EVO Dyna customize to look like Shovel?

[mpybkk]

I was curious, is it possible to get a Dyna (evo generation, around 1995) to look like a Shovel? Ignoring the obvious engine and battery/oil area differences, are the frames similar in the angle & suspension angle?

When I look at the frame on those EVO Dynas, it looks like you could customize to them to look like a chopped / brat style Shovel (like in my attached image), yeah?

[Guest]

The general shape is similar so I think most things you'd do to a swinger shovel you could also do to an FXD. The problem with looks on the FXD is the backbone and gusset on the underside is massive and square, square tube swingarm, and what seems to me a taller seat height. There is some good inspiration in this thread http://www.chopcult.com/forum/showth...=dynas&page=38

[Saltytonk]

Yeah, what McGrizzle said , the backbone is huge and square, so to run a funky tank youre gonna have some fab work on the tank or cut the backbone out of the frame and replace with round tubing. Which would be the thing to do since you can lower the seat area while youre doing it.

[SyndicateChoppers]

no you will never get a dyna to sit the same way as a shovel without real extensive custom work and at that point it would not be sensible to do so.

My advise would be sell the dyna and buy a shovelhead.

Or if you need to have an evo motor based bike get a shovelhead titled frame and modify it to fit the evo motor

They dynas backbone and other frames gusseting etc make it really hard to give those bikes a clean line and clean overall look.
That square back bone is a total killer when it comes to any sort of decent looking gas tank also.

not trying to knock the bike or anything just giving an honest opinion I have a '96 dyna superglide in the shop right now that needed some minimal work that Im doing and then I'll be listing it for sale and I was wondering the same thing of how can I get it look a little more like an earlier bike

I came to the conclusion that it can be done but its not worth the time effort or money to do so
when you can still buy shovelheads for relatively cheap

[maxcapacity]

Yeah, what McGrizzle said , the backbone is huge and square, so to run a funky tank youre gonna have some fab work on the tank or cut the backbone out of the frame and replace with round tubing. Which would be the thing to do since you can lower the seat area while youre doing it.

Here's a tip: The late model (04 & up) Sporty tanks fit nicely over that backbone. I run one on my 98 FXD rigid. The rear mount doesn't lay flat as-is so you have to do some fab for rear mounting, but it's an easy swap w/o major tank modification.

[Nosebleed]

Easyriders Japan

Also, a company in Japan called "Easyriders Japan" makes some insane aftermarket parts for Dynas although I'm not sure the year range exactly. They specialize in "bolt on" parts (because Japan has a lot more restrictions than we do in the US about what can be modified on a vehicle legally) for later model bikes and some of them are amazing. They don't have many dealers in the US however and their parts are not cheap, but if you are dead set on modifying a Dyna and lack the fab skills and equipment to make major frame modifications it could be an option.

Pretty sure that there website is www.easyriders.jp, or just Google it. They have an "English" translated website to view, galleries of bikes that they have built and a .pdf catalog that fills my heart with envy.

[Nosebleed]

Just looked at your profile and saw that you are from Bangkok, Thailand. I assumed that was a joke at first until I saw pictures of you riding your bike next to Elephants, haha. If you're really from Thailand then I'd guess that getting parts from Easyriders Japan would be quicker, easier and cheaper for you than it would be getting them here in the US.

Cheers!

[mpybkk]

@nosebleed - Yeah I'm over here (from the states), and know about the easy riders guys stuff. A website called webike (japan) is how I can usually can get their parts. Didn't know they did Dyna parts though, thanks for the tip.

My only concern is what SyndicateChoppers hits on, is the bikes stance. For the tank I could always do some tweaks, run a stock, and so forth...but that final stance the frame gives on those older shovels is very unique. It seems all the newer Harley swing arm bikes can never replicate that...but as he mentions, maybe the way the seat area is designed it kills the stance?

The reason I'm looking at doing this with a Dyna, is because over here are not many Shovels to work with, and Dynas are the closest affordable option.

[Nosebleed]

I hear ya, but I'm not exactly sure what it is that youre trying to achieve really. Of course, you want to make it look like a Shovel, but that's not going to happen without a lot of fab work. As mentioned earlier, there are just a lot of differences in the design of the frame, shock mount locations, swingarm shape etc. You can change up a lot of things but If you want a similar ride height etc then you'll need to get pretty specific about what it is that will achieve the look that you want and then go after it.

You can always change your seat and seat mounting system with minimal fab work. You can change out rear fenders, cut the strut portion from the stock frame, put on some lower shocks, use covered FLH style shocks etc. You can always lower the front end or change it out to suit your needs, add fork shrouds like the Shovel in your pic above etc. Much more than that though and youre going to run into major fab work. Cutting out and replacing the backbone may help if you want to go that route. Making a round swingarm like the Pans and early Shovels ran could work but you'd either have to fab something from scratch or modify something else to work which would be intensive work. Of course you can throw as much time and money at it as you desire, but I'm afraid that you'll be left with a nice Dyna attempting to look like a Shovel in the end.

My suggestion would be to be happy with what you can do with a stock Dyna...or wait it out and find yourself a Shovel. You can always save up and ship one to Thailand when youre ready.

[Guest]

Great. A TransShovual. In Bangkok no less. Imagine thaaat.

[Nosebleed]

Be nice, Arby! Not exactly like the guy can dial up his local SoCal Craigslist and choose from 8 dozen nice Shovelhead projects to pick up on Monday evening.

That was funny as hell though.



I get what he's doing and really, who doesn't love the look of a Shovelhead? It's just not likely that he's going to be able to have his shovel-flavored cake, and eat it to.

Only problem is that it's not too clear on what it is that he loves about the Shovel and the "stance" that it has. Stance is an ambiguous concept made up of many variables.

[elmiguel13]

Here's two versions of my Dyna...wasnt trying to make it into a shovel, well maybe the first version, just make it cool, to me. Im really looking forward to Noise Cycles build for this years Born Free as he's building a Dyna. Its not too difficult to make something cool outta old iron, newer stuff isnt as easy. Just my opinion. Dynas arent easy to make cool, but it can be done. There's not a ton of aftermarket parts avail for Dynas, there's a ton for softails and sportys, so you gotta think outside the box. After everything is said and done, Id still trade my Dyna for a shovel.
[IMG][/IMG]
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[Guest]

Be nice, Arby! Not exactly like the guy can dial up his local SoCal Craigslist and choose from 8 dozen nice Shovelhead projects to pick up on Monday evening.

That was funny as hell though.



I get what he's doing and really, who doesn't love the look of a Shovelhead? It's just not likely that he's going to be able to have his shovel-flavored cake, and eat it to.

Only problem is that it's not too clear on what it is that he loves about the Shovel and the "stance" that it has. Stance is an ambiguous concept made up of many variables.

Hey, somebody had to say it. It was just hangin' out there.

[mpybkk]

Right, I'm not back in the states where i got my pick of the crop…bikes over here cost a minimum of 2x what we would pay back home for em. While it used to be more common, importing older bikes now is not an option either, crazy import fees, difficult to register, etc. I have seen shovels and pans that look like they have been through hell and back, 10x over, and still sell for 20k here.

That being said, by stance, I assume by using lower shocks on the rear and dropping the front, I would get close to what I want. It seems most the time I see dynas they have really high front forks, starting from stock.

My main concern is if that seat area is going to mess up the whole flow on the bike. Fenders, tanks, bars, fork shrouds and covers will for sure happen and set the basic style of the bike. But I just wanted to make sure that overall the frame will still sort of feel the same.

It's like trying to do a fixed fender on a new sporty, it doesn't work, at least not as nice as when done on a ridged or softail.

@elmiguel13 - Im digging those earlier bikes of the bike….in the earlier version of your bike, that's closer to what i am thinking. Is the tank on there stock? Do you have any more photos looking down on it from above or the front?

[mpybkk]

Some Ideas

Here are a few pics gathered up of more of what I am going after…