DK Custom PROJECT TRI-GLIDE Report w/ Lots of Pics

[gerald martin]

project bike

My freewheeler has 24000 miles on it. If I put your new air cleaner on that has the external breather system will the piston tops clean up themselves

 

[Sloufoot]

Hi Kevin,
Here is one reason I take my baffle off in the heat. It is a lot larger than the "spoon" that Harley sells.
I painted it black, & you have to look for it to see it.
Follow this link:

https://app.box.com/s/0dhgtkp547gvktfc64zn

 

[DK Custom Products]

do you think the new filter relocation will have any effect on the Harley warranty or the extended warranty

Only if something to do with lubrication in the engine had a problem, and only if they could show that it was related to the oil filter being relocated. Highly unlikely, but some dealers will try anything.

My freewheeler has 24000 miles on it. If I put your new air cleaner on that has the external breather system will the piston tops clean up themselves

There are two things you can do to clean up the carbon once you have an EBS equipped air cleaner-

1. Run some hard high RPM miles for a while (at least 30 minutes straight, 2 or 3 times) on the interstate
2. Put some seafoam in the gas for several tanks, and do some interstate riding at 3000 rpm or higher

Either of those will do a pretty good job of cleaning up typically carboned up piston tops.

Kevin

- - - Updated - - -

Hi Kevin,
Here is one reason I take my baffle off in the heat. It is a lot larger than the "spoon" that Harley sells.
I painted it black, & you have to look for it to see it.
Follow this link:

https://app.box.com/s/0dhgtkp547gvktfc64zn

I like your design better than some I've seen. But, like you said, it still blocks too much air that should be going over the engine when it's warm out.

Kevin

 

[GoSlo]

Hi Kevin,
Here is one reason I take my baffle off in the heat. It is a lot larger than the "spoon" that Harley sells.
I painted it black, & you have to look for it to see it.
Follow this link:

https://app.box.com/s/0dhgtkp547gvktfc64zn

I had a similar baffle and it does block too much air going to the engine. I'm having problems with engine temps and Kevin suggested taking off the baffle and try his tank lift. This little change stops the air flow over the front of the tank and allows even more air to reach the engine. They're inexpensive, easy to install and really work!!

 

[Sloufoot]

I had a similar baffle and it does block too much air going to the engine. I'm having problems with engine temps and Kevin suggested taking off the baffle and try his tank lift. This little change stops the air flow over the front of the tank and allows even more air to reach the engine. They're inexpensive, easy to install and really work!!

Yeah, I'm also doing the 2" lift already. The baffle does a great job, but I might do some more adjustments on the center tunnel for more engine air.
One thing I don't understand is why Harley doesn't believe in fins on anything but the cyl's. Plenty of room for 1" oil pan fins. That alone would add about 75% more cooling to the pan. It's been around for many years !

 

[DK Custom Products]

Not much to report in the way of pics for the last week on the Project Tri-Glide.


We just got some metal in today, so we will be installing that this Friday and begin testing.


We built some new lights that we'll be getting into the fairing vents soon. Hopefully it will make them glow a lot better.


We are going to take the smaller lights that were in the fairing vents and put them in the lowers and see how we like that.


A few days ago we spent a couple of hours just staring at the TG, looking at what we could do to improve it...stuff that we have not seen on any TG's before.


I think we came up with several really good ideas. We'll be test fitting a rough of one of them this Friday.




We played with some different catch-cans...not that we need one, but we get asked about them a lot, so we got 3 different ones and looked at different placements.


Could not find anywhere I would want one of the TG, but ended up really liking a chrome one on the Softail and a black one on the Sporty.




We decided to:


Delete the reflectors on the forks and rear fenders
Order some shorty antennas
Decided to add some windshield trim, but have not decided which design
Decided to go with some smoke lenses
Ordered some rear mud flaps, gonna see how we like them




That's about it for now. Hopefully we'll have some pics of some new stuff soon. ThumbUp

Kevin

 

[gerald martin]

project bike

What is a catch can

 

[Dirtydan]

A catch can "catches" oil that spits out your breather.

 

[gerald martin]

project bike

where do you get a catch can? What does it look like? Where do you put it on a freewheeler?

 

[DK Custom Products]

where do you get a catch can? What does it look like? Where do you put it on a freewheeler?

There are 50 places to get catch cans, which is one of the reasons we have resisted carrying them so long. The other is, that with any of the External Breather Systems (you can see them HERE) they come with a filter, and a catch can is not needed.

However, since we have been asked hundreds (literally) of times to carry them, we are evaluating 3 different ones right now-

Kuryakyn
A glass one that we are looking at assembling ourselves
HDM Performance Parts

Also, J&P carries them, along with many others.

Where to put them? Depending on what kind you get, they can be mounted off the frame, off the engine, behind the air cleaner backplate, under the body, there is no one set place.

On the Freewheeler, if you're into chrome, a good place might be a chrome one off one of the front downtubes.

 

[DK Custom Products]

I've been banging around the idea of running a different air cleaner on the Project Tri-Glide.


This is the one I've been running, an Outlaw 587 with a Chrome Bobber Cover.


It is a great air cleaner function wise, and I've liked the look, but am thinking of having something a bit more blingy for the Project!

Today I tried out the look of 4 different ones...please give me your input/thoughts, don't worry about my feelings, I really want to know which one looks best & why, or if none of them hold any appeal.




Chrome-

Same design in Black-

Chrome-

Same design in black with a bit of contrast cut-

Thanks in advance!

Kevin

 

[Sunman]

This one would be my choice. Nice clean look.

Sunman



Chrome-

 

[jwkhd1]

Kevin ,I think this one goes best with the black cylinder/polished fins. Wayne

 

[olddawg]

Kevin ,I think this one goes best with the black cylinder/polished fins. Wayne

I agree,How does it work in the rain?

 

[gerald martin]

project trike

I don't have any preference, they all look good but I don't see any external breather line. Are they hidden somewhere or is there not one on them?

 

[Zammy]

I like this one also but the all chrome one in this design is plenty 'blingy' too.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Thank you for the input...looking for more, if anyone has an opinion. ThumbUp

I agree,How does it work in the rain?

It is a synthetic filter, no oiling needed and water resistant, eliminating the need for a rain sock.

I don't have any preference, they all look good but I don't see any external breather line. Are they hidden somewhere or is there not one on them?

On the first two I did not fit an external breather for the pictures...just want to get an idea of how it looked, but I would probably use the premium discrete breather system on it.

The second two are Optimized AN air cleaners. We have been working with these, on & off, for over a year. We have already optimized dozens for Customers, and I ran one on my Softail for quite a while.

They use the Twin Cam Complete Breather System and the entire EBS fits behind the air cleaner, completely out of sight from the sides.

Below is a pic looking from above the bike, you can barely see the hose used by the EBS.

Here's another view from behind/side of the bike, you can see the hose there too.

But looking from the side, it is completely hidden...hose, filter, everything...it is all behind the air cleaner backplate-

Kevin

 

[55il]

I agree this one gets my vote. DJ

[/QUOTE]

 

[RedOregon]

I agree this one gets my vote. DJ

I dig this one because I love angel food cake.

 

[BOXX3R]

How is this filter (pictured) as far as knee clearance compared to the stock air filter? I like the 3​ theme. Is this a filter that you offer on your site? I looked, but did not see it.

 

[rwhgme]

First chrome one..with a black screen! Just sharpens it up that much more!

 

[ScottUSN]

I like the black with contrast cut also. The only issue might be getting my short legs past it to the floorboards.
Nice work!
Scott Smith

 

[DK Custom Products]

How is this filter (pictured) as far as knee clearance compared to the stock air filter? I like the 3​ theme. Is this a filter that you offer on your site? I looked, but did not see it.

It sticks out just a tad more than the stock, around 1/2". It is Not low profile like the 587's! :laugh:

It is not on the site yet, but will be soon.



- - - Updated - - -

I like the black with contrast cut also. The only issue might be getting my short legs past it to the floorboards.
Nice work!
Scott Smith

With floorboard extensions it is no problem. Only time I feel it is when I go to pinch the tank with my legs in the twistys.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Another week and not many pics. We have gotten a lot of work done, just not many pics to show for it.

We've decided to make some custom billet floorboards for the rider and the passenger. They will be rubber mounted, similar to the factory.

We were taking our final measurements and test fittings today.

We were just using some plain steel blanks today. Next week we hope to get the computer files to the CNC operator, then it will be a 3-4 weeks getting them cut, machined & finished.


What do you think of having side markers and turn signals in the lowers? I think I like it.

It was snowing all day, and we did not want to go outside and get pics from a distance, but it looks like it puts out some nice light, helping visibility from the sides.

We also got the fairing vents glowing really nicely.

This weekend, after it warms up a bit, I'll be taking it outside after dark and getting some pics.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Today I got out and rode some.


Here are a few pics of the lower fairing lights.


Time will tell if they hold up to the heat! I hope they do, cause I really like how they look!

They kick the light out onto the ground, plus are very visible from the side.

You can click HERE to see a short video, sorry it's so shaky. It shows the lower lights blinking, along with the Stealth Fender RBT's.




Here's a shot from behind of the Stealth Fender Run-Brake-Turn lights. I like them. But I have decided to put some mud flaps on. So I will be integrating these lights INTO the mud flaps. I think they will look even better...both day and night.

I completely forgot to get pics of the vent lights while outside. Ended up taking them later on inside.


These things have given me a bit of a headache...but I finally have them how I envisioned them. I wanted the entire vent to glow with light, AND, I did not want to see individual LED lights....just a glow of light.


Other considerations were I did not want to block the air from flowing thru the vent, nor did I want any feedback to me of blinding light thru the vent.


I am really happy with how they turned out!

Close-up-

Close up with turn signal going-

Another shot with the Softail backrest blocking the headlight, for a better view of the vent lights.

Neither the lower fairing lights, nor the vent lights are very visible during the day, but come dusk and night, they do their job of making me more visible from the sides and front.


The Stealth Fender RBT's and very visible during the day.

Kevin

- - - Updated - - -

On another front- One of the things I was testing today was our idea of reducing air onto the rider, while at the same time pushing more air onto the motor.


In the picture below you can barely see something above the lower fairing, to the front of the gas tank.


This worked very well. It redirected almost 100% of the air coming up the front of the tank, and it redirected a good amount of the air that comes between the fairing and the lowers.


This is good news for the rider...reduces buffeting and cold air onto the knees. It is also really good news for the engine, because that redirected air is now being pushed right onto the engine.


Fork deflectors (fangs) and fork baffles are great for keeping the cold & buffeting off the rider...but the downside, and why I don't use them, is that they also block air from cooling the engine.

After riding today with the cruise on, and holding my hand down to see what the air was doing (yeah, a wind tunnel would be way better!) I have a few ideas on how to cut & shape these so they will work even better.


So we'll be testing a few more variations before I settle on the final and get them powder coated.




Much more to come over the next several months!

Kevin

 

[55il]

Kevin, on post #86, showing the LED lights in the mud flap..... is your mud flap HD or another vendor? If you are installing the LED's on the HD mud flap I would be interested. The more lights the better. Thanks DJ

 

[DK Custom Products]

Kevin, on post #86, showing the LED lights in the mud flap..... is your mud flap HD or another vendor? If you are installing the LED's on the HD mud flap I would be interested. The more lights the better. Thanks DJ

In this pic-

The LED's are mounted to the tire side of the bottom of the fenders, with some special brackets that we made. They are not visible when the lights are off.

There are no mud flaps on the TG at this time.

I did pick up some Kury mud flaps, and we're working on a way to integrate some LED's right into the mud flaps. We'll see how it turns out.

Kevin

 

[55il]

Kevin, thanks for the update. DJ

 

[DK Custom Products]

So we spent another 6 hours last week on the TG and don't have one picture to show for it. :icon_eek:


We have so many things in different stages-

• Different rack for Tour-Pak...still not done perfecting the design.
  
  
  
  
• Working on the fitment and rubber mounting for the billet floorboard inserts (rider and passenger). I think we have that pretty well nailed down.
  
  
  
  
• BUT, we have not come up with a good design for what we want to cut in the billet. (Ideas, drawings, thoughts, welcomed! )
  
  
  
  
• Mary finished making up a safety tether out of para-cord, but the Tour-Pak is stored away until we get the new mounting rack done.
  
  
  
  
• Getting close on deciding which Air Cleaner to go with.
  
  
  
  
• We're planning on installing some raked tree's from Randy. Waiting on those. We played with the idea of a different front wheel. Nixed that idea.
  
  
  
  
• Got an extended front fender trim/mud flap from Richard. Waiting on warranty replacement front fender before installing.
  
  
  
  
• Working on modifying some Kury rear fender mud flaps.
  
  
  
  
• Going to install a drink holder for Mary, but it is going on the Tour Pak when we reinstall it.
  
  
  
  
• Going to put new highway pegs on, but can't go there til we decide on a floorboard design.
  
  
  
  
• Got a new brake pedal coming in...that is one thing we can do as soon as it gets here.
  
  
  
  
• Still testing/changing/testing the design of the wind deflectors.
  
  
  
  
• Need to get some shorty antennae for the TP.
  
  
  
  
• Researching if we can get a smoked out lens for the front fender. If anyone has any leads on this, would be appreciated.
  
  
  
  
• Also looking at low profile (possible smoked out) rear fender tail light set up. Any leads on that would be appreciated too.

Well that's about it for right now. Progress is being made, just not very visible right now.


Kevin