Glad I'm not the only one. My fork lowers started corroding and shedding the finish before they were even a year old. Finally had them replaced under warranty.

And both wheel bearings failed before the bike was two years old.

 

Kenny knew how to ride that two stroke but sometimes in the apex the two stroke, she comes alive out of nowhere. Kenny knew how to control it but admits it can take you by surprise! Crazy race times...Two strokes got banned!

 

Love mine.

 

The FXS Low Rider like mine came stock with an oil cooler and a little oil cooler cover (still have that too).

This bike has a little over 100,000 miles on it now. In the late 80's I replaced the stock single-piece (1930's) oil rings with the Evo-style 3-piece oil rings and "normal" oil consumption was brought down to about zero. At about the same time, I had the heads and valves reworked. I checked the crank bearings during these operations and they were adequately tight so the bottom end has never been touched.

I ride the bike occasionally now. I often cruise at 70 and every once in a while tweak it up over a 100. Seems just like it did 40 years ago.

In fact, now that I'm typing this, I have a breakfast meeting this morning so I'm going to take the Shovelhead out for that. Most people think it's a recent Dyna model.

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Anecdote-

In about 1980 I lived in Atlanta and kept the bike at a rental self-storage unit. There was a guy with a similar rental unit close to mine that was a rep for Slick 50 oil additive. He eventually went out of business and one day while he was cleaning out his storage unit he gave me a full case of Slick 50 additive.

I was always a little skeptical of additives but I took the Slick 50 and for about 4 years added to the Shovelhead at oil changes until I used up the case.

When I removed the cylinders to upgrade the oil rings at about 60k miles, I checked the crank for play and it seemed tight to me. I also had a professional H-D Dealer machinist and engine builder check it and he concluded the same. He was surprised.

Sometimes I wonder if the Slick 50 had some effect on the motor after all!

 

 

I put a rat trap kicker on my old Shovel FXWG because my starter relay was always out until I figure out that the relay was getting wet , so then the starter worked and I had a kick start on her.

 

Here's a couple of mine. Years old, but they're all I have of the FX. Not as clean as yours but it always put a smile on me and cleared my head. Despite all my griping.

 

I remember the basic Super Glide well.

LOL, we have a little Shovelhead drift going with this thread! Ya think all the M8 owners are gonna wanna sell off the new bikes and go with a Shovel? lol

I did take my FXS to breakfast this morning after typing on this thread. Made a loop of about 50 miles and ran by WalMart to pick up some running shoe inserts. I ran the old girl up to 90 a few times and she felt great.

It's only a little 74 incher (that used to be big) but it gets up and moves along pretty quickly.

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Man, I'll bet the ride felt good; especially if she's cooperating with the starting. Wish they'd had the oil rings figured out a little sooner too, I'd have jumped all over that.

What was great about the 4 speed, 74 incher were the runs to the Rockies. Third gear would take me just about all the way, while I could hear the jap bikes constantly up/down shifting.

It's funny - that 74 seemed plenty enough back then, and it sure got the job done. Granted all I packed was some food, tools, and a bedroll, but I never felt I needed to go bigger. Sometimes I believe we've been seduced by the marketing staff... : )

Happy you got out on her today!