r/shovelhead

Figuring out what exhaust I wanna run, and waiting on my brass tubing to do the oil lines, and wiring stuff. But the first time it's been good enough to actually roll it out of the garage for a legit picture.

My machine for 48 years now. We don't get out much anymore but we're still together.

Hi all,

I recently inherited a Harley (FLH 1200 Shovelhead, papers say 1974) and I’m trying to understand what I have and how to take care of it.

I’ll post a couple of pictures, but right now I don’t have the bike with me (I’m in another place until July), so I’m trying to learn as much as I can before I get back to it.

This is my first contact with this kind of bike (big engine, carb, old school stuff), and there are basically no Harleys like this where I live, so I don’t really have anyone local to ask.

My priority is mechanical first, then aesthetics later. So:

What are the first things I should check on a Shovelhead like this?

What kind of mechanical updates or fixes do people usually do for reliability and safety?

How do you usually look up correct part references for these bikes?

Some things I’ve noticed from what I saw before leaving:

There is oil on the side of the rear wheel, probably from the chain, but also oil above/around the gearbox area. Not sure if it’s normal mess, chain, breather, or an actual leak.

The throttle does not return by itself, which feels quite unsafe to me. Is that normal?

Also, about the bike itself:

Papers say 1974, but in Spain Harleys were not common back then. Is there a way to confirm the real production year (engine/frame numbers, etc.)? Maybe it was imported and registered later?

Another thing:

I need a dual seat, but I’m quite confused about the different setups (pogo, frame mounted, comfort flex, etc.). What should I be looking for to get the correct one for this model?

I won’t be able to work on the bike until July, but I’d like to find and have the seat ready by then.

Any resources (manuals, parts catalogs, good websites, etc.) or general advice for a beginner would be really appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

“Ride to Work” day and “Break Down on the Way Home” day both fell on May 8th this year. Life could be worse. Precious Wife is on the way, the weather’s nice, I found some shade, and I have a parking lot beer!

Still waiting on gaskets in the mail. I just installed new exhaust on my rigid frame shovel and the rear has a decent size gap between the exhaust flange and the head. I’m concerned about leaks and stress on the head with it not sitting flush. The muffler is tight against the frame so there is really nothing I can do to change the position. Should I run this?

My old choke cable needs replacement. In my search for a new choke cable, I came across this lil' bugger. Anyone using one of these instead of the long cable? Any issues? Any real-world insight with this device would be greatly appreciated. -Thanks

1970 FLH shovel. Trying to see if this cable that was on the bike is too short, essentially when I turn the bars full left the carb sticks and doesnt like to return to idle/close. It also can raise rpms as it did it to me yesterday right before a test ride. The cable came down and went in-between the tank and the Vin plate, under the tank ontop of the rockers and then onto the carb. The little feed bracket in the last picture wasn't attached to anything and just had the cable going throught it with electrical tape and was resting on the rocker box. Can't seem to find anything that shows where exactly the cable routes, I know under the tank but unsure if it goes in-between the tank then under or through the "A" ontop of the dual tank line and then over and to the carb, any help is appreciated thanks in advance