Need some advice.....
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 507
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From: Cleveland, OH - Longing for Savannah, GA
Need some advice.....
So my good friend is a Shovel owner (79 FL) and will never sell it. He loves it, babies it and cares for it as a true owner/rider should. Well, I have had a habit of buying and selling mostly Evos for the past 7 years and am tired of it and want to get a bike I will stick with for a long time. My wife and I have this Shovelhead thing stuck in our heads and can't get it out. I like the look, the history and time period and the all around style. I don't mind maintenance as long as I'm not trapped in my garage more than out on the road, if you know what I mean.
Well, my buddy with the Shovel says as much as he loves his ride, he would not recommend it for me because in his words "if you can get modern technology for the same price, why not?" - reffereing of course to the Evos or Twin Cams. He says a combination of the 4 speed tranny, the smaller engine size (to the Twin Cams) and the all around maintenace may really sour me. Now I've heard of many people that won't own anything other than a shovelhead.
Not sure which way to go here, but I would like to buy a ride that I can actually "ride" and enjoy on the road for many miles, but I can't seem to stop thinking of them old Shovels. I only have a limited amount of funds and refuse to go open an 84 month payment plan on some chromed out, overpriced yuppymobile.
Can anyone give me some input and put my mind to rest one way or another?
Thanks.......
By the way, basic wrenching is not a problem for me, but spending the little bit of free time I do have wrenching on a ride aint' my idea of fun........
Well, my buddy with the Shovel says as much as he loves his ride, he would not recommend it for me because in his words "if you can get modern technology for the same price, why not?" - reffereing of course to the Evos or Twin Cams. He says a combination of the 4 speed tranny, the smaller engine size (to the Twin Cams) and the all around maintenace may really sour me. Now I've heard of many people that won't own anything other than a shovelhead.
Not sure which way to go here, but I would like to buy a ride that I can actually "ride" and enjoy on the road for many miles, but I can't seem to stop thinking of them old Shovels. I only have a limited amount of funds and refuse to go open an 84 month payment plan on some chromed out, overpriced yuppymobile.
Can anyone give me some input and put my mind to rest one way or another?
Thanks.......
By the way, basic wrenching is not a problem for me, but spending the little bit of free time I do have wrenching on a ride aint' my idea of fun........
Cruiser
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 207
Likes: 1
RE: Need some advice.....
I have a old panhead, and a evo. I could never give up the panhead, but if I lost both my bikes and could replace only one, I would get a evo. I have almost 100k with hardly any problems on my evo. (most of the problems I had where caused by dealer warranty work)
there are lots of things to think about when chosing a vintage bike over a modern bike, maintanince is only a small part of it. I can ride my evo 900 miles a day if I need, the Pan the best I have done was about 400, and it hurt. Its also getting to be harder to find parts, not to many dealers are stocking parts for shovels anymore. (are evos far behind?) It sucks getting stuck needing something on the road. (I had to wait 3 days with a friend that had broken a clutch lever housing on his 81shovelhead) the dealer had all kinds of parts for evos and such.
Ask yourself "doI like old iron to RIDE or ride?" there is nothing better than the feeling of riding an old bike, be it Triumph, BMW, Harley, ect. the sounds, vibrations, the handling quirks, and my favorate, the brakes. I don't ride vintage for the looks, but it is kind of cool to see the look on someones face when they fig. out that's a pan, and not a softtail.
Basicly, it just depends on what kind of riding you like.if you have never owned a vintage bike it's hard to explain.
there are lots of things to think about when chosing a vintage bike over a modern bike, maintanince is only a small part of it. I can ride my evo 900 miles a day if I need, the Pan the best I have done was about 400, and it hurt. Its also getting to be harder to find parts, not to many dealers are stocking parts for shovels anymore. (are evos far behind?) It sucks getting stuck needing something on the road. (I had to wait 3 days with a friend that had broken a clutch lever housing on his 81shovelhead) the dealer had all kinds of parts for evos and such.
Ask yourself "doI like old iron to RIDE or ride?" there is nothing better than the feeling of riding an old bike, be it Triumph, BMW, Harley, ect. the sounds, vibrations, the handling quirks, and my favorate, the brakes. I don't ride vintage for the looks, but it is kind of cool to see the look on someones face when they fig. out that's a pan, and not a softtail.
Basicly, it just depends on what kind of riding you like.if you have never owned a vintage bike it's hard to explain.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 13
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Need some advice.....
Butcher,
If you want to know your bike inside and out buy that old Shovel.
You will spend as much time wrenchin as riden.
I have a 79 that i will never sell, but i need to buy an EVO so that i can ride all summer.
The Shovels have ther own personality, and when they run there is nothing like the sound and fell of classic heavy hitter. In the end we get attached to them cous we've had our hands on every part more than once.
If you want to know your bike inside and out buy that old Shovel.
You will spend as much time wrenchin as riden.
I have a 79 that i will never sell, but i need to buy an EVO so that i can ride all summer.
The Shovels have ther own personality, and when they run there is nothing like the sound and fell of classic heavy hitter. In the end we get attached to them cous we've had our hands on every part more than once.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,481
Likes: 3,677
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
RE: Need some advice.....
Butcher, owned the same 65 pan for 37 years. Even if I had an evo and a pan, the evo would be the first to go if it came down to keeping just one bike. Your friend is a "true" owner and typical of those devoted to shovels and pans. Older bikes do take routine maintenance. But if you do that the odds are very good that you will not spend your time "trapped in the garage". Been as far east as Kentucky on the pan and have never seen a pan or shovel broke down on the side of the road. Seen and helped several evos riders and the like who have been sidelined by "modern" technology.
Can you get modern technology for the same price? Not sure that is possible, but I'm sure there are deals out there to be made.
I spend my riding time on two-lane blacktop and my trips are planned around 400 mile days (why would you even want to ride 900 miles in a day).WhileI may have a destination in mind, it is the journey getting there that makes it all worthwhile.
Can you get modern technology for the same price? Not sure that is possible, but I'm sure there are deals out there to be made.
I spend my riding time on two-lane blacktop and my trips are planned around 400 mile days (why would you even want to ride 900 miles in a day).WhileI may have a destination in mind, it is the journey getting there that makes it all worthwhile.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Need some advice.....
My brother has 3 bikes( 2 shovels )and 3 youngsters and he's the only one that works in the household. Money can be tight at times but he and his wifewon't let go ofthose shovels. The one isa FXSB which is sort of rarer bike and the other is a superglide that was changed to a dresser with swap meet parts.
Peopleare reallyinto the dresser when he has it out.
LONG LIVE THE SHOVELHEADS !
[IMG]local://upfiles/35421/86A504CD9CCA4BE68F290A2442D33599.gif[/IMG]
Peopleare reallyinto the dresser when he has it out.
LONG LIVE THE SHOVELHEADS !
[IMG]local://upfiles/35421/86A504CD9CCA4BE68F290A2442D33599.gif[/IMG]
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,371
Likes: 11
From:
RE: Need some advice.....
I have a 1981 shovel. I run the highway miles on the sporty and around town on the shovel. My personal feeling is you need a second bike to help keep the miles down on the shovel. Mine is all rebuilt and doesnt leak and I think could run a long distance, however that it what my sporty is for.Shovels are not cheap to rebuild. I like the sportster much better on the highways.Shovels have a lot more soul then the new stuff and people love that!
The 4 speed is geared down a little, so if you want to tour I would buy a twincam. For the most part, the newer stuff is still a bit more expensive then the old classic colletors bikes.
The 4 speed is geared down a little, so if you want to tour I would buy a twincam. For the most part, the newer stuff is still a bit more expensive then the old classic colletors bikes.
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