New to me 1974 FLH

[Projectstarter]

Just picked up this 74 that has had the same owner for the last 38 years. The bike spent the last 10 years in a sea container. The last owner did a great job putting the bike away and keeping it in nice condition. I replaced some rubber lines, rebuilt the brake master cylinders, changed the fluids and plugs. I spent a full day detailing the chrome and paint. The bike had a frame mounted seat, chrome forward controls and some other changes to it. I re installed the pogo and added a police style seat, stock floorboards and engine guard. I also added a stripe kit to the tanks. I’m having fun riding this motorcycle and plan on keeping this for a while. I will eventually add some other period correct accessories as I go.

[Projectstarter]

Some more pics

[RUBONE]

Very Nice! An old friend bought a brand new blue 74 FLH when a group of us were riding a lot together. Spent many miles alongside it. I also just picked this up, the factory price list.

[FL54]

Nice. Have fun with it.

[Mongrel505558]

Sweet bike. Looks like it's all original, too.

[Projectstarter]

Sweet bike. Looks like it's all original, too.

It looks the part but it has been repainted, there is a set of S&S heads on it, S&S carb, aftermarket laced wheels and PM rear caliper. This is a rider, I will do my best to make it visually correct but I don’t have any plans now to change things back to original.

[RooDog]

You could hide that barb under a Honey Bun air cleaner, and most folks wouldn't know the difference....

[Projectstarter]

You could hide that barb under a Honey Bun air cleaner, and most folks wouldn't know the difference....

I just got the stock air cleaner setup. I’m going to modify the backing plate to work with the S&S carb.

[Mongrel505558]

You could hide that barb under a Honey Bun air cleaner, and most folks wouldn't know the difference....

I just got the stock air cleaner setup. I’m going to modify the backing plate to work with the S&S carb.

I want to do the same for my 68 which is running a Super E as well. You can replace the adjustable enrichener that pivots on the S&S backing plate with a push/pull off/on enrichener, but it might be tough to get at with the factory air cleaner. By 74 I think H-D was running Keihin butterfly carbs with the "ham can" air cleaner.

[RooDog]

Bendix, 1971-1975....

[Mongrel505558]

Bendix, 1971-1975....

The original carb for my 68 was a Tillotson, but I got the bike with an S&S. I thought they went to Bendix in 69, and only used the Tillotson for one year, but I'm still learning about the late 60s big twins. Didn't the Tillotson have some weird feature like no float bowl?

[RooDog]

Jim,
I got the carb info from the MoCo's Parts Catalog, 1941-1978, which says nothing about the Linkerts, including the side float DCs. I suppose because those carbs were fully obsoleted with no serviced parts.
But it does include the Bendix, 1971-75, the Butterfly Keihin, 1976 and later, and the Tillotson, 1967-1970, That carbby did not have a float, but had both a fuel inlet line and a vent line to the top of the tank for atmospheric balance for the diaphragm. Actually a cool carb, the throttle bore was larger than its predecessors, and those that followed, a booster venturi, both idle and adjustable intermediate jet screws, and a main jet that was accessible from the outside without going into the carbby to change. Oh, and an accelerator pump too. All good things.....However, I had seen problems with the fuel inlet sticking if allowed to run out of gas, turn the gas on, Dummy, and had to be tickled to get fuel flowing again.
My '68 came with a Tilly, but since it had been flamed, with melted plastic and rubber parts, I ditched it until later in my history, but I did eventually run one, and I had a customer's scooter with one also... To me, just another carburetor berried in the fog of the past.....
....RooDog...

Harrley Tillotson Carburetor.jpg

[Mongrel505558]

Jim,
I got the carb info from the MoCo's Parts Catalog, 1941-1978, which says nothing about the Linkerts, including the side float DCs. I suppose because those carbs were fully obsoleted with no serviced parts.
But it does include the Bendix, 1971-75, the Butterfly Keihin, 1976 and later, and the Tillotson, 1967-1970, That carbby did not have a float, but had both a fuel inlet line and a vent line to the top of the tank for atmospheric balance for the diaphragm. Actually a cool carb, the throttle bore was larger than its predecessors, and those that followed, a booster venturi, both idle and adjustable intermediate jet screws, and a main jet that was accessible from the outside without going into the carbby to change. Oh, and an accelerator pump too. All good things.....However, I had seen problems with the fuel inlet sticking if allowed to run out of gas, turn the gas on, Dummy, and had to be tickled to get fuel flowing again.
My '68 came with a Tilly, but since it had been flamed, with melted plastic and rubber parts, I ditched it until later in my history, but I did eventually run one, and I had a customer's scooter with one also... To me, just another carburetor berried in the fog of the past.....
....RooDog...
Harrley Tillotson Carburetor.jpg

I sometimes think about running a Tillotson because it was original to my bike in 68, but it runs and starts so well with the Super B on it that I hate to change it. The plus side for the Tillotson is originality and internal throttle wire; the minus is it's not the Super B I have that works so well on the bike. I guess I have to get over the fact that I'm not looking to entering the bike in AMCA events - I want a good runner that is as original as possible without sacrificing rideability.

[FL54]

I’ve got 2 Tillotsons in my parts stash that came with my ‘68. Been running a Bendix on 2 flatsides for years with no issues.

[Mongrel505558]

I’ve got 2 Tillotsons in my parts stash that came with my ‘68. Been running a Bendix on 2 flatsides for years with no issues.

Got a Bendix sitting on my workbench. Just rebuilt it, but the float hinge spring launched itself into somewhere else and I haven't been able to find it (until I buy another one - then I'll find it).