You might be familiar with the recent series of television com¬mercials advertising Harley-Davidson motorcycles that show a young man casting an envious eye at a parked Harley. One commercial in particular featured the young man making mention of wanting to buy a Harley, but he also faced a crisis on the home front-the missus wanted a dinette set. His head bobs and weaves as he sheepishly states, "You know, Harley, dinette set, Harley, dinette set," to the couple standing nearby. In the middle of his mono¬logue a shapely young woman walks into frame, and dons her helmet be¬fore coolly hopping aboard the Harley. The expression on her face is priceless, too, as if to say, "What's the choice, Bozo? Buy the Harley. "That scenario, in a nutshell, is what led Rocky Porter to the purchase of this 1973 FLH about five years ago. A friend of his owned the bike, but the friend's wife wanted a player piano. She suggested he sell the Harley. But before said friend could fall into the chorus, "Keep the Harley, buy a player piano, keep the Harley..." Rocky piped up and said that he would solve the dilemma: "I bought the bike from him," says Rocky, and that's the name of that tune.
Having owned an '84 FLH prior to this bike, Rocky had a fond affection for Shovelheads. After riding the '73 in its near-stock condition for about three years, Rocky decided the old AMF-era bike needed a facelift. "So I took it to Phil's Speed Shop in Orange, Califor¬nia, for a rebuild," he said. From the get-go the game plan was to give the bike a bobber look, but with a slant towards current fashion. "I wanted 16-inch wheels on it," said Rocky, "but Phil said it needed 18s. I think he made the right choice, be¬cause it looks really clean with those size wheels and tires."
Rocky also wanted shoulder-high apehanger bars, but again Phil talked him out of that, suggesting the Chubby Baby Apes on the bike now. "First time I rode the bike out in traffic I knew that he had made the right call," confides Rocky.
The paint job, applied by Leg¬ends USA, was a blend of ideas, and as you can see, the skull-into-flames tank graphics really catch the eye. Ditto for the art work on the CCI front fender.
Phil rebuilt the Shovelhead engine, stretching displacement to 84 cubic inches. Dave Mackie ported and pol¬ished the old cylinder heads, and lurking within the big-bore cylinders are ceramic-coated forged pistons. Phil didn't venture far from the old-school yard in terms of intake and ex¬haust, either; an S&S Super E carb feeds the fire, while a set of Paughco cross-over pipes emit a pleasing ex¬haust note. Andrews close-ratio gears take up the first three sets of cogs in¬side the old 4-speed box, and behind the chromed primary cover is a clean-running Primo 11mm belt drive. Final drive, of course, is chain that's linked to the stock sprocket and hydraulic drum brake assembly.
It took about a year to complete the bike, but once it rolled out of Phil's shop, Rocky commenced to riding it as much as he could. "I've got an '01 Dyna Glide, but I'd rather ride the old Shovel," he'll tell you. He's especially fond of the authentic Harley tractor seat that's posted to the original twin-shock frame. "You can't beat it for a ride," says Rocky. And about the bike in general, Rocky says, "I like the simplicity of it. It's not all gaudy." Which brings us back to that Harley-Davidson television commercial, in which we could plug in: "Custom, or leave it stock, custom or stock..." Our reply: "Custom!"
Specifications:
Human Factor Fabrication Phil's: Speed Shop Assembly Phil's: Speed Shop Painter: Legends USA Plater: Orange County Plating Engine Builder: Phil's Speed Shop Engine Year/model: 1972 Shovelhead Displacement: 84 cu. in. Ignition: Dyna 2000-1 Cases: H-D Heads: H-D/Dave Mackie ported Cylinders: H-D Pistons: Forged, ceramic coated Carb: S&S Super E Air cleaner: S&S Exhaust: Paughco 2-into-2 Transmission: H-D, Andrews gears Primary: Primo 11mm belt Body Work Gas Tank: CCI Front Fender :CCI Rear Fender: CCI Seat: H-D Hand Controls: H-D Foot Controls: H-D Handlebar: Chubby Baby Apes Headlight: H-D Taillight: H-D Dash/Instruments: H-D Frame Year/Model: 1972 FLH Rake: Stock Backbone Stretch: Stock Downtube Stretch: Stock Fork: H-D Type: Glide Trees: H-D Rear Shocks: Progressive Suspension Wheels, Brakes & Tires Front Wheel: 18x3.25" Rear Wheel: 18x3.25" Front Brake: H-D disc Rear Brake: H-D drum Front Tire: Metzeler 130/70-18 Rear Tire: Metzeler 140/70-18
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You might be familiar with the recent series of television com¬mercials advertising Harley-Davidson motorcycles that show a young man casting an envious eye at a parked Harley. One commercial in particular featured the young man making mention of wanting to buy a Harley, but he also faced a crisis on the home front-the missus wanted a dinette set. His head bobs and weaves as he sheepishly states, "You know, Harley, dinette set, Harley, dinette set," to the couple standing nearby. In the middle of his mono¬logue a shapely young woman walks into frame, and dons her helmet be¬fore coolly hopping aboard the Harley. The expression on her face is priceless, too, as if to say, "What's the choice, Bozo? Buy the Harley. "That scenario, in a nutshell, is what led Rocky Porter to the purchase of this 1973 FLH about five years ago. A friend of his owned the bike, but the friend's wife wanted a player piano. She suggested he sell the Harley. But before said friend could fall into the chorus, "Keep the Harley, buy a player piano, keep the Harley..." Rocky piped up and said that he would solve the dilemma: "I bought the bike from him," says Rocky, and that's the name of that tune.
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