10 Things to Expect When Starting to Ride a Motorcycle

By Genevieve Schmit 

Many seasoned motorcycle riders have done or experienced some or all of these things. We thought it'd be fun to share the list we came up with so new riders can find some peace in knowing others have been there or are experiencing what they are right now.

1. You're going to drop your motorcycle at least once.
2. You're going to be nervous for awhile.

3. You're going to get frustrated.

4. You're going to hear "crash" stories from non-riders, whether you like it or not.

5. You're going to get advice on riding from others, whether you ask for it or not.

6. You're going to realize at some point that you're not wearing the gear that fits properly, like sunglasses that make your eyes water, gloves that are too bulky, pants that expose your back side, etc.

7. You're going to struggle with how to manage a new hair style called "helmet hair."

8. You're going to spill gasoline all over the tank at least once.

9. You're going to realize riding your own motorcycle is cooler than you ever imagined.

10. You're going to find yourself smiling a lot more, both on and off the motorcycle.

Win $1,000 with our Payday Giveaway!

Everyone is asking how to get a piece of the $1,000 that we are giving away either in cash or with Gift Cards to Hot Metal Harley-Davidson!  It's easy, all you have to do is stop in to Hot Metal Harley-Davidson and fill out  your entry at one of two kiosks.  Enter your information and you are automatically entered into our drawing!

Our drawing will happen the 2nd Saturday of each month.  One month it will be cash, the next month it will be 40 $25 Gift Cards and they will continue to alternate through out the year!  Stop in to Hot Metal Harley-Davidson today and ask us about our $1,000 Giveaway!    

Hot Metal Harley-Davidson's New Website is Finally Here!

If you are reading this, then you have found the brand new website for Hot Metal Harley-Davidson! This project has been over a year in the making and for good reason.  We wanted to offer our customers a unique one-of-a-kind website that gives you all the tools you need to educate yourself in one easy-to-use platform.

In this new website you'll find clear, concise links across the top to get you to a specific department page.  In some cases, that department may have pages within their main page and those links are located to the left of the content on the page.  To make navigation quick, there is a "quick-nav" button at the bottom the page that expands and collapses accordingly.

We've increased the size of the video that you'll find on our homepage.  This will make it easier to watch Road Hogs Podcasts, videos about our Parts Department, MotorClothes Department and Service Department.  In addition, we'll showcase both New and Pre-Owned motorcycles in that video box as well.

As part of our new website launch, Hot Metal Harley-Davidson is giving everyone who likes and reviews our new website on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Google Reviews a chance to win a Hot Metal Harley-Davidson Gift Card.  Winners will be chosen at random.

Our website isn't just limited to desktop computers.  You can access every function of the desktop site on your mobile device or tablet.  All the important information and pictures you need to make an informed and educated decision will always be within a tap of the screen.

If you have questions or comments about the new website, please feel free to contact us at info@hotmetalharley.com!

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.