Get Your Hog Fix: Wolcott native finds market with instructionals on motorcycle repairs, improvement

Dennis Santopietro’s instructional DVDs for Harley-Davidson owners carry the umbrella banner “Fix My Hog,” and he’s already done Softail, Touring and Sportster editions, but the upcoming fourth installment in the three-year-old series could more aptly be titled “Upgrade My Hog.”

The Wolcott native, who now lives in San Diego, was back in Waterbury this week directing a “Bolt-On” video that will be released in January. It will cover performance upgrades for clutches, exhausts and air intakes as well as EFI (electronic fuel injection) mapping.

The Bolt-On DVD will also explain how to install accessories, such as braided brake lines, braided clutch and throttle cables, chrome front ends and custom headlights and gauges.

Santopietro said the Bolt-On DVD was the next logical step. “A lot of the customers wanted to go to the next level. Now that they can do the basics, they want to do some upgrades,” he said.

Recording of the various segments for the DVD began Monday morning at LA One Motorsports at 1258 Thomaston Avenue. The shop is owned by Bob LaRosa, a childhood friend of Santopietro. LaRosa and mechanic Mark DiPietro meticulously explain each step in upgrading a Harley. “The first day was the hardest day. Everybody had to get in the rhythm, get in the flow,” said Santopietro, who said it would take at least five 10-hour days to complete the recording portion of project. The DVD is aimed at “Big Twin” owners who ride Softail, Dyna or Touring models from late 1984 through the 2007 models. The tentative price for the “Bolt-On” DVD is $49.95 and it will be available online at www.fixmyhog.com.

In addition to the “how-to” segments, the Bolt-On DVD will also feature a Q&A segment with Chris Maida, editor of “American Iron” magazine, who will look at where the motorcycle industry is headed.

Santopietro got the idea for the DVD collection when he moved to San Diego in 1996 and discovered how expensive it was to have work done on his 1984 Harley Low Rider FXRS. Previously, LaRosa had maintained the bike.

The first DVD for Softails came out in May 2004, followed by a Touring DVD in February 2005 and the Sportster edition in December 2005 (which RIDE-CT reported on when it was released).

What’s next? “I think I’ll let our customer base let us know where they want to go,” said Santopietro, noting that the “Fix My Hog” series is “really customer driven.”

Copyright 2006 Republican-American

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6 Responses to “Get Your Hog Fix: Wolcott native finds market with instructionals on motorcycle repairs, improvement”

  1. Michael Rogers

    <strong>Ticket 38637 I need to find complete downloadable videos for a Harley twin cam 88ci cam chest upgrade on a 2002 softail Deuce fxstd-I/ EFI

  2. Ce

    I need a maintenance, IPC and wiring manuals, can you please help? Semper Fi, Ce

  3. Joseph Swaringen

    i need to see the way to install vacum lines on my 2006 xl1200c

  4. rlcolumber

    2002 883 XHL vacuum lies ???

  5. rlcolumber

    need info on vacuum lines

  6. Clark A Graham Sr

    looking for manuels for a 2002 Harley road glide