Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CVO2FIXUP]

 I am wondering if the front forks and triple clamp from a 2014 FLH will some how retrofit to the older ( pre 2014 ) ultras? The frame is unchanged, wheel is the same size, the length looks the same. It should be a direct bolt in? Any thoughts.

[05Train]

The fender mounts differently, and I'm not sure the tree or the legs will fit with the older fairing.

With enough money, probably.  But I can't see it being a simple swap.

[Twolanerider]

The frame is unchanged

Are you certain of that?  And if so from what source is the info?  I asked because while the bolt on rear frame rail sections are still the same -09 part number the main frame on the new bikes has a new -14 part number.  From an exploded view that was seen in the MY2014 tech bulletin it looked as if a new neck section was being illustrated as part of the new trees.

[CVO2FIXUP]

 I am surprised they would change the frame again after a total redesign in 2009. Will look in to this a bit further. You may be right though, in which case that would suck as there would be no chance for a retrofit.

[Twolanerider]

Multiple changes.

[grc]

My favorite answer to these sorts of questions is that anything's possible with the application of enough cash and possibly a cutting torch.  I'll leave it to those asking the questions to determine if it's really worth the cost and hassle to either modify their current bike or trade it for the latest iteration.  Unless your current ride has such a poor front suspension you just can't stand to ride the bike, I think I'd just upgrade the internals until you decide on another reason to spring for the new bike.

Jerry

[CVO2FIXUP]

 Well, HD missed the boat on that one.  It's awesome that they upgrade things but make it retrofit to the older bikes like the compensator's for example. Most will eventually upgrade.  If front end would retrofit, I would of probably done it in a few years. HD could of made more $$ if they made the switch poss. ( cause that is what 's all about for them right ) Frustrating eh?

  I just have to heed the words of my builder, " at one point Ernest, you have to realize it is not a sport bike"  So hard to accept this. I want to whip Hayabusa's on the racetrack!!

[North Georgia Hawg]

I suspect that there could be all kinds of legal liability exposure if they offered retrofit parts for earlier bikes, unless they went to lot of documented effort to show that they did their due diligence in assuring that the new parts would not fail on older bikes... and that's really not worth it for the MoCo.

Imagine if they simply offered the new forks on the older bikes without extensive testing, and then someone's front end fails with the new forks, and they get killed? Lawsuit City! They are a HUGE target, and there are a lot of lawyers out there looking for someone with deep pockets to sue.

It's much easier for the MoCo to entice you to buy a new bike with all of the latest improvements, and I can't really blame them. They are a motorcycle manufacturer, after all... not an aftermarket parts supplier. I'm sure their stockholders would rather them sell lots of new bikes rather than lots of retrofit parts. That's just a fact of how any company's financial performance is measured by Mr. Market.

Ken

[CVO2FIXUP]

 Dam your good, and you make allot of sense to. But I would love a set of those fat forks though. Cheers. 

[North Georgia Hawg]

Dam your good, and you make allot of sense to. But I would love a set of those fat forks though. Cheers. 

Frankly, so would I! But I already sprang a ridiculous amount for Traxxion AK-20s in my forks in May 2013, and they probably perform better than the new forks anyway... so I guess I'm good.

Ken