See post #8 please.

What are some pros and cons of a 1997 Electra Glide Classic with 25k miles? I'm considering buying one but never had an Evo or a Touring frame. What should I be aware of? Help, tips, advice are appreciated.

 

IMHO, there is nothing special about that model/year that you need be concerned with. Your concerns will just be the normal ones involved in buying any used motorcycle - does it appear to be well cared for or is at abused? Does it start easily, idle well and run down the road OK, are the tires good etc.

The main pro is that you will now own an Evo, a generally highly reliable, easily tuned and maintained machine that has almost limitless choices for personalization/customizing. As soon as you ride it you'll know.

 

You've come to the right place to ask. Of course we are biased in here - in the nicest possible way! Take a friend when you go to see it, always useful to have a second pair of eyes to spot those things you might skip over. Good luck and post pics when you get it home!!!!

 

Pros - my opinion only, but 97 or 98 are the only years I would be shooting for if I were looking for an evo bagger. the seats, and a hell of a lot of other items will fit from 97-07, so that makes it easier to scrounge for parts used and new. the dash was upgraded in 96, but it is the same all the way up to this year, so for a 97, you can easily get bars, gauges, windshields and a host of other items that you cant do as easily for the 95's and below.

Also easy to get aftermarket tunes for them as well.

by 97, the upgrades to the evo cases were finalized so there a good platform to build on. Replace the stock ina bearing with a torrington B-138, throw in a good Andrews cam and get a decent carb, igntion system and pipes on it and your good to go touring.

Cons- the stock front brakes suck. Just take the forks off and upgrade to a later set of legs with an upgraded master cyclinder and calipers and your good to go.

Get a frame stabalizer to handle the wiggles in the back end and gert some decent rear shocks and your good to go.

 

89FLHT hit some pros, 97's had a frame change that was followed up into the later model bikes making parts availability abundant meaning plentyful good used parts. 97 ECM was changed to have the ability to be programmed and can also accept better tuning devices if keeping EFI is your desire.

Removing the air shocks and installing a good tire removed the tail wag from my ride that could make your butt suck seat before making some changes, other than a few changes the 97's are the same FLHT's with a great powerplant that will immediatley grab ya with it's heritage and soul, the Twinkie lacks some areas and you will feel it right away

 

Another 1998 upgrade....the clutch was updated to what the current stuff uses. Certainly not a deal breaker if I was looking at a 1997 model though.

Great bikes though....for touring bikes, I would go back to 1996 only due to the fact that many modern parts fit it as well.

And of course with the EVO.....you have the EVO section here. Years of knowledge here and know-how's.....can't put a price tag on that.

 

I was too late. It was sold before I got back into town. Thanks for the help with this one... and the next one.

 

Hey guys. I didn't want to start a new thread so I thought I'd bump this one with a new question.

Ok. I've been finding late 80's Electra Glides and wondering about the pros and cons of these bikes. Should they be avoided all together or are they a good base for a personalized build? All input is appreciated. Thanks.

 

You're in the Evo forum! Some of us have owned them for ever - my 1990 Glide since new. We can fix most if not everything that comes up and this forum is your encyclopedia. Buy with confidence.......

 

The MoCo made a lot of changes in 1993: Frame design that moved the battery to under the seat, and the oil tank became an oil pan under the transmission. The saddle bag design changed to a different latching system, and the right bag got more space due to the battery move. The engine became a top breather, I believe the stock cam spec changed also in 1992 or 93, as the EPA was clamping down on idle emissions. The next changes were in the later part of the 90's as Harley went to different handlebar controls, and phased out the carb'd Touring bikes for EFI. The MoCo has obsoleted a number of parts for older bikes, so you will need to go aftermarket, or used.

I guess that all depends on what you are looking to build or end up with.

The basic EVO 'Glide is a fairly reliable machine. Of course, the more complex the model, the more opportunity for gremlins. Also, pre 94-'glides (FLHS model especially - I own a 93 FLHS), really don't look all that great stripped of their touring parts. Unlike on some of the earlier FLH shovelheads, removing saddlebags, fairings, or windshields expose a lot of things that are just plain ugly. Pull the saddle bags off a pre-94 'Glide and you've got the battery 'out in the open'. Remove the windshield off a FLHS, and you've got a really ugly instrument pod sticking out. The brackets, frame, and lexan does wonders on breaking up the ugliness. Same with a TourGlide if you pull the frame mounted fairing, as they use the same instrument pod and mount as the FLHS.

IIRC, Harley used a non-CV carb in the 80's, don't know when they switched to the CV (someone with more brain cells than I will know), but it is a somewhat popular upgrade. Or they bolted on an S&S E or other aftermarket carb.

Enough from me, others who own or have owned pre-93 bikes will have a bunch more.