75 sportster handling
#1
75 sportster handling
Greetings fellow infidels,
I just bought a 75 sportster it's my first harley. Anyways, handling seems a like it could improve a bit. I'm drifting wider on turns than i want or compensating and cutting sharp from a stop and go. So I want to give it a tweak. I'm looking for more of a rip around town short distances and give it some better agility. Has stock bars. Toying with throwing a different style on like a drag bar or something. How would that affect handling? I'm not looking for distance comfort, just ripping around town short distances.
I just bought a 75 sportster it's my first harley. Anyways, handling seems a like it could improve a bit. I'm drifting wider on turns than i want or compensating and cutting sharp from a stop and go. So I want to give it a tweak. I'm looking for more of a rip around town short distances and give it some better agility. Has stock bars. Toying with throwing a different style on like a drag bar or something. How would that affect handling? I'm not looking for distance comfort, just ripping around town short distances.
#2
Dude, a '75 anything isn't gonna handle that well no matter what bars you have. Better tires and shocks would help but you're still bolting everything up to a flexi-flyer frame. Me, I'd save the money on bolt ones for this one and put it toward a newer bike as soon as you could...but that's just me.
#3
#4
Dude, a '75 anything isn't gonna handle that well no matter what bars you have. Better tires and shocks would help but you're still bolting everything up to a flexi-flyer frame. Me, I'd save the money on bolt ones for this one and put it toward a newer bike as soon as you could...but that's just me.
#6
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Frozelandia, Minnysota
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Two things come to mind; does it have forwards and did someone put car tires on it - both not unusual things to find on an old customized Harley. Forwards can make it feel like like you're forcing the bike a bit through a turn when you're not used to them (big change in balance with your legs out front), car tires... well, they're not going to handle like bike tires, especially on a lighter (relative to big twins) bike like a sportster. Low tire pressure can make them feel really sloppy and slow handling (wide turn syndrome) also. Check the tire dates, too, don't want tires much over 5 years old, rubber gets hard and handling suffers. Any of this apply to your bike?
#7
Start with the basics. Tires, proper air pressure? How old are they? If they are over 5 years old, replace them. Check the wheel bearings too. There's a real good chance the fork oil hasn't been changed in a long time, do that and check the steering head bearings at the same time. The shocks probably need replacing too. Check the swingarm bushings while you're at it.
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#9
I had a '78 XLCH; the handling was typical '70s. My bike came with wide bars, like an older FLH. The wide bars required some upper body movement when making sharp turns but I could whip that bike around tight corners without any trouble. I had already been riding for ten years when I bought that Sporty new, so I was an experienced rider. To an inexperienced rider, that handling of that bike might have felt somewhat ponderous. As was suggested earlier, check and service the wheels, tires and suspension. BTW, you now own a classic bike. I wish I still had my XLCH.
#10
Thanks all for the good info. Tire pressure is low and bars do need adjusted up. I will correct that. Foot controls are stock no mods there. I think I will just have to get used to it too I realize it's not gonna be a smooth ride, just felt not right when I took it out the other day. I have a 74 yamaha I'm used to riding more of an upright position. Trade up for a new model? Maybe someday. I'm 34 both my bikes roll off the line before I was born I think that's kind of neat