Harley Davidson Classic FLH Electra
Glide Bike Gallery
The Electra Glide Harley-Davidson is
probably the most famous motor cycle ever, and certainly
the machine that made Milwaukee famous is the one
bike which just about anyone in the street can identify
readily.
For 1978, the familiar 45° vee-twin engine of
the Glide was uprated from its famous 1200CC to a
full 8ocubic inches, which is 1338.8cc, making it
the largest capacity bike ever built by the American
company and one of the largest built by anyone anywhere.
With 7221b of weight to carry, the Glide needs all
the power it can get and is still only just able to
reach the magic 100mph in its latest guise. Just to
save the Glide owner from any nightmares, a centre
stand is not fitted, and the bike has to be rolled
on to its massive crash bars for any repairs or wheel
changes. The company boasts that the bike has the
widest tyres available for its flagship in1978 and
they really do grip the road in the dry, even to the
point of screeching when they start to break traction.
In the wet, however, the beast deserves the upmost
respect for they are quite willing to break away even
at low speed. The single disc units mounted at either
end are not nearly as effective as the drum units
of older models, and this is one point where Harley-Davidson
would have done better sticking to their famous traditions.
| Bike |
Image |
Description |
| 1953 Harley Davidson FLH Panhead |
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| 1961 Harley Davidson FLH |
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| 1965 Harley Davidson FLH Electra Glide |
 |
The ’60s were a revolutionary time for
motorcycling, as Japanese brands made great inroads
into the U.S. market with small, lightweight bikes
offering exceptional performance for their size.
But the Glide line was a perfect example of Harley’s
policy of evolution, rather than revolution, in
developing its bikes. |
| 1965 Harley Davidson FL 1200 Electra Glide |
 |
- Air cooled, four stroke, 45° V-Twin,
OHV, 2 valves per cylinder.
- 325kg
- Drum brakes
- 4 speed
- 60bhp @ 5200rpm
|
| 1965 Harley Harley FLH Electa Glide |
 |
For ’65, the Glide still came with the
venerable 74-cubic-inch (1,200cc) “Panhead”
motor, which got that nickname from its pie-pan-shaped
rocker-arm covers. Panheads had powered big Harleys
for 18 years, including models such as the Hydra
Glide and the follow-up Duo Glide. In ’66,
though, the company would switch to the more modern
Shovelhead design that would carry it all the
way into the ’80s. |
| 1969 Harley Davidson FLH with Sidecar |
 |
|
| 1970 Harley Davidson FL 1200 Electra Glide |
 |
|
| 1970 Harley Davidson Touring FLH |
 |
|
1970 Harley Davidson FLH
|
 |
The first Electra Glide model, introduced
in 1965, retained the "Panhead" engine
developing approximately 55bhp. Riders of the
new model appreciated the ease of starting that
the electric start brought, but noted a loss
in performance due to the increase in weight.
Harley Davidson remedied this deficiency the
following year with the introduction of a revised
engine featuring "Sporster" style
cylinder heads. Nicknamed "Shovelheads"
the redesigned engine offered approximately
5 bhp more than its predecessor restoring the
Electra Glides performance to Duo Glide levels.
Little changed on the machines until 1970 when
the generator was replaced by an alternator.
It is interesting to note that a hand change
variant of the Electra Glide was still available
for police use as late as 1972! Handlebar fairing
(part).
Image provided by www.classic-auctions.com.
|
| 1971 Harley Davidson FLH Electra Glide |
 |
1200cc Shovelhead Bagger |
| 1972 Harley Davidson FLH Electra Glide Classic |
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|
| 1973 Harley Davidson FL 1200 Electra Glide |
 |
Changes to the big FL models for 1973 were numerous.
A second disc brake was added to the layout, providing
better braking at both axles. The optional hand
shift models were pulled from the catalog, forcing
all riders to now shift with their boot. The advent
of electric starting had made the kick-start pedal
redundant since 1965, and it was finally removed
from the machines in 1973. |
| 1974 Harley Touring FLH1200 |
 |
|
| 1974 Harley Davidson FLH 1200 Electra Glide |
 |
- Air cooled, four stroke, 45° V-Twin,
OHV, 2 valves per cylinder.
- 325kg
- Disc brakes
- 4 speed
- 60bhp @ 5200rpm
|
| 1976 Harley Davidson FLH Electra Glide |
 |
1200 74 cu. in. Shovelhead
|
| 1976 Harley Davidson Shovelhead FLH |
 |
The engine has the original cases rebuilt with
an S&S 84" Hot Set Up with S&S Super Stock
Heads, and Dyna 2000 Ignition System. |
| 1976 Harley Davidson Electra Glide 1200 FLH
|
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| 1976 Harley Davidson Electra FLH 1200 |
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| 1976 Harley Davidson FLH 1200 Electra Glide |
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| 1978 Harley Davidson FLH |
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| 1978 Harley Davidson FLH 80 Electra Glide |
 |
- Air cooled, four stroke, 45° V-Twin,
OHV, 2 valves per cylinder.
- 326kg
- 4 speed
- 67bhp @ 6000rpm
|
| 1979 Harley Davidson FLHC 80 Electra Glide Classic |
 |
- Air cooled, four stroke, 45° V-Twin,
OHV, 2 valves per cylinder.
- 336kg
- Single disc brakes
- 70bhp @ 5800rpm
- 4 speed
|
| 1979 Harley Davidson FLH Police Special |
 |
Late 50's Panhead Police Special |
Please e-mail the webmaster if you have a picture
worth adding to our database, e-mail: webmaster@motorbike-search-engine.co.uk
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