Originally Posted by
Malamute
This was a few years ago (is that what you call the early 80's?). '47 Harley, which I rebuilt a couple times. I put S&S 80" flywheels in it, S&S Super carb, S grind Andrews cam, close ratio Andrews gears in the trans, and ran a primary belt drive for a while. It was ported, balanced and otherwise slicked up, but still was handicapped compared to the later Shovelhead motors. Still was a blast to ride. Rode it cross country several times, and went pretty much everywhere it was possible to go, and some places that those faint of heart claimed "road" bikes weren't supposed to go. My longest day with the hardtail frame was 1000 miles of a 1400 mile trip. It lived in a Panhead swingarm frame most of the time I had it, and I ran it as a hand shift a year or two. Foot shift is the way to go. I spent a good part of a couple years roaming around, being semi-nomadic, living off the bike for a while. I shot the deer with my 4" 29. I was still in my sleeping bag when I saw it and made the shot.