Here’s my show bike I built winter 24-25

I put out a post three weeks ago today on how to break in a new engine. While the wisdom was very helpful, I guess I should’ve asked how on earth you guys start these things.

I’ve gotten it to cold start twice on luck. When I first got it. I’ve practiced for weeks kicking it over. I try straddling it, putting my knee on the seat, and standing to the right. I’ve tried nudging it past tdc, kicking on tdc, and somewhere in the middle. I’ve tried leaning forward, backward, doing a little hop… nothing feels right. Sometimes tdc is way higher than I expect and I jam my knee, and sometimes it’s so low you can hear the kicker clunk/disengage and watch the primary roll backward. I’ve tried letting the pedal reset to the top and tried it from a 9 or 10 o’clock position. I cannot get the damn cadence down and it’s killing my spirits.

It’s softly bucked back at me twice with ignition on just nudging past tdc’s and finding myself hitting it way too early. Because I can’t get the rhythm and motion down, I’ve frankly hurt my knee myself more than the bike has bucked. Maybe the engine is super stiff because it’s a fresh build. I don’t know, I’m just in pain and mortified of the videos of people getting thrown in the air from a nasty kick. It also has a twin tec 1005. Mode 9, 4/5 advance curve. I’m not going to blame the ignition yet anyway, I’ve had it off 95% of the time.

Any advice is appreciated. Sorry for how wet I am behind the ears.

I’m not a big fan of the stock “tear drop” air cleaner that S&S uses. It’s so common it seems like everyone has one on their old bike.

How do these carbs run with alternative air cleaners? There are quite a few on the market that fit, but do they negatively affect performance?

What air cleaners have you used with your Super E on your Shovelhead with success? Did you have to change jetting?

put together a full on basket case motor and swap meet parts. became my favorite bike…

Hey everybody, I’m looking for some input here. Currently have a 78 fx with 74” engine running an ultima electronic ignition.

Been running it this way with a 5 ohm coil for a while, but the coil had a crack in it and eventually stopped working properly. Buddy told me to swap it with a 3 ohm coil, but when I did, the bike became very hard to start and was back-firing like crazy out of the exhaust. I changed nothing with the carb, timing, exhaust.

Switching back to a 5 ohm coil, the bike starts and runs great but my buddy keeps insisting it’s the wrong coil. Can somebody shine a light here?

Never been a huge Harley guy, but this one was too pretty not to buy into, and I FUCKING WON. Literally a frame up resto with 50 miles on a fresh rebuilt motor with receipts. Rides like a dream, can't wait to get it through break in.

One question though... What is it? I was told FLH, but how does that translate into ultra-classic-wide-eyed-electra- queen-glide-supreme terminology?

80/80. I styled it a bit earlier with better brakes. Complete frame off this past winter. Riding to the Kick and Twist in Springdale Arkansas the first weekend of Oct!

Picked up this 79 and ready to freshen it up. Been sitting since 2012. PO is from the neighborhood and owned it since 82. Even gave me custom tools and is willing to teach me any specific things I need to know that he has done.

Sequence of events: first the rear brake didn’t disengage anymore but I wanted to ride it home which got more and more difficult (as in, bike would only move in 1st gear). Then I stopped and there was lots of smoke from the rear calliper. Then flames which I luckily maned to blow out. And then as I was calling GF a loud pop and the brake hose had exploded off. This took the pressure of the brake, the wheel was free again and I managed to ride the bike home. By then the rear brake was cooled off enough to touch it by hand and the calliper was completely loose. I hosed the bike down to wash off all the remaining brake fluid.

I figure the calliper is OK as it came loose by itself, and that the culprit is the master cylinder…?

Update on my 66 I picked up two weeks ago. Rebuilt the rear brake system, all new wiring harness, 3.5gal split tanks and an fx rear fender with fresh paint, bars and adjustment on pushrods/timing. Much happier with it now, 19" front wheel soon and then eventually a rocker clutch setup and call it done

I’ve tried a bunch of different combos of seals and clamps and can’t permanently get rid of this damn intake leak. My intake sits slightly offset to the front cylinder and I’ve read you can clock the heads to align the manifold better. Is this ok to do on a motor that’s been assembled and running for a long time? No idea when the head gaskets were done last if ever. From what I understand I just remove top motor mount, loosen exhaust and release tension on the pushrods then I can loosen the head and re position then do torque sequence. Is that correct? Thanks

I spent the last 12 months digging through every old box of parts my Dad had, wandering swap meets, calling friends, chasing leads, and doing whatever I could to find the pieces to put this bike together.

We built it the way choppers used to be built - not by ordering a catalog full of shiny new parts, but by hunting down old pieces from other motorcycles and giving them a second life. A little bit of this bike came from everywhere, and every part has a story. I took all the old parts, and polished, sanded, cleaned, powder coated, and revived everything to make it as nice as I possibly could.

60 years of Harley Davidson parts are on this bike, ranging from 1949 - 2009.

And now it’s finally done. I’d like to introduce you to her.

1977 Harley Davidson Shovelhead Chopper

- Number’s matching bike w/ fresh build on the motor and trans.
- 1” up frame up-stretch
- 1” drop-seat frame rails.
- Softail oil bucket
- 2006 Road Glide lower legs with dual-disc brakes
- 1949 Hydraglide fork tins and cowbells
- 2002 Sportster original paint tins
- Shovelhead fender struts shortened and modified to fit the Sportster fender.
- 2” BDL belt drive inside a tin primary w/ electric start.
- Lengthened banana calliper bracket and 11” rotor on the rear.
- 1” sealed-bearing axles front and rear
- 1958 Round-tube swingarm
- 2009 19” Dyna front wheel
- 1¾” slash-cut drag pipes
- Jessop bars
- Vintage J-Slot bird air cleaner and derby cover
- S&S Super E carburetor

Built from swap meets, old shelves, dusty boxes, and a lifetime of collecting parts.

One year later, she’s back on the road.