Will do. Thank you.
Hello F-N-G here with little experience
Hello V twin forum members. I just got my first motor cycle and have very little experience or knowledge. I got a 02 sportster 1200 custom from a friend and am just here for any and all advice, need to knows, dos and do nots for riding and maintaining and repairs that I plan to do myself. I have mechanical knowledge and have common sense most of the time although I do have my moments. Thanks in advance and I look forward to getting to know you
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Thank you I do have a service book for it and you’re absolutely right it does feel like it’s going to come apart lol I am also 6 2 and it is in need of some tlc it’s sat for a while before I got it and I am still a bit shaky when I take it around the block. I’ve got some learning to do and I do appreciate the advice and will pay close attention to the book as well. I am going to take it slow and easy and fix her up one thing at a time starting with the carb and front suspension I feel like that is a good place to startThat's a pretty big bike for a first-time rider, although definitely not as big and heavy as a "Big Twin" Harley. My first motorcycle was a '64 Honda 250 Scrambler, back in 1966. After a long hiatus of 35 years I bought an '89 HD Sportster. It was plenty fast, but felt like it was going to come unglued at freeway speeds, and it also seemed too small for my 6' 2" frame, so I sold it and bought a full-size '00 HD Dyna Superglide.
Some mechanical knowledge will go a long way, but keep in mind that things are put together differently on motorcycles vs. cars. By all means get the official service manual for your Sporty, as others have advised. A good place to look for the official service manuals is eBay. The Haynes and similar manuals can't always be trusted.
Yes I have changed the oil and filter and the primary fluid adjusted the clutch cable and chain I have new wheels and tires on order they should be here any day now I didn’t think about the zeros so thank you for reminding me and I haven’t gotten to the lighting system yet but there is an issue with the wiring somewhere that drains my batteryI think we all have our "moments", I do, lots of them. Make sure tires and brakes are good, chain adjusted before you go for a ride. Change oil and oil filter if it has one, check air filter, check lights. Grease all the zerk fittings you can find. Basic maintenance.
The electrical service is a must because the wiring looks a hot mess I don’t know what’s exactly going on with that but it’s looking like a new harness is gonna be required I’m hoping the majority of the wiring issues are in the hand switches because the wires were cut and spliced when the handlebars were replaced and it was a shoddyjob to say the least“although I do have my moments” LOL. Thanks for the warning…. Welcome, there is a lot of really good help here. Get yourself an HD service manual, electrical diagnostic manual and parts catalog. Keep it serviced and enjoy
No generator lights on I got the speedometer with the bike but it was in a box and there were three wires that head back to the fuse panel that were cut off the pigtail and light rail was intact and it works the Speedo works but the light stays on all the time so I just leave it off and can’t recall how many miles it saysDoes the generator warning light stay on? What is the mileage? Test the battery and charging system. If they are OK then on to the wiring hack job which probably won't be any fun.
No generator light was on but the Speedo was in a box of parts with the bike and the three wires headed back to the fuse panel were cut I wired them back and plugged it in the turn signals work and the neutral light works but the back light stays on all the time so I unplugged it and can’t recall the mileageDoes the generator warning light stay on? What is the mileage? Test the battery and charging system. If they are OK then on to the wiring hack job which probably won't be any fun.
I will definitely be taking a course thank you for that seed of advice about braking because that thought never entered my mind of properly braking. I was just kinda going from front to back and not just hammering down on either brake. So yes thank you for thatCongratulations on your first bike. It is not a big bike and they handle easily. I would encourage you to take a motorcycle safety course. It can be very valuable to you, a first time rider. Be methodical and learn how to brake safely. It's important! Always assume the other guy is going to do something stupid. (I'm talking about the people in cars and trucks, and also other motorcyclists)
I appreciate it I’ve always wanted to go Opal hunting in Australia.Welcome From Australia
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