Hi fellers,
I am in the process of trying to buy what I call my modern day "barn find". A bike which has been hardley ridden:

Model Year:
1998
Model Code:
FLHTCI
Model Description:
ELECTRA GLIDE CLASSIC (EFI)
Color:
RED/STRIPE (064)

The guy who owns it is vastly overweight, and had put just over 4000km on the bike before he got too big to ride.

I am working far away from home, and will not get back to South Africa to ride it and hopefully buy it until late October.

I assume see that it is fuel injected, and have read that the twin cam motor only came in in '99. So is this an evo?

If it is, is there anything I should look out for, and is it possible, or even advisable, to change it to carburetted?

Thanks in advance for any information and advice in advance.
Cheers,

Peggers

 

Goode dag, Peggers.

Yes, that would be an Evo. There are kits to change it to a carb. I don't recall exactly all that's needed, but everything is available and off the shelf (at least in the US). I'm sure that some shipping charges would get you whatever you need for that.

Or leave it alone until something goes wrong with the EFI, then change it to a carb.

 

I have 80k on my 98' it is efi and an evo, magneto marelli efi. Many detractors of that, but mine works fine still. Agree with dr. Hess...don't fix it if ain't broke.

When I rebuilt the top end I was thinking of converting it to carb but too much money all at once, so wil just ride until it goes.

 

Thanks, guys. Good advice, and convenient. I think I will ride it as is, until I have a problem. Cleetus, are there any particular issues that you think I should be aware of, before I lay down my cash? I will have her checked out by the local dealership which is very close to my house. This will be my first Harley after a lifetime of riding. A dream come true!
Cheers,
Peggers

 

Good luck with your purchase-LOVIN me some EVO

 

If its only got 4,000 on the clock I wouldn't bother getting it checked over....its barely run in!!

 

Thanks Spanners! That's 4443 km = 2776 miles. But I primarily want the dealership to check that the mileage is genuine, and then to look over anything else that might have gone awry - I am sure that there are a bunch of perishable things that will go "off" if not used regularly, tyres being the most obvious!
Cheers,
Peggers

 

I would be wary of a dealership, they are good at extracting your money from you....far better to take it to a vehicle inspection outfit like the AA or smilar as they only appraise the vehicle, they don't make money from repairs.

I can tell from here that there will be nothing wrong with it that a good long run followed by an oil change can't cure...there will be super-cautious people on here will tell you to change the brake fluid, do this, do that etc but I would just give it a full service and be done with it......at the very most the rear caliper might be siezed and that is an easy fix but at those K's I very much doubt it.

Vehicle registration dept is the only place likely to be able to tell you if mileage is genuine....here in NZ we have a website called "Car Jam" and the UK has a similar deal.....if SA has such a service I would make it my first port of call.

 

Put new tires on it before you ride. At 2K miles, I'm sure those are original, and they will be hard as a rock and dangerous after 15 years.

 

New tires and a new battery.