Nigel’s Harley Sportster hardtail

Nigel had always wanted a Harley bobber, and by the time he’d got it to the shop it was virtually done. All it needed was the original loom tidying up, and the new bits plumbing in.

We discussed the big thing your eye is drawn to – the junction on the left in front of the chrome oil tank – and decided the best way to hide it was for Nigel to make a cover. The rest could be tidied up.

The new rear indicators are LED, which freaked out the standard flasher unit. It needs a higher load than LEDs generate. And because Harleys use push-button indicator switches you need a special load-sensing flasher unit if you fit LEDs. I usually use one made by Axel Joost called the Multi Flasher Plus. The trouble with that solution is the original flasher unit gets upset, because it is also a security module. To get a spark, you need to give the module everything it wants to see, while transferring flasher duties to the new Joost device.

I hope that makes sense.

One other snag: the right handlebar switch developed a fault on the indicator button. Nigel rapidly sourced a used one, and all was well. (Although getting into a Harley handlebar switch is like finding a way into Mordor.)

Nigel has a couple of jobs left before the bike is ready to ride to the pub. Or possibly all the way from Northamptonshire to Hunstanton.