Soon To Be A Shovel Head?

I decided that I would get back in touch with an old friend that I haven't spoken to for a long time just for the hell of it. Last year his wife told me that they had picked up a Harley, an old shovel head. Anyways, she was trying to get me to help her with it. I never responded. So today with my random text, he told me that he was looking to get rid of it. Well, it turns out that we just may have struck a deal. Not sure though, I have no idea what it is or the condition that it is in. To tell the truth, I am a little scared of it. Lol.

Compared to todays bikes its nothing to be a scared of. Electronic ignition is about the worst of it but most can be switched to P and C ez enough. Whats cool is they can be kick,electric or both. I only have 50,000 miles on my 1983 and most were reliable enough miles. Bent push rod was the worst of it.

I guess after reading what Joshbob went through with his I have been gun shy about pulling the trigger on a shovel head. I was looking at buying one before I bought my Sportster. I guess I will soon find out if I am still gun shy or not.

know any history on the bike? the less the molested the easier to maintain and ride. they are a cool sounding scooter when done right

I don't think the Shovels are as reliable as todays bike is my experience but and however compared to todays bike.... short of catastrophic failure you'll always be able to fix it o ashovel, enough to ride home. Carbs with extra jets on hand usually will never leave you stranded compared to if your EFI starts acting up. If your new CPU bike acts up you're screwed and better hope you have cell power.

I don't think he even knows much about the bike. All I know is that she asked if I wanted to help with it. Not sure what was wrong with it. I wouldn't keep the bike anyways, I would turn around and sell it so I won't put any money in it.

If I'd have gotten a rebuilt motor like the seller promised, I wouldn't have had all the issues I had with it. The motor was patched together from various bits 'n' pieces that his "rebuilder" had laying around from swap meet finds, mostly worn out junk.

Now, the motor is reliable, doesn't leak, runs and sounds great. The things I had to do to it or replace to get it to that point: oil pump, everything in the heads, piston rings, pushrods, solid lifters & blocks, cam, gear case (cone), the entire charging system, ignition, upper front end tubes, rear rotor, tranny side cover (plus it wouldn't shift and all the bushings and kicker shaft had to be replaced), carburator & intake manifold, wheel axels and every single seal, bolt, washer and screw because most were the wrong length. Also had to helicoil a bunch of stripped out holes. Did I forget anything...?

"...would turn around and sell it so I won't put any money in it." Famous last words on a bike build!
From what I've read on here, it's not in your DNA to neglect a bike in need, they are like abandoned puppies, just need love!

. . . and the patience of Job, the money of Rockefeller, and the time of Methuselah.

Yes I can leave the bike because I am looking at this bike as a way to fund the rebuild of my Sportster. This will just cost me the trade of my snowmobile. Shovel heads are more coveted than my snowmobile.

Well, if you can work a deal that benefits you in the overall, that is the main thing. You have a buyer lined up for the shovel? I'd be worried if it sits in the garage for a bit you may get "ideas". Should be a good easy time to convert a sled to cash in Minnesota I would think.

Yeah this is all moot. What he has isn't worth the trade.

Yeah ya forgot to shoot that sob

Well, you can still convert the sled to cash if you need to. You guys are likely the snow capital of the U.S, except maybe Alaska.

Nah. Now I will just keep the sled.

What it is that he has is a 1975 175cc Harley Davidson Dirt Bike. From what I am being told is that it has a seized piston and possibly a cracked cylinder.

Not a Shovel

Yeah, I gathered that.