I'm finally at a point where I can tear down my beloved Shovel and give her a good going through.

What that means is that the rigid Evo I started building 2 years ago is finaly legal so I won't have to go without a ride while I re-build the shovel.
Nifty.

I've had the shovel ten years or better, had it re-built basicaly stock 6-7 years ago and rode the **** out of it.

It's set up just the way I like it, everything I need nothing I don't, However....





Over the years I have come to loath the 4 speed. in town its fine, but on the highway being mechanicaly limited to 80mph is a drag.
I wouldn't mind a bit more power either, So I have been giving thought to a baker 6into4 trans and an S&S "93 inch kit.

Except for exhaust clearance and no mechanical speedo drive I think the trans is a no brainer, but having to bore my stock cases to fit the big bore kit scares me just a bit.

So if anyone here has had experience with either or both of these set-ups I would apreciate your input, good or bad.

I have also contemplated a new paughco frame , as a stock replacement primarily for the ease of ordering one with flatside tank mounts that I don't have to mess with, I miss my fat bobs but I couldn't get tanks to last more than a year before I had to pull them off and weld up the tabs,repeatedly.
So I stupidly cut the neck casting a couple of years ago to fit a sportster style tank it's even worse, after welding the rear tab back on several times I had to resort to J-B weld to keep it from pouring gas on my nuts. (Stupid,stupid,stupid)

So I was wondering if anyone has ever replaced a frame on a titled bike. I don't want to lose my factory title and have it become a special construction title,, that would suck.

Those are the questions I have now, I'm sure there will be more,, so please weigh in. and be gentle, It's my first time.
Thanks in advance,
Sparky.

 

Only can say that I dumped an S&S 93 kit into a set of pan cases and it ran like a raped ape. Good indie is what you need.

Baker 6-4 is definitely the hot set up. Expensive but seen 2 converted and the extra gears are definitely nice. Both guys I know ended up having custom stainless pipes made to match.

You have not mentioned where you live but in Kali at least frame and engine have to match or it is a blue tag special (special construction).

If you cut the tank tabs off it is much easier to find a good welder who can put the correct mounts on. That way you keep it in tact. And its a heck of a lot cheaper. Hard part is finding a decent set of tanks that don't have to be worked. Most of Tedd's tank stuff is crap (tanks will not fit properly to dash cover, tanks are not even across the top, bottom mounts have holes that are oversized, bottom mounts are too large and have to be ground down for head clearance, holes for top frame have to be oversized to fit, holes for rear mounts do not align properly with frame mount), so I would look for a set of OEM ones but that is just me.

And if you decide to weld on new tank mounts, have the tanks fitted at the same time. That way all is sized and spaced properly.

 

Thanks for the info, I have a local shop thats helped me keep her going this long, and I talked to them today,they are capable of all the machining needed for the '93 kit, so thats still on the list, and they recomended a frame guy they use for repairing years of abuse to my stock frame so I hope that eliminates one thing...
I also talked to Bill @ Bills pipes here in Corona, he is mostly known for dirt bike exhaust but he knows his stuff and was happy to offer his skills to build pipes for the project.
Thats two down.

I'm in Southern California as well and having just been through registering my scratch builty rigid, I have no desire to downgrade my factory title to a special construction, so heres hoping this frame guy is all he's cracked up to be.

One last question,
I remember on older stroker kits they warned that the cylinders where taller than stock.
Is that true of S&S sidewinder kits as well because that would cause a big problem in my stock frame, it's a tight fit on the rear as it is.
Thanks again
Sparky.

 

Panz4ever gives good advice , I'm a shovel fanatic done everything you can do to one and not need a pilots license to operate . I had typed out detailed way to go for you and the forum gods lost it in cyber space and I'm not up to that again . Shoot me a PM and I'll give you my number I'm in the Nor Cal Bay area , I'll lay out all the options , the good and bad on them and give you options you may not have thought about and where to get what you want for the least money . Too bad your south I do everything you guys have covered so far and I'm a damn site cheaper than the shops . There's all kinds of ways to get more out of your bike shovels are most modifiable bike ever built and there's a lot of little tricks the shops don't know about or just don't take time to do that pay off well for in lower vibration and a higher sweet spot for highway riding like a total alignment and squaring of complete drive train when installing it . That one can kill a huge amount of vibration at road speeds . Hasn't been in the HD service manuals since the panheads and the new breed haven't a clue .

I've run an 88" shovel well over 100,000 miles that's a great config for a reliable daily low main. bike . 93" can go Hi or Lo in the kits out now , Hi is a 10.5-1 comp with a .600 lift cam a big higher fun factor but more attention & maint. plus you end up beefing the rest of the rest of the drive train and a bigger starter . Lo is 8 or 9-1 comp. big cam and easier to deal with in general .

Tranny are a long conversation lots of ways to go good and bad , 6spd with a kicker aren't a drop in your going to get into fit up & clearance problems sometimes with pipes . 4 & 5sp trans both have 1:1 final but you can change the motor sprocket & the rears to bump up your highway sweet spot considerably .

PM me if you want to talk anytime , I'm outa work right now times free .

PS mines a 72 with the 93"HiPO 4sp and dual belt drives , came across western Kansas a bit under 100 comfortably , mirror buzz doesn't set in till 80 . I know a bit about making the old bikes run .

 

Thanks for the input. sorry to hear you aren't working thats both a blessing and a curse.
I'd like to hear your thoughts on this thing, seems you know things I don't and I try to never miss an oppertunity to learn,
However, I'm not farmiliar with this site to the extent that I can figure out how to PM you.
So this will have to do for now.
I have been reaserching, and I'm pretty sure the S$S 93" "Hot set up" is for me, my heads may need a good going through but they are solid.
whats giving me fits is the trans.
I don't really want a 6 speed, nor am I willing to give up my kicker, nor do I want to deal with the nightmare of switching over to an electronic speedo pickup,nor do I care to pay 3k for it. I have one in my Evo Rigid I just finished, and it's ok, but thats not what I'm looking for with the shovel. What I'm after is about the same as what I have but with a better top end.
So I'm looking into an early 5 speed and proper gearing but then you get into gear ratios and and sprocket teeth fore and aft and frankly I'm lost there.
As it stands now, I love the gears the shovel has, a nice long first, about the same in second etc. Wind her up , change a gear, etc
So far my experience with the six speed Evo is that second gear is almost a waste. wind it up, hit second, dump the clutch and she's already wound out again, from there up it's all ok, but for the shovel I just need what I already have, then maybe a hiway gear.
So any thoughts you can offer would be apreciated.
Hope to hear from you soon,
Sparky,.

 

I am running the 6 into 4 Baker trans.
It bugged me for a while having to stroke through all the gears but I am used to it now and I like it.
I would like to see a tranny with a fifth gear overdrive instead of sixth but I haven't seen one.
If you have a problem getting into neutral you might consider the N1 shift drum that Baker sells. It may be that you can order it for no addtional cost when you order the tranny from them. As far as a kicker, that's no problem, Baker sells the trans with a kicker if you order it. The trans is about an inch and one half wider so it sticks out further on the right side of the bike. Like TwiZted Biker said, it can create clearance problems with the exhaust but if you are going with a custom built exhaust that won't be an issue for you.
As far as the big bore cylinders go, I really liked that big bore but I built my frame to fit the taller cylinders. I don't know if there are big bore kits available in stock height.
Your frame backbone can be raised to get you the clearance with a small amount of stretch to the front legs and seat post. If you jig it up carefully, you can do it at home or a frame shop can set you up no sweat. I went with about 2" of stretch in the front legs and a front end off a late model FXST that is about 2" longer than the original wide glides of yore. That left me with the frame at about stock height from the ground and stock rake.
To get the big gas tank(s) I bought flatsides and set up my frame to accept the mounts for them (but I modified them some). Have you considered going with the new fat tank that is all one piece, rubber mounted and going with an electronic speedo?
I think I will go that route someday.
I am running the front wheel speedo drive right now.
Here's a problem I did not consider and you may want to avoid.
I mounted my speedo on the stock mount on the top frame rail. That is a rigidly mounted speedo but the flatside tanks are rubber mounted so there is some vibration of the tanks in relation to the rigid speedo and it's cover.
If you go with the new one piece fat tank and one of the electronic speedos, that problem is avoided.
Good luck with your project.

 

Also, if you go with a front wheel speedo drive, make sure you match your drive ratio to the speedo you use.

 

I had a S&S 93 stroker kit installed in my 76 shovel, ran S&S carb, fattened the jets, ran straight drag pipes but installed baffle at the flange connecting to the head, RevTech 4 speed, Cal inner primary, Big Dog starter, re routed the oil w all SS lines, high flow oil pump.

The cam you select will be key. I took the one that comes with the S&S kit. It made such a difference I wouldnt own a shovel without it, especially if you ride w a bitch.

Also, it was fun sneaking up on some evos...hahahaha.