28k Original Miles: 1991 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide
There are few experiences more appealing on a sunny day than to watch a stretch of country road unwind before you from the saddle of a classic motorcycle. That is what is on offer for some lucky person if they choose to hand over their cash for this spotless 1991 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide. These are machines that are renowned for their longevity, which means that this experience could be yours for many decades to come. If that sounds too tempting to resist, you will find the Harley located in Quincy, Illinois, and listed for sale here on Barn Finds Classifieds. When it comes to the question of affordable classics, this machine is up there with the best of them. A potential buyer need only hand the owner $5,000, and they could be the proud owner of a legendary American motorcycle.
Finished in what I believe to be Wineberry Pearl, this Electra Glide is a stunning machine. Examining the photos carefully reveals no apparent marks or defects in the paint, while the subtle red pinstripes add a touch of class. The chrome sparkles in the sunlight, while the wheels are free from any oxidization or damage. The motor features plenty of alloy components, and these retain an extremely pleasing shine. This machine is all about a comfortable cruising experience for the owner and a friend, so the seats look supple and very inviting. The windshield will help remove some of the wind buffeting from any journey, and the Electra Glide features a host of optional extras that make it the perfect long-distance cruiser. These include a chrome luggage rack, genuine Harley Hard Saddlebags with protective chrome bars, and a leather Harley bag mounted behind the rear seat. If the owner wants to hit the road for a day, the experience should be enjoyable. If they harbor the desire to get out for an extended period to see all that America has to offer, this Electra Glide should be ideally suited to the task.
One of the defining characteristics of a classic Harley is its V-Twin motor. This Electra Glide features the legendary 81ci unit that would be producing 64hp. This power finds its way to the ground via a 5-speed transmission and a belt drive. Stopping power is provided by dual disc brakes on the front and a single disc on the rear. Engines don’t come much more bulletproof than these, and with a mere 28,000 miles under its belt, it should have decades of reliable service left to offer its next owner. The person who buys this machine won’t need to spend anything beyond the purchase price. The owner says it is in excellent running and riding condition, which brings that epic cross-country journey closer for the buyer.
If you are a regular reader here at Barn Finds, you will know that we have featured a few classic Harley-Davidsons over the last 10-years. Many of these have five or more decades of service under their belts, and they still run and ride as well today as they did when they were new. Their longevity is legendary, and so is the support that owners receive from their Harley brethren. They are a group of people who always seem to be there to help in times of trouble, and that makes the ownership of one of these machines an entry into a complete lifestyle. If you long for a classic that combines an enjoyable ownership experience with a sense of community, this 1991 Electra Glide is a machine that deserves a closer look.
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Comments
The original Single Cam Evo! HD made them from ‘84 to ‘90, or so I thought. It was a great improvement over the Shovelhead and the Shovelhead (speaking from experience) was a great engine in its own right. These were a step in the right direction and I think I really missed out by not having one for myself…
Hi geo, as usual, spot on. Like that Ford pickup, H-D could have stopped updating their bikes with this. Like the Ford, it was the epitome of almost 100 years of motorcycle development. My ’85 FXRT had many of these features, and the EVO was so dependable, it didn’t even need a kickstart. As mentioned before, I’m not a big fan of the belt drive, even though, I personally had no trouble, I always trusted a chain. The belt is incredibly hard to change( clutch side has to come apart and trans has to be removed, a chain, a spare master link, and we’re on our way. You DO carry a spare master, I hope. This is a nice one here, BUT, there are a literal glut of these kinds of bikes, as, like the classic car hobby, the old owners are dying off, or can’t ride, and young people have limited interest in these. It’s why H-D is in so much trouble, everybody that wants one of these, already has one, with no plans or reason for replacing it. This bike is equipped just how I’d like one ( with a chain conversion, of course) and $5g’s is peanuts for the best bike America has to offer. Think they’d trade for a squarebody? They might not, but someone might. That would mean I’d have to stay in Colorado, and it looks like that may come to an end. Still, a bike like this in the UP, der hey, would be fun for the 38 days of summer there,,
Also, you’ll get a chuckle out of this, what I call, “the great spark plug conspiracy”. I’ve always been a fan of NGK plugs, my GoldWing ran awful with Champions, but great with NGK’s. So, I thought I’d run NGK’s in the H-D, it ran awful!. Hard starting, backfires, not being a fan of Champions, or “Harley ” brand, which I believe are made by Champion, I switched to “Harley” brand, it ran perfect. Hmmm,,,
Spark plugs, always a controversial topic, like “What’s the best oil?” I always had the philosophy: “If it’s GM, use A-C; If it’s Ford, use Autolite/Motorcraft; If it’s anything else, use Champion.” That’s interesting, especially when A-C stands for Albert Champion. My H-D had Champion plugs for most of the time I had it. The Bosch rep stopped by the shop one day and talked me into a pair of Bosch plugs. The bike ran fine but was never as easy to start…
You don’t have to pull the tranny, just the primary and take the bottom bolt out of the left shock. The belts are almost bullet proof, no weaker than 530 chain that’s always either tight or loose.
Thanks Dusty, never actually did a belt replacement, I just have nightmare memories of old snowmobiles shredding the belt leaving you high and dry. The belt has more than proven itself, but I’m old school, and a chain “always got me home”. I do however beg to differ on the strength of a belt compared to a chain. I read, a roller chain is the strongest way to transmit power to a wheel. It’s why in trucks early years, they were chain drive because axles weren’t strong enough yet. Drag racers dabbled in chain drive, but were wildly unpredictable.
Geo, the last evo engine went into and FXR chassis in 2000, but the motor company started transiting into the Twinky in 1999. Seems to me that the 91s had some kind of weakness in the lower end. I belong to a Facebook group dedicated to Evos, and there are some real experts in that group, as well as the usual know it alls. I own an 85 FLT that was converted to the same style as this 91, and it has the original sidecar with it. I have a 88 85th Anniversary FLHTCwith 95 HD sidecar, and finally an 87 Solttail that is an old Denver outlaw bike. Just remember to warm them up before you take off, 5 grand is probably not bad, but I would want to see it in person, before laying out that much cash. Its crazy that the Evos are the best deal in the motorcycle market, when the Billy BAdass Biker stylin’ business took off in the early ninties, every stock broker, card shark, and insurance agent had to have one, Then they sat in the garage, because by gosh, a person might get hurt on one. But by golly, You could parade around with a 50 dollar tshirt on. If my wife hadn’t threatened to divorce me if I bought any more bikes, I would be in the market.and probably own a hundred of the Evos
Is that not a Road King? (Still an FLH, though). I don’t like the detachable screens; the turbulence is in just the right place to buffet your head around. Comfy bike, though.
Production of Road king started at 1994.Before 1994 Electra Glide without batwing fairing called Electra Glide Sport. So, that bike is Electra Glide Sport, not Electra Glide.
I have a friend that has a ’84 Shovelhead Sport, He said that they came with forward controls, not footboards.
I was prepared to come to this story and post that the price is too high for today’s market – but this one is priced to sell. Nice bike. Out here in California, if you filter on craigslist for ‘road king’, ‘<20k miles' and '<10k dollars' – you can see the glut Howard is talking about. It amazes me. These are different times.
In my superman days I had this 10' Shovelhead chopper bar-sled, rat-bike shown above. Great for girls and good times in a straight line. 30 years later, I just want a cruiser like the one in this post for cruising the beautiful landscape of northern California.
What happened to the pretty girl?
I had a chance to buy a 2005 Electra Glide Classic from a local dealer for $5995 but couldn’t pull the trigger in time. No problem, I’ll just keep riding my 2005 1200 Sportster. It only has 81,000 miles on it.
By the way, the drive belt failed at 74,000 miles. I replaced it myself, only took an hour.
My dad is from Quincy. The house is on 7th & Jackson. He told me when he was growing up that there was literally a bar on every street corner. He tried to back in to the tiny garage with his ’55 Olds and ended up knocking the garage off the foundation. Just Google street view’ed it. Still there! There was a ton of 20’s/30’s/40’s license plates nailed up inside. An instant plate collection for a kid in the 70’s.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9153233,-91.4046448,3a,50y,47.63h,83.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shRt-inQ9EVb5KczU4daoWQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
That Electra is a nice looking ride, I stole this 2004 Road King in 2011 on my birthday for $5k, chameleon paint and Willie G skulls all over it, my 1st and only Harley. It’s languishing in my Florida garage while I’m in the lower armpit of Virginia, what a sad tale.
I’85+ – – – can no longer pick up a bike BUT would love to have this with a ServiCar rear.
Electra Glide Sport. Road King replaced it in 94.
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