2008 Harley Davidson Street Bob FXDBI
Purchase Date: September 2008
I was researching cruiser class motorcycles on the internet. Initially, I liked the Triumph model lineup; the reviews had me interested. Although after seeing them in person, they didn't quite fit the bill. This was a time in my life when I wanted something different, a rawness that only a Harley Davidson could offer. Knowing little about Harley engines specifically and all too much about the Harley name, I was prepared for a new journey. I wanted a modern motorcycle for the long distance ease and reliability with the look/feel/sound of a vintage bike.
I settled on a Dyna Street Bob, denim black in color. The 2008 model has a swept back vintage style tail and the mini-apes. At the time I could visualize myself putt-ing around on it. The price tag was on the lower end of the big twins, which was the only way I could pull of the purchase. After a trade-in and turning down all the frills of the sales pitch, I was okay with the end result in payments. I was a new Harley Davidson owner.
The Harley Davidson FXDBI Street Bob has an air cooled, fuel injected v-twin engine. The 96 cubic inch displacement delivers torque at 91.0 ft/lbs @ 3,125 rpm. The Harley has a belt driven final drive with a six speed gearbox and wet multi-plate clutch. Front and rear disc brakes provide adequate stopping power. The weight is heavy and low tipping off at 634 lbs dry, 667 lbs wet. A full tank carries 4.80 gallons of fuel.
Here's a list of updates and modifications I've personally completed:
Exhaust: The Harley sound is quiet and muffled off the showroom floor. First and foremost, to get more noise out of the two banger, I went with Vance & Hines Short Shots slip-on exhaust for a clean, simple look. Not to mention they sounded great.
Air Breather/Filter: Arlen Ness Stage 1 Big Sucker for aspiration. The air cleaner was a simple install and fit well onto the stock mounting locations.
Air/Fuel Controller: Vance & Hines Power Pak to control the gas/air mixture. The only difficulty I had was tucking all the wires in the small available space under the seat. Tuning was also simple by following directions for the type of air cleaner and exhaust. The Power Pak required some extra tuning due to backfiring at shifts, which required a call to their customer technical support.
The Harley Davidson FXDBI Street Bob has an air cooled, fuel injected v-twin engine. The 96 cubic inch displacement delivers torque at 91.0 ft/lbs @ 3,125 rpm. The Harley has a belt driven final drive with a six speed gearbox and wet multi-plate clutch. Front and rear disc brakes provide adequate stopping power. The weight is heavy and low tipping off at 634 lbs dry, 667 lbs wet. A full tank carries 4.80 gallons of fuel.
Here's a list of updates and modifications I've personally completed:
Exhaust: The Harley sound is quiet and muffled off the showroom floor. First and foremost, to get more noise out of the two banger, I went with Vance & Hines Short Shots slip-on exhaust for a clean, simple look. Not to mention they sounded great.
Air Breather/Filter: Arlen Ness Stage 1 Big Sucker for aspiration. The air cleaner was a simple install and fit well onto the stock mounting locations.
Air/Fuel Controller: Vance & Hines Power Pak to control the gas/air mixture. The only difficulty I had was tucking all the wires in the small available space under the seat. Tuning was also simple by following directions for the type of air cleaner and exhaust. The Power Pak required some extra tuning due to backfiring at shifts, which required a call to their customer technical support.
Turn Signals: I relocated the front turn signals from the hand controls to the fork tubes using an OEM Harley kit.
Seat: Le Pera Bare Bones seat with the optional pillion pad for a passenger.
License Plate Bracket: I found an arched license plate bracket from an online distributor to add for a cleaner look.
Forward Controls: Kuryakyn forward controls added to help with long distance comfort along with aftermarket foot pegs with knobs at the end.
Handle Bars: I found the "Fatty Aped Zs" at Licks Custom Cycles. The fitment required shimming the mounting clamps. Routing the control wires through the bars was tricky and took some patience.
The FXDBI worked well for me with where I was at in my life. The motorcycle got me where I wanted to go, when I wanted to get there. There is room for improvement with handling and braking. This is expected for a cruiser class motorcycle. I'm looking forward to owning another Harley Davidson motorcycle soon.
Seat: Le Pera Bare Bones seat with the optional pillion pad for a passenger.
License Plate Bracket: I found an arched license plate bracket from an online distributor to add for a cleaner look.
Forward Controls: Kuryakyn forward controls added to help with long distance comfort along with aftermarket foot pegs with knobs at the end.
Handle Bars: I found the "Fatty Aped Zs" at Licks Custom Cycles. The fitment required shimming the mounting clamps. Routing the control wires through the bars was tricky and took some patience.
The FXDBI worked well for me with where I was at in my life. The motorcycle got me where I wanted to go, when I wanted to get there. There is room for improvement with handling and braking. This is expected for a cruiser class motorcycle. I'm looking forward to owning another Harley Davidson motorcycle soon.
Sale Date: April 2011