Sometimes we get criticism in our mailbag that a product we suggest or test may not have worked out as well in the real world as it did in our magazine.

While we try and show our readers the correct way to install a given product, every motorcycle is slightly different when being built at the factory. With this fact being realized, the component may either attach to your bike with nary an issue or be one hell of a bear to wrestle on while trying to install.

One needs to remember that when upgrading or modifying a vehicle for either looks or performance, there are usually times when it is necessary to clearance something with a file or even use a big-ass hammer to make it fit. It is neither the aftermarket component manufacturer’s fault nor ours when doing so. It’s called customization and incompatibility issues like these have been rampant since the advent of motorcycles.

In this world of hopped-up bikes we live in, it’s a lets make it fit by any means necessary scenario and not a trip to Legoland. An experienced mechanic knows that anytime a wrench is taken out of a drawer and wrapped around a bolt that Murphy’s law could very well rear its ugly head and turn a 10-minute job into a 10-hour fiasco. Doing this can cause a spike on any person’s skill meter hitting anywhere from slightly annoyed to throwing wrenches. Trust us, we understand and admit that it’s all part of the hop-up game and have been down this road so many times that the asphalt is stained with the blood of a thousand skinned knuckles.

I just want to know, should we preface all of our tech articles with your results may vary, or can it be unconditionally realized that custom motorcycles are not snap-tite models and may need a little slap and tickle when working on them?

While we try and show our readers the correct way to install a given product, every motorcycle is slightly different when being built at the factory.