I have a question concerning an '84 EVO serial number.
The eighth position is what is called, 'Introduction Date'. A value of 1 represents 'California Special'.
What is a California Special?
The production number is 500401. Did they produce that many EVO's that year.

Thanks in advance.

 

Eighth position does denote the introduction date but "1" stands for regular introduction date and "3" indicates California Models.

 

You right, my mistake. Any idea what that means California Special?
Must have been pretty important for California to have their own code?

Any idea how their production numbers ran?

 

The "California" designation only indicates it was built/shipped with whatever emission regs were required by the state as of a particular manufacture date. In '84 that would have been only carb jets and maybe something different concerning fuel tank venting. I know regular production (49 state) fuel tanks have plugged off / unused outlets and the later CA models had charcoal canisters and air filter flaps. So no, nothing "special" other than stuff most guys took off when they went out of state.

I'm not a historian but maybe some of the others here will have more to offer.

 



 

Thanks Rufus,

I figured it had something to do with pollution. That is CA for you. I am curious what the differences look like, not the jets of course.

What about that production number, 500401. That was the first year of the EVO. I am wondering if that number represents a total number of bikes coming of the production line, Sporties, big twins, service cars, contract numbers or what ever. I was wondering if they put any smarts into that number. Meaning that number had other values within the number!

I may call Milwaukee tomorrow to see if they can shed some light on it.

 

The Introduction seems to decode on 1984 (only) models to Early/Late Models.. Check it out, as it seems to ring true that early introduction utilize the Shovel Clutch, and Later introduction indicates the Newer Diaphram Clutch... LMK what you find on yours...as I am still researching this...

 

@ChipsPlace
Did you verify the Introduction Date vs which clutch you have Please... Consider this Research...

 

The last 6 digits where just a sequential number. So for my bike, a 1998 HD Electra Glide Classic, the last 3 digits are 261. So to my thinking that means that my bike was the 261 made in 1998. No idea of the number of units they made in total.

It is interesting according to HD in the USA I still have an ignition switch recall, but when I have the bikes serial number ran in Canada, it shows that the recall was dealt with in Canada in 1999. I had my local dealer run my serial # for me and that's what they came back with.

 

It seems that If you owned it since new...you would Know... if Someone else Owned it then...I'm gonna guess they had the recall done.... Maybe..
The sequential numbers may run for the model...and may run for the Year of Any Model...IDK...Never gave it a Thought..