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Swampyankee
05-26-08, 07:37 PM
I had a couple of shovel heads, but never knew the difference between a shovel head and an iron head. Well, you say, if you didn't know the differnce how do you know you didn't have an iron head. And you'd be right, if there isn't a big difference. What years were they built? Were any built by the infamous AMF corp.? I'm restricted to a cage at the present time, but I'm thinking of getting an antique sometime down the road. A shovelhead 1000 (electric start) Sportster. Due to my injury I don't need anything bigger because I can stand only so long in the saddle.
Thank you those of you for your kind answers, the rest of you ("he wants a chick bike" types) can go pound sand.:p

Phantom Winger
05-26-08, 08:43 PM
From what I've read:

Big blocks - Flathead, Knuckle-head, Pan-head, Shovel-head, Evolution, Twin-cam
Sportsters - Flathead, Iron-head, Evolution
An Ironhead is a Sportster equivalent of the 'bib' Harleys Shovel-head.

1936 to 1948 : Cast iron OHV heads. Knucklehead, ironhead
1948 to 2001: Alloy head OHV. Panhead, shovelhead, evolution

AMF years were roughly 1969-1981

Read all about it:

http://www.factoryfat.com/hdmotorhistory.html

jetdoc
05-28-08, 02:31 AM
Believe it or not Swamp I know some old HD guys that love the AMF's and especially the shovels and pans. I think Winger hit the nail on the head about the ironheads, they are sporty's.

I have a 81 shovel and also a 98 evo.

Swampyankee
05-28-08, 08:14 AM
I had a 69 AMF 900 sportster once. Had a kickstart that could really kick back. I'm thinking a 1000 electric shovelhead, or as winger has clarified, ironhead. Basketcase would be even better. Some guys think the shovelhead has a better sound than the evo, I think I agree. With the right pipes of course.

jetdoc
05-28-08, 01:37 PM
I like the way my shovel sounds over my evo, they both basically have straight pipes, so it is apples to apples.

Phantom Winger
05-28-08, 01:56 PM
My first bike was a '74 BMW R90/6. You had to stand facing the bike to use the kickstarter and if you didn't respect the compression stroke it would place your knee firmly under your chin.

Let us know what you you end up with.

BHABIT
07-11-08, 05:18 AM
Their are some that will interchange "Ironhead" and "Hardhead", to me that refers to side valve Flathead style. Me...I can't write here what I called them, to be kind...a sportster.

CH53MetalMan
07-11-08, 03:47 PM
What is the difference between a Harley Motorcycle and a Hoover Vacuum cleaner?

Ans. = Where the 'dirtbag' sits!

Ninja 650 - - Rock & Roll!

Big Jim
07-11-08, 07:41 PM
A few years back...more like a decade ago...I have a friend who was trying to sell a 1955 Panhead with the back tire and the seat and engine intact he came across in some junkyard...it was in poretty bad shape. He wanted only a couple of grand for it and he never found a buyer for it. Finally, he told me he decided to restore it himself and then sell it.

A few months later he gave me a call all excited saying that when he tried to call the DMV here in Ohio, they told him this particular bike had once belonged to Elvis Presley!! So when he called down to the Elvis Corporation in Memphis, Tennessee...one of the curators for the museum at Graceland said, "Do you know what you have there?!" Pat, my buddy, said "...a Harley..?" The guy said, "Lift the seat up and what do you see...?" He lifted the seat up and there was a tarnished, engraved piece of metal that stated, "TO PRISCILLA FROM ELVIS...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" He said his heart dropped clean out of his body!! HAHA!! He ended up selling the bike as is to Jay Leno for $150K or something like that...!! Jay Leno had even brought it to him to see it after it was all restored!! Cool, dude, that Jay Leno...