What's wrong with instructions?

I mean why can't these companies get their act together and enclose instructions. If you buy an accessory from Harley, no matter how mundane it is, it comes with instructions. Case in point, I ordered a License Plate bracket, it came with instructions, "Remove three screws securing the original equipment LP mount, remove LP mount and discard. Using three 1inch and a quarter bolts and lock nuts secure mount and gasket using the existing holes, fasten securely". I mean really? Instructions? But they are there if you need them. They come in handy.

Another point about instructions, they let you know if perhaps you don't want to do the job yourself. Case in point, forward controls.
"Step one, drain oil and remove primary cover and primary."  uh...nope.

Why am I talking about instructions? Because I rode Charlene home last night, parked her, brought Jenny out of the shed, rolled her into the shaded area of the driveway, grabbed my tools and a chair and got ready to work. I replaced...the licence plate bracket.

Then I opened my box from "Mother Road Customs"
http://motheroadcustoms.auctivacommerce.com/



I reached down into the pile of peanuts, feeling around for my newest acquisition. my hand latched onto a piece of something hard wrapped with Styrofoam, reach back in and another white gift wrapped part came forth, then a metal plate and a bag of nuts, bolts washers, springs.   Just like a kid at Christmas I tore the taped (overly taped) Styrofoam from the main part, there it was in all its black and red glory...Gator.  I finished unwrapping and untaping, and laid all the parts out in sight, no instructions really...how hard can it be. I had gone on line when I ordered the seat and watched a video on how to install one on a Soft tail, it was easy, take off the seat, install a bracket, put on a cover, drop metal support in place, loosely fit attaching parts to seat, install then tighten. Yup easy as pie...
except...

I don't have a Soft tail, I have a Dyna. totally different procedure, totally different parts. So...how hard can it be. by the way, it was warm out last night, sweat dripping in my eyes, soaked through shirt, and it's summer so mosquitoes of course.

NOTHING SHOULD BE THIS HARD!!! Rule one, never force something, if it doesn't go together easy you are probably doing something wrong. Bolts, lots of bolts and nuts, wait a minute. There are bolts and nuts are already on the seat and they are already on the mount, so why all the hardware. Nuts with no threads (?) ahhhhhh...spacers. Once you take a few extra minutes to sit back and look at something when it doesn't go together you can usually work it out. The other option is to hit it with a large solid object until it..."snaps" into place. While this usually feels REALLY good at the moment, it usually doesn't work out all that well in the long run, sometimes leading to a short time throwing things around, cursing and leaving the area to you cool off, coming back, looking at the damage and a lot of ... sighing?

Anyway...Accessory mounted, NO thanks to the manufacturer, and Jenny now has the slipperiest, hardest seat known to man. It seems to have been designed to help you off the bike, especially at speed. Picture sitting in a puddle of Armour all on the roof of a truck.

Remember sitting on one of these as a kid?

Same thing.

 

I rather like the RETRO TAIL LAMP...But...it just won't fit on my bike...

klay