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[kona76]

And now, finally and completed, my SE FatBoy has come home again. I know you're watching Aussie, here's another invoice to throw into my personal black hole; ready? $575.00, for the stator, alternator and labor, gaskets, ets....another whopping amount now getting close to the $16,000.00 mark I believe.

I feel feel feel, like the luckiest luckiest luckiest, man man on the earth,, earth,, earth,.... Why? Because I am the one who survived the nightmare of the Black Hole Harley, and this school I have just graduated from, well it's worth more per ounce than gold, that's for sure. I know burning up money, just ask me. I'll send pictures,,,

Thanks to all who supported me with many kind words. You all know who you are, and I hold you all closer for therapy sessions and remarks. Just bill me.

And for the rest of the haters, doubters the fellow owners of "Black Hole Harley's" I'm coming home to share the joy, so move over.

Mike K.
kona76
Proud Owner of a Black Hole Harley SE FatBoy & a SE RoadKing.

 

[AUSSIE_FLSTFSE]

Amen!

Cheers
Aussie

[Rockin Rider]

Mike, I'm a new member on this forum, but I've read many posts on HD forums, and sympathized with you and wished you the best. However, I'm sure I'm not the first guy to say that your process has been wrong. Too bad you went through so much and spent so much. Many years ago, I went through similar experiences on cars and bikes. I've built, and had help building, various muscle cars, race bikes, monster 4x4's, etc. What I learned about building a quality performance vehicle - you have to sit down in the beginning and write out what you want to accomplish. You check your finances, and plan how much you're willing to spend. Then you begin learning - way before spending. After you've learned as much as you can, you investigate pro (speed-performance) shops in your area, and find ones with good histories of management, design, engineering, mechanics, and work. You check with the BBB and related business organizations, you talk to related businesses, you read books and magazines, you talk to guys at shows and events, and you especially talk to the shops' customers. When you've laid the foundation for your project vehicle with lots of knowledge and money, you sit down with the manager and head mechanic of your chosen performance shop, and plan everything. They've had years of experience and learning - usually many more than guys like you and me. They will build you the vehicle you want, professionally - from the ground up - with all parts harmonizing with each other. If you don't mind using a shop in another county or state, you'll have even more choices. Take the time to research and plan - then act. Check out www.rbracing-rsr.com and www.cart.rrcycles.com as examples. There are many performance shops. The point is that life is short - we don't have the time to learn a lot about many categories, make mistakes, and do things over - and we don't want to spend too much money in the process. Better to find and hire a good professional shop to help you do the job right from day one, or to do the whole job right themselves.

Best wishes, and keep on thunderin'!

[kona76]

Mike, I'm a new member on this forum, but I've read many posts on HD forums, and sympathized with you and wished you the best. However, I'm sure I'm not the first guy to say that your process has been wrong. Too bad you went through so much and spent so much. Many years ago, I went through similar experiences on cars and bikes. I've built, and had help building, various muscle cars, race bikes, monster 4x4's, etc. What I learned about building a quality performance vehicle - you have to sit down in the beginning and write out what you want to accomplish. You check your finances, and plan how much you're willing to spend. Then you begin learning - way before spending. After you've learned as much as you can, you investigate pro (speed-performance) shops in your area, and find ones with good histories of management, design, engineering, mechanics, and work. You check with the BBB and related business organizations, you talk to related businesses, you read books and magazines, you talk to guys at shows and events, and you especially talk to the shops' customers. When you've laid the foundation for your project vehicle with lots of knowledge and money, you sit down with the manager and head mechanic of your chosen performance shop, and plan everything. They've had years of experience and learning - usually many more than guys like you and me. They will build you the vehicle you want, professionally - from the ground up - with all parts harmonizing with each other. If you don't mind using a shop in another county or state, you'll have even more choices. Take the time to research and plan - then act. Check out www.rbracing-rsr.com and www.cart.rrcycles.com as examples. There are many performance shops. The point is that life is short - we don't have the time to learn a lot about many categories, make mistakes, and do things over - and we don't want to spend too much money in the process. Better to find and hire a good professional shop to help you do the job right from day one, or to do the whole job right themselves.

Best wishes, and keep on thunderin'!

Rockin Rider,

I appreciate your candid and obviously experienced commentary. I would like to say here that I did what I thought was the proper research, chose the local shop with many references and referrals, set my goals of 125 TQ and 125 HP, set a budget of $10,000 and opened the door called performance shop Hell. To this very day, I rue the moment I chose to do engine work instead of the wide tire kit.

I went to an expensive school to educate myself and have a better understanding of the Harley Davidson after market & performance industry. The school of hard knocks. Class is in session.

As others on this site can confirm (ask Hoist, he'll bend your ear and smile) even with cautious steps taken, things can still go wrong. Top manufacturers with respected products can only be blended by a mech/tech that has very good knowledge, or is just lucky and works hard with ethics. I did just that, and money flows and flows and flows..... I was unlucky, but not underresearched or poorly planned. I was the casualty of my own doing: setting goals too high and trying to fulfill dreams at any price, when in reality I had no business getting involved at this level. Although even today I am still apprehensive and gun shy due to the beating I have taken this last 8 months. And I think I know something now........what a fool I have become, huh?

Thanks for the heads up partner. I could have used that speech back in 2006! See, even my timing was poorly developed. Class Dismissed.


Good lookin' out Rockin Rider.


Mike K.
kona76

[Hoist!]

Rockin Rider,

I appreciate your candid and obviously experienced commentary. I would like to say here that I did what I thought was the proper research, chose the local shop with many references and referrals, set my goals of 125 TQ and 125 HP, set a budget of $10,000 and opened the door called performance shop Hell. To this very day, I rue the moment I chose to do engine work instead of the wide tire kit.

I went to an expensive school to educate myself and have a better understanding of the Harley Davidson after market & performance industry. The school of hard knocks. Class is in session.

As others on this site can confirm (ask Hoist, he'll bend your ear and smile) even with cautious steps taken, things can still go wrong. Top manufacturers with respected products can only be blended by a mech/tech that has very good knowledge, or is just lucky and works hard with ethics. I did just that, and money flows and flows and flows..... I was unlucky, but not underresearched or poorly planned. I was the casualty of my own doing: setting goals too high and trying to fulfill dreams at any price, when in reality I had no business getting involved at this level. Although even today I am still apprehensive and gun shy due to the beating I have taken this last 8 months. And I think I know something now........what a fool I have become, huh?

Thanks for the heads up partner. I could have used that speech back in 2006! See, even my timing was poorly developed. Class Dismissed.


Good lookin' out Rockin Rider.


Mike K.
kona76

That's kinda BS Mike. Don't beat yourself up over getting screwed over. Happens to the best of us at one point or another. We research and hook up with who we believe will be taking our $$$ and in return, giving us what we pay for. Unfortunately, that's not always easy to attain. Then on top of that, chit just breaks. So yeah, you graduated from the School of Hard Knocks, but you learned a lot on the way. And now hopefully you wound up with what you thought you got in the first place. Since we don't wrench 'em ourselves, we're at the mercy of the vendors and techs. Find a great one and stick with him!

Hoist!

[kona76]

That's kinda BS Mike. Don't beat yourself up over getting screwed over. Happens to the best of us at one point or another. We research and hook up with who we believe will be taking our $$$ and in return, giving us what we pay for. Unfortunately, that's not always easy to attain. Then on top of that, chit just breaks. So yeah, you graduated from the School of Hard Knocks, but you learned a lot on the way. And now hopefully you wound up with what you thought you got in the first place. Since we don't wrench 'em ourselves, we're at the mercy of the vendors and techs. Find a great one and stick with him!

Hoist!

Hey Partner, You're still smiling, I can tell.

Ya know, I was merely responding to a lecture I had to read, when in real time I had done something close to what he was sayin'. I didn't find the tech/mech in my area yet. The guy I like is in Hayward, CA, 450 miles away. Like I need an excuse to ride and see him!!!

And, I do wrench. I do chrome, on both my CVO's. That's right, both. Also, I do windshields, seats, spark plugs (requires a wrench, yes?) and much more.....

No, really...I'm not one to punish myself for my DMP (decision making process). Sometimes I think there is no gravity, the Earth just sucks.
I'm cool now. Both CVO's are running fine and dandy (knock on this wood please).

I did wind up with what I expected Howie, I ended up with a story to tell, a sore wallet and I lost some weight (whatever $15,000 weighs in pounds, I'm not knowing...)

I was just working him, anyway....geeze....can't a guy BS around here anymore???


Mike K.
kona76

[Hoist!]

Hey Partner, You're still smiling, I can tell.

Ya know, I was merely responding to a lecture I had to read, when in real time I had done something close to what he was sayin'. I didn't find the tech/mech in my area yet. The guy I like is in Hayward, CA, 450 miles away. Like I need an excuse to ride and see him!!!

And, I do wrench. I do chrome, on both my CVO's. That's right, both. Also, I do windshields, seats, spark plugs (requires a wrench, yes?) and much more.....

No, really...I'm not one to punish myself for my DMP (decision making process). Sometimes I think there is no gravity, the Earth just sucks.
I'm cool now. Both CVO's are running fine and dandy (knock on this wood please).

I did wind up with what I expected Howie, I ended up with a story to tell, a sore wallet and I lost some weight (whatever $15,000 weighs in pounds, I'm not knowing...)

I was just working him, anyway....geeze....can't a guy BS around here anymore???


Mike K.
kona76

I'm always smiling Mike. Even when going thru the grief times. Don't mean I don't getted pissed on the way. Then we just go about getting it done! What matters is the end result! Well, not the light wallet part! But ya got 2 awesome machines there now that ya love!

And I do apologize for interrupting your working the newbie! WTF was I thinking? My bad!!!

Hoist!

[Rockin Rider]

Hi, Mike,

We all make mistakes in life. Like everybody else, I've made plenty of all kinds - and they cost me big-time. You're obviously an intelligent, educated, skillful, articulate guy. You did, and are doing, your best - congrats on sticking with your goals. Great attitude and work ethic!

Regarding the guys who don't know me because I'm a newbie to this particular forum (I've been online for 15 years) - and who misunderstood and criticized some things I wrote - too bad - I meant well. No "lecture" - just trying to help and encourage a good guy with good goals. Interesting side note - over half of all human communication is misunderstood in one or more ways. I've been building, customizing, driving, riding, stunting, and racing cars, bikes, boats, and 4x4's in 7 states and 16 countries for over 40 years, and despite many mistakes and cost overruns, I've always enjoyed it. My point is that good pro shops helped my partners and me achieve things better, quicker, and cheaper than what we could have done ourselves.

Amusing adage/maxim - "By the time we're 90, we've learned enough to have a good life."

Family, friends, and I are takin' off for Mexico for a while!

Best wishes! 

[kona76]

I'm always smiling Mike. Even when going thru the grief times. Don't mean I don't getted pissed on the way. Then we just go about getting it done! What matters is the end result! Well, not the light wallet part! But ya got 2 awesome machines there now that ya love!

And I do apologize for interrupting your working the newbie! WTF was I thinking? My bad!!!

Hoist!

Howie,

Dude, you are so funny. On the Left Coast, we have some funny people. I have aspirations to be funny. On the Right Coast, we share Ya'all's humor. You are already there; funny that is. I can only explain this because your are three - four hours ahead of us, so humor is on the way.

Any time now......


Mike K.
kona76

[kona76]

Hi, Mike,

We all make mistakes in life. Like everybody else, I've made plenty of all kinds - and they cost me big-time. You're obviously an intelligent, educated, skillful, articulate guy. You did, and are doing, your best - congrats on sticking with your goals. Great attitude and work ethic!

Regarding the guys who don't know me because I'm a newbie to this particular forum (I've been online for 15 years) - and who misunderstood and criticized some things I wrote - too bad - I meant well. No "lecture" - just trying to help and encourage a good guy with good goals. Interesting side note - over half of all human communication is misunderstood in one or more ways. I've been building, customizing, driving, riding, stunting, and racing cars, bikes, boats, and 4x4's in 7 states and 16 countries for over 40 years, and despite many mistakes and cost overruns, I've always enjoyed it. My point is that good pro shops helped my partners and me achieve things better, quicker, and cheaper than what we could have done ourselves.

Amusing adage/maxim -By the time we're 90, we've learned enough to have a good life.

Family, friends, and I are takin' off for Mexico for a while!

Best wishes! 

Rockin Rider,

Yeow! Now there's a statistic to lose sleep over. Does that number include women? Cause I would think that number would be much higher. Like 99%. lol

Oh, and about the "You're obviously an intelligent, educated, skillful, articulate guy"[/font] thing, uh, thanks. But sometimes, I am just a biker with OCD. Other times I am the former President of Bolt Computer Products, Inc. Even further on; sometimes I am my daughters daddy. Both of the latter two are complicated, yet rewarding for a humble man as I picture myself. The first former, the biker, is addicted to Chrome. Now how bright is that? lol

Or did I misunderstand that communication? Somebody throw me a fish! lol
Mike K.
kona76