I've got a 67,68 and 69. 67 and 68 both had kickers but don't know if PO's added them. 69 had the plug in the kicker shaft hole but I added a kicker to that one.

 

But... as Stock Factory Equipment... E-Start Only..
Looked like this


Never had a '65, but a '66 and two '68's, and a Close friend had a '69... not a kicker in the Bunch
Again at that time, I'm pretty sure you could special order it, or certainly any dealer would add that in those days..
Hell... our local dealer would put a Kicker on a cone Bottom FLH.... But, again.. You needed a different exhaust ... especially in the cone Bottom era


Note the Notch out of the Cover on the cone bottom trans cover

 

up to and including 1971 FLH you could order a kicker and the FL police had it on all till 1971

 

Thanks John and Race for the pictures. The ‘69 came with the plug pictured. Up fishing now will dive into it when I get back.

 

Update on mysterious grinding noise. Took Race's advice and disconnected wire from starter button to solenoid and took a 15 mile ride, no issues. Back on the lift and loosened starter button and checked wires in headlight nacelle. Nothing really obvious but moved wires that were close to another terminal. Starter button is obviously aftermarket with thin vinyl wires and doesn't fit the bars well. (Why can't they at least get that part right?). Anyway, put it back together and took another 15 mile road test and no issues again. Not sure what the problem was other than possible shorting of cheap chiwanese starter button from PO. Will carry a 3/8 wrench with me to disconnect solenoid wire if it happens again. Glad to have the kicker for backup. Thanks for the replies.

 

the starter relay is also in play - dirty contacts can cause a stick then an engage

 

Thanks John I had another starter issue on a ‘68 relay just clicked. Cleaned the contacts on the relay same result. Since I didn’t have a spare, I decided to pull a relay off of a working bike. While installing the relay, one wire came off in my hand. I guess after 51 years it finally failed. Don’t they make anything to last any more? Replaced the wire and she fired right up. IMO one of the biggest design flaws in a shovelhead is the placement of the regulator and the wiring right next to the rear exhaust header.

 

we go away from using the mechanical regulator BUT leave it in place and the visual of the wiring connected - for that and other reasons

most sell a electronic regulator that installs inside of the end cover on the generator, and it comes with the bracket and a new end cover that is exactly like the original

we also use the 380 AMP AGM battery today for all of them -- the dripping acid is too much damage to original pieces for me - and the electronic regulator stabilizes the correct charging rate for the AGM battery and they tend to have a good long life - the regulators seem to last as well, have many in and have not replaced one yet and its been years

 

Good info. Thanks John. Been replacing the lead acid batteries with AGMs as they need replacement. Acid from overcharged 6v battery did some cosmetic damage to tranny and frame on Panhead. Like to get them all converted.

 

Nice collection