Sportster...The Best Bike??

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

From the beginning of motorcycling history, men have argued over who makes the 'Best Bike'. Good natured kidding and joking about one anothers choice of ride would turn into hours spent tuning, modifying and changing them. All in an effort to improve upon their chosen 'Brand'. Soon this good natured banter would turn into fierce competition...forever branding ones loyalty with Tattoos and Emblems....and where better to prove who's 'King' of the 2 wheeler's.....but the dirt back roads....soon to be paved into blacktop streets and highways. Their 'Riders' ever inventing new ways to challenge one another, their 'Machines' and themselves....All to prove once and for all which was the Best Bike.... 'Best Bike'?...........How about a Custom Chopper,.. Rat Bike,..Tourer,.. Drag Racer,..Hill Climber,.. Bobber,.. Road Racer,.. Antigue,.. Bar Hopper,.. Cafe Racer,.. Stocker,.. Dirt Track Racer,.. Bonneville Hauler,.. Trike and yes, even Off Roading??!!..(Baja!)....Flathead,.. Knuckster,.. Panster,.. Shovster,.. IronHead,.. Block Head,..Nitro Burning,....Vibrating,.....Ass Kicking,.. Brut Horse Power...Been Around Longer Then Most You Wannabes Who Put it Down As A "Girls Bike"....'A True King Among Motorcycles'.....Does It All And Does It Well....And...Apologizes To Nobody!.....K, KR, XLCH, XLH, XLCR, XLR....Just Call It ..."SPORTSTER" .... ....Semper Fi....Hrdly-Dangrs

[AdminGuy]

Oh Boy! Here we go!

I should probably make you moderator of this section also. --- it is done.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Is that anything like a 'Hall Monitor"?.... ....Hrdly-Dangrs

[61 panman]

By all the attention this"Best Bike" is receiving on this board it looks like you may end up only having to police yourself
I have ridden 2 friends sport models and did dig them. Both were bone stock Ironhead vintage but I did not feel they were up to snuff on the highway. I guess like most older HD's you gotta change things to make them run the way you want them to.
You are right on about the Sportsters looks and sounds. Not many bikes produced have given the impression of being so stripped down, raw and MEAN.
Doug

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Sportster Spoken Here..

Thanks AdminGuy for creating the 'Sportster' thread! I'm sure a lot of good info and questions will come its way from other members.......Hrdly-Dangrs

[AdminGuy]

Welcome. Play around with the hall monitor features. You should see a few more buttons with each post now. Sorry, no special uniform is given with the job.

Modifying a Sportster is fun. Lots of after market stuff to choose from. Does anyone have a first or second yr production bike?

Hummmm...what was the name of that movie , early 80's with Mike Douglas in NYC on a sporty. He was a tarnished copper or something? A few nice scenes in that one. I think they did a street race and jump sequence. I was thinking about sales and PR value of that movie. Don't ask me how I remember this stuff.

Picked up my break shoes late today. In the back door. Hanging out with the guys in the asbestos pit shooting the bull as they arch fit my stuff. The fellow says he has a Fat Boy. Nice bike I compliment him. He looks at SS Indian stuff. Not quite sure what it looks like. We talk new Indians and cost. Now get this!!! approx. 76 yr old lady who now runs/owns the place comes out and gives me a big smile. She says, "It's a beautiful bike. Bring it by and take me out for a ride when you get it together." I replied, "You got it sweet heart". I thought to myself , now here's a gal who has some memories." Her whole face really lit up. and so, I shall return.

Sorry for that IND interjection. It was a nice day.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Testing for Buttons....I don't see no Buttons......??

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Hey Doug. Yeah long distance Highway Cruiser was never the Sportster mainstay, but if you set up the chassis correctly (actually take the time to adjust your rear shocks for a softer ride, (yes, thats what those little ridges on the lower shock are for) and put on a set of forward controls and your half way there. Just add a larger 22/23 tooth trans gear (we're talking Iron heads here with the non-changeable 51 tooth rear wheel sprocket) and you'd be amazed how smooth that 'Sporty' will run! Not only that but at 65MPH you crack the throttle and that 'Sporty' will walk away from all but the baddest 'Stroker' "Big Twins'! On the straights that is, until they hit the twisties and that Big Twin will just be a speck in the "Sporties' rear view mirror! And that's what makes the 'Sportster" model 'The King' of Harley-Davidson!.... ....Hrdly-Dangrs

[k.perry]

I rode the Sportster over to pick up some oil at the shop last Saturday. Had
> it all nice and shiny. I got caught with a sudden rainstorm coming home. Only
> a mile and a half from being home, I was coming down Holcomb Blvd. and a
> light turned red at Kirby.
> I put on the brakes and something pulled up alongside me on the right. Then
> this object started to pass me. Looking over and down I saw that the object
> was my rear wheel. I was in full broadslide at that moment and wuz headed
> down, so I just hung on and concentrated on saving the machine. I hit the
> ground after doing a full 180 degree slide, facing the oncoming traffic,
> still sliding to the intersection. People came running out of their cars with
> concern I guess. I picked up the machine and assured them that all was OK,
> and that it was just super slick out here. Cranked it up and made it home to
> do inspection.
> Both mirrors were knocked loose, slight scratches on the left rear shock
> cover, and a bent license plate. Oh, the left footpeg rubber was entirely
> gone where it had been ground off to the metal peg.
> I got asphalt rash on left elbow and both shins. Sure glad there were no cars
> in front of me though. I don't think the Harley ballcap I had on is DOT rated.-Blake
Here's a good trick if you want to try it...try running diagonally across wet railroad tracks. I did so at an intersection in downtown Long Beach, 1967...on my Honda 305 Scrambler, with factory universal knobby treads and had the front wheel side out from under me... in my Navy "whites". That, will put you down on your chin. I was so mortified, that I had to try it again to prove I could do it, and fell down a second time. My "whites" had big skid marks on them.-kp
No thanks on trying the RR track thing. Yeah, the ol'
front wheel washout will send you flying. The old test to determine if you
were riding up front in a race was to go into a corner so hard (dirt track) that the
front wheel did washout. You would let it slide until it piled up dirt on the
outside tire wall and caused the handlebars to suddenly whip left. This put
the bike vertical, so then you gave it full throttle and then the rear tire takes a bite.
You would the leave rest of them still in the corner broadsliding while you made for the straightway. I wish I could still do that, but it's not a game for an old fat boy like myself.-Blake

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Nice Save k....sort of!!.....I've done a few crazy things like that myself in this lifetime! I know that feeling when you realize your rear tire is passing you! I was on route 46 heading West and as I came up on the Rt 23 North and 46 West split off (you North Jersey guys know where I'm talking about) I was doing about 45-50 mph in the middle lane, heavy traffic all around me, when some 'chap' decided at the last second that he needed to get from the Rt 46 West fast lane over to the Rt 23 North slow lane with me in the middle! I was running a 4" extended hardtail 'Sporty' with 10" Ape hangers and stock mech. brake with a 'Goodyear' 16" tire with some tread left on it and a narrow 21" avon on front . I was already leaning slightly to the right to head up Rt 23 N and as I locked up the rear brake the rear wheel came around the left side (mind you I'm sitting straight up with both arms and my upper torso and head facing straight ahead and my ass and legs and the rear end were vertually alongside the front wheel and I was in a 'Dirt track' type power slide!! WOW!! The Avon never lost its tracking (love those tires!) and luckily I didn't loose it and I straightened out and kept her up and just kept going up Rt 23 North! To the nearest Bar if I remember!.....Still don't know why the bike stayed up... ....Hrdly-Dangrs PS: Actually I do know why the bike stayed up....The road was dry and I got LUCKY!!...REAL LUCKY!!!

[L. A.]

I'm not a real big fan of the 'newer' Sportsters, but I loved my '67 XLCH...when I could get it started...LOL...however...on the highway...I dunno...it just felt like it needed one more gear...know what I mean?

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Yep! Going back to my last post before yours...with that Sportster, It started out total stock, then I welded on a Santee 4" hardtail rear section, cut down 4" flat rear fender and low style sissy bar and a P-Pad, which when set up with the sixteen inch wheel with a Goodyear at about 12lbs pressure, gave an instant rake to the front end. Set-up the front with a 21" custom rim and Avon tire. I tried several different style bars and found the Apes to be most comfortable. Ran that with a Bates style solo seat with 3" springs. I also mounted a set of forward highway pegs low on the front motor mounts and would shift and brake with my heels, (stiill do it that way to this day) Although today they make some nice forward control units that bolt right on. That Sporty was as comfortable to ride as my Big Twin Shovel/Pan hardtail. To cut down on the vibration, I went to a 24 tooth trans sprocket. Had to cut and modify the kicker cover some for chain clearance, but it was like night and day!! The bike pulled from start, no problem solo, and the shifts between gears were longer and vibration dropped to unnoticeable, (if any Sportster vibration could be called unnoticeable). But at 65MPH the differance was unbelievable. That bike would just cruise like no tomorrow! That's the secret to making the Sportster a cruiser. Got to change up from the 21 tooth to at least a 23/24 tooth tranny sprocket. (You guys running a restored Sporty can change up your sprockets and still be original as these trans sprockets came from the Factory in 19 tooth-thru-25 tooth configurations. I think you could safely go 23 Tooth without having to modify the cover with the exception of grinding off a little aluminum on the bosses where the two large mounting bolts go thru the cover. Would be unnoticeable when assembled. Course you'll need a few extra links in the chain. A 110-115 link chain will do the trick.) Comes off of 1st gear smoothly solo (two up you need a bit more throttle) and it will just lope along at 65/70MPH like a Big Twin. Loved that bike! Used to stand up on the seat and do all kinds of dumb tricks. HA! Wish I could figure out how to get my photos down to the correct size, I'd put in a few on this site. Oh well!, If anyone's interested to see some of my Sporty photo's, just e'mail me at www.buddog1@optonline.net and I'll send a pic.... ...Hrdly-Dangrs

[L. A.]

Hrdly...

I emailed ya............

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Hey L.A., Got the e'mail and sent you a Pic last night of the Drag Bike project. As per your offer, if you could re-size that and send it back to me I'd appreciate it. I'll drop it into the Sportster site for others to get a look-see. I'm fairly new to computers and I've got no less then three photo programs in it and while I can size the photos in the program, I can't seem to transfer them to the AMCA without them being rejected. Eventually it will click in my brain. Thanks... ...Hrdly-Dangrs ps: Nice little site you got! Hope to do one myself some day!

[Markz]

HRDLY,
Send me all your pics you want to post and I will resize them no problem. I'm good like that. I just need to find out what the KB limit is for the board. Were you coming back from the Great Notch Inn when you went Evel Knievil(sp?)?

Markz