The knucklehead is a retronym used by enthusiasts to refer to a Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine, so named because of the distinct shape of the rocker boxes. The knucklehead engine valve covers have contours resembling knuckles on a person's fist that give the knucklehead its name..
Similarly, where did the term knucklehead come from?
What brings the HDAS to mind is that "knucklehead," meaning a stupid or slow-witted person, is classic US slang dating back to the period of World War II. Apparently "knucklehead" arose as a variant of "bonehead," meaning that a stupid person has a thick skull impervious to listening or learning.
Additionally, what does knucklehead mean in slang? A knucklehead is a dummy or a numskull. You might criticize your friend's baking skills by saying, "You used salt instead of sugar, you knucklehead!" Knucklehead is an informal term that can come across as joking rather than insulting, depending how you use it.
Keeping this in consideration, why do they call it a Shovelhead?
Harley-Davidson Shovelhead engine. The engine gained the nickname “Shovelhead” due to the look of the rocker heads having the appearance of an old coal shovel that was flipped upside down, giving the appearance of a shovel.
What is the difference between a Panhead and a knucklehead?
What is the difference between a shovelhead, a panhead, and a knucklehead motorcycle? The valve covers on these bikes was a stamped metal pan, hence the name. A Knucklehead has a rockerbox assembly that looks like a couple of knuckles and was produce from the mid-'30s to the late '40s.
Related Question Answers
What does bonehead move mean?
: a stupid person : numbskull. bonehead. adjective. Definition of bonehead (Entry 2 of 2) 1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of a bonehead : performed in a stupid or clumsy manner the shortstop made a bonehead play.When did the knucklehead come out?
The iconic “Knucklehead” — the overhead valve 61-cubic-inch V-twin introduced by Harley-Davidson in early 1936 — is a milestone motorcycle and one of the most important American bikes ever made.What was the last year of the knucklehead?
1947
What does FLH stand for?
FLH= electra glides rubber mount motors( ultra,classic,standard,streetglide,roadkigs.roadgl ides) FXSTS= FX softail standard. FLHTC= electra glide classic.Why did old Harleys leak oil?
I told them that these older Harley's were designed to “leak oil” . They called Beta Sierra on that one until I explained: “Harley's are supposed to do that by design because it is primary chain oil that drips from the chain case". You see, Harley's Big Twin design was that the engine is separate from the transmission.How many miles will a Harley Evo last?
For sports bikes, 25,000 miles can be a lot. Harley-Davidson® motorcycles are built to last much longer. If a bike has good maintenance records, no signs of damage and no oil leaks, even a bike with 40,000 to 50,000 miles can be expected to last a long time.Is an Ironhead a Shovelhead?
Nope, an Ironhead is not a Shovelhead. Period. Nope, an Ironhead is not a Shovelhead.Why do Shovelheads leak oil?
Oil leaks, or the "Shovelhead Drip," have been plaguing Shovelhead owners for decades. The culprits can include worn head gaskets, the valve cover on top of the engine or the oil pump. The Shovelhead was equipped with automatic oilers in the primary and for the chain drive.What the difference between a Shovelhead and an Ironhead?
Sportsters have always had cast iron heads, shovelheads have always had aluminum heads. Sportsters are refered to as Ironheads for as long as any of us can remember to denote they are different from the "more expinsive" big twins.How many cc's is a Shovelhead?
Shovelhead engines - Manufactured between 1966 and 1985. Shovelheads displaced 74 cubic inches (1,200 cc) and produced 60 horsepower.What does Ironhead mean?
Definition of ironhead. 1a : wood ibis sense 1. b : american goldeneye. 2 : a stupid person.When did Harley stop using kickstart?
The last year I saw a kick start Harley was 1984. They were discontinued in the middle of that year. My neighbor had one, both electric start and kick start.What is the knuckle?
The knuckles are joints formed by the bones of the fingers and are commonly injured or dislocated with trauma to the hand. The first and largest knuckle is the junction between the hand and the fingers - the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP). The farthest joint of the finger is the distal inter-phalangeal joint (DIP).What is the largest engine Harley Davidson makes?
The S&S T143 Long Block engine for Harley- Davidson® models is the largest S&S engine that will fit in a stock Harley- Davidson® chassis. It's big, 143 cubic inches.What makes a bobber bike?
A bobber motorcycle is a motorcycle that has had unnecessary components and parts removed in order to reduce the weight and give it a minimalist look. Typically, these parts can be removed without damaging the function of the bike.What Japanese company bought Harley?
Kawasaki
What kind of bike was used in Easy Rider?
In total, four former police bikes were used in the film. The 1949, 1950 and 1952 Harley-Davidson Hydra-Glide bikes were purchased at an auction for $500, equivalent to about $3700 in 2020.Why is it called a Softail?
A softail is a motorcycle with its rear suspension springs or shock absorbers located out of direct view, so as to look like a hard-tail motorcycle. The word softail is a registered trademark of Harley-Davidson, coined for the FXST Softail in 1984.What is an Ironhead motorcycle?
The ironhead was a Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine, so named because of the composition of the cylinder heads (Iron instead of Aluminium). The engine is a two-cylinder, two valves per cylinder, pushrod V-twin. This name was applied to the Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycles that used this engine. 
