Rode a nice Shovel yesterday

[silvercab996]

I rode a 1980 Lowrider that I totally rebuilt from the ground up in '96. The bike now has only a bit over 5K miles since it was rebuilt. And it was awsome to ride, just like a brand new bike, only nearly 30 years old. I wouldn't hesitate to ride it coast to coast. It rode much better, smoother, agile and responsive than my Heritage Softail. This was not just a refirbish job but a complete and very thurough build using only a handful of the original stock parts like the frame, engine and trans cases and head castings. Every other part was new. The frame was powder coated, motor built as a 93 inch with S&S components, trans fitted with a RevTech close ratio gear set. Chrome rocker boxes, lifter blocks, cone, trans end, inner and outer CCI primarys. Roadking polished fork sliders with dual 4 piston calipers up front with 11.5" discs and 6" over tubes. Fatboy front fender, FLH rear, 5 gal bobs, 20" apes. Spike starter, horseshoe oil bag, 2.25" Porkers, Corbin seat. Ness grips and matching pegs. Every nut bolt and washer was new, chrome, and correct.

The bike cost the owner just shy of $30k when I built it, which took about 9 months working on it when I didn't have any other pressing jobs. The owner wanted the best components, and didn't flinch at parts prices or labor costs which was refreshing and rewarding for the both of us. The bike has been taken care of very well by him, cleaned and serviced often and ridden little. I stored the bike in my shop since halloween for the owner and it didn't leak a drop of oil the whole time. It was the Shovel, in my opinion, that brought H-D to where they are today. During those times, late '60s thru mid '80s, H-Ds were what everybody wanted that rode motorcycles. They were the best, biggest, most awsome, torque monsters far and away ahead of everything else. Ridding one that had it all yesterday brought back that same feeling that I was on the best motorcycle made. Funny, I've never felt like that riding an Evo and even less a TC. Just confirms what I've been saying for years, Shovels are my favorite!

[76shuvlinoff]

 Purists might argue but it sure is fun ain't it?  I also own a shovel type sled with many stock parts sitting on the shelf waiting for resurrection.  I say shovel type because mine doesn't have a factory mill or tranny or brakes currently on it so I'm not sure I can call it a shovel or the bastard son-o-shovel but I get the same grin in the saddle regardless.