Here's another picture. I can't quite figure out what year those wheels are. The oldest Harley I've owned was an 89 FLHS and I think that wheel is older than that.
davet - 1/7/2012 6:53 AM
Here's another picture. I can't quite figure out what year those wheels are. The oldest Harley I've owned was an 89 FLHS and I think that wheel is older than that.
Those wheels date to the first FLT's which were 1982, 3, 4, with Shovelhead engines. That sidecar is an early 1980's rubber mount FL/FXR police model (White, no wndshield). If you get the mounts with it, they might be the ones for an FXR which could be sold nicely on eBay. In any case, we've already seen that the sidecar has Heim Joints and damper mount. My educated guess is that, with the correct FL mounts, it will go right onto your 2000 FL. I'm reasonably certain that HD made only one cross bar for either FL or FXR. The FXR police usage was minimal compared to the regular FL sidecar hookups, wich were not very high in number either. It would have made no sense to have a special crossbar for an FXR. It was bad enough having to make the different mounts for the smaller frame.
Another issue might be the cable for the stop, tail, turn. Also, if and when you hook it up, be sure to remove the right turn signal bulb from your 2000 FL. The one in the sidecar is the one you should use. Otherwise, the resistance is incorrect and it will cause the blinker to run double speed......this little tidbit appears in one of my earlier sidecar books (can't remember which one) but they conveniently left it out in the later Twin cam sidecar books.
Happy Trails!
GNM
Thanks again for all the help. I got an RLE owner's manual to find some more clues and it had a picture of a bolt on steering damper bracket, so it does look more and more like this is an early TLE sidecar. I will get the vin number asap and try and verify.
davet - 1/7/2012 2:17 PM
Thanks again for all the help. I got an RLE owner's manual to find some more clues and it had a picture of a bolt on steering damper bracket, so it does look more and more like this is an early TLE sidecar. I will get the vin number asap and try and verify.
The TLE damper bracket, as far as I know, was always welded. Around 1994, I made one for my 1982 Shovelhead with the sidecar that had the large threaded couplings. By the way, the Shovelhead was terribly underpowered for a sidecar. Without the sidecar, you could do 95 mph. With the sidecar, about 75-80 mph.
I just got the VIN off the sidecar, it is 1HD8SHX15GT010041. I've looked at a few VIN decoders and I believe this makes it a 1986 RLE. I guess I'm back to my original question, what is the difference between the TLE and the RLE?
davet - 1/13/2012 11:14 AM
I just got the VIN off the sidecar, it is 1HD8SHX15GT010041. I've looked at a few VIN decoders and I believe this makes it a 1986 RLE. I guess I'm back to my original question, what is the difference between the TLE and the RLE?
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Hi,
I have a rather extensive collection of HD sidecar books but you are really making me dig. LOL.
First off, I have the HD Service Manual for CLE/TLE/RLE Sidecar Models. 1979-1984 CLE, 1983 and Later TLE, 1985 and later RLE. (P/N 99485-89) Later books have the same number with the last two digits as the year number. The last of the series was 99485-11 aince HD has now quit building sidecars.
The CLE was the last four-speed (Shovelhead model) no longer built after 1984. It had large threaded connectors to attach to the early frame.
The TLE was built from 1983 to 2011 - from the first five-speed rubber-mounter Shovelhead, then Evo, then T.C.
The RLE came out in 1985 and has the same frame as a TLE but with an entirely different mounting kit....as I've been saying all along. These were specifically designed to fit the FXRP (Police) that came out that year, IIRC. As I mentioned above, the frame is smaller and rather different on the FXRP.
So, all you need to mount an RLE on your FLH is the proper connection kit. Unfortunately, the spread from 1986 to 2000 is too large for HD to have built a kit specifically to match. What I mean is, that the electrical cables, brake lines and what-not are different. All you mainly need, however is the three basic mounts for your machine to mount a TLE (Remember, an RLE is just a TLE that came with a police connection kit. 🙂 )
For a 2000, I believe that the brake lever will clear the front mount since the brake lever wasn't changed to a "lay down" version until 2002 or 2003. You will also need the FXR remote master cylinder reservoir and brake master cylinder cover...oh yeah, the oil pressure sending unit hits the mount so you need a 90 degree elbow for the crankcase to oil pressure sending unit. The book shows how....you need the book (99485-00)
The 2000 FLH would have still had a three-bolt mount on the rear. The front upper and lower mounts are more or less the same from 1984 to 2011, except for the style of bolts on the lower mount which doesn't matter.
You will need to make an adapter to connect the sidecar-stop-turn taillight on the sidecar into the bike. You open the connector over the battery and put it inbetween Then the pigtail goes to the sidecar. (Remove the bike's right turn bulb to keep resistance the same).
There's also a bracket for the inside bolt on the steering damper. That bolts to the rear of the lower triple tree on the FLH.
The RLE in 1986 would have had a brake drum. They are perfectly fine, in fact I prefer them since they are rather gradual in operation. The shoes will last nearly forever, too.....don't know why, they just do.
Lastly, the VIN Number:
You are correct that the VIN code shows 1986 (Code letter G) and that it was originally sold as an RLE. Code SH, however, shows that it was an RLE sold alone. I don't know what the code might have been if it were sold with an FXRP from the factory.
The Manual shows the mounts on the frame and the frame is identical to a TLE according to the book. If you get the FXR Mounts with it, they are valuable and would sell on eBay easily.
Hope this helps. 🙂
🙂
Thanks for all your research. I do think there will be some small details with the electrical and the brake lines that may require some finagling but the mounts themselves should be fairly straightforward. I will make a decision on purchasing this one in the next day or two and keep you posted on the progress if I do decide to buy this one. Thanks again, Dave
davet - 1/13/2012 6:15 PM
Thanks for all your research. I do think there will be some small details with the electrical and the brake lines that may require some finagling but the mounts themselves should be fairly straightforward. I will make a decision on purchasing this one in the next day or two and keep you posted on the progress if I do decide to buy this one. Thanks again, Dave
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I'm happy to help. I don't have a sidecar rig at the present time. I may get another one in the future but I'll never get rid of my backup information. I'm only sorry that Harley-Davidson quit building sidecars. With them gone and California and a few others, it's not going to be easy to find them in a few more years.
Good luck!
GNM
i also saw that liberty sold there cycle car biz to morgan
wonder when he will retire and those wont be available either
*sigh*
to
timo482 - 1/22/2012 8:57 PM
i also saw that liberty sold there cycle car biz to morgan
wonder when he will retire and those wont be available either
*sigh*
to
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Which "Morgan"...? Do you mean the British Morgan car company? If a company sells out in the middle of a recession, it's indicitive that the economy has taken its toll.
Pete Larsen is one who throws the ball and also catches it.
Designing and building his Liberty sidecars and also his Cycle Cars is quite a task for what is basically a one man, one woman operation with some outside suppliers and part time help.
That may have more of a bearing upon the sale of the Cycle Car end of their business to a larger (vetted) manufacturer. Pete has long been an affecionado of the Morgan three wheelers and has strived to enhance the performance of that segment of the sports car field.
Lonnie
