Tomorrow I'm going to look at a 1976 Superglide. The seller is asking $5500.00but the price is negotiable. I got the listing from where I work..

This bike is 30+ years old with a shovelhead engine of course - the tranny has been replaced. He pointed out that there are minor oil leaks..it's a kick start of course. He is a rider from the old days and has two other shovelheads - his motivation to sell this one is to purchase a car for his younger daughter.

I have an interest in this bike as a project - I'm keeping my 1200c for regular riding regardless.

The question is, as a fairly competent wrencher am I biting off more than I can chew here..how hard is it to get parts for shovelheads? what should I look out for? I would be ok doing some engine work to the bike but I don't want to end up with a total rebuild..swapout...assuming the bike is in reasonable condition how expensive could this get?

 

any pics to post?

 

YOu can buy anything for that Bike After market is a good thing for Both Shovel and Knuckle
Good luckwith your New Project

 

I cant say about parts other than J&Ps catalogs and such...

But if you have the _desire_ to have one of those bikes, why not. Just like if I got the opportunity to buy a Ford Mustang 1971 Fastback project car I would in a heartbeat. (had a 65/92/05)

 

I'm gonna take my camera tomorrow when I look at the bike. I'll try to post a few pics then. The seller seems like a good dude...he's a big shovelhead fan from years back and has a ton of parts for his other bikes he picks up on Ebay.

 

If its in decent shape, it seems like a good price. Just be aware, anytime you buy a bike that old, you are going to spend some money on it. How much depends on the maintenance of the previous owner.

 

I think the price is a little high unless it is cherry. You can easily drop several thou doing it right. Hope you like tinkering with points, timing, etc. Think about changing to an electronic ignition. I had a shovel and loved it, especially cool is the kickstart. Mine had both electric and kick. A 78 1/2 Low Rider. In 78 midyear they got rid of the points. As to the price, I guess it depends on the market where you are.

 

Your buying old technology from the dark days.

I had a 74 shovel and it was barely OK for those times, let alone now. Be prepared to sink many $$ into it.

Having said all that, if I had the chance and the $$ I would do it in a heartbeat.

Good luck and they all leaked oil. There was a puddle under mine at the dealers when I bought it. And there was a puddle under it the day I sold it.

 

Y'know, I had a '78 Shovel for 18 years, and over 200,000 miles. Mileage would've been a lot higher, but Unca Sam's Canoe Clubhad a hold on me!

Let me tell you about the leaks.














All that blank space? None. No leaks.

Now I will clarify that. From ~900 miles on the odometer when I got the bike, until about 40,000 miles or so 6 months later, there were no leaks. One developed at that point because the tranny sprocket was slap worn out and the nut had loosened. I was on the second chain. Pulled it down, replaced front & rear sprockets, new seals behind the tranny sprocket, and added new chain. No leaks, again.

Sometime around 60,000 miles, give or take, one of the rocker arms started weeping a bit on the carb side of the engine, and the corks in the pushrod covers were weeping a bit. Front exhaust lifter was clattering a bit, too. I went to solids, replaced all the rocker arm seals with teflon seals, and shimmed to the minimum clearance on the side play while in there, put in o-rings instead of the corks. No leaks.

Near this same time I **** off the engine oil to the primary, and started using ATF. Eventually went to a dry primary using a belt drive. No leaks!

The tranny sprocket nut would loosen up yearly, but I had to replace sprockets yearly, anyway. By the time the inevitable leak developed at the tranny sprocket, it was time to replace it, so the tranny always got new seals anyway. No leak until due for a new sprocket.

At 125,000 miles this motor got a top end. Replaced base, head, rocker gaskets, pushrod o-rings, rocker arm teflon seals. No leaks.

At somewhere over 200,000 miles I had it apart for a complete overhaul. Even then it had no engine leaks, and only the "it's time to replace the tranny sprocket" leak in the transmission.

They don't have to leak.

 

if you dont buy it let me know I will give him $5000.00 for it any running shovel is worth at least 5 grand to a shovel collector

dont let these others that have tried and failed scare you
the Shovel Head eraare some of the best bikes ever made !

once you ride it and become one with your bike you wont want anything else but a Shovel