What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

Ongoing topics on interesting subjects, what did you do on/with your bike (or other things)?
Evert
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#16

Post by Evert »

i want you to be my mechanic!!

cheers, evert.
RooDog
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#17

Post by RooDog »

OIL FILTER..... AIR FILTER....
and, YOU should be your own mechanic. there is no one else who will stick by you forever, and be responsible for the work done on that bike, no one....
....RooDog....
Edaddy
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#18

Post by Edaddy »

Battery tender. Gl4 gear oil. Straight weight oil - 50wt in winter 60wt in summer.
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#19

Post by melchorz »

Learn how to do an intake manifold leak test.
kevsett
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#20

Post by kevsett »

Agree with previous posts. I think the biggest tip for me is to use the bike and not let it sit months into seasons into years........which lately for me has been hard to do.
Panacea
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#21

Post by Panacea »

Man, it took me a while to realize this is a really old post, I'll have to be more observant....My main tip about Panheads is this, if you are not mechanically inclined, don't buy a Panhead.
Mongrel505558
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#22

Post by Mongrel505558 »

Panacea wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 2:54 am Man, it took me a while to realize this is a really old post, I'll have to be more observant....My main tip about Panheads is this, if you are not mechanically inclined, don't buy a Panhead.
Yeah. Or you could build one and become mechanically inclined (a slow process that can be expensive, but worthwhile to a certain type of person). A lot of good suggestions here, but I'll go with RIDE IT! Don't let it sit. I know directly what that can do. Also, clean it often and have a set of wrenches at hand when you do. Don't go nuts cleaning unless that's your thing, but examine the area you're cleaning closely - it's a good way to make sure fasteners are all tight, find leaks, and just keep a close tab on the bike's health in general. Pick one area and be thorough. You might be surprised at what you find. Come back and do another area later when you feel like it.
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#23

Post by Andygears »

High quality hardware and OEM parts keeps my Pan happy!

Andygears
RooDog
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#24

Post by RooDog »

58flh wrote: Tue Mar 08, 2016 5:09 pm For me it was always drilled in my head from a youngster /Frequent oil-changes & always go over the bike BEFORE you leave to go anywhere!/Have Points/cond./bailingwire/ductape/& a masterlink on the keyring.Then the basic tools to adj. primary & rear chains when gone for a few days.But the BEST ADVICE was getting my hands dirty & learning how to do everything yourself!/That came to me as a basket case at 16-yrs. old from my Dad./It was a 69 shortster.Also you cannot rule out PREVENTIVE MAINTAINANCE.-----Respectfully----Richie
Emphasis by ....RooDog....
If you have to ask about the masterlink,......
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#25

Post by blewcrab »

MMO
panheadrider1961
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#26

Post by panheadrider1961 »

as many state on here buy a shop manuel for the years covering your motorcycle, bored and raining or cold and snowing , READ understand it practice it ,and yes if you can find someone with years of experience, listen,learn ask ,bench racing at the bar in the dead of winter learn the tricks that may help you on the road one day to get home, and on a fall sunny Saturday ride to local dealership when having an event, and watch the new people point at it and say where is electric starter? if its not a 65 model, and be nice put old rag under drip and they say thats a bad oil leak yes it was made to do that :lol:
panheadrider1961
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#27

Post by panheadrider1961 »

harley davidson shop manuel
Mark48
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#28

Post by Mark48 »

I have a 48 pan with a m74b carb. I’m no expert by any means. I inherited the bike which had the engine rebuilt and in a rolling frame. Took me about a year to get it on the road, and another year of not being able to get consistent cold starts. All systems were good as far as I knew. What I learned from the experts here was this bike loves gas, the linkert uses compression to draw gas into the cylinders. one day I was looking at the air filter without the cover and I saw the choke flap was not completely closed tight. The lever was all the way down, but the choke was not fully closed. Adjusted it so it closed tight. All of a sudden my starting routine worked every time. Choke flap not tight, not enough fuel draws into engine. My routine for cold starts is mostly what I’ve learned here.
1- gas on/ high test only
2- full choke/ make sure it closes tight
3- fully retard spark / I clean the plugs after a few rides
4- hold throttle full open
5- 4 full compression stroke kicks
6- relax for a few seconds/ give that fuel a chance to vaporize a bit
7- half choke
8- bring kicker to compression stroke
10- turn ignition key on
11- hold throttle about half open
12- 1 kick and it fires up/ return to full advance/open choke
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#29

Post by RUBONE »

panheadrider1961 wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 2:17 pm harley davidson shop manuel
I wish I had a shop Manuel, I have to do everything on my own.... :P
Mongrel505558
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Re: What are your top tips for keeping your panhead happy

#30

Post by Mongrel505558 »

RUBONE wrote: Wed Nov 03, 2021 11:49 pm
panheadrider1961 wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 2:17 pm harley davidson shop manuel
I wish I had a shop Manuel, I have to do everything on my own.... :P
So would you call him Manny?

That's a very common Portuguese name. Where I live there are a lot of Portuguese Americans. One day I was sitting outside a bar with a few guys and a parade went by. It was a Portuguese feast day. One of the guys I was with called out to his uncle Manny. I swear half of the parade turned to look over.
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