$14.83 for Harley Filter

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Black Wix is perfect, or would a nice deep red Baldwin fit the color scheme of the bike? I think places like Jeggs and Summit racing sell chrome oil filter covers, not sure if they are decent or cheezy.
 
Allow me to show you the economics for the purchase of that HD filter:

Cost to manufacture filter - $.83
Cost for HD name and all the glory that goes with it: $14.00.

Here's a tip....DON'T BUY IT!!!!

Another tip.... Some people cut a beer can or soda can to length, polish it down to bare metal and slip that over the filter.
 
Originally Posted By: boraticus

Another tip.... Some people cut a beer can or soda can to length, polish it down to bare metal and slip that over the filter.
On the right bike, the beer can, but not polished down, rather showing its full label glory, would be really cool!
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Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Originally Posted By: boraticus

Another tip.... Some people cut a beer can or soda can to length, polish it down to bare metal and slip that over the filter.
On the right bike, the beer can, but not polished down, rather showing its full label glory, would be really cool!
crazy2.gif



On a Harley, it would have to be a Milwaukee brew however. As a matter of fact, the last time I was in a Harley Davidson shop, I saw empty "Old Milwaukee" beer cans on sale for $15.00 each. They also had a "scratch and dent" bin where the same cans were discounted to $10.00 a piece.
 
Originally Posted By: live_to_hunt
It might be time for a black WIX for $4.00. I just spent $14.83 for a chrome filter at the HD dealer


I've about had it with my dealer too. I recently had a flat on my '04 Heritage and had to stop by the dealer to pick up an inner tube...$32.91 with tax!! I think a black filter will look fine.

Chrome won't get you home.
 
We all know how important looks are to HD riders. Seriously, a chrome oil filter? That seems very gay to me.
 
Originally Posted By: milwaukee
We all know how important looks are to HD riders. Seriously, a chrome oil filter? That seems very gay to me.
Harley riders aren't the only group that ever cared about "looks", I guarentee you that. There's many other bike co's who make chrome add ons for their bikes. I've owned Goldwing's and they have bling for them too, although I'll concede Harley's have a dispropotionate amount to pick from.

IMO,a chrome oil filter is no more "Gay" than buying chrome parts for a car engine. Who really needs chrome valve covers for a V8?

I don't buy Harley filters, I buy whatever I can get at Napa, in black. It's not only because they're cheaper, but also because Harley seems to have forgotton they ever built a Shovelhead. They either don't carry parts for 'em, or can't even get them anymore.

But if a guy wants a chrome filter, or a chrome whatever, I say whatever floats his boat! He's happy, and it doesn't effect me.

Well, unless the filter's $15, then he's not happy.
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From my experience with people who own Harleys their attention to aesthetics is hugely disproportionate to how well the machine works. There are two guys across the street from me who will spend literally hours washing, shining and polishing their Harleys but neither one of them have the basic skill to set the carb to get it to idle! They stand beside the throttle to keep the engine running. Unreal. Hey! As long as it looks good right?

I have a buddy who will spend four hours licking his Harley but can't change it's fluids. He takes it to a dealership and is charged an hour or more in labour. He can't set the idling on his machine either. And it's not like he doesn't have the shop or tools. He works in a home mechanical service industry.

Something about that just rubs me the wrong way. I guess mindless polishing is less taxing on the brain than turning a screw. Then again, one would have to know that there is a screw somewhere that will fix the idling problem. Just....can't....put....down....the....polish.....
 
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Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Originally Posted By: boraticus

Another tip.... Some people cut a beer can or soda can to length, polish it down to bare metal and slip that over the filter.
On the right bike, the beer can, but not polished down, rather showing its full label glory, would be really cool!
crazy2.gif



134978.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: boraticus
From my experience with people who own Harleys their attention to aesthetics is hugely disproportionate to how well the machine works. There are two guys across the street from me who will spend literally hours washing, shining and polishing their Harleys but neither one of them have the basic skill to set the carb to get it to idle! They stand beside the throttle to keep the engine running. Unreal. Hey! As long as it looks good right?


Not all Harley riders are like that. I keep my bike clean, but I don't spend an inordinate amount of time doing it. In fact, I NEVER wash my bike with soap and water. I go over it with Pledge at least once a week and it looks showroom new.

As for maintenance, I do my own oil changes. The only time the dealer works on my bike is for things I don't have the tools or facility to do. Example: I just had them install a floating rotor on the rear. If I had a garage with a bike lift I could have done it myself, but since I don't I got the dealer to do it. They charged me $47.

rotor.jpg
 
You're very much likely in the minority G-MAN. I'm certain that there are a few old school HD guys out there that know something about the machines they ride. However, with the recent dramatic increase in numbers of HD wannabe bad boys, more often than not, I'd say the majority of HD owners know sh!t about their machines. At least the few that I see appear to be in that category. They perform the only maintenance they have the skill to do. Smearing wax on a surface and rubbing it with a rag. Being a motor head myself, I believe that understanding how a machine works and the ability to do basic maintenance should be a priority. Tinsel and chrome doesn't mean much to me especially when it's sitting dead on the side of the road. I asked my friend with the Harley where his fuse box is? He shrugged his shoulders. He spent two hours polishing the bike and didn't even bother to look. He still doesn't know. It's a good thing that HD reliability has improved as much as it has.
 
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I agreee. In my group of Harley riding buddies, I am the sole mechanically inclined one and I make a small profit doing all their work for them. They can't even change fluids. I like doing my own work. I do it right and with pride. I also own the Harley scan tool-but I charge to pull codes and such to pay for that investment.
 
Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Originally Posted By: boraticus

Another tip.... Some people cut a beer can or soda can to length, polish it down to bare metal and slip that over the filter.
On the right bike, the beer can, but not polished down, rather showing its full label glory, would be really cool!
crazy2.gif



134978.jpg





I've got every Harley bike week can from 1984!
 
Yeah I am the minority in cleaning my bike i will get around to cleaning it sometime this year. Thats why I can't believe I spent the $15 for the filter. Next change I will go black. Call me cheap. I ride it because its fun I never worried about having a show bike.
 
Originally Posted By: boraticus
You're very much likely in the minority G-MAN. I'm certain that there are a few old school HD guys out there that know something about the machines they ride. However, with the recent dramatic increase in numbers of HD wannabe bad boys, more often than not, I'd say the majority of HD owners know sh!t about their machines. At least the few that I see appear to be in that category. They perform the only maintenance they have the skill to do. Smearing wax on a surface and rubbing it with a rag. Being a motor head myself, I believe that understanding how a machine works and the ability to do basic maintenance should be a priority. Tinsel and chrome doesn't mean much to me especially when it's sitting dead on the side of the road. I asked my friend with the Harley where his fuse box is? He shrugged his shoulders. He spent two hours polishing the bike and didn't even bother to look. He still doesn't know. It's a good thing that HD reliability has improved as much as it has.
You are right on the money from start to finnish. The only time my scoot has been back to the dealer was for warranty work but they screwed that up as well, so everything is done by me and me alone.I beleive that if your going to ride a Harley you should be able to maintain it yourself.I think it's proof of how good a rider you realy are. I baught a bike with as little chrome as poss, dont want to waste riding time with polishing and all, Just scrape the bugs off ever so often and go.
 
Some people like to wrench and ride. I know I do. I'm confident in the knowledge of my machines. Particularly my old RDs, which are supremely reliable despite their age. I have re-built them from the ground up. I know every nut, bolt, screw and seal on those machines. I also know that they were put together with considerable care and accuracy. One gets a sense of satisfaction riding a machine that he/she personally attends to. I'm not a fastidious cleanliness obsessed rider. If you ride at all, things will get dirty. It's that simple.

I find most of the Harley guys I know tend to seldom ride. If they do, it's a short hop to the donut shop to stand around looking at their bikes. These guys aren't bikers. They're fashionistas using a bike to draw attention to themselves. They'll never make the transition from rags to wrenches. That would be just a bit too much reality for them. They talk a good "biker" line but behind all the chrome, dew rags, skulls and leather is more often than not, a desk jockey trying to garner some significance from life. Too bad they chose motorcycles and HDs in particular to draw attention to themselves. Their bizarre side shows kind of demeans motorcycling in general and puts undue hardship on the real Harley riders.
 
Originally Posted By: boraticus
I find most of the Harley guys I know tend to seldom ride. If they do, it's a short hop to the donut shop to stand around looking at their bikes. These guys aren't bikers. They're fashionistas using a bike to draw attention to themselves.


Yup, plenty of those around here. This is my second Harley in three years and I've put 4400 miles on it in four months. A lot of guys would think they ride a lot if they put 4400 miles on their bike in a year.
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