2018 Fat Boy 1000 mile service 

Thanks for the video man, helped me get over a few areas I was wondering about on my M8 FB. Some people get too sensitive sometimes and don’t appreciate some humor. Having fun while working, that’s passion for your craft, otherwise it becomes a boring job. Keep the videos coming!

Great video, John! I appreciated that the battery install wasn’t intuitive for someone else. Changed my Softail battery per your suggestion awhile back, and it was a smidge more confusing than I thought it would be. Bike still works - winning!

Big dirty thumbs up! My favorite part was you reading the service manual up side down. Glad to see you are multi talented. 😎

Reading the manual upside down 😂! Recently found you. Love your videos, watching them one by one. Informative and funny. Keep it up and ride safe! 🤘

I want to thank you. I have watched all your vids...yeah I was bored. After I watched your vid on DOT 4 I bought a tester...changing brake fluid now. Dude you saved my ass!

Always a learning curve with a new generation of bike. Manuals are one thing, hands on the lift is always a bit different. Like your vids brother, keep them coming. After watchin this, makes me love my 14 even more.

Great video! Yeah Yeah some audio issues, but it’s a new channel, it’ll polish up, in fact last video had no issue. To those unprofessional comments, I guess people were looking for something else. I appreciate the raw factor with the humor. It’s not supposed to be a tutorial to teach DIYers, at least not the highly technical side of it. I see it as more of a reality show behind the scenes. In my opinion that’s what differentiates John from others making it both entertaining and informative.

Lol just read some of the "not professional" comments and if have of them actually knew what it was like being a mechanic for a living would know what's it like getting a new model and having everything being moved and trying to figure it out. Its a little frustrating that an engineer puts things in the way to do your job.... And he dose use a service manual to make sure things are done right.... Much respect man keep up the good work

Love your vids dude. I own almost this exact same bike. Here’s my thumbs up! Keep it up mate!

Personally I love these videos more than on the road vlogs... not sure why you don't do more of these, they are great!

Thanks for posting. Wow - changing the battery seems like a job in itself!

Nice videos sir. Informative but also very entertaining. Keep them coming! Hope your channel continues to grow.

Loved it! Honest all around. Your search for the battery was a riot, and it reminded me of my post in the HD Forums: I found out something else today about my FatBoy Softail I was not aware of... This may pertain to all the Softails and to other new bikes as well, though I cannot be certain. This motorcycle's design is centered around the AGM battery. To keep the said battery safe, an impermeable sarcophagus was first designed to house it, rendering all attempts to access it utterly futile. Surrounding the main sarcophagus are innumerable plastic shields, wire harnesses, et al. Isolating this storage unit for voltage even further is a strong plastic shield, nestled between the battery itself and the new monoshock, so that any and all attempts to gain access to the positive terminal are laughingly thwarted. Once this wellspring of electrical DC life was completely guarded across every conceivable micron, the rest of the bike was designed. First of all, the sarcophagus was placed amidships where it was ensconced as a nucleus, orbited by additional wiring harnesses, proprietary connectors and widgets, devices which secure the aforementioned items, and ultimately the frame itself. I now know full well why this bike isn't 468 pound like my Yamaha sport liter bike, which has been called overweight. It is as though the battery were considered the lower levels of Fort Knox itself, almost daring anyone with a modicum of bravado to try his best at various utterly futile causes, such as locating either terminal. Good luck with that! All this was in an effort to affix a pigtail for heated gear directly, which is the preferred method... In any event, once the battery has been kept literally out of sight to the point that it cannot be easily discerned even with the seat and both side covers off, items like the frame, wheels engine, transmission, seat, fenders, and other sundry items aided and abetted the concealing of this rectangle "on the lam", to the chagrin and utter dismay of both myself and my Son, who was drafted into service without even a chance to say goodbye to loved ones...

Just changed the oil and filter on my 83 FXWG. Topped off Transmission and adjusted drive and primary chain. Good day.

dude, love the videos, don't change a thing just keep'm coming. Following you now on IG. Not been on a bike for 25 years but now that the kids are grown I have a 18 CVO SG on order and you're helping me with getting up to speed on all things HD!

Good to see what my girl is getting done tomorrow!

Dude your videos are actually enjoyable which is rare on youtube

Thumbs up and subscribed , this dude didn't have to show us the way , but he did. Show this dude support

Cool. 2018 Fat Boy is my new dream bike, nice to see videos popping up for it finally.

Excellent video, John. Not a Harley owner yet. I love these new Fatboys.

That's why I love old school. The new ones look nice, but I like the old stuff.

Hi John, it looks like they've com,plicated the process,whereas b4 it was relatively simple, Everything is so hard to get to, I've only done 600 miles on my Fatboy lo Special since February, due to the weather here . Enjoying your channel, hope it grows for uou

Damm! Just love the look on that new Fayboy. Im considering getting on as soon as my truck is paid off within the 18 months.

Great video John thanks for sharing.

Man, I hope my tech is doing all that stuff when I take it in. lol

I dropped off my FLHXS to my dealer for the 1k mile service yesterday, and I was joking with the service writer about your channel. I mentioned the "g--dammit Harley!" part and he chuckled and said "yeah, we say that a lot around here..."

That fish scale is some high tech tools for a $50k bike. Hey whatever gets the job done.Lol Here is my big 'Ol dirty thumbs up. Keep up the informative content man, I really dig it dude and thanks for taking time to properly show me.

Awesome channel and videos man! Great to see more harley content on youtube😁

I truly dig your video,s bro,, glad i checked ya out man,,, im ready to go for a ride boss ,,,

Recently subscribed, great videos. I realllly want a Harley now too.

Dude.. move to Colorado in couple months so you can do my bike.... Thanks I'm not very mechanical so I like watching and learning

Bassmaster? I always thought it was Bassmaster. Interesting 🤔 you learn something new everyday

Smart move with the blue towel. I’ve never done it, but I know a couple guys who dropped small parts into the cylinder while they had a spark plug out.

Like the videos, but my take is that I am glad I bought my 17' Street Glide at end of year so the techs could train on someone else's bike. Thanks for the videos.

I don't know what they're paying you guys, but it's not enough. I've got a lot of respect for wrenching skills. I can complete a complex income tax return, but I start sweating with anything beyond oil changes on my bike, lol. Good video.

love those wheels

like ur video style and being I'm on my 3rd HD I like ur tech tips and in site I do a lot of my own maintenance keep up the great work

Well ... thanks the video was enlightening and entertaining and yes I agree placement and amount of fluid should welcome in a much better ride. Testing one on Friday in San Marcos, Ca. Thank you

and this is why I service my own bikes

Nice to see that you know how to add oil. My last tech saw that the bike had a 5 quart capacity, so he just added 5 quarts. He over serviced it by 1/2 quart. Not good.

That 2018 fatboy is teh best looking honda i have ever seen !

nice transition work

Another great video John, I should have my first 1k service on a fat bob this week 🙂

Hi John, excelente vídeo, deixe um alô para Ubiratan daqui do Brasil em seu próximo vídeo...

Your a great commentator, good funny dry humor...... :)

Nice bike

Helped me do an oil change on my new FXBB street bob. Thanks!!

I cringe so hard when I see a power tool being used on a drain plug! 23 year diesel tech here, btw. Love your vids though, keep it up :)

Thanks for showing us I just bought a 2018 street bob and was wondering why the $376 for a 1,000-mile oil change cost so much! now I know

Nice video

Hey John, first of all I've been watching your videos since the beginning. Good job, dude! But I don't remember if you talk about this in one of your uploads, so let me ask you: if I install an 8 or 10 inch handlebar in my 2018 Fat Boy will it be necessary to buy a longer cable kit? Thanks, bro! Keep up the good job.

Hey man! First, great videos! I’ve been a sub and watching for a while. Second, thanks for providing no-bs knowledge to help out all of us two-wheel enthusiasts. Finally, the question...I recently had my 1K break in service done on my 18 FLHRXS. This being my first touring bike, is it normal for 14 qts of syn3 to be used? $189 worth of syn3 was on my invoice. I have a service plan, but still...Is this right?

Hi John, I just came across your video and subscribed. Great video. I live in Ireland and my first bike was a sporster which I loved. My next bike is gonna be a brand new fatboy like the one you're working on. Can I ask you _ why did harley discontune the heal shifter? Also my sporster had a lot of chrome which pitted after few thousand miles and looked awful. In your opinion will the same thing happen with this bike? I love the chrome look but if it's too hard to maintain perhaps I'd be better off with the blacked out version but not sure if that is available on the standard 2020 or would I have to find an anniversary model? Lastly do you recommend staging up before I take ownership? I'm no speed freak but I want power when necessary such as overtaking and wondered what stage ( 1,2,3 or 4) you would recommend? Cheers man

Love your channel mate, although personally not a fan of the 2018 lineup besides the blacked out tourers. Much love all the way from australia!

man, I just installed the electrical upgrade kit (69201599A) on my '18 Heritage (to install a stereo) and the (+) battery terminal access is a pain in the a**... LOL DEFINETELY the new design wasn´t made with DIYers in mind. Wouldn´t go back to my previous TC Softail, though. The new one does run WAY cooler indeed. No more frying my nuts in traffic! LOL. Thumbs up on the video. Subscribing now. Best wishes from Brasília, Brazil.

My local dealership (Oakland, CA) charges something like $140 an hour for service. It is an eye opener to know what I am paying for.

the engine on that bike is gorgeous, I have a thing about engines

Could you make a short video on adjusting the upper clutch? I plan on replacing the cable for longer bars and think this would help lots of your viewers!

Im no mechanic but i removed my battery in 15mins. Got my new softail slim 2020. I just followed the manual.

Any reason my you didnt use formula + in the trans or primary?

Great video once again bud! Can you do one for new softail street bob fxbb? Mine is coming up really soon. Thank you

Thanks for the video! I have a 19 slim that i put eliminator 300”s on, I didn’t tune it or do anything else. No check engine light. You think this will be ok till i can afford a tuner and air cleaner and whatever else?

please john, I am not clear about the clutch lever setting ...!

"Y'know, when I see a bike like this the first thing I do is say 'Would ya look at this?!?'"

Love your show!!, Try and match output levels between your verbal and music, jockeying the volume controls!!

Subscribed. Great video John, what song is playing from clutch adjustment on ? Also is the new fat boy a lot better bike then the old fat boy S. Keep up the good work mate. Cheers

Is it the same fluids for 2018 street bob? As far as 42oz. 28oz and 4 1/2 oil

What voltage does a 2018 Softail USB charge at? It seems that when using your phone while plugged in the phone still discharges.

Question. I just bought a 05 heritage. At some point a hydraulic clutch was added. Probly when the SE 6 speed was installed. Do you have a video or can you tell me where to go to show clutch adjustment? I know how to do the clutch but I don't have a cable to loosen. So, what do I do?

Hi John love your channel. I'm looking for a bike for touring and cruising. The best of both worlds. I want my passenger to be comfortable on the back also. I do like your new bike but what are your thoughts on the fat boy? Or should I be looking at something else? I would prefer the 114 motor. Thanks

John, you've got an a amazing channel. My positive criticism would be this; your music to speaking transition is too contrasted.. lower music volume or increase speaking if possible. I personally love hearing your 'pro-tips' but for a guy like me with earbud headphones or a sleeping baby in the room, the volume changes become frequent and drastic. Segue into the awesome music you provide; Do. Not. Change. It. Love the rock as much as the perspective. Keep it up man, there's a difference between how-to and tips. You walk the line flawlessly and as a Harley Davidson tech, just the tips.. (yeah..plural..it's a hell of a life 😛) are perfect. I look forward to each video you upload. Be well.

i just upgraded from a 2001 honda shadow haha... feel my pain :-D 2018 fxlr... went from one drain plug to three.

Love the videos, John. Keep them coming! How do you stand on that concrete floor all day in Chuck Taylors?

Great videos. Keep it up! Any FXDLS related videos?

"All up in a new Fat Boy"... funny shit!

Hi John. Is the 2018 steering head spec 8 to 21 be that much different to 2020. Just my 2020 manual says 7 to 11 for FLFBS. And from your experience 18 inch ape hangers i have on it, should the spec change or set with bars removed. Thanks.

Thanks again for replying, re. the audio and music levels issue. The device l am using is a first edition iPad with earbuds, :-) tcrs.

I just got me a Fatboy 2016 with the screaming eagle 110. What can you tell me about that year and engine?

Just wanting some feedback on the oil controversy.. For the first oil change, is it OK to go straight to Synthetic, or would it be best to use the HD 360 oil for a while? It was always a rule to wait til about 20K miles on a vehicle before switching to synthetic so it would break in properly.. Anyone have experience with the Maxima oil kits on Amazon? Seems good to me, 3 different kinds of lubricant and a K&N filter. I do like the fact you don't need a stupid cap style wrench to remove it, Thanks

Hey buddy. Quick question. I have a 2022 Fatboy. Noticed that there’s not a grease fitting on the neck to grease the bearings. Can a put one in to periodically grease the neck bearings? Tia!

Hi John, is there a way to adjust the lean angle of the Fatboy 2018? Wish you could give me some ideas on how or maybe purchase forward controls to do the trick. Thank you

Yeah, I think I'll keep my 08 fxstsse2.

Thanks for another great vid. Should help as I take my mediocre mechanic skills to my own softail slim over the weekend for its 1000 mile service. Would you look at that? I mean just look at it.

Love your videos binge watched them all! I have a 2018 Breakout that is approaching its Thousand Mile service. I have always used synthetic oil in my twin cam. But my dealership is suggesting regular oil in the Milwaukee eight. Their theory behind this is since the Milwaukee has almost 5 quarts of oil and a cooler synthetic oil is not necessary. Just wondered your thoughts. Thanks

hey bro how r u ?i got my first harley 2018 heritage now with 700 miles. from day one making tapping noise sounds fron top or seems like,also more pronunce when driven on highway hot ,and a wobble type nose at idle its the 114 emgine .took it to dealer said iits.normal llifter noise and.6 speed normal noise any advice thanks#!

Hey man greetings!!, interesting vid, question for you if I may, when adjusting the clutch pack, is the process the same as in the twin cam, turning the adjusting screw clockwise until it seats then turning counterclockwise half to one full turn? I would really appreciate your response, keep the harley softail M8's videos coming!!, cheers!!!!

Seen you fill the oil filter a few times on your videos does it not all just spill out when your trying to thread it back on? Or is there a trick I don’t know ?

I like you are the HARLEY DISTRIBUTOR Tech and have no idea where the drain plug is..Love that! (been there done that)

Hey man, im about to take another 500+ mile trip this weekend, and I would like to know what you suggest for me to check on my bike before i make this trip again. I know you are a very busy man, and I respect that. I have a 2012 Fat Bob. I appreciate it, and hope to hear any feedback you have for me as well as tips or anything usefull. Thanks!

What’s the yellow peace called the one you hook up the clutch cable too? Those it have a name?

just a quick ? i filled my trans. side with 28 oz and nothing had to fill to 32 oz to even get any kind of dipstick reading and yes i did screw the dip stick all the way down to o- ring is this normal 2018 fat bob 107 thnxxxxx

Would you say these new things are easy enough to service at home?

Thanks for the info John, were you a Russian Monk B/4 you became a H-D mech???? (Just say'in)

May i ask the drain plug of secondary and primary which is both of them

Well I subscribed and was thinking of getting a Sport Glide, but not now. I will stick with my 1991 Sturgis.

Going with the fat boy in the near future . The breakout has a peanut gas tank , so had to forget that bike

You know some times you just got to look at it!! You know what I say? Just look at it. Ahahah

Do you recommend conventional or synthetic

The seat part almost made me spit my coffee out...

Any chance you can put up a vid on 2018 Sportglide?