HERITAGE SOFT-TAIL 1974? 1992? id needed please

[colin maca]

hello all,you may have noticed im new to the club and harleys!,i looked on e-bay yesterday for my first harley time to buy one,and there it was a heritage softtail 1340 five speed looks all good 12mth mot and 6mths tax,it says its a imported in 1993 but the bikes a 1992,but i have spoke to the fella and he says its a 1974? and as had the bike for 23yrs anyway cannot talk to him as he has gone away till thursday,but after checking up they did not make a heritage then and they where all four speeds shovels then,how can i tell the true id of the bike please,thanks for ay help,kind rgds colin

[BaZa ®]

Give us the url address or item number of the bike being sold on ebay and we can help further.

[kiwidave]

the frame AND engine number detail everything you need to know about the bike. Read it all here:

harley vin

the Heritage Softail was introduced in mid-1986. An Evo until around 2000, then a Twin Cam motor. Always had five speeds until the last year or two when the six-speed gearbox arrived.

With the exception of a few quite rare early Evos in 1985, the four-speed gearbox was last seen across the Big Twin range in 1984.

There was a quite rare ''Heritage Edition'' FLH in 1981. Four-speed Shovelhead. Brown and orange. Fringed saddlebags. Collectible. You never know, it could be one of those.

[banquo]

Originally Posted by colin maca

he says its a 1974?

Maybe he said it was a 74?

i.e. 74 cubic inches or 1200cc which would make it an early shovel...

Something doesn't tie up... Where's the link to the eBay item?

[colin maca]

hello,thanks for your replys,i must admit i did hit the buy it now because it was a good buy? the item number is 110272232463 i not sure it will come up now?,once again thanks,kind rgds colin

[Urrell]

I think if its all OK for £4000 you got a bargain.
Let us know how you get on.

The bike

[kiwidave]

You really need to check the VIN, paperwork and do an HPI check before handing over any money. It's a great deal, but given the flakey description then it is almost a suspiciously low price.

Yes, it does look like a Heritage, but as I stated, they were only introduced midway through the 1986 model year.

There is no way that bike was built in 1974. but then again, maybe this guy does not know his Harleys.

The only way the seller could have owned that bike **complete with that engine and frame** since 1985 is if it was a 1984/1985 FXST (standard softail, and the only softail available then) and someone swapped out the 4spd box for a 5spd, which it has now, and totally redid the front end and other cosmetics. Perhaps that is a typo and he means 1995 ??

Where/to whom was it registered between 1995 and 1999?

Again, the VIN will reveal all. I notice none is quoted in the descrip. If they do not match, or there is no VIN on the frame and/or engine, walk away.

[Baff]

Before you do anything, especially pay, get a clear description from the guy and go see it. Ideally, get the VIN, post it on here, and let someone with more knowledge confirm what it is. The description doesn't match the bike at all. It's an Evo motor, but he says it's a 1974 build. Uh huh. If he's really had it so long, only 5000 miles including a ride from Switzerland? No way. 5000 miles and FSH? LOL, that's only 2 services.

I dunno where you are, but never buy a bike without seeing it in the flesh first, and if you're buying a Harley, take someone with a little mechanical nous along with you. It's bloody easy to buy a pig in a poke (hog reference thrown in gratis).

Baff

[BaZa ®]

I suggest you go into region 2 and ask nicley for one of the local boys to view it for you?

CLASSIC 1974 HARLEY-DAVIDSON BLUE/WHITE on eBay, also, Harley Davidson, Motorcycles Scooters, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 19-Jul-08 18:26:21 BST)

[BaZa ®]

Just asked in the Glasgow area for the boys to look in on this post for you mate.