Why

[JohnR]

Why are Sportsters not a bigger topic for discussion? Especially Iron Heads?

[Coolbreeze]

They are such good bikes, that they are being ridden instead of being worked on. The more tempermental machines seem to be more common topics of discussion.

[Chris Haynes]

Good save George. But as a Sportster owner I'm not going for it.

[flat-happy]

cause ya can't go to a ford garage for chevrolet parts---try this man

http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=7

or this

http://ironheadsportster.net/

[JohnR]

Thanks for the Sporty Links.

[Coolbreeze]

You might also want to see:
http://www.sportster.org/history/
http://www.sportyspecialties.com/

[billpedalino]

NOT TEMPORMENTAL !!???!!!

I still own my original 1964 XLCH. I got it wnen I was 17 years old - now I'm 60. Let me tell you, - it took a lifetime of learning, experience, knowledge and tinkering to remove MOST of the TEMPORMENT from a fixed-magneto XLCH.

These bikes were ornary, tempormental and sometimes downright nasty. And we wouldn't have it any other way !!

[Powerlifter626]

From what I have seen it seems to me that Sportster's have their fans and usually they are just Sporty fans and nothing else. Sportsters seem to be looked at as girls bikes, maybe because they are smaller than the rest of the Harley lineup and with more women riders today than ever before they have gotten this image. Although I still have yet to assemble and enjoy my machine I can't wait to get on my Sportster. To each his own I guess, I love them, I like the look of them, the style, the performance, just my preference.

[Chris Haynes]

A magneto XLCH is no girls bike.

[billpedalino]

Ahmen to that.....

[flat-happy]

the only time i ever started mine easily was if i was really pissed of about something. and i'm 6-1 and 240. man those things have some compression

[INLINE4NUT]

Agirlsbike ??? Hmmmm guess you didnt have one so many years ago !If anything it was a two wheel answer to the Corvette of that era!!! Although it was a chick maganet !!

[Coolbreeze]

Starting a CH

the only time i ever started mine easily was if i was really pissed of about something. and i'm 6-1 and 240. man those things have some compression

I ride long miles, work long hours, sleep on the ground, and stand up to just about anybody that comes my way -- but my '60 CH just about has me beat when it comes to starting. Maybe it's time to admit that I'm not that 19 year old farm kid anymore. Now that I have survived well into my 60s, I can forgive myself for installing a handlebar grip advance feature that will allow me to retard the spark when attempting to start the beast. I'm also seriously considering putting a rare earth magnet rotor in the magneto so that it will have a hotter spark. Finally, I may put a constant velocity carb on it. All of that and a good state of tune should turn this old hot rod into something that even I can start!

[ratfink]

I "parked" my 77 Sporty about 18 years ago in the garage when I bought a 68 FLH. Didn't drain any fluids and just let it sit.

The FLH received similar treatment about 12 years ago as my attention turned to kids.

Two years ago I decided to dust the FLH off and about $2000 later, it was back on the road. Granted some cost was for known problems when the bike was parked. With that bike back on the road, I turned my attenton to the Sporty.

Drained and cleaned the tank, rebuilt the master cylinder and caliper ($20) and new disc pads ($?? - but not much). It has a SU carb, so I took off the top cover, sprayed some carb cleaner and installed a new battery. It roared back to life for less then $100.

So where is it now? In the back of the garage. The FLH is at the shop in NH.

Sporty's - they are the VW bugs of the motorcycle world. You can't kill 'em!

[Chris Haynes]

I would like to hear a report of the condition of your Sporty after it has 1,000 new miles on it. Old oil has acid in it. That acid eats up bearings. Put some miles on it before you say "You can't kill'em!"