Project Softail Slim

[Ryan T]

So ever since I bought the Honda Rebel 250 last year I wanted to upgrade once I got comfortable on the bike. I was always cramped on the Rebel (I’m 5’10” 230lbs), and, while I enjoyed learning to ride on it, knew I wouldn’t have it long. I sold it back in November and started looking for a replacement. I rode a couple Harleys (what I really wanted) in a Softail slim, a fat boy, a dyna wide glide and an 883 iron, as well as an Indian Scout 60.. I ruled the iron out almost instantly because of the high seat height. The dyna was ok but I preferred the Softail riding position and options. The Scout was really nice but literally everyone I know that rides around here has a Harley so it was hard to go against that grain. I looked around for a month or two and stumbled upon a 2013 Softail Slim near Asheville shortly after Christmas. We negotiated back and forth and I made him an offer on 12/29 and met him at his place on New Year’s Eve. 

It’s a 2013 Softail Slim with 1983 miles as of the day I bought it. Matte black paint, white wall tires, six speed transmission and the 103 engine. Has lots of the Willie G Skull aftermarket stuff as well as LED headlight, signal lights and tail lights. It basically had all the options I wanted to put on one so I jumped on it.

Towing it home




Once I got it home






Started to rain at the office so we pulled mine and my coworkers 883 Iron up under the overhang 


So I’ve always heard it’s best to not park a motorcycle directly on concrete and you should have some sort of rubber based carpet under it to avoid moisture traveling up. We recently remodeled our office and the flooring guy that won the contract is married to one of my wife’s coworkers and has been a friend of ours for a few years. I snagged a few pieces of the carpet and adhesive to keep it from moving to park my bike on. 



So Sam and I are horrible gift givers and exchanged valentines gifts last week. She got me new black clutch/brake handles and black Willie G Skull mirrors which I love. I also had the jiffy stand (kick stand) looked at because it felt like it was flimsy. Tech found the spring was totally shot and replaced it so it would spring into place with some confidence. 

[davej]

I demand audio. LET ME HEAR FREEDOM!

Great looking bike and I love the whitewalls. How's the handlebar width? It almost looks like it'd be a bit too wide to be comfortable, but then again I think the last Harley I rode was my dad's dyana glide like 10 years ago.

[Ryan T]

I demand audio. LET ME HEAR FREEDOM!

Great looking bike and I love the whitewalls. How's the handlebar width? It almost looks like it'd be a bit too wide to be comfortable, but then again I think the last Harley I rode was my dad's dyana glide like 10 years ago.

Handlebar width is factory and just slightly wider than shoulder width, which is comfortable for me and easy to lean/manipulate. It seems like Harley grips go from low/wide to tall/narrow and I don’t care for the ape hanger/narrow grip setup. The grips on mine sort of fall naturally where your arms would want to be.



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[Senor_Taylor]

Looks pretty comfortable.

[JPolen01]

I hate the whitewalls. It draws so much attention away from the bike itself. I think non-whitewall tires would do this thing some serious justice.

Be safe out there!

[D_Eclipse9916]

I hate the whitewalls. It draws so much attention away from the bike itself. I think non-whitewall tires would do this thing some serious justice.

Be safe out there!

I think the whitewalls are pimp.

[RawrImAMonster]

Agreed, white walls look great on this bike.

[ScottyB]

i can't get into the harley bagger look but a softail like that, looks the business and will eat miles i'm sure.

do me a favor and take that thing up around Damascus to Fancy gap via the Jeb Stuart sometime around orchard season. that'd be a hell of a way to spend a couple tanks of gas.

[davej]

Polen, your opinion is bad and you should feel bad. [/zoidberg]

The handlebars look like a pretty natural and comfortable position with you on it, more so than the tucked/turned in ones on my dad's old bike.

still waiting on the audio of Friday night football games, american pie, and 1000 screaming bald eagles ripping out the exhaust.

[JPolen01]

Polen, your opinion is bad and you should feel bad. [/zoidberg]

That's fine. But I still hate it.

[Ryan T]

i can't get into the harley bagger look but a softail like that, looks the business and will eat miles i'm sure.  

do me a favor and take that thing up around Damascus to Fancy gap via the Jeb Stuart sometime around orchard season.  that'd be a hell of a way to spend a couple tanks of gas.

I absolutely will! There’s a charity ride for a guy my age that died of cancer that loved to ride that follows the exact route you asked for. My in-laws live in Damascus and I ride there on the regular but I will document the longer ride through the orchards when we go. 

I will also get some video of the sound as soon as it quits raining all day every day. It sounds pretty good but I need to take the baffles out to really make I howl. It has Vance & Hines pipes currently. 

As for the whitewalls, I like them for now and I’ll keep them till they wear out then have a look at the bike with both black and white walls, but I think I may stick with the white walls, they set it apart.