Shovels... It's 1968 and a dozen Red&White show up and park in front of the Fillmore West on Market and Van Ness, lined up perfectly. Summer night, light show, hippie chicks, Grateful Dead and the Airplane, Mother Earth or some such playing.

Crosstops, beer and weed. Dudley Perkins shop is down the block and just across the way on Paige Street. That's how I remember shovelheads and also remember the abandoned XLCH I bought and put back together. Only Sportster I ever owned and I still have the kick-start broken-spring scar on the back of my right calf to prove it. Good times and good Harleys. Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild" was a hit about then...

 

I like them better when I can look at them, and let someone else keep the tempermental b1tch running.

I got those type of bikes out of my system a while back.....more wrenchin' than ridin'. Good for you, just not for me personally.


~Joe

 

Me too but sometimes I miss my old bikes. Had a '78 and a '79. My '09 starts every time and rides good but the old bikes had more soul. Still, i'll probably never have an old bike again. But maybe.

 

one thing about shovelhead riders they do know there machines most including myself wouldnt trade them for anything and how they run is up to the owner,nothing wronge with owning a new bike but im just set in my ways,ill stick with my ol shovelhead

 

I got one just last week. It was my Dads.

 

before i got my softail, i looked at this nasty little rigid shovel...
built up right, super light, stripped down blaster...
i was told even tho that shovel bobber looked awesome, long rides on a rigid can be murder on your body...

part of me still wishes i had gotten it any way...
something about those older bikes, their history, looks, and style...
ill get one one day...

 

Man you know how to take somebody back in time.I felt like I was there just not in Cali but NY.So glad I got to experience those times .

i must have had the exception Traveler.I rode the **** out of mine for 7 years before doing anything to it other than rockersahft o-rings.I agree though they can be a wrench more and ride less machine if abused and not maintained.Locktight and wired nuts are your best friend with the old stuff.

 

Nothing wrong with a shovel, a few tools and the ol school feeling. Stock up on red loctite and enjoy.

 

go for it. shovels are too easy to work on to worry about having to work on them.
photo from 1976 with a 1976 shovel engine on the home built.

 

Okay...you are killing me here! Log into the Shovel section and give us some more details and pics of the bike and how you acquired it.

Man that is one nice looking Glide.