i recently purchased a 1983 fxrs off a kid that was not mechanically incline or cared for it very well..... 80ci says that its been bored to about 1600cc. i havent had it apart to measure.... i recetly found out that it has dry a dry clutch but runnin a chain for primary. so question is should i switch to belt to help eleminate the oil getting into the clutches or convert to wet and keep chain? i like the feel of the dry over the wet. and would it be better to keep the chain over a belt?

 

Harleys had a dry clutch before they went to oil ones. Your primary chaincase is fed oil by the engine oil pump which also pumps it away, so it is a 'dry sump'. My earlier shovel had that system. Be aware that the chaincase has to be airtight for the pump to evacuate the oil, otherwise there is a risk oil will get on the plates, when you will find you cannot disengage the clutch!

IIRC you have a transitional model, an early Evo with shovel trans and clutch, which is fine. No need to change anything, except to get yourself a factory service manual, so you can read up on what you have. As for the increase in size, there is an 85" conversion available, which gives around 1400cc, anything larger usually involves a longer stroke, not a bigger bore.

Hope that helps!

 

i already know what i have as far as the primary. they have already converted it so that it will not pump the oil it just sits there and is picked up by the gears.. i know that the basket doesnt keep the oil out. clutch was grabby when i got it making me have to clean the plates. im asking more for pros and cons from chain to belt. as for the engine im going to have to call his mechanic and see whats in it. i prolly should have just said that it isnt stock and asked wwhich would better for performance.

 

I don't see any advantage in a primary belt. That needs a total replacement of your primary, including the clutch. I have come across your clutch adapted to run in an oil bath, but ask in the Classics Shovel forum, or the Evo forum, where you will get a higher hit rate than in here.