Help Identifying FX Super Glide Model Year!!
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 430
From: Northern NY
The FLH batteries were huge. I can't recall if the FXE batteries were the same. They were noticeably larger than the small FX battery. I never cared for the look of the small battery and switched mine to the FXE battery, battery plate and cover. When I sold the bike, the new owner paid me to install electric start on the bike which I did for her. You could buy a kit from Harley back then to do the conversion. Basically just a prestolite starter, solenoid, battery, battery box. I just ordered the parts I needed as I was working at a dealer at the time. The 75 inner primary was the same as an FXE just with a cover plate over the solenoid hole. Easy job.
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 46
Likes: 65
From: Northern Virginia
My first Harley at 18 years old was a 1975 FX. That is what your dad has here in the picture. The FX battery is smaller than the FXE. The instrument cluster in flat, wrinkle black is hanging from the bolts of the top handle bar clamp. The passenger foot pegs attached to a lug on the bottom of the swing arm (who ever came up with that idea), the ham can air cleaner cover, solo gas tank with 1975 paint scheme and the stock, OEM banana seat. It's a 75 FX. Don't know why he would have put the Vetter, windjammer fairing on but his choice. Interesting thing is, the kicker arm appears to be at the 3 o'clock position, resting on the right mid control foot peg. May have had a broken kicker arm coil spring. My 75 was very easy to start. These were point and condenser bikes and if adjusted properly and one knew the procedure for kicking it, they would start without much issue. The electronic ignitions changed that as they wouldn't fire right away. That's a good looking bike, brings back a lot of memories. I wish I still had mine. Tracked it down to a guy in New Mexico but he won't part with it.
Don't tell him I said this, but he isn't the most mechanically-minded person. I'm sure some of the maintenance items fell by the wayside over time, to the point where he really disliked this bike in the end! It's impressive that you tracked down the current owner of yours. I doubt that there is anything that documents the serial number(s) for that bike anywhere in Dad's possession today to even attempt looking for it.
An interesting side story... Dad moonlighted as a bartender back in the day to earn some extra money, and was fairly well-known by the local biker community. As he tells the story, one night, members of a certain 1%-er MC relocated this bike from its evening parking spot into a vehicle and drove off. Enroute to their destination, they realized, "Ah ****, this is Kenny's bike!". They subsequently returned it. Obviously, informing him about it later over a beer. It's good to know people, I suppose!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,511
Likes: 13,829
From: Pa.
No. FX small batery....FXE bigger battery.....FLH biggest battery.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
