Crazy Shovel Bobber Build Is Intoxicating
One of our own breathes new life into a classic Shovelhead.
The Panhead and Shovelhead eras of Harley-Davidson solidified the company’s reputation as more than mere transportation. From mild to wild, custom Harleys — and the people who rode them — imprinted themselves on the fabric of American outlaw culture forever.
There’s no reason for the old Shovelhead to stay in the past, however. Harley-Davidson Forums member Hellonewman has been hard at work on his ’82 Dyna Wide Glide, turning it into the bobber of his dreams. In his words, “The thing is, it’s not ultra-collectible nor is it rare, and it’s not mint or stock, and the riding experience leaves something to be desired, but it’s cool, and the Shovelhead engine idle is intoxicating…”
After riding it around all last summer in its stock form, he set about tearing the bike down once temperatures cooled off and the days got shorter. The first order of business was to show off that beautiful Shovelhead with a custom tank, built by narrowing the stock tank and subtly changing its profile. It also shows off the sidedraft Weber carburetor, making it the visual centerpiece of the right side of the bike.
Going from a cruiser-spec Dyna to a stripped-down bobber is no small feat, and hellonewman didn’t exactly order this bike out of a catalog, either. In addition to careful parts selection, there’s a ton of custom work on this bike, which will leave him with a truly one-of-a-kind Shovelhead.
In addition, the bike received a full mechanical refresh, resulting in better-than-new performance. Next up was a custom seat and modified rear swingarm, as well as lower front bars and a cool headlight fairing. While hellonewman is far from complete, we’re already duly impressed with his fabrication skills and eye for design. This thread is one to watch for sure.
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