Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

1997 Road King

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 10, 2006 | 09:28 PM
  #1  
Recall's Avatar
Recall
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Bardstown, KY
Default 1997 Road King

Good evening everyone. I am new to this forum however, crusty and old. Been riding for a long time. I am looking at purchasing a 1997 Road King with 23K miles.

I seek the collective wisdom of this forum to see if there are any issues with this model year that I should be aware of. Are there any items in particular that I should pay unusually close attention to?

My last scoot was a 1980 FLT that I spent two years rebuilding. When finished it look like a Road King except for the shovel instead of an evo.

Thanks to everyone for your assistance and insight.
 
Reply
Old Mar 10, 2006 | 11:00 PM
  #2  
billnourse's Avatar
billnourse
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,934
Likes: 43
From: Bloomfield, NM
Default RE: 1997 Road King

There should be no real issues with a '97 Roadking. I had a '95 that I put 80,000 trouble free miles on. Wife had a '97 Lowrider(Same engine and trans.) that she had 47,000 miles on with no problems.

Regards,

Bill
 
Reply
Old Mar 11, 2006 | 10:41 AM
  #3  
Recall's Avatar
Recall
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Bardstown, KY
Default RE: 1997 Road King

Bill,

Thanks for the information. I couldn't remember any real issues, but it has been a while.

Regards,

Dave
 
Reply
Old Mar 11, 2006 | 11:01 AM
  #4  
HDF Tech's Avatar
HDF Tech
Banned
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 14,496
Likes: 156
From:
Default RE: 1997 Road King

About the only issues were the rear "Y" pipe splitting at the weld. Only other issues were weaping/leaking cylinder base gaskets which was very common. The head venting was usually a single vent that could be upgraded to a double vent for less oil in the air filter. That year was the first of the upgraded ECM's where they could reflash them without replacing the ECM first.And the morelli fuel injection too was upgraded to the delphi later on, but for what it was , it worked well.





 
Reply
Old Mar 11, 2006 | 12:09 PM
  #5  
100thRK's Avatar
100thRK
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,519
Likes: 5
From: Slidell, LA
Default RE: 1997 Road King

Sounds like a nice low mileage bike. Might want to get a mechanic to give it a quick once over. I always did like a evo. Owned many with no problems. Go for it!
 
Reply
Old Mar 11, 2006 | 10:02 PM
  #6  
Recall's Avatar
Recall
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Bardstown, KY
Default RE: 1997 Road King

Thanks to all or your input. Hate to say it, but my deal fell through. Seller backed out on me. The search goes on for another sweet ride. Thanks again for all the valuable information.
 
Reply
Old Mar 11, 2006 | 11:20 PM
  #7  
wingt50dw's Avatar
wingt50dw
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 804
Likes: 0
From: Tuscaloosa, AL
Default RE: 1997 Road King

I ride a 97 Road King with 62K miles on it...Still runs as good as any new bike I have seen. If it has been taken care of, go for it...You won't be disappointed.
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
andyshd
Touring Models
23
Oct 23, 2014 10:05 PM
47Norton
Touring Models
14
Nov 17, 2012 12:55 AM
Bertha's Boy
General Harley Davidson Chat
18
Feb 7, 2012 03:55 PM
putadu
Touring Models
27
Jun 7, 2010 05:07 AM
jmac851
Touring Models
2
Aug 22, 2009 09:07 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:45 PM.

story-0
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-1
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-2
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-3
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-4
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-5
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-8
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE
story-9
The Best and Worst Harley-Davidson Moves of 2025

Slideshow: A clear-eyed look at what actually worked for Harley this year, and what quietly undermined its progress.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-29 17:10:48


VIEW MORE