Hello Shovelhead group,

I'm new to this forum (as I ride an evo), but I was flipping through some pics of my fathers and I have fallen in love with his. Being this was my fathers, i'd like to try to find as close as I can to this. So specific year is important to me. Can you please help me identify this.

 

Identify what?

 

Pic now attached. haha. still learning the ropes.

 

Educated guess....71-72 FX model. Front end is 71-72, rear swing arm and drum brake is 71-72 (disc offered on front/ rear in 1973), gas tank and emblems are 71-72 (starting in 73 they went with the tank that looks like a turtle). Definitely kick only (size of battery).

Definitely an interesting seat combo there. Passenger would not be able to lean back with that set up.

 

Yup, what he said ^^^

 

Panz was all over that one, I agree.

 

I concur with the Gentleman from Cali.

 

weren't all the 71 FX models boat tails? only 72 optional?

 

That is my understanding and the fiberglass ends were the first things dumped because owners disliked them so much. And today they are like finding a rainbow with a pot of gold at the nd of it

 

That's a nice bike. It appears to be late-72 FX.

Notice the rocker arm shaft end screws appear to be socket-heads. These first appeared for late-71. (For 66 thru early-71 Shovelheads the screws were slotted.)

The gas tank nameplate looks the type (#61771-72) that first appeared for 1972 models although some 72s apparently had the style of nameplate left over from 1971. On the left end of that 72 nameplate you may see the letters AMF.

AFAIK, all 1971 FXs had a boattail rear fender as original. And according to a letter in March 2010 from Pete Simet (H-D Customer Service but now retired) to the owner of a 72 FX, for approximately the first three months of the 1972 model year the FXs were assembled with the boattail rear fender. Pete said after that the stock FX had a steel rear fender.

Notice the master cylinder is near the rear of the trans case, as opposed to being at the front of the bike like it was for 71 and early-72. Also notice the foot lever for the rear brake. For 71 FXs the lever was different to that and the 71 lever continued into early-72. It’s visible in some H-D ads for 72. But at some stage a new lever appeared: #42399-72. And later on there was #42399-72A. Anyway, the -72 and -72A levers accommodated brake rod clevis #42330-72 and brake rod #42257-72, both of which were first used for late-72 models.

Overall I think the bike is late-72 FX (Super Glide).
Eric