As winter gets closer, everyone thinks about winter projects on their bikes. This is usually the easiest time to do stuff that takes a long time and won't cause you to lose riding time. Most projects include a new paint job. This is the easiest way to make your bike look custom.

When you have a paint job done there are a few things to watch out for. Make sure you can find a good paint shop that can do exactly what your looking for at a good price and do a top quality job. Next, if you are going to use different tanks and fenders, make sure they fit perfect before you spend a bunch of money to get it painted. Always check tanks for leaks and make sure you use a high quality tank. I hear about a lot of cheap tanks that leak or the mounting tabs break off! If you use stretched tanks make sure the seat fits and they clear all objects on the bike. If going to a wider tank, make sure the bars and turn signals are clear. Once, you have everything checked out send it to the paint shop.

Another common winter project is custom wheels or having the stock ones polished. If you have stock wheels polished, make sure you clean out the bearings very will. If the buffing compound is left in, it will damage the bearings. If you replace the wheels make sure you get the proper preload on the bearings or this will cause problems. If you plan to put wider tires on, make sure it will fit before you spend the money. Most Harleys will only allow a 140 rear tire without modifications. Remember, all tires are not the same, so a Dunlop may fit and an Avon won't, and vise-versa. Kits are available to fit wider tires if you need to. A 150 will fit an 2000 and up Softails if you reverse the fender bolts to the outside, But it's very close. Just remember that cool rims and wide tires look good, but can cause problems or be dangerous if not installed properly.

I hope all you projects go well. These are just a few problems I've run into and hope you don't have to have. Just remember to plan first and don't get taken by junk parts because of the price. Since Harley's have become so popular everybody is making parts and a lot are poor quality, so beware. If you feel that you don't understand something, make sure you get help so you don't wreck your bike or yourself!