Harley-Davidson FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic - opinions

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Harley_Davidson_FLSTC_Heritage_Softail_Classic_MY_OPINION

No more butt itch!!! The ride is incredible. If you're considering anything else, you owe yourself at least a test ride on this baby...This is just like your Dad's Hog, but the ride would make you think you were on a Rice Burner. LIVE TO RIDE!!!

Harley_Davidson_FLSTC_Heritage_Softail_Classic_MY_OPINION

This is my first Harley, the best of the best right? Wrong! The twin cam still has problems. 5200 miles and the cam bearing failed leaving me stranded out in 105 temp. Think twice before getting a new Harley. They still spend time in the shop.

Harley_Davidson_FLSTC_Heritage_Softail_Classic_MY_OPINION

I bought my 2000 Heritage Classic from the local Adelaide dealer, Harley Heaven -- and that it has been. It was a big and expensive step up from my Honda 750 Cruiser, which in its self was a great bike. But the Harley is everything I was promised it would be and more. The new motor is vibration free and the ride and handling of the bike is first class. Fit and finish are also excellent. The big beast gets comments everywhere I take it. It is a magnificent bike. I couldn't recommend it highly enough. Happy riding!

Harley_Davidson_FLSTC_Heritage_Softail_Classic_MY_OPINION

Does not have the ride my dresser had but is close and a hell of a lot better looking. I was lucky to get one of harleys custom colors and it turns heads everywhere.{Candy Burgandy and Pearle Charcoal{ The new 88 is smoother than my previous Harleys and has plenty of power for me. It is a joy to ride,had to put on a set 2" ARs to get the good sounds. I would rcomend this bike to anyone.

Harley_Davidson_FLSTC_Heritage_Softail_Classic_MY_OPINION

This is my first Harley and I love the way it looks and sounds. I never wanted one before because of the oil leaks and vibration. I have riding for over 30 years and have had many different rides. My Harley is the most conformable and love the way it looks. I would have rated a 5 star, but the oil that comes up through carb. [It has happened three times] is something I DIDN'T count on and it makes me pissed. WHY hasn’t Harley taken care of this? They know what the cause is [oil pump]. I DID NOT PAY TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLAR To have oil spill all over my engine and legs. Harley should do a recall on the cam and oil pump and get it behind them. IF they do not they will people like me will stop buying them and go back to other bikes. IN ALL the other bikes I have had I never have any oil leaks. And when I hear, ho, that just a Harley, I say bullshit. I don’t care if I paid $9000.00 for a new bike, when something goes wrong, fix it.

Harley_Davidson_FLSTC_Heritage_Softail_Classic_MY_OPINION

Last year in Sept. While we were on vacation in Wisconsin around Labor Day, my wife & I test drove one at a new dealership just 40 miles north of Milwaukee. The ride was smooth and had great torque. I am presently riding a 78 Goldwing. I have had in the past a 42 Flathead and a 75 Superglide. I didn't want to get off my smoooooooooth GL and climb back on a vibration riddled H-D. But that was not the case. The ride was smooth and was what I expected. The 88 B engine is the only engine I would have in a H-D. I currently have one on order and thank H-D. for finally addressing the vibration problem.

Harley_Davidson_FLSTC_Heritage_Softail_Classic_MY_OPINION

I've put over 11,000 miles on this bike and have never regretted buying it for one minute. It has looks, power and reliability to boot. I've owned several bikes over the last 25 years and this is by far the best. I did replace the cam bearing for piece of mind because this one was built in 1999

Harley_Davidson_FLSTC_Heritage_Softail_Classic_MY_OPINION

You wouldn’t be surprised to unearth a beauty like the Heritage Softail® Classic under a dusty cloth in Grandpa’s barn. With studded leather bags, big fenders, giant chrome headlight and passing lamps. For the rider who dreams of classic style, there could be nothing better. But those seeking a modern-day machine will also find this an ideal ride. See the Twin Cam 88B™ engine for evidence. It’s eighty-eight cubic inches of refined internal combustion. We rigid-mounted it, but two ingenious counterbalancers cancel out all but the good vibrations. Choose it with carb or EFI. There’s a hidden rear suspension. Wire-laced wheels inside blackwall tires. And a low seat height. So no matter what kind of bike you like, it’s easy to swing a leg over this one.

Harley_Davidson_FLSTC_Heritage_Softail_Classic_MY_OPINION

For years I have been bugging my wife that I wanted to get a new Harley. I have had a street bike for 22 years and have been riding for 34 years. This is my first Harley Davidson. The thing that brought me to Harley is I was getting way too complacent on my Turbo Seca. If I wasn't going fast I was getting complacent. I guess that's what happens when you own something like that for 12 years. There were too many times where I could have got some major tickets.

For me, I always wanted one. I can say I was not disappointed. The hardest thing for me was if I got the Fatboy or Heritage. I kind of have mixed riding habits. 50% city and 50% highway. Due to the highway stuff, I decided to opt for the Heritage. After years of packing a backpack, having the constant roar of the wind in my helmet , and the stiff neck from having my head buffered around by the wind, the Heritage was the obvious choice.

I bought the bike brand new off the showroom floor. It came with the EFI, purple/charcoal gray two tone paint, Screaming Eagle Stage 1 EFI kit, Screaming Eagle II pipes, and the factory alarm with key fob. These options did come at a price mind you. Any price I quote will be in Canadian funds. The EFI was $600, alarm $400, 3 years/ unlimited mile warranty ($1500),EFI kit /pipes $1200 and paint $1000. I was told by the dealership that the color on my bike was only offered for two months and then scraped in order to keep it unique. They do this every year with some of the two tones.

I bought the bike May 31 2002 and was able to put 13000 km's on it the first year. I even took it on holidays and put on 3800km's in a week. I live in Western Canada so I have all types of riding terrain. Wide open prairies, foothills and the Rocky Mountains. Great for testing out the bike as I can.

You might find riding the bike in the city that on hot days, the back of your right thigh can get extremely hot. This is due to the oil bath being right under the seat and surrounding the battery. I asked the dealership how hot I should let it get before I should pull over and let it cool down. I also asked if I should pick up the oil temperature dipstick for it to tell if it's getting too hot. The service manager assured me that it could be on fire and it would still run. The dipstick was just a waste of $70. This is normal on a air cooled twin.

The 88B twin cam is a great. I really like the EFI option. No choke to mess with and no jets to change in the mountains. This was great when last summer I made the "Ride Into The Sun " route from Kalispell Montana to St. Mary's Montana. It was quite the climb with my wife and myself on the bike. (I'm 200lbs and my wife 145). The engine has never had a hic up. The low end torque is great for tooling around. It pulls smooth and even. Cold weather starting is easy as well. Turn the key on, wait for the fuel pump to stop (2 sec's), then start the bike. I was told to let it warm-up until the top 3 fins on the back cylinder get warm, and then drive away. Perfect!!

The saddle bags are well supported and hold quite a bit. It's great to be able to have your rain suit with you all the time as well as anything else you might want to have such as a place to keep your jacket and chaps if it's too hot and you feel you don't need them. There are limits to them though. A skull cap or quarter shell will fit in them , an open face with ear protection will not. The buckles are more for show. They do allow for the bag to expand, but that's about it. The leather keepers at the bottom really don't keep the excess strap down at highway speeds. This drives me nuts watching the straps flop around like elephant ears going down the highway. I solved this by using hair elastics. The bags are easily remove with 3 bolts. It really changes the appearance of the bike.

If you look at the specs, you'll see that the Heritage is the same base as the Fatboy. The windshield works great and comes off in 5 seconds. This makes it really easy to clean and does a great job of deflecting bugs and rocks. You can even smoke behind it if you want.

Some of the changes to the bike are for comfort for my passenger and some for myself. I'll go through them and explain shortly the pro's and con's. When you make this kind of investment, you'll want to ride it everywhere and you're going to want your better half to enjoy it as much as you (in order to get more riding in..lol) As you know if you walk into a dealership, HD doesn't stand for Harley Davidson, It stands for Hundred Dollars!! There are aftermarket companies that make great accessories @ 1/4 the price.

Stage 1 EFI Kit with Screaming Eagle Pipes (1200 Can.):
I personally wanted the bike to be louder, but not annoying. This gave me better gas mileage and more snap. I really didn't like the sound of the stock pipes. These factory performance pipes are tuned to the engine. Louder unmuffled pipes will cause you to lose low end torque and burn valves out quicker. They remove the backing plate on the air breather, put an K&N filter, and recurve your timing and air/fuel mixture via the cpu under the seat. They can change a lot of thing with the laptop connected.

EFI:
Great system! Not a problem. The cpu that controls it works great. If your ever in another dealership getting work done, they can track what and where it was done. If you try to get too radical with the timing or air/fuel mix, Harley Davidson will shut you down and call you at home/dealership to ask you what you're doing?

Rear Passenger Floorboards ($350 boards,$125 bag kit, $112 chrome cover $Can.):
I added these for my wife. We take a lot of long rides and these help. It lets her move her feet around and reposition her legs and butt on the long haul. It also keeps her from melting her boots on the pipes. The boards do not come with the chrome cover plate that shows when the boards are up. When they are up, they're great for my 8 yr.old daughter. She can rest her feet on the top of them giving her a foot rest.

Rear Seat ( $278 Can.)
The original seat wasn't all that comfortable after the first 250 miles. I would have to stop after every 50 miles after that. I went with the touring seat from Harley because the studs on the trim match mine. It sits higher and the added width does help (so I'm told..lol)

Heated Grips from Harley:
Now there are a lot of options from the aftermarket for these. I work a lot of night shifts so I'm coming home at the coldest time of the night on the highway. Also our season isn't as long and it gets cold quick. These are new this year from HD. They have their own independent thermostat. They have 6 different heat settings. Once you get them at the temp you like, they will compensate as you go down the road. Heat up on the highway to keep that setting and cool down when you enter the city and slow down. There are cheaper options available. I just didn't want to run other wires or battery operated gloves.

The rear tire lasted 14000km's. I changed it with 35-40% tread left. I might have been able to get 17, but is it worth it?? The laced wheels all have tubes in them. Nice bit of protection and cost if you get a puncture.

As was mentioned in a previous review, the dealerships are great. I've traveled around to other provinces and into the states and they were fantastic. If your buying new, you automatically giving a free 1 year membership to HOG ( Harley Owners Group) Even if you buy used, you can get it. Some of the advantages are you get a reduced rate with an auto club ( I can't remember ) that specializes in Harleys. A lot along the likes of AAA. Gas Flat tire repair..etc. They also have a yearly atlas that has a list of all the states motorcycle law requirements and where all the dealerships are in Canada and the US.

Overall I can't express how happy that I've purchased my Heritage. As I've noted above, I can't really list much for con's. The changes were more for my benefit (wife's). There have been no problems with the ride or performance of the bike. The servicing is a tad expensive. A normal warranty service runs from $250-$500 Canadian. I could do it myself, but I'll wait until the 3 year warranty is up.

If you have any questions, you can contact me at life like@shaw.ca

Up-Date as of December 14 2003

The bike now has 23000 km's on it now and there are no problems with it at all. The bike runs almost better than new!

The only thing that I've had to change on it has been the back tire and one of the heated grips. I was riding in a bad rain storm for about 3 hours and had a death grip on the throttle. The grips were on full bore and the seam of my glove melted into the foam heated grip. The dealership hadn't ever seen anything like that. It was covered under warranty and I was back on the road with in two hours.

I have also noticed that the SE pipes have been getting a lot louder the more miles I put on. It hasn't effected the performance at all, but I can sure hear it! It stared getting louder at about the 16000 km (10000 miles). It also has been popping a little when coming off the throttle with more than a few flames coming out of the bike. I've had buddies ask me if it was EFI or carbed due to this happening. Needless to say, it's quite impressive on cruise night when the sun goes down. I asked the dealership to check it and they've assured me that this is normal. The plugs were perfect and the cpu hasn't thrown any codes to give me any reason to give me any concern. I'm assuming that it could be the pipes finally getting cleaned out a little and the bike breaking in finally!
It more or less happens when I'm downshifting and giving it a little punch on the throttle as I shift down. Less restriction on the pipes, a little extra fuel in the pistons = 6 to 12 inches of blue and orange flame out of both pipes!!!

The other thing that's a little annoying is the position of the floorboards. If your not careful, putting it too far over in a corner will scare the heck out of you if your not prepared for the scrape and sparks from them. I know it's not a sport bike by any means, but going hard into a corner with a bump or dip in it will wake you up in a hurry.

A nice little option you might want to invest in is a little piece of stainless made by Boot Doctor out of Las Vegas. If you have floorboards like the Heritage does, you'll notice your right leg will get sore if you've been on the highway for any stretch. This summer I did 2500 km's (1600 miles) in three days and 1800km's (1100miles) in another 2 days. Your left heel can rest against the shifter, but your right leg can get tired from fighting the wind trying to push your foot off the floorboard. I could get the crash bars with highway pegs, but I really do not like the look of my bike with them on. Besides, $70 is a lot better than $500...IMHO. You can find them on the net and you'll see what they're all about.

The gas mileage has improved a little. Currently it has gone from 250 km's (160 mile) per 18 liters ( 5 gallons) to 280 km's (180 miles) on the same amount of fuel. I haven't taken the time to figure out the mpg's yet. I just do it this way because gas prices change so much around here.

I still haven't had to change my brakes yet. The backs are making a little noise at times, but the dealership checked them 3000 km's ago and there was still 70% left in the back and 50% in the front. Not bad in my opinion for factory brakes! This is over 2 full riding seasons and 23000 km's.

All in all, this is all that has been going on since the last time I've written and will keep you informed of anything new that comes up next riding season.

This is still the best thing I've ever done and all the hype is worth every penny I've had to spend on it. Second only to...you know what...lol

I just picked up this Blue & Ice eye catcher in March, so it's still pretty cool in Michigan. I managed to get a couple hundred chilly miles on it so far, and I'm very impressed. I'm a Harley rider, so I'm a little biased.
Although, if this machine was a lemon I would admit it.
My last ride was a '76 FX, so this scooter has been quite pleasurable to say the least. Since I don't have a lot of saddle time on it yet, I can't say how comfortable it is on long runs or make claims on how reliable it is. On short rides (50 miles) I didn't find myself fidgeting around in the stock seat, and I think it is very comfortable. I am 250 lbs, and I think the Softail rides better than my 2001 truck. I did end up putting lower FatBoy style handles on it. They are more comfortable to me and they make the bike look very Baaaad after you take off the backrest, bags and wind screen and add on an engine guard. The bike is put together extremely well, it is very tight and extremely well balanced. The paint job is A plus. The factory alarm system and built in fork lock provide more than adequate security. The five speed transmission has good gear ratios, but still has the hardy clunk when you up shift like the older HD's. Downshifting is much smoother that the older machines, but getting back into first gear requires a little increase of the engine RPM's if you are stationary (I'm assuming these things will improve as the bike breaks in). The 88b is incredibly smooth. I originally thought the smoothness would be a problem, but it's very welcome. The bike is unmistakably a Harley even with the 88b. Aside from an occasional whirring sound from the counterbalancing when shifting, the engine noise is appreciably less than the older bikes. This is a big machine (750 lbs wet) so it doesn’t handle like a Super Glide or a sport bike, yet it is very controllable and responsive for it's size. It brakes well and it gets up and goes well. Since it sits as low as a LowRider, a little caution should be practiced when cornering sharply. You will find yourself leaning a little more to keep the bike vertical. The fuel injection is great. No petcock or choke to mess with. Even in the cold weather you are off and rolling in a minute or less. Also, the fuel-injected bikes are single fire. So they idle a little smoother and sound a little different (more deliberate, no popping & spitting) than the dual fire ignitions on carbureted models. Aside from my first hand experience with cold weather starts, I'm told by others that the fuel injected models are much more forgiving at higher altitudes and in areas that are prone to sudden and severe changes in climate (such as Michigan). After you bust the plugs out of the stock mufflers (with the Dealers consent) it will sound as it should (gives it a nice rumble with out upsetting your neighbors). As far as price, It’s a Harley, you will get back what you gave for it. I would like to note that in addition to the two tone paint, fuel injection and alarm system (which are all options) the dealer included the first 10,000 miles of service in the price at a discounted rate. The amount paid was the out the door price. I will comment more in the future as I get more miles under my belt.

Update:04/16/02 (was 200 miles, now 400 miles)
Had to replace the stock passenger pegs with longer ones. My wife said her feet kept slipping off, especially on the pipe side of the bike. She says the longer Harley pegs solved the problem. The stock seat may have to go for runs over 100 miles. It's fine for around town, but my hind end got pretty numb after awhile. Haven't had any problems other than a turn signal bulb burning out. The bike runs better and better as it loosens up. I had to turn up the tension on the rear shocks about 6 cranks for the extra load of my wife (130 lbs). Total movement of the plates was about 21 to 22 cranks. The shocks come from the factory dialed all the way down. 1 crank = the movement of the shock wrench, from about the frame to the other shock (pipe side). This is about a half a turn more or less. The dealer told me that the shocks click into position when you turn them. This is not true (maybe the old ones did). I suggest making a permanent red or yellow mark on both shock plates (the plate is where to wrench attaches) before beginning (make sure they really are dialed all the way down first). Also, retightening the jam nut was a little challenging. There is no room to actually turn a wrench of that size without jacking the bike up. I ended up just holding the nut with a small pipe wrench and turning the shock plates with the shock wrench tight into the jam nuts.
Hope this helps. Will update again soon.

Update:05/07/02 (was 400 miles, now 800 miles)
The bike is running great, and I have no complaints.
There has been no noticeable loss of oil or any other fluids. The spark plugs look perfect, and the fuel injection is working great. I've been on a couple of 200 mile runs, and the bike is very stable, solid and comfortable. As far as the stock seat goes, I still have it.
It seems ounce you settle in, it isn't to bad, but a nice Corbin or Mustang would probly be a little better for long rides. The only problem with the after market seats is that there are very few that maintain the classic look of the stock seats side trim, which I like very much. Maybe a gel pad or air pad would be a better choice for long trips. This would allow you to keep the stock seat. If anyone out there has any specific questions you would like to ask me, please feel free to e-mail: eschur@concentric.net. Please title your questions "Heritage Classic" or I will assume it is junk mail and delete it. Will update again soon.

Update:06/02/02 (was 800 miles, now 1600 miles)
The more I ride it, the more I want to ride. Had the bike in for it's first service interval. The HD dealer was very professional and treated me like family. They invited me into their shop to look around and listen to other bikes.
The Dealer I purchased the bike from has an impressive facility and competent technical staff. If you call in and make an appointment, they can get you in and out in a timely manner (about 2 hours).
So far I am very satisfied with every aspect of the bike, from riding solo and two up with my wife. Most of my riding is two up with my wife. She is also extremely pleased with the machine. She feels safe, secure and comfortable on the back. I have not had any problems with the bike at all. The bike runs, rides and sounds great on the highway and is even more enjoyable putting down the two laners. I am fortunate, that in the area that I live, there are a few very nice two lane roads close to the house.
Will update again soon.

Update:08/11/02 (was 1600 miles, now 4000 miles)
Still very pleased. The bike is running great and I have had no mechanical problems what so ever.
I Finally broke down and did the stage one gig. I opted for the Ness high flow air filter and back plate because it maintained the stock look (dosen't have the funky cross over breather tube like the SE version) aside from costing about $30.00 less than the SE version. I painted it with black high temp paint (all but the area where the air filter mounts), so unless you look very close, you don't even notice that the stock plastic air box is gone.
Did the Dealer ECM reflash for a richer mix. And put on the SE torque slip on mufflers. After researching slip on mufflers for about 2 months, I ended up with these for the following reasons:
*The sound is much more pleasing, even though I punched out the plugs in the stock mufflers, these sound better, but not too loud. Your buds will still ride next to ya. Mufflers and pipes that make a lot of noise aren't always good for everyday street performance in the low to mid range. I won't go into any detail about this subject, but there are plenty of websites out there that do if you want to learn more about this common problem and how it affects your Harley.
*The performance is noticeably superior to the stock mufflers with the plugs drilled out.
*Although they are slightly shorter and smaller in diameter than the stock mufflers, they still maintain the somewhat massive stock look, weight and quality of the OE mufflers unlike any of the after market slip ons.
*They bolt up to and maintain the integrity of the stock mounting/balancing crossover tube behind the mufflers. I am told by several riding buds and the dealer, that it is a good idea to maintain the balancing crossover tube if possible.
All and all, after the air cleaner change, the ECM flash and the new slip on mufflers, I can't believe it's the same bike!
I was slow to make changes, because I wanted to see for myself how each thing I did affected the overall performance.
I rode the bike stock for about 200 miles. (No mods to anything)
I drilled out the plugs at 200 miles and rode it for about 2600 miles. (The bike made more noise, but no noticeable gains in performance)
I put on the high flow air cleaner and had the ECM flashed at about 2800 miles and maintained the stock mufflers. (The bike ran significantly better. The richer mix actually caused the bike to run quieter while idling, but louder while accelerating) It became more apparent at this time that the stock mufflers were still impeding performance.
I replaced the mufflers at about 3300 miles. (noticeable gains in low and mid range performance!) The bike no longer hesitated while riding two up with the wife. It actually performed about the same as when I rode solo! The bike also ran smoother.
I still haven't replaced the stock seat, but feel more inclined to as my trips get longer and longer.
I like the looks of the stock seat a lot, but the comfort level on trips over 75 miles just isn't there.
Will update again soon.

Update: 12/26/02 (was 4000 miles, now 8000 miles)
It's been awhile since I updated this, and the bike has been parked for a month or so now. So here's the latest.
The bike runs and sounds great. The only problem I have had is with the fuel gauge. At about 6500 miles, it stuck on about 3/4 full all the time. At my 7500 mile checkup, the dealer corrected it and it seems fine now, although I expect this problem to return from articles I have read about this anomaly.
I finally replaced the stock seat and backrest with the HD studded deep bucket version at about 5000 miles. The new seat is very firm, and after a break-in period of 2000 miles, it became noticeably more comfortable on trips over 100 miles. My average day ride is about 350 miles on a Saturday or Sunday and during the week after work is about 150 miles. I have to mention that the passenger bucket caused my wife to be a little concerned. What happened was the bucket shape of the rear seat forced her to sit closer to me and farther away from the backrest. She could no longer lean comfortably on the backrest as with the stock seat.
To solve this problem, I drilled new holes in the backrest side rails which moved the pad about an inch or so closer. I also change the angle of the sissy bar so it sits up a little straighter. She is very pleased with the new seat now.
Also, I noticed with her being a little more forward, that the bike is easier to handle and I'm not fighting the extra weight and top heaviness as much as before at slower speeds.
Aside from the seat, I replaced the stock grips with foam grips. I also replaced the stock clutch and break levers with chrome trigger style levers with leather lace covers.
I find these to be more comfortable and ergonomic to me.
I added studded pouches and a few well-placed conchos here and there to further personalize My Scooter.
Getting back to the fuel injection for a moment. A few weeks ago we were in the single digits temperature wise here, and was curious if the bike would even turn over let alone start. Well, it started on the very first try and warmed up to a normal idle speed in about five minutes!
Try that with a carbureted bike in the summer even!
After 8000 miles of riding 2 up, I only expect to get another 2000 to 2500 miles out of the tires and the rear brake pads. This is pretty normal for the stock Dunlop’s and the stock pads. I'm always conscientious about checking the tire air pressure, and the tires have worn very evenly. Especially the rear tire.
One more thing, if you plan on replacing the stock plastic gas tank panel (below the speedo), do this as soon as possible, or it will leave permanent marks in your paint that may or may not be concealed by your new leather tank panel. I learned this the hard way.
That's probably all I'm going to have to say until Spring time, so until then, I'll be thinking about riding.

Update: 06/26/03 (was 8000 miles, now 11500 miles)
Early this Spring I added rear saddle bag guards and rear floor boards. The Wife really likes the floor boards and says they are much more comfortable than even the extended pegs because she can move around a little now. Replaced the rear tire at 10,000 miles (Front still looks fine) cause it just wasn't rain worthy any more. Still had some tread, but maybe only another 1000 miles or so. Front and rear break pads still look fine. I will replace both sets of pads when I replace the front tire at the end of this riding season.
Put highway pegs on the front engine guards. What a big difference that made in touring endurance. I can ride twice as far in comfort because of the highway pegs. I also changed the exhaust system in the Spring, but I wont get into that in this forum.
I replaced the nasty looking shifter linkage rod with a nice polished stainless steel one. It seemed that the stock rod became very dingy looking after the first few thousand miles, and there was nothing you could do to clean it up.
As far as the bike in general goes,
it's running better this year than when it was new. I think the bike is starting to loosen up a little finally. Part of the reason the bike might be running or feeling better to me may be the fact that I switched to all Mobil 1 synths at 10,000 miles. 20/50 V-twin in the oil tank, 75/90 gear lube in the trans and 10/40 in the primary. (All synth)
I highly recommend switching to synthetic oils. (what ever brand you choose)
The bike runs cooler (10-15 degrees F) and shifts better.
Overall, I have not had any problems with anything (even the gas gauge is still working). The bike is running great, and I just enjoy it more and more each time I ride it. This has been a very solid, durable machine so far. And I expect that will continue to be so as I put on the miles.
A word of warning about something. Some time ago last year, I installed the HD module that converts your rear turn signal into brake lights. When I removed the rear tire at 10,000 miles I noticed that the tire was rubbing on the wire harness to the tail lights and wore thru the insulation on a couple of the wires. If you install this device, make sure you take up all the slack going into the fender or you could find yourself facing bigger problems.
Until next time.

Update: 03/23/04 (was 11500 miles, now 18000 miles)
Bike has been running great, no problems and absolutely not sorry I purchased this machine.
The paint and chrome have been holding up very well and I have no complaints with respect to the current finish of either.
I have not experienced any new or unusual sounds or vibrations.
The bike is still tight, and after several inspections, all fasteners are as they should be, and remain that way.
The stock AGM battery appears to be in tip top shape, and I expect it to last another season or two.
The rear drive belt and sprockets look perfect, and do not show any abnormal signs of wear.
The fuel gauge is still functioning properly.
At 14,000 miles it was time to replace the front and rear brake pads. I was surprised at how easy this was as compared to other bikes I have owned. The front and rear pads had about the same amount of wear since I use the front and rear brakes equally. I used the EBC Kevlars, and I am much happier with the kevlars compared to the stock pads.
No more irritating brake noise, and they function as well if not better than the stock pads. Also, the kevlars polished the rotors after a brief amount of time, and those ugly black streaks from the stock pads were all but a memory.
While I was doing a string alignment, I decided to remove the front fender so I could more clearly check the front end alignment. I had noticed that that wiring for the fender tip light was not secured in a manner which was to my satisfaction, so I added an additional clamp to secure it. As I understand, this was a warrenty issue on previous FLSTC's, so I fixed it before it became a problem on mine.
As I had mentioned in an earlier update, I replaced the stock exhaust with a Kerker (11-746) 2 into 1 FL style system. I have a season and a half with that exhaust and I am very pleased with it. It's a keeper in my book.
I started using Mobil 1 75/90 syn in the primary instead of 10/40, and I am much happier with the results. Quieter, smoother and no clutch engagement problems.
I still have the HD Sundowner Seat, but have completely replaced the top layer of foam with "Sunmate memory foam", and it is much more comfortable for the long haul.
I have fabricated some supports to keep the lids of the saddle bags from sagging, and these have worked very well since installation. You can also buy ready manufactured ones through distributors like J&P Cycles for $20 bucks.
I installed head bolt bridge covers (Finned version), and that dressed things up very nicely on that side of the bike.
The bike has always had sort of a spongy ride in the front, so I installed SE fork oil and that took care of that problem. I experienced to much diving and bottoming out with the stock fork oil. Handling has also improved with the SE fork oil.
From my calculations, I expect to have to replace the front and rear tires at around 20,000 miles. I've replaced the rear ounce already at around 10,000 and it looks like I'll get 20,000 out of the front with no problem. This appears to be pretty normal for the stock Dunlop 402's.
I have no real complaints with the stock Dunlops. They are good in the rain until they start to show signs of wear, then they slip a little. They have worn evenly and have always been extremely reliable on dry pavement in my opinion. I would purchase the stock Dunlops again, but would consider a brand that might provide a smoother ride.
Until next time.

Update: 08/04/04 (was 18000 miles, now 23500 miles)
Bike is still running great ! Seems to be loosening up finally. The motor seems to respond better now than when it was new. I replaced the trans dipstick, because because the chrome starting pealing off around the area you insert the allen wrench. I replaced it with the HD version you can remove by hand without tools. Other than that, I have had no problems or have any complaints. At 20,000 miles I replaced the front and rear tires, along with new front and rear brake pads. A note about the brake pads: The EBC kevlars don't seem to get the same mileage as the stock pads, but they are much easier on the rotors and don't squeel like the stock pads, and the stopping power is every bit as good. I ended up replacing the stock Dunlop 402's with Dunlop 491's. The 491's have basically the same tread pattern as stock, but they have a deeper tread and heavier load rating than stock. I ride 2 up almost all the time so these attributes sounded good to me.
Next time I might try the ME 880's I've heard so many good things about. The 491's handle and ride the same as the 402's. And they are also made in the USA if that even means anything to anyone these days !
Until next time.