South Dakota New Guy

[Whit]

Hi from the Black Hills of South Dakota. New to this Forum, but have had 1911s for several years. Started with Baers, added a few NightHawks, and most recently acquired a Guncrafter. Look forward to learning more from the wealth of knowledge here.

Welcome from Northern Indiana enjoy the conversation.

 

[Black Bikes Matter]

I graduated in '79. I joined the Air Force with the purpose of buying a Harley. The economy was sucking and you couldn't get loans like u can today. I bought my first Harley (an XLCR Cafe Racer) in April of '80, then traded that in August for a 1980 FLHS. Fell in Love with the Black Hills and South Dakota. been here ever since.

 

[joepistol]

I remember both the XLCR & the FLHS.. I believe the FLHS was a new model introd in 1980, I liked it & wished it had come out in '79....
I would have bought one. I liked the XLCR too, but learned it didn't have any great performance advantage over a regular Sportster, it was just dressed to look cool. My'79FXEF was too new for me to justify getting another new Harley so soon after buying mine.
I was still a starving student, living on the GI bill @ the time.

 

[Black Bikes Matter]

Exactly, that was the first year for it. It was 80". I had planned on getting an FXEF, till I walked in and saw that

 

[joepistol]

" I had planned on getting an FXEF, till I walked in and saw that ",.. as I said, had an FLHS be available @ the time I bought my FXEF, I would've sprung for the FLHS too. I have a repop Wideglide front end I'd planned putting on my FXEF (bought it about 20 yrs. ago) sitting in my garage, along with a FLH fender (in the raw) and a FLH headlight nacelle (& tube covers).. I' m going to get around to installing ..someday.

My '79 is supposedly the last year they made 1200's (74") also 1st year with electronic ignition..mine lasted about 30 yrs.-
contrary to everyone that said I should remove it, & put a set of points in it.

 

[Mike A1]

I'm happy to see you guys missed that AMF abortion that happened to Harley when I worked for them in the early 70s.
Supers seizing from a missing pump cover gasket, Sportsters with leaking gas tanks right off the line. A bad rattle inside a sportsters frame
that we had to get permission to cut the frame open, only to find a wire with nut attached by spot weld, a note that said, " F** K AMF really.

It was a sad time for Harley & one that caused me to move ,on to Triumph, & Norton, BSA, & Moto Guzzi, BMW, I missed those big ol Harleys.
Never owned one.

 

[joepistol]

According to a supposedly factual history of Harley, the quality control issues that were present during the AMF years were mostly due to sabotage by
some union workers that had issues with AMF. Most that know the history of the company believe that AMF actually saved Harley from failing, as
they weren't selling enough bikes to improve production or develop new models. AMF brought in funds to start modernizing plants & production.
There are always some who are resistance to change. I was a bit surprised that my '79 FXEF had no valve stem seals..they weren't added to the valve train until '81 or '82. I was somewhat shocked to read in my new Harleys owner's manual that using a qt. of oil in 500 miles is / was considered "normal oil consumption"

 

[switchback]

I owned a 76 fxe and a 77flh, both good bikes. AMF "we make weekends", those bikes always had a bad reputation but I had no irregular issues. My brother (blood) also owned a 76fxe, He rode (pushed) it untill 2002 when he rode my new road king. In 2008 we both bought road glides, he still owns his, mine got sold along the way and has I've stated my health and strength has declined so I'm on the little dyna thats pictured. Air cleaner, python slip ons, V&H fuelpack and the floorboards and its completed.

Out here the AMF bikes were disparagingly refered to as "bowling balls". Guess it was funny, but not if you owned one!

Funny full circle stuff, I have friends, actually sons of friends, that seek out the AMF cone motor shovels. And one of those guys actually owns my old 77FLH. He offered it back to me, and I came very close, but ultimately I didn't have the garage space and didn't wish to return to the "old days"

 

[Black Bikes Matter]

I owned a 76 fxe and a 77flh, both good bikes. AMF "we make weekends", those bikes always had a bad reputation but I had no irregular issues. My brother (blood) also owned a 76fxe, He rode (pushed) it untill 2002 when he rode my new road king. In 2008 we both bought road glides, he still owns his, mine got sold along the way and has I've stated my health and strength has declined so I'm on the little dyna thats pictured. Air cleaner, python slip ons, V&H fuelpack and the floorboards and its completed.

Out here the AMF bikes were disparagingly refered to as "bowling balls". Guess it was funny, but not if you owned one!

Funny full circle stuff, I have friends, actually sons of friends, that seek out the AMF cone motor shovels. And one of those guys actually owns my old 77FLH. He offered it back to me, and I came very close, but ultimately I didn't have the garage space and didn't wish to return to the "old days"

I'm going to do what you did at some point. When it feels like the bagger is too much work for me, I'll go to something easier for me to handle. Good Lord willing, I'll be 80 and putting around town on something like the remake of the Royal Enfield, or a Triumph maybe.

I never had any problems with my 80 FLHS. I've always heard they were the last Harley the average Joe could work on in his home garage, without specialty tools. I do think improvements with the Evolution motors made it alot easier for long distance riding, with increased reliability.

 

[joepistol]

Evo motors were an ugly improvement over the Shovelheads.. while the Shovel had iron cylinders & aluminum heads..the Evo's were all aluminum.
Shovel had cylinders bolt to cases, the heads bolt to cylinders, Evo's have studs running from cases, thru cylinders,thru heads, thru rocker boxes, with nuts on top, holding the "sandwich" together. If Evo's aren't allowed to warm a bit (allowing all the aluminum to expand, and seal,) before being run hard, usuallyt the cylinder bases gaskets, and/or others , blew. Bought my '94 Dyna about 10 yrs ago..had <10K miles on it, still had oem tires. The rear cylinder base gasket was "weeping" which soon lead to a leak. I tore both cylinders down to the cases, replaced every gasket in the top end..there are a LOT of gaskets in an Evo top end)
I replaced the paper base gaskets with stamped steel gaskets ( my Indy was providing much needed information & direction during this gasket exchange)
Dave used these same steel gaskets in 2 blown Evo motors he built (supercharged) and they withstood some serious boost.
here's a pic of one of the blower bikes:

 

[HooDoo Man]

Welcome from the land of the Gulag. Still whish I could say "a few Nighthawks". But a 97, FXDWG. Black of course!

 

[Black Bikes Matter]

"Still whish I could say "a few Nighthawks"

LOL I won't be able to for long. I'm going to sell some off to fund other projects/purchases