Install the Nemesis Manifold

Written by Art Armfield (Tazman1602)

Friday, 11 June 2004

With all the hulla-balloo lately on The Road Star Riders Forum about the issues involved mounting a stock airbox with K&N BAK and Nemesis Racing manifold, I decided to write a document to show ya’ll how easy it is to not only install the manifold but to make it work without a big deal using your stock airbox. The included parts list allowed for a perfect fit on my personal 2002 Road Star and should fit yours too. This document assumes you already have your bike stripped down to the point you are ready to install the Nemesis manifold. If your carb is still on the bike, refer to either Hellrisers page on carb removal or Tidy’s page for the same.

When Greg says “it take a little finessing but it will fit” about the manifold he is talking about getting it past the fins of the cylinder heads --- do this from the right side of the engine (ALWAYS viewed as sitting in the drivers seat) and gently manipulate it into the manifold area. It **should** fit WITHOUT grinding although I’ve had reports that the only way to get the damn thing in is to grind a bit off the top of the flange to clear the cyl fins. Once there it will slide around rather nicely. Make SURE the “O” ring seals are FULLY seated in the manifold flange groove --- take your fingernail and press it in the groove and then look at it with a magnifying glass if you have to in order to make sure it is totally seated evenly all the way around --- make sure O-ring groove is dry when you do this. I used brake parts cleaner to make sure surface was clean as it leaves no residue and then pressed in O-rings with my finger.
Smear face of manifold, O-rings, and manifold mounting flange on cylinder head with Vaseline --- YES, the old standby known by the old-timers up here as “Viener Schlider”. Make the coat even and don’t goober it all up, a thin coat will work just fine. Do not use permatex, or any other sealer on the manifold!
It may take some light pressure but get both the bolts on the right hand side started and screwed in as far as you can by hand. This will take light hand pressure but it will work. You should be able to get both the screws almost all the way in if you are doing this right and it is lined up correctly. DO NOT TIGHTEN THESE BOLTS DOWN, LEAVE THEM LOOSE. This is what it should look like:

At this point make sure you have loosened all the bolts from the left side head-stay. These are the two bolts that come off of the bracket the fuel pump mounts to and they need to be loose, just don’t forget to tighten them.
This will leave the left side bolts in a position that looks to be impossible to get started but it’s not so. If you’ve been gentle and done things properly it’ll go fine. Here’s the fun part. I found on my install that a hammer I had with a clean shop rag wrapped around the handle made a nice tight fit in the intake throat as seen here:

Get your two left side bolts ready and then **gently** start pulling up on the hammer handle until at least one of them is aligned. When one is aligned screw it as far as you can get it in by hand. The other bolt is liable to take considerable pressure on the hammer handle to get it to line up but it can be done! The manifold is VERY durable and will not break. If you’ve got a three-foot long sledgehammer handle in there and can’t get it lined up, something isn’t right – back off and start again. An extra pair of hands comes in real handy now. This is what the left side will end up looking like:

At this point you are all set. Tighten all bolts evenly in a round about fashion and you are done with this part!

Now for the Airbox Mount

Once you’ve gotten the carburetor mounted and your hoses/cables all hooked back up and are 100% sure you’ve got the carb fully seated to the boot and the boot seated and clamped to the manifold you’re going to notice that the carb sticks out a little further (about 5/8” overall) and the stock airbox doesn’t want to fit. Here’s the easy cure for that!

You’ll need surprisingly few parts to make this a professional, neat looking installation and I have done the homework for you. I had to improvise on the parts I used in order to do the install the first time but have a list of the correct parts so you don’t have to mess with them. This makes for a “bolt-on” installation. Here are the parts you need and where you can get them from:

Parts Needed for install

Part#

20083 ---- 1/4 X 7/16 X 5/8 SPACER CHROME (2 each needed)

20094 --- 1/4 X 7/16 X 7/8 SPACER CHROME (1 each needed)

12744 --- 6 X 45 ALLEN SCREW CHROME (3 needed)

12745 --- 6 X 50 ALLEN SCREW CHROME ( 1 just in case needed…)

23987 --- M6 FLATWASHER CHROME (3 needed --- optional)

Gardner-Westcott Company
10110 Six Mile Road

Northville, Michigan 48167 USA
Phone (248) 305-5100

Fax (248) 305-5110
Call us toll-free at 1-800-897-5025

http://www.gardner-westcott.com

Since the manifold shoves the carburetor out approximately 5/8” you’ll need to move the airbox out that far also. What I did was get the above 5/8” spacers from Gardner above and use them. One of them I had to cut down to add to another spacer to get the 7/8” spacer I needed. I simply cut it apart and super-glued it together. Instead of fumbling around with the bolts and spacers driving me nuts falling all over I super glued them to the airbox itself before installation too (stock airboxes are a dime a dozen on ebay or the forum…get a spare and keep your original). Here’s a good shot of what it looks like.

Here’s how I made the 7/8” spacer by cutting and gluing a piece onto one of the 5/8” spacers:

Here’s the airbox with two spacers in place --- NOTE the long (7/8” spacer) is the Top Rear spacer:

The airbox itself can now be bolted on and will make for a nice clean install and will look like it was made to be there! I’ll include some shots so you can see it really doesn’t stick out that far (Try a Kury TV if want one really hanging in the breeze….). Here is box mounted:

You can see here the rear spacer is just a tad longer than the front but everything lines up just perfect! Here is manifold, airbox, and filter installed on bike and running. As you can see, it really is a comfortable fit:

What the Nemesis manifold is going to do for you is give you a MUCH improved idle quality, smoother power delivery throughout the power band and will add some ponies too. So twist it up and go Fat Boy hunting!

****************ADDENDUM 2004**********************

Be sure you REMOVE the head stay from the left hand side of engine (the part that bolts to the frame and then to each cylinder head) This will make install much easier.

********************************************************

Ride Safe and Ride what you like!

Tazman1602

Art Armfield

Alanson, MI.

©Arthur K. Armfield 2003

Free for personal use and for ALL members of the Road Star Riders Forum and Readers of The Road Star Clinic web page.

Questions should be asked in our forum (Use discuss link below). The forum is very active and you stand a good chance of getting your questions answered there. If you would like to leave feedback for the author, or have additional information you think will benefit others, please use the comment section at the bottom of this page.

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DISCLAIMER: This information and procedure is provided as a courtesy and is for informational purposes only. Neither the publishers nor the authors accept any responsibility for the accuracy, applicability, or suitability of this procedure. You assume all risks associated with the use of this information. NEITHER THE PUBLISHERs NOR THE AUTHORs SHALL IN ANY EVENT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OF ANY NATURE ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE USE OR MISUSE OF THIS INFORMATION OR LACK OF INFORMATION. Any type of modification or service work on your motorcycle should always be performed by a professional mechanic. If performed incorrectly, this procedure may endanger the safety of you and others on your motorcycle and possibly invalidate your manufacturer’s warranty.

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Comments (7)

Found Nemesis
Written by Batty381, on 02-22-2015 18:53
This is the weirdest thing. I have been looking to buy one of these for ages but could not find one, I finally get one from one of the guys on here and it goes great. I found an ad on gumtree for a project roadie with a donor bike, so I go look and decide to buy. On the following week end I head up with help and trailer to pick it all up. Turns out the husband had left his wife and she was getting rid of a heap of stuff and that they were Nemesis Racing. I now have about 6 manifolds in my possession that will allow for a S&S e series carbie to be put on. I do have a couple like the one in the pic as well.

Nemesis
Written by Batty381, on 02-08-2014 17:12
Does he still make them and if so how do I reach out to him???
I tried his email and it just comes straight back?

Written by texstar58, on 03-15-2011 10:59
I was a little worried about changing the manifold and installing a Nemesis. However, I got it and pulled the carb, the left side support frame for the fuel pump. With the O-rings in place I put this thing on in 45 minutes. Piece a Cake!! It took me two and a half hours to install an after market airbox....LOL
I'm sure glad I found this article and this site!!!

Email for Nemesis from DK Powder Coat
Written by Rayjay, on 12-22-2008 20:45
Email powdercoatka@aol.com for a Nemesis Manifold. DK Powder Coat is the company. I ordered the manifold and valve springs from him and will order the Nemesis coils in the future. Good guy to buy from.

nemesis manifold
Written by been71lk8, on 12-20-2008 22:19
i,m looking for this manifold to buy.i,ve been looking for ever .can you send there web site.thanks

Spacer for BAK
Written by Rayjay, on 10-01-2008 13:46
I have a Baron's Big Air Kit with K&N filter. When I installed the Nemesis, the carb stuck out about 1 3/8" more, was tilted slightly upwards and 3/8" lower. I used scrap 1/2" chrome plated brass tubing for spacers. I got stainless bolts locally ( one 6mm x 1.00 x 2 1/2" and one 6mm x 1.00 x 2" long). I used the original screw for the bottom since that fit OK. I had to alter the back of the box by moving the arms up about 3/8". Drilled holes and used self-tapping screws after I tapped the holes. Had to shim the bottom of the arms with sheet metal due to the slots for original arm positions. Put locktite on inside of box for new arm screws, positioned box and screwed front cover on with filter. Probably could have used bolts with self-locking nuts inside the box. Solid install, just going to be a little trouble removing. Make sure filter is clean before re-installing!

Nemesis install
Written by Rayjay, on 09-24-2008 18:51
I installed the Nemesis 9/24/09 and it went in very easily. I first did some grinding of interior casting snots.
I had called DK (seller) and he said that the small clear silicone pack was to put a few dabs under the *O* rings to hold them in place (I did 4 spots) and some of the rest should be lightly smeared over the head flange areas to allow the manifold to slide on easily (1/6th thick).
BEFORE you silicone things, try them for fit and make adjustments (grinding) if necessary. Mine went on without a hitch.
Now I have to get longer screws and make spacers for my BAK. Will report on that when done.

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