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I am currently working on my second novel. It will feature a Vietnam Vet returning from the war in the early 1970's. I have done a lot of research on the bikes of that time and I think id like to feature a '71 Shovel head. If anyone would be up to answering a few questions about the factory bike when it was new please let me know. I am a very detailed writer and have questions that may seem insignificant, but I find to be instrumental to the writing process. Thank you
Were the early panheads stock kick start? Did they have the foot pedal gear shifting or the actual stick? I've seen both and don't know if they were stock or custom
Yes I have Google, but all I've been able to find are bike parts and bikes for sale and custom bike builds. Can't seem to find stock details. Also in my opinion when writing a novel about a time in history, its better to get details from those who lived it.
Word of advice from an voracious reader to new author, go easy on the nitty gritty detail stuff. While it may seem you are fleshing out the characters and the atmosphere of the story line to the reader it gets boring quick can't tell you how many books I've dropped 50 pages in from this, more story less fluff will stand you better.
That said pay heed to what John advised, in those days we didn't have 2 nickels to rub together so unless the guy runs across an oldster who takes an interest in the troubled younger man and bequeaths him his well loved but long parked old bike out in barn.. well you get the drift..
I'd hit the local library or Amazon for one of many available pictorial books on Harley and the bikes from the beginning, you'll the pictures and the specs
The main character in the novel will come by the money for the bike illegally. He is from the mountains of Nc ( where I grew up) so his primary source of post war finances will be from shine. Thank you Twisted for your input. I try never to bore a reader. My style of writing is such that I like to educate but to not over educate. For example most people have never fired an M16 ( we had the A2's in basic) so I like to go into the detail of it once then after that the reader knows what bit entails so there is no point in repeating the process For the remainder of the novel.
Go find yourself a bunch of Easyriders Magazines from the 70's, it will be extremely informative of the culture and bikes being ridden in your time frame. They started publishing in 70/71 so you need an early collection. The Bay and Craigslist should be good sources for you.
Then you got to get someone (very much like John) to do a sit down with you. Not sure how you make that happen, but that is how you are going to get the truth about the scene at the time. Keep in mind some of what you will be writing about will be geographically specific. What guys were riding in Cali in 1970 is not what was happening in NYC at the same time. Same thing now, cultures and styling vary with the geography. Good luck
Rode Sportsters before I left to go chase Charlie in '68. Saved up money and had a new '70 Shovel waiting for me when I got home Thanksgiving of '69. Bike was a POS due to the fact that the flywheels were not balanced correctly at the factory and busted the motor mount on the left case. And of course MoCo refused to warranty the bike. Next picked up a 65 Pan from a strawberry farmer out of Aromas CA. Didn't chop it cuz I got a sweet cheap deal on a 52 basketcase from a guy in Sunnyvale. Kept that bike until 1998 before selling it to help finance my daughter's college education.
Pic of the bike in '74...
It was basically a rat ride but looked much different when I sold it years later.
The only electric start Pans were made in 1965 (last year). Prior to that it was either tank shift (early models) or footshift (mousetraps). However guys were running jockey shifts (shifter running directly off the tranny lid) and others were using the mousetrap eliminator (direct cable used on '66 and later models).
Also built and rode a '72 Sportster that I turned into a Chopper. Think the pic is from '76
Last edited by panz4ever; Feb 16, 2018 at 10:38 AM.
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Research For a Book
