Bob’s Garage Build: A Wimpy Front End Plus Upgrading the Handlebars and Gauges

(This is the fifth article in a series detailing the Garage Build project of Bob, the President & CEO of Dennis Kirk. Catch up on the project by reading the first post, second post, third post, and fourth post.)

Since my objective is to build a tough-looking performance motorcycle, the wimpy 39mm front end just had to go.

Originally, I was thinking about putting a springer front end on it, but I soon abandoned that old-school idea because it didn’t fit the look or performance I was after. The next thought I had was to put on a high-tech inverted fork setup. That would be perfect from a performance perspective. However, I found those to be expensive, nothing under $3,500 and some reaching the $7,000 level. I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much money on just one part of the bike.

After kicking some other options around, I came up with the idea of putting a Sportster 48 front-end assembly on the bike. It is a beefy 49mm front end that fit the look I was after. So, with the decision made, it was time to search for a used one. I usually check Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and eBay for used parts.

As luck would have it, there was a used 2019 Sportster 48 front-end listed on eBay. The fork tubes and triple tree stem were rusty, there were scratches in the painted parts, and it had a broken steering stop, but I knew I could easily deal with all those issues. The guy wanted $950, but I was able to negotiate him down to $850. All in, with shipping and taxes, the front end landed in my shop for $1007. Still not cheap, but a good buy, all things considered.

I’ll bring the forks up to snuff by welding in a new steering stop and have the triple trees and fork sliders powder-coated. I think I can remove the light rust from the upper fork tubes and triple tree stem with some scotch pad work and buff them back to a shiny surface. If that doesn’t work, Dennis Kirk sells 67 different styles of 49mm fork tubes, so I’ll just replace the rusty fork tubes with some new ones if I need to.

To improve the performance of the front end, I will install a Progressive Suspension Monotube Fork Cartridge Kit. Dennis Kirk Part Number 585866. This is a high-performance modification that will reduce front-end brake dive and improve front-end stability, cornering, and bottoming control. I’m looking forward to experiencing the difference this makes when the bike hits the road.

To top it off, I will put on a simple Bates headlight, part number 218830, and give it some style with a Kuryakyn headlight trim ring, part number 2101358.

I hated the handlebars and gauge location. The bars were in a clunky bad form, and having the speedometer sticking up like a sore thumb really bugged me.

So, I side-mounted the speedometer with an aftermarket bracket, but with the 49mm front end in place, the bracket hit the triple tree when fully turned to the left. To fix that problem, I fabricated a small plate that moved the bracket back about an inch.

Even though Dennis Kirk sells 6 different speedometers that fit a 2009 Sportster, I am not using one of those. For various reasons, they either don’t look right or operationally work the way I want. So, as difficult as it is, I am installing a Harley-Davidson factory branded speedometer. I like their gauge because the tachometer is prominent and adds to the performance look of the bike.

I went with a Todd’s Cycle Café Style handlebars, part number 5903229. I think they have the right look and feel. I am using a Joker Machine top clamp, part number 598355, it is low profile and holds the indicator lights in a clean and simple fashion.

So, the front-end decisions are made and mocked up. Next up I’ll be describing what I am doing with the back end and maybe get into the tire and wheel selection.