Evolution Cycles -618-

Just keep an eye on what we’ve got going on and you’ll be building your own bike or buying a $800 evo in no time.

You might think you know. But I promise someone’s gonna fight you in the comments 🤣

Knucklehead, Panhead, Shovelhead, Evolution. Yes there’s flatties and iron heads and M8s. Harley Davidson made more than just those four motors. But realistically no ones putting M8s in choppers yet and if i didn’t list it in video we made there’s a reason. Either it’s not practical or it’s a pain in the ass to keep running.

But let me know what you think in the comments. 👇🏼
Check out the full video on YouTube if you want to hear more!

The Genny can get overlook for Pans and Evos. But it’s a gem.

The ’66-‘69 Generator Shovel. The Genny Shovel is essentially a Panhead bottom end with the new Shovel top. Harley was still using leftover Pan cases while they worked on pushing the cubic inches up, improving flow, and slowly working the leak rate down. Every year they got a little closer. It’s got that classic B-side slab cam cover that carried through the whole era and gives choppers that unmistakable old school profile from the right side.

It’s not the most practical motor you’ll ever own. But it’s a cool vintage motor at a much more affordable price than a Pan or a Knuckle.

What’s your dream build motor? Drop it below.

Incase ya’ll weren’t aware from the no front brakes video. We didn’t build our bikes to be fast or comfortable. We built them to look as cool as possible. That’s the chopper way.

The BEST motor debate settled once and for all. Kind of…

Want a chopper that’ll just eat miles without drama? Evo all day, no discussion. Want something with a little more old school character and still reasonably reliable? Shovel. The best thing about a dialed in shovel with good exhaust? That sound is untouchable. That low lope at idle is the most iconic motor note in motorcycling, period. Yeah they fight themselves a little, yeah they shake, but when everything’s healthy you don’t care.

And then there’s the Panheads and Knuckles. Everybody’s dream. Beautiful, Iconic, and the only downside. A lot of people wouldn’t ride a knuckle if they had it. To expensive to maintain. That’s the tax you pay for the coolest motor ever built. But the Panhead. I’ve got a ‘49 that’s been running like a dream for a year straight.

Evo, Shovel, Pan or Knuckle what are you building? Drop it below.

If you’re looking at a vintage Harley motor for your chop project, here’s a rough ballpark on what they’re actually going for right now. 👇🏼
(At least in the Midwest)

Panhead runs $3k on the low end for a basket of parts that’ll need some TLC. They get up to $7-8k for something clean and complete. Genny Shovels are pushing a bit more than the othersstarting around $2,500 on the low end, complete motors in the $5k range. Cone Shovelheads are sitting around $1,500-$3k depending on what you’re getting. Evo motors are still and will probably stay the most accessible at about a grand. That’s gets you a complete running one. Twin Cams are roughly the same as Evos if you’re just buying the motor. M8s are big money right now, just because there’s not a lot of loose ones floating around yet. If you find just the motor it’s probably a fresh crate or a crashed bike.

These are ballparks, not guarantees. Condition, seller, and how bad somebody needs rent money all factor in.

Save this video if you want to lowball your next 2am marketplace find better. 👌🏼
Follow for good luck on them accepting the offer. 🤣

This motor will cost you, but you’ll win in the end.

Want to win a trophy at every show you pull into? Show up with a knucklehead motor under you. That’s it. That’ll do it at most hometown shows 😂

The problem is finding one that doesn’t cost as much as a used car. Complete running knucklehead motors are starting around $12k right now (at least in the Midwest). Disassembled and in rough shape… needs cases, needs love, needs everything? You might find one around $8k if you’re lucky. But it’s coming in a basket and at the cost of your blood sweat and tears.

They’re only going one direction on price. If you’ve got one, you know what you’ve got.

What’s the most you’ve seen a knucklehead go for? Drop it below.

I tested how far a Harley Evo would run without oil for 20-30 minutes. Not a quick blip. Twenty to thirty minutes into a ride before it finally seized up from the heat.

It still started up again right after it died. Obviously didn’t go far from there though.

That’s an Evolution motor. You can blow the top end, tear the whole thing down, put it back together with fresh parts and be running the next day. As long as you didn’t destroy the case it’s basically bulletproof. Most engines would’ve been a paperweight after the first five minutes without oil, but they finally built something that lasts with this one.

Not recommending you try it. I already did that part for you. But if you’ve got the time and money you could test it out 😂