Motorcycle Rider News Tech Tips

FLH - Replace the Front Motor Mount

by Mike Clapp

We're all bike enthusiasts. We like to wrench on our own rides. It's what we do. A little grease between the fingernails and behind the ears, and we call it home-week. I've got an '03 Harley Ultra Classic, 51,000 miles and I'm the original owner. Yep, it's been with me since it came off the line, one of my longest lasting relationships - I might add.

The bottom line is that wrenching isn't all about putting on chrome and changing oil. It's about safety and keeping a good ride good and SAFE. Sometimes, it's better to plop down a few bucks to service techs every now and then to confirm all is good on your ride.

I'm a new believer. I've been saved by the expertise of a certified tech at Top Gun Motorsports, Lucas - my new best friend. I stopped off with a simple problem - I thought my

clutch was slipping on my 2003 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic at 51,000 miles.

Lucas took it for a ride, but let me know that the clutch was ok. Instead my steering was off. There were two causes - low tire air pressure or broken front motor mount.

Lucas checked my tire pressure. it registered at 13 pounds, yet it should have read 36 pounds. A few pounds of pressure later, and I'm good to go. Oh-oh, not so fast. Lucas still had to check my motor mount, so he suggested I let him do a free

6-point inspection. At this point, how could I say no?

A bit later, I could tell by his expression that my home maintenance needed to be brought up to

speed. He ran the bike up on the lift to show me the cracked motor mount, something my untrained eye would have never noticed.

Yet, Lucas took the time to explain to me and show me exactly what he was talking about. I knew I'd been taking care of my own bike over the years, but apparently I needed a little bit of help. Within an hour, he finished the repair and even nodded toward my spokes. Did you know they also needed to be tightened, another point inspection? Stop in for your 6 point inspection, you might be surprised.

Originally Printed in the August 2009 Issue