Well, I'm on my 10th bike sitting at the compound. Bought a 2004 Softail Standard HD with a little under 20k miles on it.

Right now it's on the rack with plugs out and waiting for the heat to end so I can give it a leak-down test. Started in the morning and within a half an hour, I'm stepping one my own sweat drops on the floor and stopped for the day.

Started to breakdown the cam case to inspect the cheapass tensioners that disintegrate within 30k or less and eat the engines. Right now the engine sounds quiet, so I think I'm safe for now.

Going to have to park it and finish off my nephew's new chopper build. No problem working on it, but have this room problem where to park all these bikes?

Still trying to convert the photos to a jpg, being I have a new tower with windows 11. I'll find an image online to show what type it looks like.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=dWw16TQe&id=F95325E2C695F57E1E8A2743D96AB3F23C42FC55&thid=OIP.dWw16TQeGKAo94V14xW3rwHaEl&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.totalmotorcycle.com%2Fphotos%2F2004models%2F2004-Harley-Davidson-FXSTISoftailStandarda.jpg&cdnurl=https%3A%2F%2Fth.bing.com%2Fth%2Fid%2FR.756c35e9341e18a028f78575e315b7af%3Frik%3DVfxCPPKzatlDJw%26pid%3DImgRaw%26r%3D0&exph=1042&expw=1680&q=2004+softail+standard&FORM=IRPRST&ck=C2292B99AE994161748684F355CE65B6&selectedIndex=1&itb=0&cw=697&ch=414&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0

* Last updated by: Hub on 8/8/2026 @ 8:24 PM *

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=dWw16TQe&id=F95325E2C695F57E1E8A2743D96AB3F23C42FC55&thid=OIP.dWw16TQeGKAo94V14xW3rwHaEl&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.totalmotorcycle.com%2Fphotos%2F2004models%2F2004-Harley-Davidson-FXSTISoftailStandarda.jpg&cdnurl=https%3A%2F%2Fth.bing.com%2Fth%2Fid%2FR.756c35e9341e18a028f78575e315b7af%3Frik%3DVfxCPPKzatlDJw%26pid%3DImgRaw%26r%3D0&exph=1042&expw=1680&q=2004+softail+standard&FORM=IRPRST&ck=C2292B99AE994161748684F355CE65B6&selectedIndex=1&itb=0&cw=697&ch=414&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0

LOL as luck would have it, my old version of Safari has stopped showing many photos online. I got this image if it's the same as your new bike.

https://www.chopperexchange.com/for-sale/2004-harley-davidson-softail-standard-1248012

That's a beauty! Someday, I'm going to have a cruiser in my lineup. I sure wish I could have grabbed my dad's old Vulcan Drifter.

As for storage space, I think I might build a shed in the back. No property tax increase as long as there's no permanent foundation. Otherwise, there's a walkout basement that could easily hold ten bikes with space to move them around each other. I'd have to get rid of a bunch of junk down there.

Yes Rook, that's the one. Love that rear fender flair. Would have changed that fender if it was another model.

Going to a lot of swap meets from now on. Trying to find a right fork leg so I can install another brake. Just found a set of stock mufflers and sent an offer for less. Have to find the OEM tube mount but I have enough bar stock to trump up a bolt-on.

Have to find handlebar mounts that are lower so I can change the handlebars. Was a wife's bike so who knows how she rode it. Guy bought wider rims and used a larger front tire. Rims are black, spokes are rusted so I might hand paint it with nail polish. Or just address the rust and let the chrome show, but hey, it's going to have my look so the mods are endless.

Since it was never crashed, I'm going to make it handle better. Rear shocks feel worn out or I'm spoiled by the other other bikes I ride. Just does not feel like it rides as well as the 2026 model I rode at a race event.

Factory came out with models to test ride. The bike I jumped on was close to the S model I was after. The S has dual discs and the engine had some mean torque to it. Guy riding their sportster type new engine family, said his ride would blow the bike I was riding away. But when I gapped the front riders so I could open it up, I left the sportster in the dust. Sure he caught up but either way it had a decent front brake for it being a single disc.

Just had an itch for a Harley. So instead of 20+ grand for a new bike, it was less than 5 grand for this one. Plus I get to go deep in the engine fix. Don't know how I'm going to approach it though. Either just change out the tensioners, or dump a grand or so for new tools and the upgraded cam case with a higher output oil pump and not worry about it.

I made a floor out of wooden crates. Just need a shed to build on top of it, and a ramp to roll the bikes up into the shed. May have to sell a few bikes so the shed wont be needed.

The timing was a little off but a coworker was selling his V-Rod for the latest updated version. That was a year ago. If that came along tomorrow, I'd grab it. It was blue and the wheels all the stuff that was normally chrome was gloss black. He had an Akrapovic exhaust on it. It sounded NICE! It was a beautiful bike. I wouldn't worry too much about performance as long as it's reliable. My performance bikes are going to be sport bikes.

I like the tank mounted speedo on that Softail, that's the eye catcher for me more than anything. My dad's Drifter had that too. I suppose that's a fairly common feature for a cruiser but I like it.