84 Shovel Head FXE Upgrades

[HotRodShovel]

I'm betting its close to the last of the Shovels rolled off the line.

[Reddog74usa]

Hers the beginning of the vin# 1HD1BBK33EY then the production number. The two letters  BB indicate that it is a FXEF. Ultra your info is good however it only tells ya the production number for a particular model but not  for the shovels as a whole so that's why I need to call the MOCO to find out where this bike stands in the entire "production" numbers for 84. Hey it ain't gonna make it run any better but it would be good to know. Heres a site with more info.

http://www.terry-zone.com/tech/vin.php

[FSG]

See attached,  Service Bulletin M-895 Crossover Hose - 1985 FXEF - FXSB Vehicles

[attachment removed after 60 days by system]

[Reddog74usa]

FSG that bulliten is for 85 models

[FSG]

FSG that bulliten is for 85 models

True, just posted it in response to

I did some quick checking, NO FXEF after 81...

Can you not get the full VIN ?

[Reddog74usa]

Ok got it. Sent ya a pm.

[rbonner]

Funny I got the 81 FXEF out of my parts book.  SO its obvious that even HD doesn't know what they built.  Cool.  The more confusion surrounding your bike the better...  Making it even more rare.

What would be best if HD said, we didn't make those and you saying its a BB model...  You best bring that to the factory, we must have only made one of those...

NOW, the "3" after the K means SPECIAL and EARLY 84 MODELS only.  KEWL, you're SPECIAL...  hahahhahahaa

BOB

[rbonner]

The kicker was also probably the dealer installed one.  I'm so happy your bike starts with the kicker, my 78 1/2 had the kicker installed but the previous owner installed an electronic with a two rotation before fire electric start only configuration.  What a waste of a kicker.

BOB

[catmcaw]

Does the bike have a wet clutch?

[Ultrashovel]

The kicker was also probably the dealer installed one.  I'm so happy your bike starts with the kicker, my 78 1/2 had the kicker installed but the previous owner installed an electronic with a two rotation before fire electric start only configuration.  What a waste of a kicker.

BOB

Kickers were on some models up to the start of the Evolution. It's entirely possible that many '84 Shovelheads had kickers. The 1984 FXST (first Evolution) hown in the front of the four speed manual has a kick starter.

I used to use my kick stater all of the time on my former 1982 FXS. It wasn't a good starter at first with the poor HD ignition and the side-draft Keinih carburetor. Then I added a CV carb and a modern electronic ignition (forgot the brand) and it was a one-kicker every time. However, it started so easy with the button I never used the kicker again.

[rbonner]

US, I agree and don't agree.  On the FX models:

Models like the FXS always had kickers, they also had chrome where the base models didn't.  You also paid $500 for the dress up.  Generally across the board they started removing kickers in 1978.  And for all those models 78 and later they had the dealer installed option of the kicker for $169.95.

I'm not saying there isn't a model out there like the early FXWG's (and Specials) that didn't have a kicker, but they were for the most part on the shovels after 78 a dealer installed option....

Just because a guy owned an FXE that had a kicker, doen't mean it came with it.  My 78 1/2 had one added, I also had the bare cover and parts that came with the bike from before when the kicker was added.  Both my 79 FXEF's did not have kickers, but they could have had them added.

I remember when I bought my first 79.  I go, hey there's no kicker?  The salesguy says, doen't need one its got a starter and started laughing.  I go well thats not funny, what if the battery runs down and wont crank...  He goes if the battery is drained it ain't a Honda, you won't get it started on the kicker either.  New law with the headlights turned on all the time...  Thats why I fixed that problem on my latest restore.

Funny about HD, they just sort of do things when the spirit moves them...  Things like putting a kicker on a bike or chrome on a chain guard.  They seem to do stuff like that to spice up a new model.

Anyway,

BOB

[Ultrashovel]

............Funny about HD, they just sort of do things when the spirit moves them...  Things like putting a kicker on a bike or chrome on a chain guard.  They seem to do stuff like that to spice up a new model.

Anyway,

BOB

That's why we love Harleys, the MoCo makes these unpredictable changes so that we armchair historians can spend some of our time trying to figure out what was original equipment on our bike 30 years later. LOL.

[Reddog74usa]

Catmcow thanks for the pics. Can you tell me the name of that color red?
The original owner said he had the kicker added as it didn't originally have a kicker. I do have the same pipes and air cleaner that are in the pic the Catmcow posted with the bike. Anybody know what the designation California special means?

[Ultrashovel]

Here are a couple of pics (Nov 1984) of a late 84 FXEF just off the showroom floor.

It appears to be identical to an FXS. Does anyone know the difference between the FXS and the FXEF?

[catmcaw]

Reddog
  The color in the picture does not look candy red but it was.  I still have the bike but its in pcs. 

[rbonner]

Here are a couple of pics (Nov 1984) of a late 84 FXEF just off the showroom floor.

It appears to be identical to an FXS. Does anyone know the difference between the FXS and the FXEF?

FXS lowrider, two tone paint, chrome everywhere, rear sissy bar with stash bag.  Kicker.  The lowrider had a 2" longer front fork and drag bars and frame mounted oil cooler with cover. The seat was actually 1" higher than the FXEF.

FXEF had brushed aluminum everything, buckhorn bars the BOBBED FENDERS just like the FXS and the Fat tanks and same dash.

The FXS was a $500 more expensive bike up till 1980, I don't know the price difference in 1984.

BOB.

[FSG]

... difference between the FXS and the FXEF

There is a lot of alphabet information around, but basically the E is for Electric Start and the F is for Fatter (Bigger) Tanks i.e Fat Bob.

[rbonner]

The original owner said he had the kicker added as it didn't originally have a kicker. I do have the same pipes and air cleaner that are in the pic the Catmcow posted with the bike. Anybody know what the designation California special means?

Yeah RD, California Special means Special for California Use, has early CARB (California Air Reseach Board) exhaust crap on it.  ON EVO's this also included a tiny cam, and super lean jetting, a fuel tank charcoal filter and catalitic convertor exhausts...  On the shovel it was probably only lean jetting on the carburator.... 

BOB

[Reddog74usa]

Thats strange as it was sold new in Va.

[Ultrashovel]

The original owner said he had the kicker added as it didn't originally have a kicker. I do have the same pipes and air cleaner that are in the pic the Catmcow posted with the bike. Anybody know what the designation California special means?

Yeah RD, California Special means Special for California Use, has early CARB (California Air Reseach Board) exhaust crap on it.  ON EVO's this also included a tiny cam, and super lean jetting, a fuel tank charcoal filter and catalitic convertor exhausts...  On the shovel it was probably only lean jetting on the carburator.... 

BOB

Correct on the California Special.

Other than minor differences here and there, not a great deal of difference. That was one of HD's problems in fighting the Japanese motorcycle invasion in the 1970's to 1990's -not a lot of new stuff.

The regular FXE looked a little different with it's "loaf of bread" fuel tank and the instruments on the handlebars. Like the 1971 "Night Train", the owners stripped them down the minute the engine cooled off from the ride home form the dealer's place.

Remember the 1971 Boattail on the Night Train? The Sportster had a similar one (different part number). Those were one of Willie G's first cases of total rejection. Those got pulled the next day. To say that they were unpopular would be a complete understatement.

Willie also made a foolish change with the "up for low" reversed gear shift lever. I mean, what was he thinking? I used to ride scrambles on a BSA and the damn one up, three down shifter was a total PITA. Triumph, even in the early years had it the other way. Coming into a tight corner it's much easier to stomp down rather than to lift up when your momentum is going the other way. Those shift levers got tossed in the trash as well.

The Night Train also had the "drop leg" frame wth no room for an electric starter on that model. It was kick start only....I use the word "start' advisedly since, with the points ignition and the Bendix carburetor starting on the tenth or twelfth kick was the norm. It also had a tiny, tiny, battery. That was another nice feature.

Then there was the Sporty fork with no damping and a pretty but useless Japanese style drum brake, guaranteed not to stop. I also wondered about the hydraulic drum rear brake.

Although the '71 Night Train was the prototype for many nice bikes to come later, I have to believe that Willie was experimenting with something when he designed some of the features....Then there was the XLCR......oh well. LOL.

But we love them anyway, don't we?

[billbuilds]

     Ultra,
     Correct me if I'm wrong but I was under the impression that the last of the "drop seat" swing arm frames was used in 1964. Since they needed more room for the electric start and reconfigured oil tank/battery box the 1965 and later frames were all of the electric start/level seat style.  This should include the 1971 FX Nitetrain.  Bill

[Ultrashovel]

     Ultra,
     Correct me if I'm wrong but I was under the impression that the last of the "drop seat" swing arm frames was used in 1964. Since they needed more room for the electric start and reconfigured oil tank/battery box the 1965 and later frames were all of the electric start/level seat style.  This should include the 1971 FX Nitetrain.  Bill

The one that I worked on was original and there was no room for much of anything on top of the transmission. I presume that it had an original frame.

I'm used to being corrected, though. Wife does it all the time. 

[76shuvlinoff]

I'm used to being corrected, though. Wife does it all the time

yep I don't even look where I'm driving anymore......

[billbuilds]

The one that I worked on was original and there was no room for much of anything on top of the transmission. I presume that it had an original frame.





     The starter basically goes behind the transmission. If there was a "drop seat" frame made after 1964 I'd love to see it. Yes, I rolled on the floor in hysterics, too.   

[Ultrashovel]

The question is......if a married biker goes out in the woods alone, is he still wrong?