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What is the best procedure to start a bike that has not run in years. I purchased a restored 47 EL that sat in a HD shop for 6 years or so as a trophy bike / a looker not a rider. Engine turns over / but I am not experienced KH mechanic. Thanks
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Howdy sir,
Unlike Indian Fours, Vincents and some others where you are obliged to prelube, in some cases to a very thorough degree, Knuckles are very rugged. Yes, one could remove the tanks and tins to oil the rockers, I did not, firing up this machine after many more years than 6 in a museum in the Carolinas. Now, most importantly I was a resurrecting a very good runner, on top of being a looker.....if I may humbly say so myself, by a noted engine builder you will see at my site below. 9 years and 6k miles later it runs without a serious spanner laid on it after that starting approach. Not knowing your relationship to this shop beyond the usual fuel flush, carb cleans, points etc.. you may need to focus more on what damage may result in a machine initially starting readily for which you do not have a confirmed history of its mechanical integrity/state prior to your purchase. Many pretty Chiefs and HD’s out there built for display, that mission understood by the builder and commissioning owner but lost in translation with sale further down the line. In 32 years I’ve only bought two machines running I did not completely tear down immediately after purchase to ensure they would not harm themselves with subsequent use and this was one of them. Your results may very, wishing you the best, these are a blast to ride and tasty to stare at afterward with favored beverage in hand.
I might add in passing we had a local gent with a massive eye watering collection of bikes and memorabilia - who shall remain nameless as many on here know him - only to have some purchasers evaluating their prizes post estate sale discovering that their beautiful machines lacking “some compression from storage” turning out to be missing critical engine internals.
https://petergz.smugmug.com/Motorcyc...41FL/i-X8fCHhP -
Thank you sir. I do appreciate your insightComment
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