Hi Clayton,

I have an oil leak problem that seems to require a custom solution, as there is no off the shelf part for my particular engine case. That is how my search engine stumbled across your site.

Any way, I've been reading all these postings with a mixture of sympathy and amusement. My fist bike was a Kawasaki at the age of 16. I saved my pennies worked a night job through high school and bought my first Harley at the age of 19; a 1977 Sportster XLH. A tempermental bike at the best of times. Working on it (and a tight budget) taught me a lot about maintenance.

My current ride I've had for ten years. A generator shovelhead. Best bike I've ever ridden. It's been my daily rider when I have the money to maintain it, the rest of the time it's a bit of a project. Right now it runs astoundingly well. I've got 8000 miles on it since the last rebuild and the gaskets are just starting to weep a little now. I may put new gaskets in it this year, maybe not.

The most important lesson I have learned about Harleys and I include new bikes in this; GET THE ENGINE BALANCED BY A COMPETENT MACHINIST. It will make a world of difference. Your parts will stop falling off, your feet will not buzz off the pegs at high speed, your hands will not become numb from vibration. and your oil leaks will become much less frequent and severe. You will get twice the mileage out of your engine between rebuilds.

I did it to both my Harleys and it turned them from tempermental and unreliable machines, into very pleasurable rides.