free website stats program Possibly buying a 1985 FXRT | Harley Davidson Forums

Possibly buying a 1985 FXRT

B

Barista

Member
I'd like some input here. My best childhood buddy grew up to be a top notch Harley mechanic and restorer, and I trust this guy completely. He is in the process of rebuilding a 1985 FXRT that he picked up cheap due to a blown engine. I'm sure this bike will be in excellent condition when he's done. He thinks this would be a perfect bike for me, (it would be my first non-Asian bike in 40 years of riding).

Before this came up I'd been looking at buying a Yamaha FJR 1300 or a Kawasaki Concours. I want something that's good for a little light touring, but not so big that it would be a pain around town. I've always wanted a H-D but never thought there was a model that fit my riding style.

One more twist to this story. The fairing and bags for this bike are long gone. I'd want to find something to replace them.

So....what do you FXR guys think? Is this the H-D for me? Will I be able find a fairing and bags that will fit right, look good, and go on & off without too much trouble?
 
I say go for it. I had a 90 FXR conv that was about the best bike that harley made. The FXR frame is built just like the baggers with the "A" section under the seat area and it's very stable and handles well too. The frame has little flex in it because of this and that translates into a good handling bike.

Wish I never sold it. :D
 
I'm sure your buddy will let you take the bike out for a day when it's done, that'll be the best way to know. It can be a culture shock coming from a Japanese bike, and the FJR and C14 you mentioned are completely different bikes from the HD.
 
Barista said:
I'd like some input here. My best childhood buddy grew up to be a top notch Harley mechanic and restorer, and I trust this guy completely. He is in the process of rebuilding a 1985 FXRT that he picked up cheap due to a blown engine. I'm sure this bike will be in excellent condition when he's done. He thinks this would be a perfect bike for me, (it would be my first non-Asian bike in 40 years of riding).

Before this came up I'd been looking at buying a Yamaha FJR 1300 or a Kawasaki Concours. I want something that's good for a little light touring, but not so big that it would be a pain around town. I've always wanted a H-D but never thought there was a model that fit my riding style.

One more twist to this story. The fairing and bags for this bike are long gone. I'd want to find something to replace them.

So....what do you FXR guys think? Is this the H-D for me? Will I be able find a fairing and bags that will fit right, look good, and go on & off without too much trouble?
Click to expand...

Sounds like it's going to be a nice bike - just keep in mind that although Evos require less maintenance, Shovels are easier to work on and don't require specialized tools. When and if you do have a problem down the road, hopefully your builder will still be around so you don't have to take it to a dealer.
 
83shovelhead, Thanks for that info, good to know. I'm totally uneducated on HD's but looking forward to learning. I'm pretty sure he'll be around, we grew up next-door to each other and even though there's a couple hundred miles between us now I'll consider him a best friend for life. I've seen his work and everything he does is fabulous. I'd feel fortunate to get one of his project bikes.

What about getting a fairing and bags for this bike? Is there any availability in the original pieces, or is it more reasonable to just plan on getting aftermarket pieces?

_________________________________________________________________



Ultrat, Yes I think you're right. From what I've been reading there were a lot of changes happening throughout the 1985 production year on these bikes.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Barista; I know the '84 FXRDG had a frame mount fairing and hard bags, but I can't remember what the '85 FXRT was outfitted with in the fairing and saddlebag area. There was a fourm member that sold the '84 set up just a few weeks ago. If you search ebay and Craigslist you may get lucky.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top