1953 HARLEY DAVIDSON FL

A revolutionary engine offering was the new rotating exhaust valves with caps and an improved hydraulic valve lifter installed inside the tappet body. The 61-inch OHV Pan-head was dropped from the engine offering. The ’53 was still supplied with either foot or hand shift. The engine cylinder return oil was drained through the cylinder wall below the piston skirt when it was in the open position. The lower oil scraper ring was made of flivible and comfortable heat treated steel. The years 1853 and early ’54 only find the oil pump fitted with new guided, sheave ended check and relief valves with three cornered wedges. An easily accessible removable screen filter was installed under a round cap in the late ’52 engine case in the valve lifter oil line. The Deluxe Solo group offered a new inline external oil filter.   In 1949, a year after receiving the "Pan-head" engine, the FL was given a new front suspension featuring hydraulically damped telescopic forks, replacing the leading link spring suspension of the time. These forks were standard on all big twin models for 1949.During their debut model year of 1949, Harley-Davidson referred to their new suspension systems as the "hydraulic front ends". Harley-Davidson's marketing department promoted the new suspension systems by renaming the big twin models "Hydra Glide" for the 1950 model year. This was Harley-Davidson's first departure from its policy of using alphabetic lettering to identify its models. This name would change twice in the history of the basic large-framed E and F series models, each time signaling an improvement in the bike's technology.In 1952, the Hydra-Glide's transmission standard hand-shift/foot-clutch was supplemented by the optional foot-shift/hand-clutch. The original format continued to be offered as an option until 1978.    1952 was also the last year of the 61 cu in (1,000 cc) EL, making the FL the last remaining large-frame mode.Although the 1903 founding is now the basis for "Anniversary Models", Harley-Davidson's 50th Golden Anniversary was celebrated in 1954. 1953-LAST YEAR OF THE EL 61-CUBIC-INCH PAN-HEAD ENGINE