Jalopyshoppe
idiot
Haha. Lower cost.
Evo is the way to build a cheap fullsize these days. Dime a dozen now.
Preach!
Yes, they really are that bad. Odd things like porous castings in rocker boxes and engine cases, shitty designed controls, really awful brakes, not good suspension (even for the era), and a host of assembly and repair procedures that are nuanced and dumb. Factory specification allows for 1 quart of oil consumption/loss every 300-500 miles. They're designed to leak oil, as part of the chain oiling function. They make sure it stays WELL oiled.
They don't balance out very well, and parts always fall off. No amount of loctite can save you. I loctite nylock nuts and they still vibrate loose. The 4 speed transmission is the quintessential agricultural gearbox that has throws longer than the engine's stroke and the shift feel of a mid 50's Mack truck.
The AMF stuff is still cheap to buy as a platform, but individual parts are no cheaper than other Harley stuff.
Evolution engines have much better build quality, better machining tolerances, better metallurgy, better reliability, more power, and will actually keep oil in. They're arguably the strongest bottom end Harley ever made. The valvetrain is limited to 6500rpm, which is the only real weakness I find.
With that rant over, I rode it tonight. Just a two mile run. After a bit of oil pumped out the crankcase vent from the engine wet sumping, everything seemed okay. It ran through all 4 gears as well as can be expected. The brakes are primitive ABS. I could not lock the front with even the heaviest of squeeze. I didn't have high hopes, anyways. The rear brake is fine. Ergos are reasonable, but I don't expect to cover many miles on this thing.
The carb still needs to be cleaned better. The enrichment circuit is stuck closed, and the accelerator pump orifice is clogged. I'll change the rear tire, sort those issues, I have to decide if I want to register it or mothball it.