Old Harleys SUCK 

My dad's 81 Shovel still pounds the asphalt daily 🤘 he's not here anymore but the Shovel still alive and kickn

my shovelhead , leaks, shakes its self appart and is hard to start. and i love it

The evo motor is a great motor. Old Harleys are reliable bikes if they haven't been bubba'd up.

Old Harleys were always great. Maintenance and common sense were key.

My 91 Softail had 99,000 miles on it when I sold it. Rode it to Sturgis 5 times. Evos are the best motor Harley ever made!

Bought my first EVO 1340 in 2006, a 1989 Softail Wide Glide. I hadn't owned a Harley since 1978, a Shovel Head. The Shovel was oil tight and reliable, mainly because I maintained it properly. Same with the Evo's I have owned. The 89 Evo was Great ! Current Evo is a 98 Super Glide with a Wide Glide front end and a Super E carb. Goes like the wind when required ! In my 60s and loving it !

Sean Kerr, ladies and gentlemen. King of the clickbait title.

The EVO is one of the best engines Harley ever made. If you take care of them they will run till the wheels fall off the bike.

It’s amazing how the look of a HD really hasn’t changed much! You could put this one next to a 2019 and at a quick glance you wouldn’t be able to tell that one is 30 years older than the other🤔

I had an AMF '75 FXE , and while I'd hear some piss'n and moan'n about AMF I just ignored it and rode the my Shovel all over the west coast with never a problem!

That's an evo man. For longevity and reliability they're pretty damn reliable.

Great video. I'm 6'3", similar to you, and I found my old buckhorns to be awkward in turning as my elbows were in my ribs.

I used to be one of the guys that talked crap about Harleys, then I was killing time before work and stopped at a local dealer who had an 04 Deuce and I fell in love with it at first sight. 2 years and 22k miles later, having rode it to 13 states from NY to Florida, having only upgraded the cam tensioners to the 06+ upgrade, I love my Harley. I would jump on it for a 3000 mile trip tomorrow without thinking twice.

I laughed a little when he was riding an 80s harley and he says, "one of these days. I'm gonna buy me an electric skate board" 😅

I have a 93 EVO Lowrider and it runs fantastic! They are cold blooded and need to be warmed up or will blow a base gasket. They also have the CV carb that is set very lean from the factory to meet EPA regulations. Most people drill out the aluminum plug located just behind the float bowl to get at the idle adjustment screw to enrich the carb a bit and stop the exhaust popping as you let off the throttle. This adjustment means adjustment of your idle screw at the same time to achieve 800 to 900 motor idle. Too low a idle will cause motor lag and spitting through the carburetor while 1000 rpm idle is too high and effects engine braking which is dangerous when trying to come to a safe stop. Also the 1000 rpm idle speed is hard on the transmission gears as it won’t engage first gear smoothly. 800 to 900 idle is the sweet spot after you complete your spark plug readings.

I can say only this, " I'd much rather be riding an old trashy Harley than walking any day". Myself, there is nothing wrong with the old stuff. You just have to pay more attention to them. They will give you mile after mile of good service if you're not trying to do the impossible. I love the older model Harleys. Pan Heads and Shovel Heads Rock.

If it starts cold w/o choke it's running too rich but in an air cooled engine that isn't necessarily bad.

No "waiting list" in 1988...I bought a 1988 (85th anniversary)...walked in, bought it. Bike now has over 170,000 miles on it, and will outrun many of the newer ones...gets better gas mileage as well! The "waiting list" didn't start until the 90's..

I'm 67 years old. I bought a softail custom new in 88. I put a mild andrews cam in, a thunderjet in the carb. In 1990 I took a trip to Sturgis for the 50th anniversary. My trip turned into 3 weeks, 7800 miles!!! Epic......the stories I can tell you!!

21” spoke front wheel 16” solid rear. The coolest.

I just recently brought an 88 softail because I just wasn't impressed by the newer twin cams or M8 . I wanted something I could work on myself and have the wife be comfortable on the back. I made her a tall sissy bar so she could lay back and enjoy the ride. I love my choice and you're right it's not all about power it's about cruising and enjoyment from that. From my experience with both shovels and evos if you take care of them they are very reliable.

One of my favorite videos of yours. The ride, sound, and point of view are excellent...and the commentary is good too.

My 1991 FXSTC was my 1st Harley.. It was a fine ride.. After 5 much newer Harley motorcycles, Im back to what feels best to me. A 2003 Dyna, that I built from stock to mine.. Love Harleys !!

Omg, stop with clickbait titles, bro.

To know your bike, know your bike. Get a flat, knuckle, pan or shovel. So what if it requires maintence, that's how you get to know you bike, then the life long love begins!

Had a variety of bars on a few different hogs ..... and they all caused me back of the neck shoulder pain. Kept the original buck horns on my 1990 fxr and never looked back ...... no pain. My personal experience only.

I love that you actually went for a cruise on this bike. Not just down the road and back

Thank you for so much you share! I'm thinking of learning to ride and just watching your video's has given me so much information!! Thank you!

Had a brand new one of these in blue/silver, took delivery Dec 12 ‘87 in the UK - was a very rare bike back then, the only other Harley in town was my ‘85 Lowrider Sport. Both great bikes, out of the two I’d choose the Lowrider now, Softail was very good though.

Buckhorn bars are great. You can ride a 500 mile day with those type bars because your upper body is at rest. Not so with the other style bars. Had them on my 82 FXRS 80 cu. in. shovelhead. Loved that bike.

You man make me wanna buy every bike you try, I was losing my interest for motorcycles but you raised it up

i used to have a 1980 amf flh, it never leaked and always ran well but did vibrate a lot at hiway speed. but i still loved it. i have an 02 heritage now.

What a sweetheart of a bike. Pre-emissions testing etc. Just a reliable and comfortable ride. Simple. 👍🏻

Beautiful Harley. Love your videos. Absolutely love and thankful for your words of wisdom, lessons, and verses from the bike. Gives me hope. Every time I jump on my 2014 Dyna Low Rider I am thankful for the opportunity to live, looks at gift we have been gifted yet some take for granted. I have started to read a Verse and or pay before every ride before and after. Before for strength and wisdom. After for the opportunity to see the beauty I could see and being thankful for his protection. Thank you Brother. I plan on stopping by sometime and talking bikes and maybe bringing home another ride. Bless you brother.

I had a 1974 1200 FXE Super-glide I bought used in 1979. I rode it rain or shine. I always heard that the old "AMF" (American Machine & Foundry) were junk, unreliable, always leaked oil and were hard starting. Mine was the opposite. It was reliable, never leaked oil and always started on the first kick (The FXE model was both kick start and electric which ever you prefer). I'm old school and always kick started mine. There was a ritual to it but once you figured it out, it was easy. That's not to say there weren't times it was hard starting, there were. I always carried a small can of spray ether just in case. A blast of ether on a f*cking cold morning was just what the doctor ordered for the old Bendix carburetor. I remember back in 1979, it was winter, freezing cold leaving a bar where some biker club members met around 2:00 am and my bike wouldn't start. I kicked over and over. It popped a few times and shot a flame out the pipes but nothing. I pulled out the old trusty ether, blasted a liberal spray into the air filter and kicked a few more times and viola! She roared to life to the amazement of my bros! LOL My only complaint was that the tank only held about 3.5 gallons but hey, it was ok. Back in the day you had a choke and a petcock, not like my new Fat-bob that has electronic fuel injection, no sir, you shook the bike first as there was no gas gauge, you pulled the choke knob out halfway and turned the petcock to on. With any luck, the beast would fire up. I should mention that back then (1970s) Harley only offered a 1000 cc Sportster (XL & XLCH), a 1200 cc Super Glide (FXE & FX models), and a Full dress (dresser) Electra-Glide (FLH which only came with electric start) also in 1200 cc's. They dabbled in small Italian dirt bikes for awhile and even built a badass XR750 Flat Track race bike too! But that was it, unlike today where they have multiples of every model. Today I'm perfectly happy tooling around on my 2014 HD FatBob that has a windshield, hard tour bags and a wonderfully padded seat with back rest. That's how I roll, but I must say, I love that 2020 Road King S in all black! What's the lotto up to these days? lol

That's why there are millions still being ridden and collected

That was the best motor they ever made!!! 80” block head.

The only Bike you've had that I truly lusted for..... I still would rather have a Shovelhead though to tinker with they were what I saw growing up and they sound fantastic

I make and sell suppressors for a living and the hardest part of the sale is telling people they will have to wait about 12 months to get it...just telling someone they have to buy something now and then wait that long to get it is difficult, so I can imagine that was what selling a Harley was like back then

I rode a very similar bike for several years, and loved it. it was my second favorite ever (#1 was a purchased-new 1975 Kawasaki Z1 that I still kick myself for selling). If you want ridiculous top speeds or brain melting acceleration, obviously you ain't gonna like Harleys. But for cruising they're a blast and nothing beats the sound of that Evo V-twin. Plus, girls tend to like them because they look and sound cool, and the passenger experience is very comfortable.

The loose speedo, because it is rubber mounted and it has probably never been replaced.

Good old Pennsylvania . I miss it there . Grew up in Jim Thorpe area and moved here to northern California 4 years ago but miss fall in the Poconos . Even around Chambersburg PA it's nice

I love my 99 Softail Custom. Most fun bike I have had. And since I am almost 79 it will be my last. Hope to ride a few more years unless the Lord comes first. My old body is not what she use to be, but I still love riding for short rides of an hour or so at a time. And the carbed EVO is a great motor.

I road a 99 softtail for 20 years since new . Best ride I have ever owned . I strongly disagree with this title of video.

Not old. I ride a 1958 panhead. Still going strong, smoked several evos.

That sound is gorgeous!!

Try a set of FLATTRACK BARS! Too many reasons to list here but to me they're so YEAH!!!😎😁🏁

The Deluxe is still one of my all time favorite Harleys along with the Heritage before the new update.

Man love the style of the Harley. Of course, a fan of the 80s and 90s.

I had handlebars like those on my old Virago. Definitely one of the most comfortable bar positions.

Evo left motor case can crack from 1985 to 96 ! Was fixed in late 96 to 99 these are the best years !

I’ve been waiting for about 25yrs to find and but the “perfect” 1980 Shovelhead. It has to be the right price, strong running motor and decent miles, ideally a 1 owner bike. One day I’ll find that bike!

Love the Evo Softails!

EVO’s saved Harley’s ASS. “Out of style.” = more collectible and will be back “in style” one day.

My first bike was a 2000 harley sportster. Thing ran like crap because previous owner messed with jets and exhaust. Traded it for a V-Star which I love, but i really wanna get back on a nice harley later in life. Great vid, Sean

My first tractor was a new 1990 FXST softail , 9 years never missed a beat , now I got a 94 FXSTC yeah it's old but I don't need another one

7:45 complains people think SRK is in California. While wearing a California Tank top....

EVOs are the best. 150,000 miles on a 1991 FLHS.

so when is it for sale or has it already sold??.. keep waiting for it to pop up on the site or on ebay and havent seen it

I had to camp out at dealership to order mine in 2002. Most dealers were charging over MSRP at that time.

Always let the Evo warm up before hooning it down the road👍

Old bikes are the best

I had a ’91 FXSR-SP (Lowrider Sport) that was shipped to me when stationed in Germany. Cost me $10,300. Top speed was 107 mph, 109 if I put my feet on rear pegs. Had air adjustable front shocks which provided a reasonable lean angle. Sold it two years later for $12,000 with the intent to buy another in the States. In 1997, the Cleveland HD salesman told me $15,000 for a 1997 Dyna Convertible and 18 month wait-if I didn’t buy one, people were lined up to order one. I bought a 1997 Valkyrie which I still own and love with 103,000 miles.

Is that safe with the front brake master cylinder at that angle? Or has the brake pipe position been moved?

80's Harley, 80's outfit. Way to go! 👍🏼

The Evolution motor was called that because it truly is a evolution of the Shovelhead. The two biggest things that helped H-D were this engine and the 5-speed transmission. Even a Shovel will be helped tremendously if a 5 or 6 speed is behind it, it was higher highway speeds and the higher engine speeds that the shovels were being subjected to that were killing the engines. The Evo also had many of the leaking issues rectified and of course the heads were changed to a wedge design. You are right that Evos can be made to run hard with not a lot of major work. Cam, carb work, pipes, and maybe head work and you can have a real runner. Also if I remember correctly the long wait on bikes didn't start until about 91 or 2.

Just started riding in March. My first bike that I'm getting from a great friend is a 2002 1200C Sportster with only 8k miles. Took it on 170 mile ride around Texas last week, ran like a top. Gotta love the old Harleys. Keep up the good work Sir.

I loved my 99 SOFTAIL custom but I kept trying to up the power that's the main reason I bought a raider this time around but thinking next bike is gonna go with a big dog mastiff but we'll see

Damn, now I feel old with this kid calling an Evo OLD! Seems like yesterday we were on our shovelheads sayin "Hear no Evo, See no Evo, Ride no Evo.."..haha. I like the old shit man.

Try out a first generation pan/shovel 1966 - 9 , they'll will make you a believer, had a 67 & miss her just a great runner.

Do you have moto gloves at your shop where I could try on for size? I use heated liners in the winter and would like to know if moto gloves would fit.

Same with old Mercs, the old 70s Mercs are basically the Taxi of choice in some far Eastern countries as they run forever are easy to fix the 2nd hand parts market is huge and they can also make many of the things if they need to (as they aren't computers with wheels like cars today). Some have like 500,000 miles on them and are still running well despite hard driving and not loads of maintaining.

Amf saved Harley. The bikes degraded in quality because the moco let the dyes and tooling wear out. Amf developed the Evo and project Nova. Which was later reworked into the vrod.

Who cares about racing and 0 to 60 anyway? I'm more interested in how the bike feels to ride and its durability, low maintenance hopefully, and also I'm interested in MPG. But I'm not interested in having the fastest bike, that's suicidal as I see it.

That engine sounds very nice! I'm no mechanic, so a sweet-running motor is always good when I'm buying. Personally I prefer wider, flatter bars-but hey, each to their own! One heck of a nice way to travel.👍😎

Much respect to you brother and huge respect to your pops for his time in the Marines. Thank the both of yous.

Nice bike... EVO will run for Ever... one hell of a Motor

“1340 cubic inch motor” 58 hp from a 21.96 L engine apparently 😂 I love the channel but that was absurd to not edit haha

How in heck is that front master cylinder supposed to work pointed up like that without getting an air bubble into the line?

I’ve got a 96 dyna wide glide that I’ve put a 118cid w/ 6 speed tranny. It’s also got 22” ape hangers and pushed the controls farther forward than stock for comfort. Best bike I’ve ever owned. It’s only issue is that with headers and straight pipes, it gets hot on my right leg at red lights. I’ve wrapped the pipes with insulated tape and that helped but it’s still hot.

evolution Harleys are the best, I have four and growing. I buy them cheap!

Pfft, ain't no head like a shovelhead.

Own same model. Newer 2009 FXSTC 96 motor, 6-speed, King Queen seat. Best stock seat by HD. Good for 400 mile days. Stable at highway speeds and balances very well at low speeds. Love this bike.

I was gonna say we got a 1989 harley davidson Electra glide ultra classic and when you press the button it fires up immediately just the only problem is the gaskets seem to wear out quick

This was the bike off of "Renegade" TV show

Love my 1993 Fatboy. The Evolution was the last generation before the company lost its soul.

I put a drip pan under my 2002 FLSTC when I first got it and when I saw there was no oil in it I checked my oil to be sure I had any. My 72 FLH leaks oil but it starts every time and I can work on it.

I Have a 1990 softail custom.I love it!!

love the Buckhorns

1340 ci ! Holy crap ! John force would be proud 😀

how does that front master cylinder not get air in the lines

Have buckhorns on my 02 Sporty and love them.

I love my EVO!!!

Screw style on handlebars. I love Buckhorns because I can control my bike better and they are by far more comfortable for me. And to me, they look nice, not out of place.

What did this bike sell for? I know where there is an 87 (first year) that dosent run but is probsvly something like rebuild carbs ,tune up ect....

Old wrench here on a Twincam 88 (05, carbed), and watching the video, I mentally keep trying to shift into 6th, just like mine!

1340 cubic inches? Thats a HUGE engine for a harley.

Always remember to warm an evo up before riding it to prevent blowing your cylinder base gaskets

Back then the local dealers done lotto. You put your name in a box for lowriders , softail ect. When the dealer got a truck they pulled a name from the box. You took what was there or you went back into the box. A lot of guys had colors they wouldn’t choose but they were riding a new HD.

How do you service the front brake fluid with that reservoir angled like that?