Hi guys, new young owner from canada here.
I just inheritated a 1980 fxs shovel. It was my grandfather,s bike before he passed and it hasnt seen road in years. Last year he rode it was 07 for 2 small rides and god know when was thr last time before that.

it runs excellent and everything but first thing i noticed was a small oil leak under the belt cover(i thought, to my surprise there was a chain!). What i am wondering is if there should be oil in there and how much, if there is a gage etc.

i am new to harley ownership i have only had sportbikes in my life so almost 0 knowledge.

 

well the first thing you need to do is come to the understanding that shovelheads are a great 3rd bike

they require care a jap bike has never thought about and money

my guess your trans seal is leaking sitting 10 years it not going to be the only leak

you need to invest in the ( factory workshop and parts manual ) as asking for help and knowing what a part is called will help Big

again if your not handy you need a fat wallet - it will be an adventure to own one and it will keep you awake at night at times - but that become all part of owning it

 

Im just learning about shovelheads so I might be wrong here but I think your year have a dry clutch and the primary chain is oiled automatically from the oil pump. Same with the final chain, should be oiled auto from the oil pump. The final chain oil is adjustable on the side of the oil pump but the primary chain oil is not adjustable.

Again I just got my first shovelhead and am having a good time learning about them, but If Im wrong im thinking someone will mention it.

I found this out because my oil pump has a cap on it where one of the oil lines should be. I have an aftermarket belt primary drive so no need for oil.

 

Shovelheads are great bikes own one for 30 plus years now. 76 FLH
Yes they will leak get use to it. They are like a dog they mark their spot. My primary is feed and returns thru the hoses attached to primary. Not sure if your year does but if it has 2 hoses attached to primary most likely it the same.
I agree with John it might be tranny seal and yes they require maintenance.

Get a book from HD shop or google it and see if you can download one for free.
Enjoy it

 

Well welcome to the forum from Va
As iohniziz said the trans seal is most likely the leak ' if it's a 5 speed (as it should be ) the 1st year H-D forgot to put a vent in the trans ( Dumb ) so they all leaked at the seal . H-D ' s fix was to leave the trans dipstick nut loose to relieve the pressure . What I do is buy a fiber washer cut out appox 1/4 " and tighten the nut down and use Lucas 75-90 gear oil ( non- synthetic ) leak stoped
If that's your only leak you've got a great shovelhead

 

its not a big leak either i could live with it if its normal. its the only leak that I know of, might find more as I go haha. this will not be a everyday / long trips bike. Ill probably use it once a week to work and back maybe an ice cream when its hot outside


one more thing I noticed just know is the shifter/linkage. on the pic you can see where the shifter is? its actually over the peg and there is no *normal* pegs where as the pictures I see online actually have 2 sets with the shifter in front of the pegs rather than over it. maybe one of you that have more experience know something about this?

on another note, I cannot wait to ride this thing, last time I was on it I was behind my now passed grand father ( i was 14 at the time) and he was teaching me how to ride.

 

Hey looneytoon welcome to the world of shovelheads!

Your leak could be from a couple of places depending on what fluid is leaking. If it's motor oil then the likely points would be the derby cover, primary cover gasket or rear seal. If it's tranny fluid then it will be from the seal around the output shaft. Typically you can tell the difference between motor oil and tranny fluid by the smell and color.

As for the pegs and shifter, the bike would have originally had pegs behind where the forward controls are now with the shifter coming through the primary chain inspection cover. It was pretty common to remove these, weld the rear of the primary up and put on forward controls. Looks like the linkage on your bike is custom made and the shifter peg is in a bit of an odd position but no big deal as long as it shifts smoothly.

 

It should not be a 5 speed...

 

agree its a cow pie 4 speed

 

Filter the answers you are getting, you said belt drive? Most posters missing that. If it's a Sturgis model it was belt belt from the factory. If not a Sturgis, then grandpa changed that. This bike is almost 40 years old, of course it's going to leak. And if you go chasing that leak you are going to find parts wore out and parts that can be upgraded. The belt needs to stay oil free.
Like others said, you better enjoy wrenching or have deep pockets, any 40 years old piece of machinery will require some love.