Good Evening everyone! I just got into biking recently after a 25 year layoff. I have noticed that quit a few bikers (mainly HD bikers)have one long leather braid clipped onto one of their levers. Some on the brake and some on the clutch lever. I was wondering if there is a significance to this and what the name of it is ? Is it just a novelty or does it serve a purpose? I really hope this is not me being stupid and asking a stupid question. Anyways everyone ride safe and God Bless. Brother Mike P.S. Hey Muskey I scored the fork tin covers (and several other items ) from the website link you gave me. THANKS MAN

Hey TOPNOTCH
Can't help ya with the braid. Could mean a lost brother. Could mean they lost the other cover somewhere. Chillowe can get you in trouble So what did you get? And where are the pic with the stuff on?? And you're welcome.

Yo Musky Pics are coming soon.

Hi all I'm new to the post but long time biker, I just purchased my first road star my Harley is finaly collecting dust lol, to answer your question about the
(get Backs) that’s what those long leather things are called, they serve a couple of purposes 1 is an affiliation thing, If I belong to the hells angels I would have red and white hanging if I was a Vago I have Vago green and white , I belong to the soldiers for Jesus my colors are yellow and black, it is an easy way to know right away when you pull up to a bar or go to a run who is there , if I see a bunch of yellow and black I know it’s my brothers, If I see it is red and white then it’s the other brothers ,lol,
originally the get back’s were designed as a way to take out peoples windshields or windows when people got to close or tried to run into you in tight traffic situations hens the term GET Back’s, if you notice the clamp is a heavy duty quick disconnect clamp and the long black leather is so you can swing and hit a target while moving, they can do some serious damage, but now a days people use them sort of like those tassels hanging on the little tricycles . Just for decoration, I know some star riders that hang black and silver (star riders colors) also the Hessians colors, so to round it all up 1 is group affiliation
2 is decoration , I hope that helps bro, ride safe ride sober, and God bless you all.


Vato Bob

Vato Bob,
Welcome to the Clinic, Brother! O<
Hey that is some real cool info on getbacks. I appreciate you sharing that, I never knew what getbacks were, or why people had them on their bikes. Somedays the ol' learnin' curve goes straight up for me.
Talk to you again sometime, -StarMyram

Just wanted to add a little I know about the tassles. I have also heard that back in the day they were used for bikers traveling in town and being chased by a dog. The" Get Back" was a quick release and was for slapping the dog away when trying to nip your ankle.

I personally use them for decoration on both levers. I just stay with black leather and they are lace up not quick release.

Ride safe,

Kevin

Thanks for the Welcome and ROFL!!! on the dog thing hahahahaha, you would have to get chased by alot of dogs to validate spending that kind of money on a get back, And most of the bikers I know would get off the bike and chase the dog lol,Rofl never herd that one, thats what steel toe boots are for in my book, also if you cant out run a dog I would have to say get another bike!.thats classic bro thanks for the laughs and chuckles. if any dog came neer me I just blast them with a full throtal blast from my pipes! that usualy woke up a neighborhood and made the dog go running for the hills.beeing a harley rider and road dog for many years it took alot to get me onto one of these bikes (roadstars) I figured for what I pay for a new dyno and pipes and front end for my hog I would buy one of these sweet looking bikes,so far very happy except for one thing I bought a 2006 roadstar midnight eddition looks almost like a heritage soft tail, but the engine has like a piston slapping noise after it heats up, or like a lifter bent or a valve is not seating right, is this a common issue? Do the the bikes inharently sound this way? I have read some post that say this is so, If sowhat is the fix?
thanks guys nice to meet you all.

Vato BOB

Vato Bob wrote:
.... but the engine has like a piston slapping noise after it heats up, or like a lifter bent or a valve is not seating right, is this a common issue? Do the the bikes inharently sound this way? I have read some post that say this is so, If sowhat is the fix?

I like to use my boots too

I've heard your comment numerous times over the years, especially during the first years that the bike came out. It's called the knock.

The loudness seems to vary from barely noticeable to unacceptable. I've known at least one rider who had his engine replaced.

It doesn't seem to be as much of an issue as during those first few years. What year is your bike? Either the problem has been solved or people are not a 'sensitive' to the noise the bike makes.

The knock haa been attributed to numerous causes (manifold leaks, improper plugs, piston slap, etc). I believe the latest is too much play at the end of the generator shaft, which may be fixed by shimming. I haven't kept up with the topic so I don't know if this resloved the knock.

I find that mine sounds louder when it gets hot especially in very hot weather. I also found that using synthetic oil helped quieten it down.

Try to listen to other R*s. It may help you recognize if yours is 'normal'. You can take it to the dealer but what you get is "That's normal".

Doc

yes hello thank you! yea I whent to the dealer and the mechanic says that it is normal BS! no bikes I have ever bought sounded this bad,it is almost embarasing. I am in constant heat because I live in Vegas,it is such a horrible sound, when I shut off the bike it farts, after the bike shuts down I get like a queefe or a small quiet puff out of the pipes, the bike is a 2006 off the show room floor, it had 0 miles when I bought it, I babied it for over 600 miles then road a run to california and back the noise only started around 4oo miles city driving, some people say you dont hear it if you put on loud pipes, I dont like that for a fix,it does'nt seem right. the noise should be checked out but the mechanic refuses to look into it, he says thats normal, if it was normal I wouldnt complain, if I heard this on my hog I know it means an engine tear down, but for a new bike this shouldnt be happening,other guys I spoke to said to use a special yama lube or somthing I cant remember the name, this has a full 2 year warenty shouldnt this be coverd? are they dragging there feet and not fixing it because it's to much work or what? thanks bro's

kind regaurds Vato Bob

Don't know what to tell you besides what I've already said.

There's been the odd bike where the knock was fixed 'cause the manifold was leaking. It's a long shot but you can try check for leaks at the manifold/head joint.

I would not use any Yama lube, change to synthetic oil if anything. There Yama Ring Free but that's for carbon deposits in the engine. As far as I can remember, the knock has not been attributed to carbon deposits.

You could have a valve sticking in the rear cylinder but it doesn't sound like a knock and you would notice a loss in power.

Doc

BTW .... if you're in Vegas, talk to vegasbod. You could compare bikes to see if yours is 'normal'. <br><br>Post edited by: DocShadow, at: 2006/08/12 08:07