SoftBrake Extended Shift/Brake Levers, Cyclesmiths Floorboards, And Harley-Davidson Handle Grips - The Lonely King

(1.)Look at how a size 11 boot cannot fit with the stock brake setup. Something's got to change.

(1.)Look at how a size 11 boot cannot fit with the stock brake setup. Something's got to c

Gettin' fit

The fine folks at the Harley factory do a good job of fitting most riders to their bikes. But as the miles rack up, most people need to fine-tune their bikes for a proper fit. When doing so, things like intended usage and personal preference are key factors to be considered. As Harley owners, we are a group of riders who are fortunate enough to be able to have hundreds of companies making custom-fit items, and looking for them is just as easy as picking up a magazine or typing in a URL. The only real issue is figuring out which components we like the look and feel of before we order them. The best thing to do before swiping that credit card of yours is to check out what others have done. Try throwing a leg over your pals' bikes and see what they have done to make their bikes fit them better than the stock configuration.

On the Lonely King, we wanted more rider room and a bit larger floorboards. We also wanted a lower saddle height and a flatter bar to update the look of our bike. After looking around the World Wide Web, we found extended shift and brake levers from SoftBrake, a handlebar and floorboards from Cyclesmiths and a solo seat and some comfy grips from Harley-Davidson's Parts & Accessories book.

(2.)With the OE setup, there's not much room for some heel/toe action either. So we are going to fix that.

(2.)With the OE setup, there's not much room for some heel/toe action either. So we are go

We love the look and extra inch of space that the SoftBrake extended brake pedal and shifter levers provide. Plus the mirrorlike finish and slotted design adds to the bling factor. The floorboards we got from Cyclesmiths are a work of art. They have a concave shape that cradles the foot and provides the rider with miles of comfort. We also opted to add their heel/toe shifter pegs and brake pedal. When we bolted on their fat knuckle bar and test-fit it, we knew we picked the right bar that had the perfect blend of rise and sweep covered in show chrome. To finish out the Cyclesmiths look, we also bolted up one of their round, smooth air cleaners.

The stock Road King seat was just too bulky for us and a bit dated-looking, so we opted for Harley-Davidson's Brawler seat and a set of H-D's contoured chrome and rubber grips in 1.3-inch diameter, which are just the right size and shape for what was needed.

With all these changes, the ugly old bike is well on its way to looking good, but the main focus was to get the bike fitting better so we would actually want to ride it, and that, my friends, has been accomplished. Stay tuned, because next month the Lonely King is getting some new wheels and tires as well as some brakes to stop them with.