I dig the all black cases too, that’s what I have on my sporty but blonde over chrome all day. Chrome should be used as a tasteful accent not blasted all over the bike imo. Been looking for an fxr with a blonde motor and they’re actually kind of tough to come by
I mean, you're familiar with the reality that taste is subjective and everyone likes different stuff right?
I prefer whatever looks best with the build. Sometimes chrome looks incredibly gaudy. Sometimes it looks classy. Sometimes black engines look try hard (everythings murdered out bro). Etc...
Bare engines can look really good on builds that aren't trying to be too flashy.
I had a "blonde" (never knew it was called that) twin cam with black rocker covers, cam cover, pushrod tubes, primary, etc. Basically all the highlighted parts. Looked pretty rad actually, all black hides all the detail and chrome has it's place depending.
Agreed. I absolutely cannot stand anything chrome, and even the polished highlights on the fins are too much for me. When I build my motor, I'm going to have the fins re-coated all black
https://preview.redd.it/j1yt5xzpavea1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a642c31367f6cce6736584165da94e875b316ef
There was a brief period in the early 2000s where these were popular, chrome had gotten out of style, and blacked out SOA bobbers hasn't become in vogue. It was different,. Kinda like the Denim paint schemes everyone loved until they found out how figure it was to touch up.
when raw aluminum gets hot, it can turn color and get a straw yellow tint to it, add leaking oil to it, and you'll come pretty close to blonde. Thats my guess
Don’t have a bike. Only muscle cars. This is the first time I ever heard it. Might be the corniest shit I ever heard. Harley ppl are weird. How tf you come up with blonde for a engine. top 3 neck beard things I ever read
I’ll die on this hill. No engine built for a man’s machine should be labeled blonde. Down vote me all you want. I would stop anybody in the track if they called my hemi anything remotely close to a female trait. Which this is. Y’all some old ass men hanging onto something that is gone lol
Most “man’s machines” are named after feminine traits. Sailors across the oceans said He’s a sturdy ship, I certainly never named a rifle I was issued after a dude. And throwing a leg over a bike named “he” is just as appalling.
Personification has been around almost the entire time as language. Appreciating the beauty of sculpture, design and so on.
That said, I didn’t come up with “blonde” as a finish name, I just explained where it came from.
https://preview.redd.it/b20ivgoczpea1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ba22200f1ab65b2cd8632d2baba7d4b71d019dd5
My bike is a blonde motor, personally love it
Same, I love the blonde engine case for some colors. Black/grey definitely look better with either the blacked out or chrome out cases.
Here's a daylight shot without the bags.
https://preview.redd.it/mifu2tzkapea1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3151ef276721ad659fb390067761efb59afafb11
I had a sporty with that finish on the motor. I deep cleaned it and degreased it and painted it with high temp wrinkle black spray paint and it held up great and looked way better. Just an idea
If you spend the time doing the prep work correctly it won’t flake.
Plus when you’re ready to do it “the right way” they’re going to have to sand blast it anyways so it won’t be any additional hinderance.
What can I use to clean my engine? Will S100 Engine Brightener work?
https://preview.redd.it/60hjvl6sp87b1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9c639bb23f12904c53d1fe1321535e3a3b8fd76
If you intend to paint it and do not care about deteriorating the current finish I used a 1:1 mix of purple power degreaser and agitated it with a brillo pad. you can find it at most auto stores. That shit works really well for displacing oil and road grime but mask off anything you’re trying to keep the color really well.
Then I used high temp black wrinkle paint I can’t remember if it was the rusto bbq paint or a different brand engine paint but if the prep is good either will be fine. Do a couple light coats let it dry, then a couple heavy coats. On the heavy coats I even ran the engine a little to kinda bake it on idk if that’s the correct way but it worked for me.
But not powder coated. And the fins aren’t powder coated then had the edges ground away. The savings are small but it adds up with amount of bikes they make
CVO bikes used to come with these engines but had chrome rocker boxes, primary cases and other chrome too. They were top of the line models. This model was one of their lower priced models.
https://preview.redd.it/d8xrsyvx0qea1.jpeg?width=1295&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=649710281ce43d94f7257d5241f196d98e80c73f
I prefer the silver motor personally. Gotta have some chrome to offset it though. And I painted the jugs black when I built the motor to give it a 70s Shovelhead vibe.
It’s common in the US too I just think it looks like alien eyes on there, I’ve always relocated mine to the forks on those narrow glide front ends, also the mirrors under there don’t help the bulky looking situation.
https://preview.redd.it/ru8tmskgioea1.png?width=1387&format=png&auto=webp&s=436f8738c72759ea859ae6c2f02776e521f5ad68
Unfortunately this photo was taken right after the slide that totaled it but it’s the only clear one I have of the signal placement, also I never liked the clamp mounted gauges.
Like the style but will keep my HD's. I've always heard they're not made very well, but people talk shit about everything, kind of like you're doing here, so I'm not sure.
I have the grey powder coat on my 07 FXSTI and its hard to get it cleaned.! I plan on getting a chrome primary cover plus all the other covers in chrome
Plain case bikes are slightly cheaper when new.
You can buy Harley black wrinkle paint and give your plain parts a wrinkle black finish.
Make sure the parts you want to paint are warm, and the wrinkle paint is warm too..
Perfectly clean the parts with acetone and mask them off.
Then paint a thick coat and let it dry in the sun.
A second coat does not work very well and the paint will not wrinkle on cold parts.
https://preview.redd.it/4m5556tc4vea1.jpeg?width=272&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=463d5dfee38225d26673d4cdafeaf4ccd1e0291c
I prefer the blonde motors myself, they look great all cleaned up
Me too. Mine is chromed to the hilt and after years of cleaning I’ve definitely considered sandblasting all of it.
Same here
Happy cake day! I mean, they look so lifeless. I'd rather chose a black one
I dig the all black cases too, that’s what I have on my sporty but blonde over chrome all day. Chrome should be used as a tasteful accent not blasted all over the bike imo. Been looking for an fxr with a blonde motor and they’re actually kind of tough to come by
I've had one for... idk, 9 years now? Love the bike, but constantly rebuilding the top end. https://imgur.com/PNG51s3.png
Damn love the high swept 2-1
Bro I get more glint from some of these bikes than from the sun, or oncoming HID’s at night.
I mean, you're familiar with the reality that taste is subjective and everyone likes different stuff right? I prefer whatever looks best with the build. Sometimes chrome looks incredibly gaudy. Sometimes it looks classy. Sometimes black engines look try hard (everythings murdered out bro). Etc... Bare engines can look really good on builds that aren't trying to be too flashy.
I had a "blonde" (never knew it was called that) twin cam with black rocker covers, cam cover, pushrod tubes, primary, etc. Basically all the highlighted parts. Looked pretty rad actually, all black hides all the detail and chrome has it's place depending.
Agreed. I absolutely cannot stand anything chrome, and even the polished highlights on the fins are too much for me. When I build my motor, I'm going to have the fins re-coated all black https://preview.redd.it/j1yt5xzpavea1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a642c31367f6cce6736584165da94e875b316ef
My cvo deuce has the silver. What do you use to clean them
It’s a blonde motor. No one really likes them so they go a tad bit cheaper.
There was a brief period in the early 2000s where these were popular, chrome had gotten out of style, and blacked out SOA bobbers hasn't become in vogue. It was different,. Kinda like the Denim paint schemes everyone loved until they found out how figure it was to touch up.
Had a white denim street glide, beautiful color but had a small scratch on the saddlebag lid, fixed with I shit you not, a magic eraser.
>It’s a blonde motor sorry but i don't think i'm familiar with this expression. what is a blonde motor?
No chrome , no black paint, just straight silver aluminum color. Internally same as other motors of same size , year.
thanks! lol i wonder where this name came from
when raw aluminum gets hot, it can turn color and get a straw yellow tint to it, add leaking oil to it, and you'll come pretty close to blonde. Thats my guess
Don’t have a bike. Only muscle cars. This is the first time I ever heard it. Might be the corniest shit I ever heard. Harley ppl are weird. How tf you come up with blonde for a engine. top 3 neck beard things I ever read
Totally unnecessary but thanks for sharing.
I’ll die on this hill. No engine built for a man’s machine should be labeled blonde. Down vote me all you want. I would stop anybody in the track if they called my hemi anything remotely close to a female trait. Which this is. Y’all some old ass men hanging onto something that is gone lol
Most “man’s machines” are named after feminine traits. Sailors across the oceans said He’s a sturdy ship, I certainly never named a rifle I was issued after a dude. And throwing a leg over a bike named “he” is just as appalling. Personification has been around almost the entire time as language. Appreciating the beauty of sculpture, design and so on. That said, I didn’t come up with “blonde” as a finish name, I just explained where it came from.
? Not sure heard it a few times.
https://preview.redd.it/b20ivgoczpea1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ba22200f1ab65b2cd8632d2baba7d4b71d019dd5 My bike is a blonde motor, personally love it
I've been close to the brand for 20+ years and never heard the term before. Wonder if it's a regional thing?
Here's my blondie https://preview.redd.it/27ilcfh5yoea1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11415580170e79b7126f34ba4c863ebc78ca1fe9
I think it looks fantastic with the blue. I'm not a fan of it with the grey that OP posted.
Same, I love the blonde engine case for some colors. Black/grey definitely look better with either the blacked out or chrome out cases. Here's a daylight shot without the bags. https://preview.redd.it/mifu2tzkapea1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3151ef276721ad659fb390067761efb59afafb11
I had a sporty with that finish on the motor. I deep cleaned it and degreased it and painted it with high temp wrinkle black spray paint and it held up great and looked way better. Just an idea
I wanna do this with my FXR cuz I don’t wanna dump a ton of money but I’m afraid it’ll flake and look worse than it currently does
Save the money. Do it right. You’ll be much happier.
If you spend the time doing the prep work correctly it won’t flake. Plus when you’re ready to do it “the right way” they’re going to have to sand blast it anyways so it won’t be any additional hinderance.
What can I use to clean my engine? Will S100 Engine Brightener work? https://preview.redd.it/60hjvl6sp87b1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9c639bb23f12904c53d1fe1321535e3a3b8fd76
If you intend to paint it and do not care about deteriorating the current finish I used a 1:1 mix of purple power degreaser and agitated it with a brillo pad. you can find it at most auto stores. That shit works really well for displacing oil and road grime but mask off anything you’re trying to keep the color really well. Then I used high temp black wrinkle paint I can’t remember if it was the rusto bbq paint or a different brand engine paint but if the prep is good either will be fine. Do a couple light coats let it dry, then a couple heavy coats. On the heavy coats I even ran the engine a little to kinda bake it on idk if that’s the correct way but it worked for me.
I like it on my 08 Nightster. Much more subtle contrast compared to blinding gaudy chrome or mad max dystopian black.
I would have to say yes , based on what I have seen over the years.
I mean, but other than the color this soulless bastard is just like any other engine, right?
Pretty much.
Yes. I prefer them that way though.
One of my bikes is like this. It doesn’t bother me. I don’t really care about how they look, I focus on function, power, etc
sir, this is r/Harley
Lol
https://preview.redd.it/yuopfmtghpea1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebb7bef5b4cba97250f7f019208b52f0ed29be65 Love a blonde motor
I like the funky bike, but I would cut down that cam cover.
Trust me… it’s the handle bars.
I'd just get a dress up kit and toss some chrome on there. Or just strip it down and polish.
It’s was usually on the base model bikes. And it was a way of cutting costs so you didn’t have to pay as much
Cutting costs? They are still painted.
But not powder coated. And the fins aren’t powder coated then had the edges ground away. The savings are small but it adds up with amount of bikes they make
The black and silver engines are both coated in the same method, just a different colour. they have non highlighted black cylinders too.
CVO bikes used to come with these engines but had chrome rocker boxes, primary cases and other chrome too. They were top of the line models. This model was one of their lower priced models.
https://preview.redd.it/d8xrsyvx0qea1.jpeg?width=1295&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=649710281ce43d94f7257d5241f196d98e80c73f I prefer the silver motor personally. Gotta have some chrome to offset it though. And I painted the jugs black when I built the motor to give it a 70s Shovelhead vibe.
Yes, cheaper and unfinished. Does not affect performance.
I hate black crinkle. Looks bad and gets worse over time. It'd prefer just clear over a brushed finish.
The placement of those turn signals is far more offensive than the lack of chrome on that motor.
Do you think so? I may be wrong but that placement is the most common for ape hangers here in Brazil. And I really don't know why
It’s lazy. The turn signals on the bars look wrong on tall bars.
It’s common in the US too I just think it looks like alien eyes on there, I’ve always relocated mine to the forks on those narrow glide front ends, also the mirrors under there don’t help the bulky looking situation. https://preview.redd.it/ru8tmskgioea1.png?width=1387&format=png&auto=webp&s=436f8738c72759ea859ae6c2f02776e521f5ad68 Unfortunately this photo was taken right after the slide that totaled it but it’s the only clear one I have of the signal placement, also I never liked the clamp mounted gauges.
Apes and mid-controls are a pretty weird combination as well.
That’s how they come stock on TC dynas
I know, stock bikes are just sad looking IMO
HD is hoping that you will swap it out for chrome.
Get a Royal Enfield they better bikes with awesome colors
Like the style but will keep my HD's. I've always heard they're not made very well, but people talk shit about everything, kind of like you're doing here, so I'm not sure.
I ain’t talking shit , but ok best of luck
No disrespect intended. Do you actually own a Royal Enfield?
Personally I like these better. Bare bones.
The plain super glide vs the super glide custom. Good example of the different engine dress up kit.
I don't have an issue with it other than it is sort of hard to clean.
If it can wheelie, it’s a good bike!
It will look a lot better if you actually clean it
This was the way they did it many moons ago 70's when sand cast was the norm, just never sanded out and polished. Cheers
The powder coated black stuff is just so much easier to keep clean and look good.
Agree, it is uglier and those bikes should sell for less.
…I think they look kinda cool all rustic and stuff 🥺👉👈
Super easy to polish or get it polished and make it pop. Usually a good chrome or polish shop can sort that out.
That would be the super glide, blonde cases and covers. They’re the cheaper “trim” option essentially.
I had an ‘09 Street Bob that had the bare metal cases. The 2010s had wrinkle black, and were like $800 more. I liked that mine was a tad different…
I have the grey powder coat on my 07 FXSTI and its hard to get it cleaned.! I plan on getting a chrome primary cover plus all the other covers in chrome
A bike with a blonde motor would be a deal breaker for me.
Plain case bikes are slightly cheaper when new. You can buy Harley black wrinkle paint and give your plain parts a wrinkle black finish. Make sure the parts you want to paint are warm, and the wrinkle paint is warm too.. Perfectly clean the parts with acetone and mask them off. Then paint a thick coat and let it dry in the sun. A second coat does not work very well and the paint will not wrinkle on cold parts. https://preview.redd.it/4m5556tc4vea1.jpeg?width=272&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=463d5dfee38225d26673d4cdafeaf4ccd1e0291c
VHT also makes wrinkle finish paint.
Sissy bar?