deal even before I picked up the ride :)

So to launch this, HOGS organized a wonderful ride on NH8 ( Delhi - Jaipur road) for about 130 km. This time I had an awful Saturday night where I probably managed to get not more than 2 hours of zzzs before heading out at 5am from home. Can't miss the ride so the soldier in me perseveres! Gathered my Harley friends from Gurgaon and headed off together to the showroom. The spartan 300 ride on...or to be honest more like 3 in this case :Frustrati Eh, not the easiest getting people up after a crazy night out.



Ride starts at 6 am with some almost 70 bikers in gear. The camaraderie is phenomenal. I have probably met some of them not more than twice and yet me meet like long lost brothers. Damn I was wasting my life before this!

Brilliant ride and good marshaling by our chaps. Ride went beyond Dharuheda and then took a U-turn back. Made a quick stop for a fag break and regathering.






You just have to hear this Akro exhaust. It is a bomb and quite literally blows you away!

Rode through Gurgaon and finally made a stop at the Harley Showroom near Hero Honda Chowk. Blissful ride and I am all smiles for my beast.


The breakfast was on the house thanks to our sponsoring HOG GG. By the way that guy has one thundering ride. You can't miss him or his ride. Both are larger than life lol:







Some jaw dropping rides to stare at. This is biker nirvana.





I just realized that the key to world peace is HOGs. Make Obama and Putin join this community and without doubt you will see more ICBM. Not the missiles fellows..Inter Continental Biker Meets! World peace coming to a showroom near you for 4.1L ex showroom.

Peace rules. Ride safe.