I have that same article bookmarked on my home computer and it was influential in me getting my Evo.

 

This is out of the hdopenroad article shown above. I think this sums it up (Credit to Scooter Tramp Scotty)

"What it all boils down to is this: although the Evolution engine was never produced in any displacement larger than 80 inches (uncommonly large for its time), in the arena of reliability and inexpensive simplicity it remains undeniably unequaled even to this day. So if it’s the ability to ride a lot for very little money that you seek, or if you’re the kind of guy who enjoys the deep bonding process that is only achieved by pouring one’s own blood into his beloved steed while personally seeing to her needs amid the privacy of you’re your own garage (if this is you then you know what I’m talking about), then the carbureted Evo is undeniably the superior choice. However, and although even fully loaded with all my worldly possessions, my stock Evo powered full dress Electra Glide will still climb Hwy 70 across the Rocky Mountains without ever leaving fifth gear thus proving itself not underpowered, neither is it by any means overpowered—especially by today’s standards. So if it’s big power you seek, and if money’s not a real issue, you’d probably fair better to gaze in the direction of a Twin Cam or aftermarket big-inch engine."

Ride On!

 

Good stuff. Thanks for all the input.

 

I did not read others answers. For myself, having owned a knucklehead, a flathead, an ironhead, and a shovelhead, the EVO was modern. On all the preceding bikes, you had to plan on spending a fair amount of time wrenching, even if just chasing a drip. While the shovelhead was capable of touring, it took someone who knew how to fix it on the side of the road.

The EVO was Harley's first touring and cruising bike where you felt secure riding coast to coast. While still a hands on machine, it was far more comfortable. Almost all maintained EVOs went 50-60,000 before a top end. Many went over 100,000. It was Harley's first engine design that in short, was reliable for the average garage mechanic. Many went entire seasons between having to fix something.

Therefore, it brings a lot of good feelings to vintage riders. In the 80's, we could finally afford new bikes and the EVO met expectations for reliability, even sound although some diehards will disagree. Today, if you find a well maintained EVO, you probably can ride it till you are done riding due to age or medical reasons with just basic maintenance.

The twin cam was a lean redo of the EVO. Take as much away as you can and still leave enough to get one day past the warranty period.

Also, the EVO was the real start of massive aftermarket companies. Never before had so many parts been available for one engine and the bikes it powered. Small companies from the old days grew into giants and new innovations showed up in the rags ((bike mags) every issue. Plus, as an aside, we were still allowed to be politically incorrect, to ogle a nice skimpily dressed lady, and beer flowed freely. Is it any wonder that anyone alive and in the teens of more remembers the EVO days with affection for who we were then. It was a pretty dang good time to be a motorcyclist. Our biggest issues were helmet laws. Everyone dressed like a pirate because black leather was all we had. Horsepower was still king, even after the Arab Oil Embargo.

The EVO is more than an engine. Many still prefer its simplicity, its reliability and the ease of working on it.

While older riders are dying out, we used to not trust fuel injection. Yet today our sophisticated machines boast not only fuel injection, but fly by wire, linked ABS, hydraulic clutches, CAN bus, and more, including now an exclusion for aftermarket vendors as mandated by the EPA and as exercised and administered by Harley to exclude competition, or your warranty.

 

Sorry to hear that Uncle, was wondering why I haven’t seen you reply for some time.

 

I'm fortunate to own and ride all three, Evo, TC and M8, all three has been around the country, and they all brought me home.
They're all different, but the same.
I confident to take any of them anywhere, but I seem to always jump on the M8 these days for the cross country stuff, 42K trouble free miles so far.
Still love the Evo.
I used to think three bikes was one too many, but I found I'm attached to all three, came to my senses and got over that.

 

The EVO was a solid ride , not the fastest . It had a sound of it's own and a feel to it. If bubba did screw it up they held up . My 1996 is still going strong. Part of my attachment to it is my wife and I had a lot of fun on the bike.
Easy to get screwed over on a used bike of any year then if that used bike is a police bike that increase the odds of getting screwed even more. I like then all for some reason the EVO is special maybe because it takes me back 24 years.
The M8 parked next to it is a great ride and the Street 750 next to both of them is a lot of fun also.

 

Sounds better, looks better, easier to work on, not a lot of electronic crap to mess with. I got mine because it was my dream bike when I first got my M endorsement. Now it's all mine! They don't make it anymore and I can easily pull up to a group of 50k CVOs and all of the sudden no one cares about their fancy paint jobs and I have 20 people walking around my bike wondering what sort of contraption it is.

 

Can't have too many bikes! I'm down to four at present....

 

You can never have too many motorcycles... hows the Buell doing?