I am going to look at a 1992 Softail Custom later today and never owned an Evo. Is there anything specific I should be looking out for with this bike? Anything I should check before committing? Besides the obvious...

 

Not a lot to report, They have the better trans shafts, they are a good solid motor. Look for leaks at Rocker cover gaskets and base gaskets tend to weep, Any leaks at the Alternator wiring connection.? Check for cracks where the cylinder studs go into the cases. How many miles? Try to find out how many owners, is this guy the original? Gets as much info on previous owners with contact info. Any upgrades? pistons, heads, cams and cam bearing etc.. Lifters were a serviceable issue at around 25k. Were they done? Check fuels line and tires for dry rot... That's about al I have...

 

98hotrodfatboy: Great comment. I hope you don't mind but I edited your list down.

My 87 Softail Custom is awesome. I actually ride my FLSTC more than my 17 FLS. However, there are some age issue to watch for on the EVO's. Look at hotrodfatboy's list. The Box Base Gaskets (bottom of Cylinders) are known to leak due to age (front and back on mine). I had issues with my valve guide seals and was blowing oil on the right side of my engine. If the bike has more than 20k miles and hasn't had a valve job, plan on doing one. If the bike doesn't have leaks, runs well, and all you're gonna do is putt putt around town, you're probably okay leaving it as is and fix things that might come up.

What sucks on EVO's: Stock CV carb, Harley paper gaskets, stock plastic breather gear (WTF), stock valve train. That's been my experience.

 

$4-5K west coast provided you have receipts for the work done. That said it really varies by where one lives in the USA

 

Nonsense. There's nothing wrong with the Keihin CV that HD started using in 1990.

OP, IMHO when buying an Evo (particularly your first Evo) nothing is more important than originality. If the guy starts talking about all the modifications he did (and I mean internal stuff, not bolt on doodads), I'd be a bit more cautious.

Any 30 year old bike is going to need some care and feeding. It is a whole lot easier learning the ropes on these machines when you are at least starting with the bike as HD made it. Otherwise, you're left doing archeology trying to figure out what was changed over the years.

There are a few specific things about a 92 that are worth mentioning. Two changes were made right around that time: Switching from a "bottom breather" to a "top breather" design, and the design of the inner cam bearing.

"Top breather" means HD started venting the crankcase through the carb, instead of just to atmosphere. It was an EPA thing, analogous to an PCV valve in cars. Personally, all things being equal, I'd rather have a bottom breather, but there's nothing wrong with the later top breathers. I wouldn't not buy a bike because its a top breather.

The inner cam bearing is a different thing. The cam is supported by a roller bearing on one end, and a bushing at the other. Right around 92, HD switched from a "full compliment" roller bearing (meaning rollers all the way around) to a partial compliment bearing (rollers separated from each other with a metal cage). There's no doubt that that was a bad decision. The partial compliment bearings are a known weak spot. How weak? Hard to say. Some guys have put 100k miles on those motors without trouble. Others have had the partial compliment bearing grenade at under 20k miles. One thing that seems to be generally agreed to is that the bearing must be replaced with a full compliment bearing if a more aggressive, aftermarket cam is installed.

The problem with both of those things is that on a '92, you probably can't be sure what you've got. You can figure out if you have a head breather, but short of opening up the cam chest, there's no telling what inner cam bearing you've got.

One "tell" I always look for is the timing cover. Its the round cover about 2.5" in diameter on the right side of the bike. From the factory, it said "V2", and was riveted on at 6 and 12 o'clock. If it is still there, there's a decent chance (but no guarantee) that the motor's never been opened.

That probably all sounds more negative than I mean it. I'd buy a '92 if it ticked all the right boxes. But like HotRod said, see what you can find for service history. I'd feel better about buying this if he had records from an HD dealer talking about new cam bearing and new lifters.

 

CV carb is good for engines up to 100 HP. They are simple and easy to work on. Parts are readily available.

As far as what to look out for, as mentioned. Don't let the weeping base gaskets shy you away. That can be handled. 1992 engine cases...as mentioned look at the area of the block where the cylinder studs thread in. Look for cracks.

Probably the best guide on buying used is history and how does the bike look. If you have lots of hints that "Bubba" has been wrenching on it, then walk. No one knows what "fixes" Bubba did that are on the inside of the engine, if you see lot's of fixes that Bubba did on the outside.

Multiple owners or shotty history and you have to ask why? Will you be buying a problem child? The closer to original/stock, the less likely previous owners have mucked it up. Good luck.

 

1992 is a bottom breather, but the heads are the later top breather type.

There are inserts in the heads where the backing plate bolts thread in that block the passageways.

If the lifters are original they should be replaced.

Original transmission sprocket hardware on bikes built before mid `94 should be upgraded to the latest configuration hardware.