My father is buying a 1985 Electra Glide from his brother. The bike hasnt been run and has been garaged for about 6 years. Besides tires, what would need to be done to get it back on the road? What should we be looking for? It has 30k miles but only about 15k on the motor due to a warranty replacement years ago. He's getting the bike for $3000.

 

a full service would definitely be needed, all fluids, plugs, grease, battery (probably), does the bike run? look at the lower base gaskets for leaking, check the belt for rot, a lot depends on how the bike was prepped for storage and what conditions the bike was stored, honestly if the bike hasn't been gone over it may not be the best of deals, cheap up front, but maybe a bunch of headaches down the road, oh yeah carb is going to be need to be cleaned/rebuilt, gas tank could have a lot of varnish in it from rotten gas, fuel lines, oil lines......

 

Don't know how much $ you have available, but if it were me, I'd do a Harley crate motor. I've heard nothing but good things about the company's rebuilt evo engines. I think the peace of mind, knowing everything is in new condition, would be worth a lot. Plus you'd have an almost new bike.

 

Tell him to run what he's got.There shouldn't be anything seriously wrong with that bike.

 

I would take it to a reputable tuner.Let him change all the fluids including the gas.Let him change plugs, & dyno tune the bike.Check the tires also,but don't be surprised if they still good!!!

 

if it was in a decint garage(not roofless and dirt floor)all the bike is going to need is a good wash,service,fresh fuel, and probaly a battery, chances are the tires,belt,and gaskets are just fine..look for dryrot or leaks but dont worry about it too much..

 

If the bike has been stored for six years, that means the tires are at least that old. They should be changed for safety purposes even if they look OK. You might want to try just adding air to them to see if they will inflate so you can push the bike around and get it running first before you buy any new tires. It may take more to get it running than you think and there's no reason to buy new tires if you can't get it running.

I agree with changing all the fluids and replacing the spark plugs and battery. If it has hydraulic brakes, flush and change the brake fluid also. Lubricate all the cables and ensure they all work properly (clutch, throttle, etc.).

Check all the wiring for decay or other issues such as mice damage before you put in the new battery.

Drain the gas if there's any in it and check the inside of the gas tank to see how it looks. If it's nasty, it will need some cleaning and reconditioning to keep the junk in the tank from clogging the fuel system.

The carburetor will probably need to be disassembled and cleaned before it will work properly as the old gas may have clogged up the jets.

Pull the plugs and put some oil (not sure what kind...) and turn it over a few times to lubricate the rings before you try to start it.

 

I would check some of the obvious things as posted above,and start out with some short trips..If it feels good just keep putting some miles on it before I would drive it cross country..

 

Thanks for the help guys.

 

Lots of good advise. I would concentrate on the motor first. Put some oil down the cyls. Check the carb out. If it has rubber compliance fittings they are probably bad. Change them out. Better yet put on a solid manifold, but thats more $. Did the PO just park it or did he prep it to sit for a while? Once its running I would inspect all the rubber hoses and bushings and the brake calipers. They could stick from sitting. See if it is charging. I would ask why has it just been sitting here for 6 years. With the prices of HDs espicially this was around during the price haydays why did it just sit there? Being your Dads bro you should get some straight answers. At 3 grand its a deal. You could part it out or flip it if worst came to worst.