I recently received an e-mail from one of our North Carolina readers asking me to recommend a reliable mechanic for his 2002 CVO Road King. I cannot say or even estimate how many times I have been asked how to find a trustworthy Harley wrench. I have no definitive answer, but I can offer some advice you might find useful.
A half-century ago I was a skinny kid drooling over the new 883 XLCH Sportster at the two-man Harley-Davidson shop in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The support those guys got from Harley consisted of motorcycles, parts and shop manuals—thin shop manuals.
They knew how to adjust points, valves and chains. They could patch tubes, true spoked wheels and poke fun at Triumph riders. Most of their customers were similarly skilled. They made me park my Vespa around back.
Things have changed. There are no points. Valves adjust themselves. Chains are gone. Triumph is alive and well, but spokes are on the way out. Few skinny kids have any use for or desire to develop motorcycle maintenance skills.
I’m not complaining. How many of you have gotten a face full of oil while adjusting the timing on a Harley? Have you fiddled with pushrod clearances until the noise went (mostly) away? Remember the oil from the chain up the back of your jacket? My memory is too good to feel nostalgia for any of that.
Electronic ignitions, hydraulic tappets and belt drives aside, skillful maintenance remains important. Ride quality, reliability and safety still depend on careful attention by you or your mechanic. Safe operation is, of course, the most important. Not all safety-related maintenance procedures are obvious or simple to do. Let me offer a couple of examples.
FLHs, for the past 20 years of so, have had problems with occasional weaves and wobbles because of the way Harley isolates engine vibration from the rider and most of the chassis. Links align the rubber-mounted engine, gearbox and swingarm with the rest of the chassis. Those links wear and need to be replaced about every 25,000 miles. Loose links promote weaves and sometimes wobbles. The wear is gradual and can sneak up on the owner. It pays to have an experienced hand check for this.
A tank-slapper wobble is deadly and usually caused by loose steering-head bearings. They must be very carefully adjusted. Once done, the adjustment typically lasts tens of thousands of miles. Again, it is one of those things that tends to creep toward danger slowly enough that the owner may not notice until his knuckles are denting the tank during a lock-to-lock tank slapper. There is no more critical adjustment on your Harley.
Wait, there’s more. Spokes tend to loosen, especially during the first 5,000 or so miles. Wheel bearings may need adjustment around the same time. Loose spokes and bearings contribute to both weave and wobble.
Did you know that primary chains and sprockets wear out long before other drivetrain components? My research indicates that these things need replacement at between 50,000 and 80,000 miles with the mean being about 65,000. An engaged mechanic will know about this and tell you when yours are worn enough to matter.
The key difference between a good riding experience and a great one is maintenance quality. Lubricated cables and a few drops of oil on moving chassis parts such as brake-pedal bearings and passenger peg pivots both extend their life and their smoothness of operation. Anyone ever puff some graphite into your bike’s locks? Has someone offered to help you adjust the controls of your Harley for best comfort? My experience is that few mechanics take the time or make the effort to do these things, particularly in large and busy shops.
There are very many qualified, competent and ethical mechanics working in large shops. But there tends to be a problem with anonymity and, well, boredom. It is easier for a mechanic to get lazy over time if he doesn’t know the customer. It is easy to skip a step if it seldom matters. A seemingly unimportant cut corner can save time, and for a flat-rate mechanic time is money. The quality of work done by any shop is determined mostly by its sense of teamwork and oversight, both the responsibility of the manager. However, you are equally important.
Do you know your mechanic’s name? Does he or she recognize you? I believe it is important that the answer to both questions be yes. Trust and confidence is a two-way matter. You’ll have a better ride knowing that the person who did the work took a personal interest in you and your bike. He’ll feel better about how he makes a living knowing that his work is appreciated.
A look-him-in-the-eyes thank-you handshake is a very good thing. You might consider an independent shop owned by an experienced Harley wrench. As often as not, those guys go out on their own because they want to know their customers. And that is a very good thing, too.
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