Get yourself sprung
If you’re looking for a relatively simple and decidedly convincing means of adding some retro bobber-style panache to your scooter, look no further than this Brown Leather Solo Sprung Saddle from Harley-Davidson. This earthy two-tone brown creation is a slim beauty suspended on a pair of bright chrome torsion springs that will add a bit of bounce to your ride and it will fit on most 2006–present Dyna models (all except the Wide Glide), as well as 2004–2006 and 2010 Sportsters. The price is $269.95 for the seat itself, and an additional $299.95 for the installation kit, and once the thing is installed it’s a simple matter to replace it with a two-up touring saddle when the need arises.
Harley-Davidson www.harley-davidson.com
Vital signs
The folks at Marlin’s have a suggestion for all you bagger jockeys who’ve noticed that your stock fairing-mounted air temperature gauge is a pretty useless instrument: Why not replace it with something worthwhile like the Marlin’s Fairing-Mounted Cylinder Head/Oil Temperature Gauge? Offered with either a black or silver face, these gauges can be installed with a sensor for head temperature ($89.95) or one for oil temperature, ($99.95). Or better yet, for $128.80 you can get both sensors and a selector switch that allows the gauge to serve both purposes. That’s some handy information to have in real-world touring situations.
Marlin’s www.marlinsclocks.com 800.777.5543
Mechanical advantage
The new line of Easy Start Cams from S&S Cycle offers an elegant compression release solution for the starter motor’s struggle in turning over big-inch, high-compression Twin Cam mills. In stock motors, these cams offer the benefit of extending starter life and conserving battery charge. Unlike manual or electronic compression releases, these cams are foolproof automatic mechanical devices, equipped with spring-loaded toggles that remain open while starting, thus keeping the exhaust valves slightly open, lowering compression until the motor fires. The centrifugal force of the spinning motor returns the cams to normal operation. Available in three popular grinds, the Easy Start Cams are available for both gear and chain-driven setups.
S&S Cycle www.sscycle.com
Stretching out
These new Extended Brake Pedals for 2008–2010 Baggers from SoftBrake take the good looks and operational advantages of the company’s signature product to even greater lengths by adding an additional inch of stretch and adjusting the lever’s fulcrum for the application. That translates to even greater freedom of movement for your boot on the floorboard, and more ergo-friendly pedal operation. The pedals are offered in three designs—plain, slotted, or circle-punched—and can be had with either a black powder coat or show-chrome finish for $149.95.
North County Customs/SoftBrake
www.softbrake.com 714.680.0911
Be afraid
Just in time for Halloween, we’re pleased to highlight this Black Diamond Maul Mask, a sinister face piece that should prove even more effective than a hockey mask or the ever-popular skeleton bandanna for scaring the bejesus out of the citizenry. It’ll also block airborne perils like gravel, bats and Mormon crickets with authority. The Maul Mask costs $50 and consists of laser-cut diamond plate riveted to a leather liner. It’s held in place by an elastic head harness, and will give you—in the words of manufacturer Solid State Cover—“all the charm of a runaway diesel.” Yikes.
Solid State Covers www.solidstatecovers.com
Multi-mount pouch
With their new Tilly Utility Bags, the craftsmen at Garage Leathers make it a simpler proposition to strap a tough carry-all for small road necessities virtually anywhere on your bike. These sturdy reinforced 10-ounce leather bags come with heavy-duty nylon mounting straps that thread through any of a variety of differently positioned and angled slits on the back, permitting the pouches to be affixed wherever you deem them handiest—the front fork, frame rail or sissy bar, for example. Two widths are available to further simplify matters, a 10-inch version for $85 and a 12-incher for $95, and both sizes come in either vintage brown or black leather with either chrome or bronze buckles.
Garage Leathers
www.garageleathers.com 888.917.6789
That rode-hard look
Weathered brown is the hot new color for Harley in 2010, and hot on the heels of their CVO Fatbob introduction, they’ve made that model’s ruggedly handsome seat and pillion available to the Dyna masses. The operator portion of the two-piece setup is designated the Distressed Brown Leather Low Profile Solo Seat and sells for $339.95, but if you want the full CVO look, you’ll also need the complementary Passenger Pillion for another $199.95. A matching set of panniers, the Distressed Brown Leather Saddlebags ($599.95), is now available as well to complete the getup. The leather gets its distressed appearance naturally, having no surface treatment to interfere with the aging process, and the longer these surfaces are exposed to the elements—and the burnishing of your backside—the more unique they’ll get. The seat and pillion will bolt onto any 2006-present Dyna model, and the saddlebags will work on all 2002–present Dynas except the Wide Glide.
Harley-Davidson www.harley-davidson.com
Air down there
You can keep your nether regions nicely ventilated without appreciably raising your saddle height with the new Circulator Seat Pad, a breathable, shock-absorbing seat topper from Harley-Davidson. The Circulator is made of UV-resistant material to hold up under the summer broil, and it hugs your saddle with a non-slip base material and elastic fastening straps. For Sportster, Dyna and V-Rod models, a 14.5-inch-wide pad is offered at $79.95, and for Softail and Touring bikes there’s a 16-inch model for ten bucks more. Also offered is the 13-inch pillion pad shown here, with a price of $69.95.
Harley-Davidson www.harley-davidson.com
Collection plate
The Bag-R-Box Saddlebag Insert Tray is a heavy-duty black ABS unit designed to keep your small stuff from getting lost down in the dark depths of your saddlebag. It sits secure at the saddlebag opening thanks to a rolled edge that grabs the lip, but lifts out effortlessly for getting at the gear beneath. An added advantage of the device is that it adds some stiffeness to your leather bag without interfering with any stiffening supports you’ve already installed. Designed originally for the Heritage Classic leather bags, it can also be adapted without much fuss for use with any similar setup. The price is $32.50 for one tray, or $59.98 for a pair. Why would you want just one?
Glaive Products www.bag-r-box.com 815.354.5898
