Scared Straight!!
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 9
From: Toledo, Ohio
Scared Straight!!
I remember one year traveling ( in our van) in northern New Mexico, way out in no-mans-land. We stopped at a little gas station and there was this biker gang all sitting around one of it's comrad's bikes. There was this huge puddle of oil under it and it was hot as hell outside. Fast forward to next month, when I am planning to ride 2k miles of route 66 from Chicago to the Grand Canyon, and through the desert of New Mexico (flashback). I am currently bikeless, but was thinking about pulling the trigger on an evo, which is what I would be riding. The recent thread about oil leaks, crappy seals, etc. is sending me back into twinkieville. I am currently bikeless, so I think the evo will be on hold until I can afford it as a "second" bike.
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,839
Likes: 17,865
From: Lafayette, Louisiana
That is crazy thinking. EVO's are very reliable, and especially simple in the carb versions. Something goes wrong on the road with an EVO, you are more than likely are going to be able to fix it yourself on the side of the road. With the TC and all of its electronic complexities, well, good luck with that.
You have no idea the history or maintenance on the bike you saw in the oil. Things like that affect every engine ever built. Seeing one vehicle of any sort broken down is not indicative of all of them of the same model.
You have no idea the history or maintenance on the bike you saw in the oil. Things like that affect every engine ever built. Seeing one vehicle of any sort broken down is not indicative of all of them of the same model.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 799
Likes: 2
From: WyoBraska (Western Nebraska)
Out of the millions of EVOs on the road, you see a few threads on problems and it changes your mind ? You need to check out the Twinkie threads !! Sure EVOs arent bullet proof (damn near, though) but you don't have to an electrical engineer to ride one. I spend a little time checking the other forums/threads, and each time it reminds me how lucky I am to ride an EVO.
Good luck on whatever you decide. As for me, this EVO will never be replaced !
Good luck on whatever you decide. As for me, this EVO will never be replaced !
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 15,384
Likes: 19,274
From: Upstate N.Y.-Rochester Area
Evo
Whatever you decide, the important thing is to have enough miles under your belt on the ride to be sure of it's reliability potential. There are many here with bikes with many miles on them that their owners wouldn't hesitate to take anywhere. Look at the miles listed that many owners have listed for their rides.
Heck, Twizted Biker has noted that his bike (A Shovelhead) has had close to 500k miles on it and he still rides it daily. And he has stated that it has never left him stranded.
But Note, he is a skilled owner, and it's been rebuilt, probably several times over the years.
It's all about the actual quality of the machine that you have, and your ability to keep it right.
Heck, Twizted Biker has noted that his bike (A Shovelhead) has had close to 500k miles on it and he still rides it daily. And he has stated that it has never left him stranded.
But Note, he is a skilled owner, and it's been rebuilt, probably several times over the years.
It's all about the actual quality of the machine that you have, and your ability to keep it right.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 601
Likes: 6
From: Aruba
HD engineered the Evo to be a very simple motor so that A) it wouldn't break down very often and B) anyone could work on it with just a few tools. Their marketing department figured out that this wasn't good for generating business. HD then engineered the TC not to make a better motor but so that A) they could patent it better so no one could build knock offs like S&S, Ultima, RevTech and the like were doing with the Evo and B) so that the owner would keep coming back to HD for parts and service for the entire life of the bike.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 6,508
Likes: 168
From: WPB, FL
Waking Up From The 60's
Harleys haven't been "leakers" since the 60's. The days of cardboard under a new bike in the showroom haven't been around for almost 50 years!
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 9
From: Toledo, Ohio
I can still visualize how bummed they were of the situation, not necessarily that they it was a biker gang. Bottom line is I don't want that to be me in a couple weeks.
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 515
Likes: 3
From: Tipp City Ohio
I'm biased sure but you find the Evo you want with low enough miles you won't have a worry.
Bought mine with 10K on it 5 years ago.Now have a tick over 30k on it and never had a wrench on the engine.
Bought mine with 10K on it 5 years ago.Now have a tick over 30k on it and never had a wrench on the engine.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 18
From: Beautiful SW Missouri Ozark Mountain Country
Ridiculous. I have a '90 Evo, never been touched other than stage 1 improvements, maybe a cam, but I don't know for sure. It has AN oil leak. It also has 67,000 miles on it. When I park in my shed, there is a single spot from a single drip left from a full day of sitting. I have personally only put 5000 miles on it, and though I have changed the fluids once, I have never HAD to add oil.
For the record I have a multitude of friends that have TC Harley's. Some of them have leaks. Welcome to motordom. Cars, trucks, mopeds, vans, busses, aircraft, watercraft, etc, etc leak. Again, welcome to motordom.
I also have a friend with a '50 pan head. Not a single leak. He also has a shovel head. Not a single leak. He's old school. He wouldn't take an Evo or TC bike if given to him.
For the record I have a multitude of friends that have TC Harley's. Some of them have leaks. Welcome to motordom. Cars, trucks, mopeds, vans, busses, aircraft, watercraft, etc, etc leak. Again, welcome to motordom.
I also have a friend with a '50 pan head. Not a single leak. He also has a shovel head. Not a single leak. He's old school. He wouldn't take an Evo or TC bike if given to him.