After 20 years of not riding, I decided to get back on a bike, and this time I could get what I wanted and not what my parents (and the law) would allow me to ride. Last Tuesday I bought what was advertised as a '78 FLH. In the process of trying to buy owner's and shop manuals, I discovered that there may be a '78 and a '78 1/2 production model, and of course, they have different maunuals. Thanks to a reply posted by Pococj to a different question, in which he broke down how to read a VIN, I now have reason to believe that my FLH has gone through a mysterious transformation and is now an FXE. The VIN on the title would seem to indicate that I bought an FXE, and all my searches seem to visually verify that conclusion. My visual cue is that all of the FXE's I have seen have kick starts and none of the FLH's have a kick start, and my bike has a kick start. So, I really have three questions here, one and a half of which apply to the subject of my post. 1) How can I tell if I have a '78 or a '78 1/2, or is there no such thing as a '78 1/2 ? 2) Where should I look to find the VIN? 3) Does my conclusion (based on the "kick start theory") that I have a FXE, and not an FLH, sound right? I am adding pictures to help... if they help.

Thanks,
ATM

Chrome won't get you home, but I bought it used.


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ATM...Question #2...About VINs in generalstarting 70 n up
1. HDs have a frame number and engine number which were identical.
2. Frame numbers are generally located on the left or right side of the steering head stock on the flat surface of a raised boss.
3. Unique die stamps are used to stamp the engine and frame. These numbers are protected by a star before and after the numbers.
4. The engine numbers are located on the right engine case on a raised boss.

Vin should look something like this...*1A 1000 H8* defined as follows: *(star) 1A (model) 10000 (sequential production number) H (mfg by Harley) 8 (1978)

A little more on model numbers..1A (FL) 2A (FLH-1200) 3G (FLH-80) 2C (FX)

A little more on production numbers (first is starting number; second is ending number)..
1A 18625H8 to 1A 71081H8
2A 10001H8 to 2A 79643H8
3G 10878H8 to 3G 79676H8
2C 10002H8 to 2C 78051H8

I think (if I'm wrong somebody plz correct me) that for 78, only the FLH go the 80 in motor. My book on production numbers only shows the FX-1200 (includes FX, FXS, and FXE) in 78. It shows that Fat Bobs and Low Riders were not available in 80 in configuration until 1979 (which had different model numbers/production numbers).

Question #1...Not sure what the cutoff on the production numbers were that separate early to late 78s. Notsure if there is an obvious change, butin mid-year changes in the engine included steel valve guides, new valve stems w/ hardened stems, new intake manifold w/ a single lip at the cylinder head that mated to new flat O-rings for better seal, and the ifgnition was changed to electronic.

Question #3..the kick start
Lots of folks retrofitted a kicker on their bikes, so that by itself doesn't mean you have an FX motor. Also another factor is the 80 motor. This was the first year for this. As mentioned above I believe the 80 for the FX line did not come out until 79.

Last thing, I do not have any info that I can find to say what the cut off number for production numbers was between early and late motors.

Sorry for long post. Dave

 

Dave,

Thanks for the long post. You had good intel in there for me. I did realize that there was some detail regarding my bike that I failed to give in my initial post, some of which relates to your reply. In my research I discovered what appears to be three FLH variations in 1978 - 1) The FLH 1200 as shown at http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/har...glide_1978.php 2) The 75th Anniversary FLH 3) The FLH 80. Both the anniversary an 80 models are mentioned here -- http://www.retrocom.com/retromilw/milwhd.htm. I guess it is possible that the FLH 80 and 75th Anniversary models are one and the same, but I think neither of those models apply to my situation. I have not seen on the engine any markings of engine size. However, the trim piece on the rear fender (which could very easily have been canibalized) clearly says "1200". Also, I checked the frame and engine case in the locations you mentioned and the VIN reads 9D*****H8. According to the info posted by Pococj in his response to a different question, 9D in the serial number denotes FXE, which was a 1200cc bike in 1978, which is denoted by the H8. The sequential production number of my bike is in the 11,000's, if that helps anyone else reading this who might be able to help me solve this mystery. I just received another piece to the puzzle, it would seem that the '78 1/2's came out after July 1978... Of course, that doesn't tell me anything regarding my production number.

ATM


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ATM, sorry I missed that on my post..(9D for FXE). Production numbers for that started at 9D 10003 and ended at 9D 79729. Base on that info and your post that the bike is in the 11000 range I would almost bet you have an early 78. And... the model indicates it started its life as an FXE and was coverted to look like a FLH.

 

Dave,

Thanks again, this time for confirming my suspicions. I have come to the conclusion that I need to name my bike "Frank", after Frank N. Stien. Frank was big and powerful, well tempered, and assembled from different parts, but he didn't what he had. So he didn't know how to control them. I know I should probably name my bike after a woman, but Frank's bride was a horrible, heinous creature. I won't put that on my bike. Frank's better than that (keeping a galss half full attitude). The guy at the local indy shop says '78 bike (he didn't dispute the FLH claim) w/ '83 forks & '71 controls... oh, and the seat belongs to something that doesn't mount properly to my frame. After looking at a reply by Springer to another different post, I have almost come to the conclusion that I do not have a 1200 cc engine, because my cylinders have 9 fins. In Springer's reply he said:
[blockquote]... if you still want to identify what is was modeled around, then count the number of fins on the cylinders. If it has 10 then it would most likely be a 1200 and styled around 70-E78 1200 shovel. If it has 9, then it is likely to be a 1340 or L78-84. [/blockquote] If I did the math correctly, 1340 cc's is roughly 80 in³. Not that I am at all complaining about what I have. In the short time I have had it, I am thoroughly enjoying my bike, and I fully intend to give it a good home. (In all honesty I can't say that I will thoroughly enjoy the time spent working on it or spending the moeny to make it "right". I just wanna ride and ride and ride.) At this point I am just frustrated not knowing exactly what I have. I bought it through a third party, and it would seem that they knew less than I do.

 

ATM, what you have is a nice looking ride that will never end its life as a trailer queen!

 

I talked with my local indy shop owner today... ok, mostly I just listened. He said that the crank case number (located under the front motor mount) will hold the answers for me. There are four sets of numbers on the crankcase. The first will tell me engine size. A 14 denotes 1340cc (80 in³) and the number 1 denotes 1200cc. He also said that the '78 ½ used nine fins with a 11/16 flange at the base of the cylinder for both the 1200cc and the 1340cc. The second will be the two digit model year. The third will be the julian date, and the last will be the number bike produced on that date. He said that because the '78 was introduced in late '77, the '78 will have a higher julian date, and that when the factory closed for Christmas they retooled the line for the '78 ½'s. As a result, the '78 ½'s will have a low julian date. He said that the VIN will not give a clear indication as to which model I have, and I should rely on the crankcase number. So, if I understood him correctly, a crankcase number of 17833410 would mean 1200cc engine, '78 model, manufactured on November 30, tenth crankcase of the day, making it a '78. Likewise, a crankcase number of 147800215 would mean 1340cc engine, '78 model, manufactured on Jan 02, fifteenth crankcase of the day, making it a '78 ½ (because of the julian date). Can any one confirm/refute what I was told? And/or... Does it seem like I understand it correctly?

Thanks in advance,
ATM

 

My 1978 had weird gas tanks. They were notched to clear the rear cylinder.
Never saw another one like it except on a shelf once. It was a 1200 with
electronic ignition and voltage regulator. It had a red logo which, I understand,
most bikers got rid of. It had the red 75 anniv. on the front fender & spoke wheels.

 

Seriously fellas just look at it... specifically the exhaust. And the bars position..

 

1978 true dual exhaust.. now what happened in mid 1978.. fuel crisis correct? About 37,000 refinery workers went on strike.. so after strike ended to curb fuel consumption harley did as everyone else calmed emissions to make more fuel efficient vehicles. Simplified I hope..