^^ I have Never seen a VIN/Titled 1983 Evo...I call Foul...But, I do Not give the Wiz Kids any credit whatsoever for the Evo platform...Except that the did Not Drop it!!
If AMF would Not have alresdy done All of the R&D, Certification, and Production preparations...I think we would Certainly still have had Shovelheads...Good, bad, or indifferent.. That is Like Giving the Wiz Kids credit for the FXR!!!!!
Far as I have Ascertained...all the wiz kids accomplished, was Killing Nova!!!!!
Wait...and Stealing the Softail!!! OK fine...they Bought it...Just like the Evo, and the FXR!!!!!

 

All the rubber mount stuff was Eric Buell as he was one of the top engineers in the next production looking forward ideas - he was responsible for that

 

You know they might have came up with the process of aluminum over cast steel and yes the did pay for the Softail.. However you have to agree the the Evo was still a step in the correct direction.
I must admit though they never ever cured the vibration issue and I might be to old to get an M8 so I'll never know.. I don't think I need to either, I'm very happy with their predecessor's...

 

And So...AMF is who Gets the Credit...Solely!!!
Absolutely...The Evo was H-D's Best step, probably Ever!!! It was the Wiz Kids who went with Planned Obsolescence... The Evo Simply would Not Quit!!!

 

they hired him and gave him the opportunity to create the next generation of machines - better handling both rubber mount machines FXR - police machine contracts FXRT and FLHT the old ideas were shaky they wanted more as both the japs and moto guzzi were vying for more contracts and getting them in liberal vill

he put them on to the best bike available and no one challenged Harley after that — sure California liberals went with the Pearl Harbor boys - ya think they were going to go American - really

 

I've spent 4 decades dialing, tweaking and god only knows how many hours refining every detail mechanically chasing the vibrations demons away on my old shovel. OCD types would worry about me I would get so obsessed at times. You have the tools, setup and time a for real old school static balancing and truing job on flywheels it pays off particularly with the heavier old 5 pc beast's. Then there's the whole blueprinting, balancing and squaring the rest of the drivetrain, It's made a huge difference. While she still has that shovel feel the vibration factor has smoothed out tremendously, why I've gotten away with running it as harder or harder than the evo boys all these years. Made all those 2500 plus mile road trip a lot more civil.

Like my old iron obviously but I gotta say I'm liking the M8 road king too, things gotten good to me the closer to 70 ( next year ) I get.

 

Imagine how an Evo would respond!!! Top Fuel Harley is even Still...Evo Based, albeit, 4 cams... so Evo Sportster., Very Big, Evo Sportster !!!!!
Lots and lots of my friends were of the "see no evo", "hear no evo", "ride no evo" camp...and were good on it...they went right from Shovelhead to Twinkys!!! Not knowing one bit of what they were Missing!!!

 

Yeah, I was in the no Twin Cam camp until 2013. Likely because of the early issues with conpensator and tensioner shoe wear. But I have to say the 13 Road Glide was a nice bike that with Stage 2 mods made lots of power. Now the M8 Road Glide does feel like an upgrade from the 13 in terms of handling and power, but not sure it is worth the money since the Twin Cam was still in really nice condition. Although the M8 is easy to get more power out of with some great cam and big bore selections.

I rode mid 70's FX Shovels all around the country, north to south and east to west coast to coast, and never had an issue with vibrations or mechanical break downs etc. Perhaps it was because I had no windscreen so the vibrations didn't matter. But never had cracks in the sheet metal or parts falling off on the highway. When I rebuilt the shovel, I had no problem getting the runout to .001. I've seen a few videos of flywheels with .000 runout, but I was never that patient, at least back then.

With the Twin Cams and M8's, my opinion is that if you want to make big HP and torque the flywheels are more prone to shift, so just replace them with S&S wheels because they never seem to hold a true after that. Even some that had been welded.

Also had a 06 carbed EVO Sportster that was rebuilt from fairly minor damage and was surprised how smooth it was. Very decent power too. And it's been a while, but I remember the WL's being smooth. But that may have been because they didn't handle well and had little power.

Paul