We are moving onto the next part of the Night Train hop-up. In this installment, we wanted to lower the bike and swap out the stock chrome frontend with the new, black inverted frontend and also wanted to see what a new set of handlebars would add to the look. Ever since we started this project, we have received letters and e-mail from readers telling us what they want to see from this bike, and we feel the same way as you: It's a Night Train, and it should be blacked out. We put a list together of some parts we felt would give it that look, and a blacked out inverted frontend was the first thing that we thought would contribute. With that in mind, we felt we needed to lower the rear fender to the tire a bit so it wouldn't look too high. We stopped at Pomona Harley-Davidson in Montclair, California, to get some parts installed on the Night Train.
1. The bike was placed on...
1. The bike was placed on the lift, and service tech Brian Breeland got started by removing the stock frontend. First he pulled the fender, the axle and tire, then the brake caliper. He loosened the pinch bolts and slid the fork legs from the triple trees.
2. The gas tank was removed...
2. The gas tank was removed from the bike; we needed to get to the wires later when the bars got installed, so Brian pulled the tank just to make sure nothing happened to the paint. Then the old handlebars and triple trees were removed. At that time Brian pulled out the old bearing race and installed a new set, top and bottom.
3. OK, here is the new black...
3. OK, here is the new black inverted fork kit. Once we opened the box we found new trees, fork legs, axle, spacers, washers, bearings, and top covers.
4. Brian installed the new...
4. Brian installed the new greased bearing to the fork stem, then slid the stem and tree into the frame neck. The top bearing was installed onto the neck stem along with the dust cover and the adjusting nut. The adjusting nut was tightened down until there was no free-play up and down and the lower tree moved side to side without any resistance.
5. Then the top tree (fork...
5. Then the top tree (fork bracket as it is called) was bolted to the neck stem, making sure the lock washer engaged the slot in the top tree. The stem nut was installed loosely until the fork legs were installed for alignment.
6. Next, the fork legs were...
6. Next, the fork legs were installed into the trees. Brian slid the fork legs up into the trees until the top of the leg bottomed out into the tree. There is a tapered lip that the legs sit in.
7. With the leg in place,...
7. With the leg in place, Brian tightened the pinch bolts of the upper and lower trees, and repeated this for both sides.
8. Next was the installation...
8. Next was the installation of the new 21-inch chrome Reaper wheel. This is a good-looking wheel; we just wished it was offered in black. Brian installed a new tire, and then got started on wheel spacing.
9. The new Reaper can be used...
9. The new Reaper can be used on any of the Softail models. For proper spacing this wheel kit requires separate purchase of a model-specific wheel bearing Installation Kit. Check with your dealer or proper service manual. For this bike, we needed to install part # 43833-07, then placed the wheel on the frontend to check that it was centered along with the fender.