Brass would be better.
However, better still is to just replace those lines so there are no splices in them. Any splice will be a restriction and a place for gunk to collect, possibly blocking flow.

At slow speeds (from take off to approximately 1500 rpm) it starts as a clicking noise that increases in frequency. It seems to level out between 1500 and 2000 rpm. I had my wife ride along and she confirmed that it is definitely at the rear of the bike. Does the noise only happen when your wife is...

You can also try rotating the rear wheel by hand to see if you can find a spot where it clicks.

Have bees made a hive in your luggage?

It should be pretty easy to tell the difference between coolant and fuel blowing out of a spark plug hole.

Yes, tension changes will have slight effects on timing. Same with surfacing the head or block. Without any precision way of setting the timing, lining up the marks is as good as you will get. If you want you can use a dial indicator and degree wheel to measure how far out of perfect you are. Racing...

It's in the owners manual as Inspect every 8000 miles or 12 months, same with most of the other bearings. No scheduled Replacement.

https://www.gforcemotorcycleseats.com/
https://cashupholstery.com/ (recommended on Two Wheeled Texans for seat mods, reshaping and gel inserts)
https://www.xtremeupholstery.com/
I'm sure there are plenty more, but you probably need to call and explain just what you are looking for.

It's one of those "as needed" items. It's good practice to check them when you change tires. If well cared for, kept clean and greased they will last the life of the bike. If regularly pressure washed and ridden on salted roads, their life will be shortened dramatically.

A quick search shows that there are a bunch of custom seat builders in TX.

Keep a test light on the bike so when it acks up you can check it while it's not starting.

None of that is original Honda, they are all aftermarket bits. The common brands are Kuryakyn, Show Chrome and Add-On. Looks like Show Chrome items to me. You can find that stuff at many accessory shops. Cyclemax is the first place to look.
https://cyclemax.com/collections/gl1800-chrome

If it hasn't run in four years, it's pretty much certain that the carbs will have to come apart to get things cleaned out. Did you do anything to diagnose the no start condition back then? Check for spark, prime with fuel or starting fluid, etc.? You might have other problems as well. Just sitting f...

Time to check the wiring going to the alternator to make sure it is getting a start signal. The GL1800s have an alternator start delay, but I've not heard of that in a 1500. Is it a stock Hitachi alternator or aftermarket? Running at 3000 rpm you should be seeing 13.8 to 14.2 at the battery. Dependi...

joecoolsuncle wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 3:01 pm yep, rats. almost got snake bit when i removed the seat from a hd ultra about 30 years ago. he was after the rats.

Thats strange, on most HDs I thought the rats are usually on the top of the seat?

Several folks have had to deal with the aftermath of buying a bike that has had sealer used. In addition to replacing the head gaskets, they also have to replace the radiators and unclog some of the small coolant tubes. Bikes have much smaller radiator passages than cars. And sealers are not even go...

Don't just guess, it pretty basic to test the functions. As blupupher said it's usually one of the safety cancel switches. The safety switches are separate from the brake light switches, so the brake lights working doesn't tell you much about the cruise. Lots of people find it's the clutch switch an...

If you hooked a jump box to the wire that goes to the starter and a good ground, the starter should spin and the relays shouldn't click. You must have done something funny. Did you load test the battery? Get a test light or a meter and start at the battery positive checking for power when you press ...

I use the CargoBuckle straps on my trailer. They are an auto retracting bolt on style that you could bolt to your lift. I have also done a similar bolt on mod to regular ratchet straps so they can be used for short spans. I've seen the hookless straps, but have never tried them. They look like a goo...

You can get all the details in TMC's "RP243 Tire and Wheel Match Mounting Markings".
But in a nutshell, the yellow dot is the light spot of the tire while the red is the highest radial runout and radial force variation.
Typically, only commercial wheels have match markings anymore.

One winter is usually not a problem. Fresh fuel and a good dose of Seafoam can clean things up. It can take a few tankful's depending on how dirty things are.

Mouse activity. General inspection.

The fork caps can be removed to change the oil. BEWARE the spring under the caps has tension even when the bike is raised with the front wheel off the ground.
Have a look in the How To section for everything you need to know.

Search here, there are a few topics about what options you have. Depending on what you have apart and what is still working. Sometimes the key will work when the lever doesn't. There are instructions on how to bend a coat hanger to open from between the levers. All the way up to removing the seat an...