I had a Bobtail fender installed on my Sporty when I got it a year ago, now I am thinking of installing the original rear fender. How hard is it to replace the fender? Would I need a motorcycle lift for this?

Thanks,

Eddiehttp://www.sportster.org/thebikes/images/e00i3-1957-1.jpg

Not difficult; be patient. Reinserting the rubber grommet that serves as a passage for the wiring is a minor challenge. You'll prob have to reattach the foam conduit that carries the wiring to the taillight assembly to the underside of the fender.

I've found that using thin, light cotton gloves (like the photo store techs use) is a really great way to handle tin.

Why the change from the bobtail look (pretty classic)...

Your bike looks pretty high in the back so this might not be an issue for you. Sometimes the bolts in the rear struts will hit the tire when you try to remove them. They pull out towards the inside. You might need to drop the swing arm to do that, lift the bike and remove the top shock bolts. Actually as I'm writing this I wonder if you need to remove the top shock bolts anyway... I don't know the answer to that one???

There are plans to a nice inexpensive lift that Gronk and someone else (I just can't remember who that was right now, maybe Billy) did in the download section of the old site. You need to be a premier member to gain acess to that area though. There is also an even cheaper lift you can make here: http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/bikelift.htm

Gary

Yeah i think it is like 13 inch shock! I just bought some HD lowering shocks. When i bought my bike, I got the bobtail because i really liked how different it made the bike look. Well i am just curious to see what it will take to change the fender.

Gary: Do you have anymore pics of your sporty? I dig the whitewalls man!

Thanks for you feedback!

Thanks, they're different. I like them too. I just put a bunch of pics in my gallery (http://xlforum.net/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=100).

Gary

Great looking bike... I really dig the white walls...

:)

Yea the WW are nice, but we can keep it our secret that it's the stripe on the gas tank that really set's it apart from the rest ;)

Gary

Gary:
What make are those tires. They look great. Never thought WW would look so good on a sporty.

Bob

They're Avon Venoms.

The Avons (and Maxxis, I think) are the only ones I found which will fit an XL. Avon also has a "Ganster" line with an even thicker stripe which will fit on the rear. You can seen them on some of the Bobber bikes ove at Licks (http://www.lickscycles.com).

This looks like the "Gangster" on the rear:
http://www.lickscycles.com/catalog/images/BikesFS-2002TangSportsterClassic883.jpg

This looks like the "Venom" on the rear:
http://www.lickscycles.com/catalog/images/customMotorcycles-Bobster4.jpg
Gary

I dig those bikes from Licks!!! I am gonna have to play with photoshop tonight and see what my bike would look like with WW and Mini Apes... When i got my sporty, i wanted a more dagger type look... but ever since I saw that one biker build off with that bobbers type, I just really liked the style...

What are those plastic coverings on between the forks and the triple trees?

Very nice!!

Rubber bellows, used to be standard equipment on XL back in the 50's

http://www.hdrcgb.org.uk/gallery/sportster/slides/1957%20sportster.htm
http://www.hdrcgb.org.uk/gallery/sportster/slides/1957%20sportster.JPG

Gary

Those rubber thingies are called 'fork gaiters', just like you'd wear to protect your ankles and boots in deep snow.
BTW, I like the whitewall look also. I don't think they'd look as good on my red Spoty, but I will definitely be using Avon Venom when I need replacement tires. I've put them on other bikes, they look great and handle really well.

I think the bike looks great right now, but its your bike not mine, haha. Are you going to keep the bobtail fender after you take it off? If not, I may be interested. PM me if your going to sell it, thanks.