Seeing as not much else is going on in the EVO forum I thought I'd ask this question as its been troubling me for a while. My bike which is an old cop bike has the 1990 clutch and cv carb which I beleive Harley didn't start putting on EVO's until 1990. So my ownership says 89 so problem is with these 1990 upgrades and with me always looking to make upgrades and improvements on my ride should I be looking for 1990 parts or 1989 parts as parts seem to be listed as either 1989 or 1990 to newer?
This always makes me leary about commiting to any purchases.

 

If the bike has a `90 (or later) clutch, it also has a transmission mainshaft from a `90 or later model.

The mainshafts were tapered (at the area where the clutch hub mounts onto the shaft) through 1989.

In 1990 factory went to a splined type mainshaft.

 

Thanks Dan, I guess the real question is how far would Harley have gone with the rest of the bike with the late 89 manufacturers upgrades other than mainshaft clutch and cv carb?

 

1990 Leave that bike be It has all the good upgrades

 

For the most part it is fine but I'd like to upgrade things like the exhaust and handle bar controls so with these for instance would I be looking for 89 or 90 parts?

 

Lynn,

Harley started manufacturing 1990 model year bikes in the previous August (or there abouts). So bikes made back end of 1989 will be 1990 model and as far as I know is the same every year. I understand you can put your VIN into somewhere on Harley's website to confirm its details, which might include precisely when it was made! If you are able to confirm that date, your question will be answered.

If you have the 87-90 service manual and parts book there are various features that were introduced model year 1990, so you can double-check by seeing which are on your bike. Hopefully that will also help!

My bike is a 1990 model, made around the turn of 89/90, but I have had no problems with getting parts. At least I don't think I have....

 

Lynn,

This website has a VIN decoder, which confirms my bike is a '1990' model. See what it says for yours!

In the case of exhausts, your original pipes, if they are still on it, have a flared end and odd clamp where the muffler bolts on. Later pipes have a simple set-up and will fit your bike, so you are not limited to 1990 systems. I have just bought a SuperTrapp system for mine and because it is a complete system it fits 1985-2006 models.

 

Thanks Graham a 100 times this really helps, although I put the vin in the feedback is a bit misleading as it says it is fuel injected which it is not it is carbed and although it says made in 89 it has 90 updates like the clutch and tranny.

 

No need to be freaked, get a HD sercvice manual and a HD parts manual from a dealer and tear it down and wire it and build it up.

I have an 89 old Jersey City cop bike and my buddy has a 90 Ultra; the factory manuals will get you through both for pure bolt-on
dealios and the rest you can get through with minor mods and some fabrication. No need to get hung up on what fits what, it's easy to tweak it to make it fit if you get the general range of years...

 

Lynn,

Sounds like there may be a different rule for Police bikes! I know they had ABS long before we civilians were offered it. As 89FLHT says, these bikes are straight-forward to work on and sort out. If you get stuck there is plenty of help available here.