Shovelhead 4 Speed Saga: Kicker Redux: The Solution

Check out the oil grooves in a JIMS starter gear bushing.

Aerostich Triple Digit Covers

I got a set of these for Fathers' Day. Every glove in the motorcycle store says "Water Proof", but I haven't found any yet. It seems I have tested a bunch of them in a few frog drowning storms.  I am pleased with these for fit and quality. I think they are sized true to the glove size numbers. The XL fits nicely over my winter gloves and of course my summer gloves. They don't take up much space in bag or pocket either.

They look goofy, but they should work nice. I opted for orange, because when you're day is already crappy enough to need these, then extra visibility is a good thing.


There's a wiper on the left thumb that should be handy.


Some reflective stuff on the cuff, too.


I'll give a more conclusive review once I get caught in the rain with them.

Shovelhead 4 Speed Saga: Kicker Redux: The Reason

Q. Besides being broke and having different tooth count, how is the left different from the one on the right?



A. The gusted bushing doesn't have oil grooves.

Swapmeet Score

So always drop the $6 to go to the swapmeet. I rarely find a sweet deal on anything, but usually just go to see folks. Well this time a found such a smoking deal on a Mustang seat for the Kawasaki that I couldn't pass it up. He was asking $100, but took $50. I don't think I will run it on the bike now, but I had to mount it to get it home and Columbus took my other seat home for me. I have the same seat with conchos and studs and I may sell it. I've been contemplating a revamp on this bike from bobjob to simple cruiser and this seat will be nice to have if I go that route.

Shovelhead 4 Speed Saga: Kicker Redux

My kicker broke on my first real shake down on this transmission and ignition. ugh.


Time to pop of the kicker cover and see what's up.


The starter gear is not coming out engaging with the starter clutch. Is the spring broken? I don't know, but the gear can't be moved my hand either.


There's a hickie on the plate. I think the crank gear stop was coming way too far over.


Uncrimp the tab washer.


Remove nut and tab washer.


Here's the problem that bushing is totally destroyed. I don't recall if it was Taiwan Ted or Drag Specialties, but the starter gear and clutch were brand new with less than one thousand kicks.


I probably should have dropped the coin on Baker's stuff, but hopefully someone might hook me up with some good OEM gears,

Installing Ceramic Tire Balancing Beads with a Turkey Marinade Injector

I have been running ceramic balancing beads(AKA Dyna Beads) in my tires for quite awhile now. I am happy with them, but anyone reading motorcycle forums already has an opinion about them,

Installing them in a tubeless tire before you set the bead is easy. Installing them through a valve stem into a tube or already installed tire is a trick. I have tried pouring them slowly with a little bottle, using an etcher to vibrate them in, and hitting them with compressed air, but none of those method was fun or very effective or efficient. I have discovered that puffing in a little at a time with a Cajun marinade injector syringe with the needle or hose works pretty good and pretty quick. I tried to get industrial 10 gauge needles and syringes to sell when I was in the balancing bead business, but I found that I can't beat the price of a marinade kit from the grocery store especially the week after Thanksgiving. Enjoy.

How to Tap and Block Shovelhead Tappet Blocks

This may be common knowledge, but it gave me common problems. I had been running solid lifters in the motor when it was 80 inches without issues other than the occasional pushrod tube leak. I figured some leaks were to expected and I could fix them easily enough when they happened.

I decided to buy a set of BigJim's handmade leak proof pushrod tubes in stainless steel. I put them together with his seals on the new 93 inch stroker and they seemed to leak worse than anything I tried before. So I did some more research and whatever reason strokers running solid lifters need the tappet block feeds blocked off. I had heard of this before, but given my experience with my 80 and solid lifters, I thought it optional, but not anymore.

Per S&S Sidewinder instructions. It really is that simple.


Tappet block on the bench and that little tic is the No. 8-32 X 3/16 set screw.


There's the no. 8-32 tap going in perfectly into the hole with no pre-drilling required.


Looking good.


Set screw fitting good.


Tap the other block and test fit it. Then remove the set screws and wash all the chips away. Definitely need to keep the metal chips out of the engine.


Rinse and blow dry.


I hit everything with some WD-40 to further avoid the flash rust.


Put the screws in place and you're ready to go back up.


I got the motor back together and the bike still has issues, but leaking pushrod tubes ain't one.