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Ten hours to Ohio
Ten hours of driving to Ohio for one bike. That is how this trip started, and it ended with two Harley-Davidson FXRs on the trailer, one of them a Harley FXR Shovelhead. The first was a 1994 FXLR Low Rider Custom from its first owner. I found the second that same evening, from my hotel room, on Craigslist.
At Harley’s Enzo it works like this: I have an appointment, I drive a whole day for it, and only on the spot do I know what I am really buying. Ten hours there for one bike is a lot. This time the long drive paid off twice.
The 1994 FXLR Low Rider Custom: first owner, nothing messed with
I bought the 1994 FXLR Low Rider Custom from its first owner. The Low Rider Custom is a version built on the FXR frame, with the same rubber-mounted engine. The bike had been standing for a while, and you can hear it in the video: it runs on one cylinder. On a bike that has been parked for a long time, that is no surprise. Think of a dirty carburettor, old fuel or a spark plug that has given up.
Apart from that, this is a very clean FXR that nobody has messed with. No home-made wiring, no half-finished conversion, just the way it left the factory. That is exactly what makes a first-owner FXR so interesting. Many FXRs have been turned into customs over the years, so original examples are getting rarer.
In this Short you can see and hear the FXLR, still running on one cylinder.
The Craigslist find: a 1982 Harley FXR Shovelhead (FXRS)
That evening in the hotel I had one more look on Craigslist. And there it was: a 1982 FXRS Shovelhead. The seller replied straight away. Early the next morning I went to see it, and I bought it on the spot. That more than made up for the long drive to Ohio.
This FXRS came from its second owner and had 44,000 miles on the clock, about 70,800 kilometres. It is also in clean condition. The only downside: the paint is not original.
A 1982 FXRS is extra special. 1982 was the very first model year of the FXR family, and one of the few years with the Shovelhead engine in this frame.
How the FXR came about
Many riders see the FXR as one of the best-handling Harleys ever made. That is no coincidence: it was a bike designed by engineers, not by the marketing department.
In the early eighties a group of Harley managers bought the company back from AMF. Harley was struggling with quality problems and tough competition from Japan. It badly needed a more modern motorcycle without giving up the typical V-twin.
The FXR came out in the summer of 1981 as a 1982 model, in two versions: the FXR and the FXRS Super Glide II. They were sold alongside the existing FX models, which still had a solid-mounted engine and a four-speed gearbox.
The FXR got the 80 cubic inch Shovelhead with five-speed gearbox from the 1980 FLT Tour Glide. That engine sat in three rubber mounts, so most of the vibration stayed away from the rider. The frame was new: built from welded, pressed steel sections with a triangulated rear end. It was about five times stiffer in torsion than the old FX/FL frame.
The development team also included a young road racer: Erik Buell, who later founded his own brand, Buell. Harley advertised the new FXR with the promise that it would “separate the men from the boys”.
From Shovelhead to Evolution
In 1983 the FXRT Sport Glide joined the line-up, a touring bike with fairing and panniers on the same frame. From 1984 the new Evolution engine appeared in the FXR. That is why early Shovelhead FXRs, like this 1982 FXRS, are relatively scarce.
In 1986 the FXR family replaced the old FX models. Versions included the Low Rider, the FXLR Low Rider Custom and the FXRP police bike.
From 1991 Harley introduced the Dyna frame. It was cheaper to build and easier to adapt for different models. After the 1994 model year the FXR left the regular line-up. So a 1994 FXLR like this one belongs to the last batch. In 1999 and 2000 the FXR briefly came back as a limited CVO series.
Why the Harley FXR is so sought after
The FXR handles tightly, offers plenty of lean angle and vibrates little. That is why it is popular with riders who really want to ride, and a favourite base for club style customs. As a result, original, unmodified examples are getting harder to find.
Both sold, but more are coming
The 1994 FXLR Low Rider Custom and the 1982 FXRS Shovelhead have both been sold. Good FXRs never stay around for long.
Looking for an FXR, a Shovelhead or another classic Harley? I search the USA for the exact bike you want. I inspect, film and collect every bike myself, so you know exactly what you are buying. Also have a look at my page Harley-Davidson FXR for sale.
These two FXRs have been sold. Looking for an FXR from the USA yourself? Send me what you are after on WhatsApp and I will go and look for you.