Hey everyone,

I am the proud new owner of a 1960 XLH 900 and I'm sure I will need help and advice from other riders as I start to learn about my bike and the HD community but I'm still new here so I created this thread to make sure that I'm in the right location. While I was searching the threads I came across a few posts where people mentioned that the "Ironhead" wasn't started until after my 1960 but I always heard my step dad call the bike an Ironhead so I assume that I'm in the right place.

The bike itself looks great but I'm not too sure what is and isn't original to the bike and what not. I'll post pictures soon, I'll have to read up on whether not I'm allowed to do that yet with being so new, but so far I'm pretty sure it has a tombstone brake light rather than the original housing that I have seen in pictures of similar rider's bikes. When I was looking around the forums I found some good posts about where to find parts and manuals but from what I've seen so far it isn't as easy to find things for bikes prior to the late 70s, does anyone know of any good sites or places to use for reference on bikes made in the early 60s?

That's all for now, I just wanted to make a brief post to make sure I'm in the right location and get some quick feedback. I'll update this thread with any questions I might have to prevent from overloading the forum with new threads.

Thanks for reading!

 

Welcome! to IronHead nation. Yes, this is the right place.

IronHeads were made from 1957 to 1985. Before '57 it was the K-model; after 1985 it was the Evo.

Yes, please post lots of pic's.

 

My stepdad riding the bike.








This was last week when I brought it in the shop for a service, it had been sitting in the shed for a couple of years





My sister sitting on the bike.

 

Also despite what many seem to believe the early Sportsters were 883 CC's and not 900 CC's.

http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/cl...#axzz3OAjo6Ga8

 

Yeah, that had thrown me off at first. I was reading the history on sporty ironheads (I will change this and I apologize if I'm not allowed to reference them here) and noticed that they mentioned it being a 883cc. When I first found out that it was an XLH 900 I thought that it was a 900cc and predated the 883 and 1000 options but as I started to read up on it I saw that they were 883cc's and it seemed a little confusing. Do you know why they were called 900s?

 

They were "rounding" up just like most other manufacturers did. I helped create more sales.

 

For marketing purposes that makes sense. It's not much different from most men... don't we all round up? lol.

 

Enjoy it, my first Harley i bought new from an HD dealer in Albany Ga., no longer listed, 1968, 883. XLCH. I paid $ 1500 cash for it in the spring of 68, the one man shop dealer was a nice guy, wouldn't let me leave without a helmet, so he gave me a red metal flake.

I wore it for a few blocks, out a sight and took it off. I was in flight school with a few months left on my way to Nam. Enjoyed that bike, rode almost every day i could in Alabama, around Ft. Rucker, and every week end to Panama City, Desdin, all up and down the Gulf coast.

Kick start, no battery, kick it thru slowly, get some oil up, then, a magneto on the left grip, Retard the spark, pull the choke and kick it, then half choke and kick it again, it normally started, if it didn't then kick it again half or no choke, once it did advance the spark, it was great bike. I had the carb jetted, and put straight pipes on her, no question when you heard that bike it was a Harley.

I remember the first time i raced my buddy on BSA 650 Rocket, when i hit 2nd gear and the front wheel came about a foot off the ground, i wasn't anticipating it but it felt good and of course the sportster prevailed. lol

If we had time travel, i'd like to back for a few days and relive that time with my friends and that bike. No spring on the throttle back then, just set it, *fold your arms across your chest and truck down the road, cruise control. *Different time and frame of mind, kind of a devil may care attitude.

 

That was an awesome ride down memory lane! Glad you could share that with me! Thank you for your service as well as for your duty in law enforcement. Where were you a trooper?

 

I think the term "Ironhead" wasn't used until the Evo Sportster came out. Until that point, all Sportsters had the same basic motor (although the later ones were 1000cc), so we just called them Sportsters - no need for a different name.