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[hbens]

First: Thank God you got your bike back!
What was the name and aliases this guy went under? We need to know in case we run into him at his next shop. We might not be so lucky as you.

[GregKhougaz]

    Obviously, this story could have turned out a lot worse. Very glad to hear you got your bike and that it runs well. Good luck!  Maybe now be a good time to go buy some lottery tickets.   

[ultrarider123]

WOW.

Talk about silver lining in the dark cloud.......

Glad it's running fine but REALLY glad you got the bike back. 

[Twolanerider]

Can't imagine why you didn't just walk away after getting sworn at and seeing behavior that obviously wasn't normal after something as simple as asking for a business card on the first meeting?  Landing fixation is a bitch.

Good thing you didn't actually ask the guy for a reference along with a business card.  He might've pulled a sword and gone all Highlander on your ass.  You know, in his mind, engine builders; there can be only one....

[SBB]

does this builder walk on water too? i know (or know of) just about every builder in florida(and indiana,as I just moved to florida from indiana 2.5 years ago).dont know of anyone who`s worked on HD motors AND formula 1 AND has a airplane,ect,ect.atleast give a town and ill tell if your getting BSed (beleave me,over 30 years in bussiness,ive heard stories like this more than i can count).

I have to say KIRBY NAILED THIS ONE!

Glad you got your bike back.

SBB

[SBB]

I looked at my neighbor, Jeff, and he just shrugged his shoulders and laughed. When I told Jeff that that kinda' bothered me, on the way home, he said, "welcome to the real world...relax...everything is fine" ....
I may have it torn down by H-D or another shop this spring, U.S. CYCLE in Port St. Lucie, run by a guy named Jerry "Zep" Snyder, who used to work at the H-D dealer and the motor company (opened his own shop a year ago) was referred to me last night.

Your neighbor just shrugged his shoulders and laughed.
Easy for him, he's not paying the cost.

Scarlet, not sure if your looking for advice or what but mine is to stay the hell away from your neighbor's advice, he's the one that got you involved with the scam artist/motor builder to start with.

Believe me, I thought about just taking the motor and leaving the first 3 minutes I was there. My neighbor, Jeff had already warned me that the guy was very eccentric and weird, but he was that way to everybody, and that he was a "good guy" .

If your neighbor is the one that recommended U S Cycle I'd run fast in the other direction. Why not ask Kirby or Doc1 about U S Cycle. there are plenty of motor builders in Florida that are credible. Ask here, people here aren't shy.

SBB

[miker]

Don't fix sumtin that ain't broke....ride the piss out of it...when it breaks fix it...There are plenty of decent shops down here.
Ride on in good health.   

[SBB]

...it looks like I have a pretty strong motor after all. Just got a text from one of the guys I rode with to a bike night last night. He said he couldn't believe how bad I "walked away from him on Beeline Hwy last night". He has an '02 Superglide with a bigger motor than mine.

Made me feel "slightly better".

I love reading this site.
People will tell the rest of the story if you wait.
So with 141 + 7 miles on your new motor you "walked away" from your buddy on a Superglide with a bigger motor.
The story is becoming clearer now.
Good luck with whatever you do!

 

SBB

[Twolanerider]

A simple question wondering why the first impression didn't take a harder bite wasn't intended to unleash a flood of piling on for its own sake or for the vanity of anyone who feels it uplifting to pile on another after the fact.  Your response and self-recognition speaks to a better character than some who might poke a bit just for the hell of it.

At the end of the day your situation isn't all that bad.  Not saying it's not been weird and dramatic.  But it doesn't totally suck. 

You apparently got an engine build.  You may or may not know exactly what it is but you got something.  But it apparently runs well and wasn't financially ruinous.  It didn't immediately blow up....

There is sound advice in the old axiom mentioned by someone above that if it's not broke don't fix it.  In your circumstance right now I'd run it.  I would suffer from a morbid curiosity as to what might happen for a few hundred miles.  But that would pass. 

You can get a dyno report sometime to measure the output.  The butt dyno and fuel use will do a decent job of informing as to how streetable it is and feels.  But you got the bike back.  Complete.  Running.  Compared to what might have been that's a huge win.  Sometimes when reading a dramatic story you just close the book, end the drama, declare victory and ride on.

[SBB]

SBB and prodrag...
I really Thank You....and everyone else who is commenting, as well as admonishing me for what happened. I'm chewing my own butt as well. My wallet tells me I can't do anything about my stupid move right now. As far as it being "my money", I didn't actually spend anything on the goofball deal (except for a drum kit that has been in my storage loft for 4 years...I never even thought about it, until I was told that the builder wants his kid to have drum lessons, and I discovered a way to barter for building a motor). I'm not making excuses, because I know, without a doubt I screwed up. I MAY or MAY NOT have a hunk of garbage in my "dreambike"...but it's on me. I'm the one who made the ignorant and stupid decision to go with this.

My wife (my best friend)  told me last night that while she is not happy with what I did either, she understands and feels bad for me. She went on to say that she has some "secret" funds put away for emergencies and that she wants me to either run the bike til' it blows or make the decision right now to have it taken out and rebuilt by a real, established high performance shop.

I admit that I am not even close to being knowledgeable about this stuff. If I decide to rebuild or whatever, I will certainly check with the ones on here that know.

As far as the comment about me walking away from my friends superglide, he may have just been trying to make me feel better about what I've done...I considered that after posting about it. It DID, in fact make me feel good. He has a 103 c.i. motor. I do know that in third gear, I seemed to pull away from his bike and I just kept going. I turned off to go home and they went by and waved and continued home. Am I supposed to interrogate him for his text to me? Please don't think I'm B.S.ing here. I have been totally honest. I have continued to kick my self when I'm down. I have admitted how stupid I was. I have absolutely told everyone how appreciative I am because I NEED to know the stuff that you guys are offering. I have praised this whole sight since I joined a few days ago. There's no doubt in my mind that I screwed up. There's also no doubt that my bike is a mere toy compared to those I've read about on here (for months before I had my CVO back and before I joined). I don't BS. I'm honest about this thing. If I weren't, then I'd get improper advice.

modify...As far as the 148 miles comment, I was told to RUN it hard. I would have never done that without several (including a lot of guys on here) suggesting to break it in hard. The goofball builder said in a hand written note to me that it should be ridden the way I would normally ride..."Don't be affraid to open her up and let her sing". He told me to "RIDE THE S**T OUT OF IT!" Thats what I'm doing. I really want to see if it grenades, anyway. It hasn't. It is certainly not even close to being capable of what I've read on here. Like I said, though, it has much more power than it had. I definetly feel THAT. I just spoke to Gary, my friend with the 02' Superglide. He said that he was really trying to show me that his bike is way faster and that my motor is a piece of c**p. He had sliced and diced me all night, (everytime we stopped) for making a dumb decision with my motor. He honestly thinks my motor was built fine now. I see no leaks...no problems yet at all.

Thanks
RM

Scarlet

Some would try to make like I'm bashing you but their idiots and I don't believe most of what they post. As for you, you have been through an experience, even though it wasn't a good one you are learning from it. This is the greatest site on the WWWeb for information about your bike. Chill a bit, read a lot and learn the people here. As I said there are some great bike/motor builders in Florida. Don't rush to do anything, ride some, read more, talk with those that interest you and ask questions here. You have a great bike, ride it and have fun. When you get that warm fuzzy feeling about who to do work on it that feeling will probably be based on info from here. Good luck and ride safe.

SBB

[Twolanerider]

 declare victory and ride on.

ride it and have fun.

It's a love connection.             Sweet... 

[prodrag1320]

glad it worked out,but like i said,ive heard crap like that out of so many guys ,its funny when guys tell me this chit,not knowing ive been at the top of all harley drag racing on gas & nitro for 25 years & know just about anybody who done anything as far as HD machining & engine building.BTW,if you live around baton rogue,we`re racing there next weekend at the AMRA cajun nationals,come on out & say hi

[HILLSIDECYCLE.COM]

Wow!!
My FINGERS hurt from reading all that...........
Good you still have your bike.

[Red Dragon]

Wow Kirby, or should I say Mr. Apathy...

I was just on your website. Holy S**T. That's the real deal. Pardon me for being so ignorant. I will make it a prority to either get to your shop in Daytona or come to one of the events to meet you. I can't wait to tell my Buds that I was reemed out by Kirby Apathy (I'll show 'em the photo) for what I did with my dreambike's motor.

[prodrag1320]

didnt mean to ream you,its just that ive heard other shop guys blow themselves up to make themselves look better & its all B/S and i hate seeing guys get sucked into it.and it would be nice to have you visit some time.BTW,its just kirby,not MR apathy