u/Annual-Soil-1802

Context: experienced rider. Mid 40s. Tall. Previously ridden a range of bikes from sporty to dirt before succumbing to middle aged fatness and settling on ADV bikes. Favourite bike ever was a Tuono V4, which I only had for a few weeks before it turned into a broken arm and an insurance check. I was younger and more foolish. Recently in remission from cancer. Decided “to hell with practicality” and bought a 2024 Fat Boy which I am wildly modifying.

The Harley scratches a certain itch but I miss chains, I miss four cylinder engines, I miss Japanese, and in my neck of the woods it attracts police attention like flies to a pile of shit.

I don’t ride far. I don’t commute. I don’t ride in the rain. I’ll never do a track day. I don’t need to carry stuff.

So I’m thinking of this. It will suit my size poorly. My occasional pax ride with my 11yo son as pillion will look ridiculous. And I’ll probably never get it out of third. And yet..

Talk me out of it.

(PSA: I’m well aware the ZX-14R would suit me better. I don’t care, I don’t like it.)

I’m documenting my slow Troopy build here for my own interest and maybe yours.

Today’s task was weight reduction. I bought this with modified suspension, featuring 800kg constant load springs. I’m nowhere near that weight and probably won’t be even when I’m done building, so the back of the Troopy is literally getting airborne over bumps.

I’ve swapped in 500kg parabolic springs, and I’m absolutely staggered by how heavy the old spring packs were in comparison.

I also removed these side rails, which I think looked cool but served no real purpose. They were *way* too close to the front wheel flares and would have hit them on corrugated outback roads. I’ll look into some full length step/sliders instead. Before pic shows them fitted - pretty but pointless.

There’s about 150kg of steel removed from the car today.

Just need a way of tidying these bolt holes - I’m hoping I’ll find a plastic plug to fit, otherwise I might wrap these bits in satin black to hide the holes. It won’t look as awful as it sounds.

I saw this was a post a few years back, thought I’d ask again.

For the multiple bike owners, what shares the garage with your Harley? Another Harley? Something completely different?

Right now I’ve got my 24 Fat Boy and a 14 R1200GS Adventure. The GS is ready for the long paddock and I’m idly looking for a second bike, although I probably won’t have the money until next year. I was looking to replace it with an S1000XR, but after a ride on a mate’s bike I’m now considering a new Hayabusa for something completely different. But you could talk me into a Road Glide…