IT’S MUCH MORE THAN AN OIL CHANGE

By: Rocky Marks



When maintaining your Harley-Davidson, some people think bringing your bike in for a “service” is just getting an “oil change”. It is much, much more than that.

You get more than you may expect with Harley-Davidson Authorized Service. Our Regular Service at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson always includes a thorough performance and safety inspection along with so much more.

For example we replace the engine oil, filter and drain plug O-ring, and torque the drain plug to proper specifications. We ensure oil level is correct at operating temperature. We check operation of all electrical equipment, lighting and controls.

We also take a look at the big picture and inspect the front and rear tire tread depth and air pressure. We check the tightness of all spokes. The inspection continues on to the brakes of your motorcycle as well as the level of the front brake and clutch reservoirs.

Hot Metal Harley-Davidson will also check the torque of switch housing screws, clutch lever handlebar clamp screws, and master cylinder handlebar screws. We drain and replace primary chain case lubricant and drain plug O-ring. We drain and replace the transmission lubricant and drain plug O-Ring.

Once that is completed, our service technicians inspect and oil brake and fuel lines and fittings for leaks, contact, or abrasions. The rear brake reservoir is filled to the proper level and the torque is checked once again on the cover screws. The tech will also inspect the front brake pads and discs, and ensure that pad thickness is within specification.

Once the front brake pads and discs are checked, the rear of the motorcycle checked as well. The torque of the front and rear axle nuts are checked at this point in the inspection process. Even the kickstand is checked and lubricated accordingly.

Lubrication is also applied to the clutch cable, brake, and clutch controls. The drive belt is inspected as well as the wheel sprocket. Next the exhaust system is checked for leaks, cracks, and loose or missing fasteners or exhaust shields.

Finally the battery is looked at to make sure that it is charged correctly and there are clean connections. Hot Metal Harley-Davidson will check for open recalls, product campaigns and trouble codes. At the very end of the inspection, a final road test is complete as well as the service at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson.

As you can see, it’s much more than just an oil change.

My time on the Milwaukee-Eight from Harley-Davidson

Hi there, it's Rocky and I had an opportunity to take a 2017 Street Glide with the Milwaukee-Eight engine on a ride with the Mon Valley HOG chapter to Punxy last week to find that pesky groundhog that keeps us from riding in the spring.

When I rolled up to the other bikes to line up, the first thing others noticed was the engine. It had a very nice shape to the heads and it was pretty quiet with a different sound than a Twin-Cam. I told the crew that I was taking this new bike on the ride and almost immediately several chapter members wanted to switch bikes for a period of time on the way up and on the way back.

I thought about it, but this was my time to spend with the bike to get a true feel in real-life stop and go, acceleration, and braking. Besides that, I didn't have the legal paperwork for others to ride a dealership motorcycle with me.

I followed behind a 2016 Screamin' Eagle with at 110" engine. Even though my bike was a 107" I noticed that I was pulling off the line a little stronger. The torque is amazing.  Even if we were riding and I needed to speed up, I didn't have to downshift at all. It was so nice to just twist the throttle and keep up.

Another thing I noticed was how quiet the engine was.  I've been riding bikes since I was 16 and really paying attention to bikes when I started here at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson over 10 years ago. There has never been a more quiet engine. Even with the quietness, this engine is no sleeper.

The ride was so comfortable on the street glide, the engine was so smooth and the gas mileage was so much better than what I'm used to even with the bigger engine.

Bottom line: I can sit here and describe the feel, the power, the performance, and the look for hours, but until you come and test ride it, you can't appreciate the new engine. We're offering test rides 6 days a week. Simply call Todd at 412-464-9453 or stop in Monday-Saturday!

FIRST LOOK: Harley-Davidson’s Milwaukee Eight Engine

By: Cycle News Staff


Harley-Davidson’s Milwaukee Eight Engine

Harley-Davidson has released the ninth engine in its history, the Milwaukee Eight. The name “Eight” should be a dead giveaway as it denotes the engine will sport eight valves, much like the board track racers of early last century.

“These are the most powerful, most responsive and most comfortable Touring motorcycles ever offered by Harley-Davidson,” said Scott Miller, Vice-President of Styling and Product Development Strategy. “The unmistakable look, sound and feel of Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles rise to even greater heights with the improvements we’ve made this year.”

New Milwaukee-Eight Engine

The new Milwaukee-Eight engine is a clean-sheet design that aims to combine the classic look, sound and feel of Harley-Davidson Big Twin engines with improvements in every aspect of engine performance.

“The Milwaukee-Eight engine carries the legacy of Harley-Davidson Big Twins into the future,” said Alex Bozmoski, Harley-Davidson Chief Powertrain Engineer, who led the development team. “While respecting the essential Big Twin character, we’ve created an all-new motor. Every aspect of performance, durability and styling has been improved as a direct response to the voice of Harley-Davidson customers around the world.”

Retaining the classic 45-degree V-Twin cylinder angle, the Milwaukee-Eight engine produces 10 percent more torque than previous year models and features four-valve cylinder heads that offer 50 percent more intake and exhaust flow capacity. The Milwaukee-Eight engine is counter-balanced to cancel 75 percent of primary vibration at idle, retaining the feel of a Harley V-Twin while being very smooth at highway speeds. A new heat management strategy for all Milwaukee-Eight engines improves rider and passenger comfort.

Milwaukee-Eight engines are offered in two displacements: The Milwaukee-Eight 107 (107 CID, 1750cc) featuring oil-cooled cylinder heads for the Street Glide/Street Glide Special, Road Glide/Road Glide Special, Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Road King and Freewheeler models; the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 107 (107 CID, 1750cc) with liquid-cooled cylinder heads for the Ultra Limited/Ultra Limited Low, Road Glide Ultra and Tri Glide Ultra models; and the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 114 (114 CID, 1870cc) with liquid-cooled cylinder heads for the CVO Limited and CVO Street Glide models.


The Road Glide Special will get the Milwaukee-Eight 107 with oil-cooled cylinder heads, alongside the Street Glide/Street Glide Special, Road Glide, Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Road King and Freewheeler.

New Touring Suspension

All-new front and rear suspension components enhance the comfort, control and performance of all 2017 Harley-Davidson® Touring model motorcycles. New emulsion-technology rear shock absorbers offer 15 to 30 percent more pre-load adjustment than previous standard Touring shocks, with a single knob to hydraulically adjust pre-load.

“Pre-load can now be adjusted to match the load of rider, passenger and gear without tools or an air pump,” said Paul James, Harley-Davidson Director of Motorcycle Product Planning. “Once set, the pre-load will not leak down or require further adjustment.”

The front suspension features new Showa SDBV suspension technology that delivers the damping performance of a racing-style cartridge fork with linear damping characteristics and reduced weight.

How To Stay Cool This Summer in the Heat

By: Rocky Marks

The good news is the lack of rain has given us a few extra days to tool around on our scoots, but the bad news is it hasn’t truly given us a break from the summer heat. There have been several times where I wanted to choose the air conditioning of my car over the saddle of my motorcycle. I didn’t give in though. This year I chose to find ways to keep riding during the dog days of summer.

One of the simplest accessories you can purchase for your motorcycle is a drink holder. You can order a manufacturer specific drink holder or you can order an aftermarket model. I have researched and tried many different drink holders on the market and my favorite is a universal drink holder from Kuryakyn. It features a chrome outer ring big enough for a 44oz drink in its mesh basket. There are rubber grips on the inner circle of the chrome that allow you to carry smaller drinks all the way down to a 12oz bottle of water. It’s perfect for around-the-town.

For long distances, one of the best products I’ve used is the CamelBak hands-free hydration system. According to www.camelback.com, the first CamelBak products were popular with mountain bikers and motocross riders. It began to cross over into other sports when scientific studies showed athletes drank more fluids and performed better when they wore a CamelBak. For me, it proved successful when I traveled almost 1,000 miles in one of the hottest weekends we’ve seen in a long time.

On a recent trip, my wife wore it and filled it up every time we stopped for gas with ice and water from a beverage dispenser. While on the road I found it easy to drink and it felt great when she sprayed it on my back every now and again to cool me off at 70 mph on extremely hot asphalt.

Another product that I like to use is a neck cooler. All you have to do is soak the bandana in water and it inflates with a cooling gel. Surprisingly the bandana stays cool most of the day, and at night I just soak it in the ice bucket in the hotel room and it’s ready to go for the next day. Most sporting goods stores carry neck coolers during season.

In addition to finding ways to hydrate and cool your body, there are products to keep the heat of your motorcycle away from you. A slam-dunk for any big-twin rider is a heat deflector that mounts right under the rider’s seat and directly above the engine. It points most of the engine heat away from the rider and their passenger.

Motorcycles with lower fairings now have accessories that provide a vent to allow air onto your legs and feet to keep you cool on a hot summer day. There are also products that allow you to replace your bolt-on parts with a quick-release for your lower fairings so you can remove them all together and store them with very little effort.

In 2009, Harley-Davidson started to offer a factory two-into-one-into-two exhaust that directed the exhaust away from the passenger’s legs and under the motorcycle. There are several after market true-dual exhaust systems that work very well too.

The oil you use in your motorcycle can make a small difference in heat. Choosing synthetic over traditional motor oil and adding an oil cooler will bring the temperature of the motor down a few degrees. Don’t expect a night and day difference, however every degree counts.

Even though we only have a few hot weeks left in the summer, now is the time to look for specials on these products at dealerships and sporting good stores as they get ready to re-merchandise for the fall.

HOT METAL HARLEY-DAVIDSON CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY MILESTONE

By: Rocky Marks

It has been a very special year for the employees and customers of Hot Metal Harley-Davidson. On June 25^th, the dealership and owner, Toby O’Brien celebrated Hot Metal Harley-Davidson’s 10 Year Anniversary throwing a Hugh Birthday Bash Highlighted by the giveaway of a brand new Harley-Davidson Street 750.

“We’ve worked really hard to change the culture of the dealership to make it a family friendly and professional environment, and to accommodate the needs of our customers. Giving away this motorcycle is just one of the ways we give back”

Over 500 motorcyclists, many of who are regular customers of the dealership, attended the party on June 25th. The day started with a live broadcast with Wookie from Y108. Operations Manager, Rocky Marks played the tunes while the guests ate a hearty lunch of BBQ and free beer from Iron City Brewing. After lunch, Billy the Kid and the Regulators took the stage and played well into the afternoon.

The bike giveaway was comprised of people who stopped into the dealership weekly to fill out an entry form and customers who purchased a motorcycle received two instant entries. Once all of the contestants were signed in, the giveaway began.

Each contestant had to pick a small box from a table in the middle of the showroom next to the Street 750. All of the boxes contained a Harley-Davidson keychain, but only one contained the keys to the brand new motorcycle.

After several attempts were made at picking the coveted box with the key, good customer Bob Harris picked the lucky box and won the brand new motorcycle from Hot Metal Harley-Davidson.

The Birthday Bash was just one of many events that were held so far this year at the dealership with many more on the schedule. The next large event is the police escorted ride to see Toby Keith at First Niagara Pavilion on Saturday, August 15^th. Tickets are available at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson for only $30 and include a pre-tailgate party with food, beverages, and music.

Motorcycle Safety

Motorcycle safety is important at all times, but this importance is amplified at night. Be sure to stock up on the necessary safety gear before you leave the Harley dealership. Always be on the lookout for other drivers, understand your own vision, and maintain your headlights regularly. Here is a closer look at these safety tips for riding your Harley at night.

Always Stay Alert

Even the most cautious and prepared motorcyclist is at the mercy of other drivers on the road. This is why it is exceedingly important that you always pay attention to other drivers and anticipate their actions. An unfortunate amount of nighttime drivers tend to drive under the influence, which makes the dark road even more dangerous for Harley riders. Always keep an eye out for careless drivers and be ready to get yourself out of a dangerous situation.

Understand Your Eyes

If you have trouble with your vision during the day, you will want to have your eyes checked before riding at night. When you ride in darker conditions, your eyes will dilate in order to let in more light. Unfortunately this means that the problems you experience with your eyes during the day will be amplified at night. Be sure to see an eye doctor and use eyeglasses or contacts so that you can see the road and stay safe while riding at night.

Keep Your Headlights Working

Riding your Harley without working lights is both difficult and dangerous. Other drivers may not notice you on the road, and you will have trouble making out your surroundings. Properly functioning headlights will allow you to recognize potholes, animals, and other vehicles rather than running into them. Always check on your headlights before embarking on a motorcycle tour of any length.

For more safety tips for riding your Harley at night, feel free to call Hot Metal Harley-Davidson at (412) 464-9453. We are a Harley dealership serving Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and we specialize in New & Pre-Owned Harleys and safe clothing for motorcycles. Feel free to stop in and see us or visit our website for more information.

Features Of the 2016 Harley-Davidson Street Bob

The 2016 Harley-Davidson Street Bob is making headlines in the motorcycle industry. As a newer  addition to the Dyna range of the Harley-Davidson family of bikes, the Street Bob as the name itself suggests is the newest, coolest and sleekest bobber to cruise the streets of Pittsburgh.

The technological features of the 2016 Harley-Davidson Street Bob are unlike any other motorbike. This bike is the perfect combination of the old-school Dyna bikes from the Harley-Davidson clan and modern 21st-century motorcycle technological advancements. The very capable and knowledgeable team of engineers and industrial designers brought their minds together to incorporate the best performance systems into these motorbikes to upgrade them to the specs of what any modern day superbike can do.

This is tricky for the Harley-Davidson engineers and designers because not only do they have to properly install these modern systems into the bikes but need to retain the old school features of any Harley-Davidson bike which is what eventually makes them so popular and desirable amongst biker fans. They must retain the styling features of the bike and not make too many changes to the original design of the bike as far as possible.

The anti-lock braking system is either the standard ABS or the factory-installed ABS. both are however top end ABS systems and give the rider the control, stability, and power to control his bike. The chassis is made to have an extreme stiffness to enable the rider to have a good grip on his bike.

Check out the Street Bob at +Hot Metal Harley-Davidson !  We're open 7 Days a week.

#Harley-Davidson
#StreetBob
#HarleyBlog
#Dyna
#Pittsburgh