That was a purchase made possible by unexpected drama.
This was my 1980 FXWG, customised to look a bit like the 1982-only black/brown/gold Sturgis, I admit. Owned it for 13 years and did 35,000 miles on it. For a while it was my only transport after arriving back Down Under in early 2008. It was an absolute nail when I bought it, but it was nice in recent years. I spent a lot of time and money on it over the years. (But I just don't like orig style FXWG 21in front wheels!)
Last August, after a frame-up Covid rebuild that I did over 2yrs, on the day after I took the above photo I finally went to start it, kick only......inexplicably there was a fuel buildup in the intake, I guess (NO fuel leaks of any kind) and a small fire started. I had no extinguisher and I had to call for help......
I was kinda upset, but then that silver lining appeared. It was fully insured for a great sum, and I got an instant payout based on the photos I took because Covid meant the insurer was not sending out assessors.
And then..... after a forensic examination of the damage....it was nowhere near as bad as it looked. All up, one of the fuel tanks needed a repaint, the handlebar and main wiring loom were toast, seat was badly singed....and really that was about it.
I inspected everything, cleaned it all up, advertised it with brutal honesty (it had a FRESH bore, rebuilt gearbox, lots of good stuff and OEM parts sourced over several years) and got 7000 of your English pounds for the bike, minus seat, pipes, oil tank. It needed those, plus rewiring and a paint job on one tank, to get back on the road. And I did not guarantee the carb. Weirdly even the manifold rubbers were intact and seemingly undamaged.
I really looked after the buyer and he was very pleased - he had to trust me, he bought it over the phone from Sydney. But I would never rip anyone off. Shovels are getting very pricey here now, he got a good deal. I wrote him a 3000 word full history of the bike under my ownership.
Immediately I started hunting for a black/brown/gold Sturgis on FB Marketplace in the US. And fate smiled upon me.
I kept the FXWG bits I wanted with a view to using some on the FXB. I have had those pipes and some other bits blacked, and the seat (period piece) fully reupholstered. The stock Sturgis seats are very rare but the plastic base always cracks on them, so I will retire it to storage and use the metal-base one you see on the FXWG.
The brass pushrod covers (handmade by a Chicago guy on the Shovelhead.us board a decade ago, but he seems to have vanished now) will look really nice on the Sturgis, I reckon. And to show them off, I will also be using the mini ham can you see on the FXWG .... I have had it powdercoated black for the Sturgis.
Stock is always king with Shovels these days, but the combo of the original FXB airbox and balance-pipe exhaust means you cannot see the damn motor and I don't like that. So I will take the chance to piss off some purists - but ALL original bits will be carefully stored. And my little bit of messing will still leave it looking like an FXB.
Right, got lots to do to make my new Shovel road-legal.... later ....
PS: I now own three fire extinguishers......