I had the best intentions, I really did. On the run up to leaving for Sturgis this year I needed to replace my tires for the trip. I decided it was time to do something different. I was never happy with the skinny front tire and fender sitting way too high above it. I spoke with Paul and Native Custom Baggers and my local builder and pulled the trigger on an Easy Kit with RDD Judge wheels, 180 X 18 front and 200 X 17 rear.
Paul was great to work with. The fender and sliders were quality pieces. The Judge wheels looked great. I meticulously took before pictures of the bike and intended to take cooresponding after pictures to give the members of the this forum a good look at what this kit does for the bike. I would never complete the after pictures.
My builder completely disappointed me. He had me bike for three weeks and didn't start working on it until days before I left. I got the bike back hours before I left on the road trip, no time to take pictures. In fact, no time to sleep. I rode the first day from Twinsburg, OH to the Illinois border one exactly zero hours of sleep. I had worked with this guy before so I did not expect this deficient level of service from him. Never again.
Anyhow I road the bike out to Yellowstone, at first I had too much pressure in the from tire and the front end got scary light above 80mph. I backed off the front tire pressure to 36 pounds and it settled down. The 180 front gripped the pavement with confidence. Leaning into tight turns was of no concern. That amount of rubber also did well for a panic stop on a lonely NE road where the road ended and I didn't realize it. I was able to stop the bike is a remarkably short distance without locking up the wheels.
So here's the thing. On the last Friday of the rally my TBW sensor went bad and I had to limp into Rapid City Harley. To kill time my wife and I walked through the tent with the bikes. My wife picked out a 2015 RGS that had Yaffe bits all over it. Monkey bars, wedgy footpegs, floorboards, shift linkage. Upgraded stereo, Cams, Thunder Header exhaust. Yaffe hugger fender. I was hooked. Plus it was denim black so I could transfer my tour pack to the 2015. So I ended up buying it.
Therefor all my good intentions of providing before after pictures went bad. I would do the wide front tire again. But it won't be for a while since I have a bike payment again.
Here is the only pic I have of the old bike proving I actually had the Native Kit installed.
Paul was great to work with. The fender and sliders were quality pieces. The Judge wheels looked great. I meticulously took before pictures of the bike and intended to take cooresponding after pictures to give the members of the this forum a good look at what this kit does for the bike. I would never complete the after pictures.
My builder completely disappointed me. He had me bike for three weeks and didn't start working on it until days before I left. I got the bike back hours before I left on the road trip, no time to take pictures. In fact, no time to sleep. I rode the first day from Twinsburg, OH to the Illinois border one exactly zero hours of sleep. I had worked with this guy before so I did not expect this deficient level of service from him. Never again.
Anyhow I road the bike out to Yellowstone, at first I had too much pressure in the from tire and the front end got scary light above 80mph. I backed off the front tire pressure to 36 pounds and it settled down. The 180 front gripped the pavement with confidence. Leaning into tight turns was of no concern. That amount of rubber also did well for a panic stop on a lonely NE road where the road ended and I didn't realize it. I was able to stop the bike is a remarkably short distance without locking up the wheels.
So here's the thing. On the last Friday of the rally my TBW sensor went bad and I had to limp into Rapid City Harley. To kill time my wife and I walked through the tent with the bikes. My wife picked out a 2015 RGS that had Yaffe bits all over it. Monkey bars, wedgy footpegs, floorboards, shift linkage. Upgraded stereo, Cams, Thunder Header exhaust. Yaffe hugger fender. I was hooked. Plus it was denim black so I could transfer my tour pack to the 2015. So I ended up buying it.
Therefor all my good intentions of providing before after pictures went bad. I would do the wide front tire again. But it won't be for a while since I have a bike payment again.
Here is the only pic I have of the old bike proving I actually had the Native Kit installed.