Just bought my first Harley

[Van_Kerr]

Glad your happy with the bike, the back-firing sounds like an air leak ........ if the previous owner has changed the exhaust might just be needing a new gasket or tightend up, failing that check between the carb and motor. The plug colour will tell you if the carb need adjusted.
Enjoy the bike.

[FXR2]

Originally Posted by LowRiderCustom

It's also leaking oil from the rear valve cover,...

Leaks in the 3-piece rocker boxes on Evo motors are quite common. When you get around to it, make sure the top plate isn't warped at all. Take it off, wipe it clean and lay it on a flat piece of glass or a granite countertop and see it it rocks from corner to corner. If so, use some fine sandpaper on the same surface and lay the rocker cover on it, moving it ina figure-8 pattern until all rocking is gone and flatness is restored. Check the middle spacer as well, but these don't seem to warp as much as the top plate.

And of course, use a new set of good rocker box gaskets when re-assembling.

Being new to FXR's yo might not know that to access the rear rocker, you must lower the motor in the frame. Not a big deal--you need a screw-type jack that goes low enough to get under the bike (I use one from a Honda Accord) at the front. Level and stabilize the bike, pad the top of the jack and slide it under the bottom of the motor case, raise it until it's partially loaded, remove the bolts from the front motor mount, I think you must remove the front heim joint also, then lower the motor with the jack until you can get to the allen bolts on the top rocker cover.

[RattFXR]

If you have to take the back rocker box apart, you can cut an allen key down or use a speciality tool that looks like a flat bar with an allen key on it. I also use a pair of channel locks very carefully. My motor is also about an 1/8in taller then a stock evo. I have done this job a few times, and have nevered had to lower the motor.

[FXR2]

Originally Posted by RattFXR

If you have to take the back rocker box apart, you can cut an allen key down or use a speciality tool that looks like a flat bar with an allen key on it. I also use a pair of channel locks very carefully. My motor is also about an 1/8in taller then a stock evo. I have done this job a few times, and have nevered had to lower the motor.

To each his own I suppose, but I've been down all those roads and have decided it's easier to go ahead and lower the motor. It's not hard and doesn't take long, once you know how to do it and have the proper jack. And once done, you've got plenty of room to work, carefully position the new gaskets, and have easy access to the bolts for re-assembly.

I've had cut-down allen wrenches, bought the flat bar/allen wrench tool--it rounded off the first time I tried to use it-- and even had a nice thin ratchet allen wrench. The rocker box bolts on my bike are long enough to prevent complete un-screwing before hitting the bottom of the frame. The rear rocker top plate got some nice gouges in it from wrenches, and vice grips trying to turn the bolts a hair at a time due to lack of access....In sum, it's a pain in the butt, takes a lot longer, and it's just not that hard to lower the motor and do the job much easier and more carefully.

[LowRiderCustom]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll check for air leaks before I start messing with the jetting. I'm a tool & die maker so I know all about stripping out allen heads and having to drill them out. Dropping the motor sounds like the best way to remove the screws to change the gaskets.

[highrider]

Nice scoot, I have a 1987 FXLR and have throughly enjoyed it. I am restoring it now, chroming the rear, complete front end, new sheet metal and paint, seats, exhaust etc.

Watch Ebay as Harley made a tach acessory for the FXLR, which included the custom 2 holed braket, tach and cup which are more available than the bracket. All you need to do to make it work is run a wire to your coil and tie into your speedo lighting wiring and your done.

I think the 87-94 FXLR was atrue classic much like the Bad Boy Springer.

Good Luck

[LowRiderCustom]

The guy I bought the bike from gave me a tach, and I think it mounts above the speedo. I'm gonna see what it looks like by holding it in place, but I like the idea of a side-by-side guage setup better. The weather has been rainy and cold here all week, so I haven't been able to ride it.

[LowRiderCustom]

FXR2 I can't seem to remove the front motor mount to drop the motor to change the rocker box gaskets. I took out the long bolt going thru the motor mount, and when I try to jack up the motor to remove the motor mount, the motor doesn't want to lift up. Are there any other motor mounts I have to remove to accomplish this? I was able to remove the 4 screws that hold the rocker box on, but the 2 screws under the frame are still in the cover, so I can't slide the rocker box cover off.

Ok I finally got the rocker covers off. I removed motor mount plate on top of the rubber cushion, then I was able to get the rubber cushion out. The motor dropped right down and I was able to remove the 2 rocker cover screws, then remove the rocker covers.

[Y2K]

Originally Posted by ruger44

The FXR Sport models came with both a tach and speedo "fxrs-sp".
The fxrs only had the speedo and fuel guage

My '84 FXRS had a factory tach.

LRC that's a real fine looking bike,love the FXR series,best handling big twins they ever made.

[Dyna_Willie]

Originally Posted by LowRiderCustom

FXR2 I can't seem to remove the front motor mount to drop the motor to change the rocker box gaskets. I took out the long bolt going thru the motor mount, and when I try to jack up the motor to remove the motor mount, the motor doesn't want to lift up. Are there any other motor mounts I have to remove to accomplish this? I was able to remove the 4 screws that hold the rocker box on, but the 2 screws under the frame are still in the cover, so I can't slide the rocker box cover off.

Ok I finally got the rocker covers off. I removed motor mount plate on top of the rubber cushion, then I was able to get the rubber cushion out. The motor dropped right down and I was able to remove the 2 rocker cover screws, then remove the rocker covers.

Well, How did it go? Back together? Leak has been stopped? Fork seals next? Let me know, following you and that sweet looking Harley! Congrats and welcome to the gang!

[LowRiderCustom]

I called it a day, hopefully I can finish it tomorrow. I have to make a few sets of custom car parts, so that's gonna take about half the day. When this is done I have to install a new choke cable and then tackle the fork seals/bushings. He's my website if you want to see the car parts I make: www.drcustomparts.com

That's a sweet looking bike you have, it's beautiful!

[Dyna_Willie]

WOW! A true custom car parts fabricator! Awesome! You can make all kinds of trick stuff for your bike, if you choose to! Thanks for the compliment on my bike, she is my baby, it's her and I, and that's enough. Let me know how your bike is coming along.

[LowRiderCustom]

Actually I already started making some. Here's a picture of 2 custom aluminum mounting brackets for the pipes. One of them you can hardly see, it holds the mufflers together, the other one bolts to the frame.

[cainpole]

nice looking work, but that is probably a bad place to mount the bracket you made. with the motor shaking around on the rubber mounts, you don't want the pipes to be mounted solid to the frame without some sort of rubber mounting. any welds in the pipe will end up cracking. that's why the exhaust is usually mounted to the tranny in the newer fxr bikes and in the older ones like mine they are mounted to a rubber mount attached to the frame.

[Dyna_Willie]

I swear it looks like there is a rubber donut between the pipe mount, and the frame mount. Maybe it is an illusion, but that is what I see, or maybe that is what I want to see? Sure does look like one though...