Right hand shift ?? (year ended)
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1st Gear
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5
Likes: 1
From: Cajun Country
Right hand shift ?? (year ended)
I have a 75 Ironhead with the right hand shft. What was the last year they made right hand shift? Was 75 the last year? Some people say74 was the last year, and I can't have a 75 right hand shift. Ive look on the web for info but I can't find any. Thisis my model number(4A12074H5) I found it on the web and it is a 75. They had me thinking that I had the wrong year. Thanks
LeeZach
1975 Ironhead
USAF 86-07
Good decisions are learned from experience.
Experience is learned from making bad decisions.
LeeZach
1975 Ironhead
USAF 86-07
Good decisions are learned from experience.
Experience is learned from making bad decisions.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 11,068
Likes: 1,477
From: Texas! Ya mean there's someplace else?
RE: Right hand shift ?? (year ended)
1975 was indeed the first year for the left hand shift. But it was a cobbed together pice of crapola that worked marginally at best, and as parts wore sometimes quit working altogether. It was an easy job to gather the parts and convert it back to a right side shift/left side brake. That is probably what was done on your bike.
Cruiser
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 149
Likes: 2
RE: Right hand shift ?? (year ended)
Yep. The only change to make the '75 a left hand shift was a goofy linkage that used the original brake pivot. I believe the DOT mandated the change, and it was done on short notice. There's no difference in the motor or the actual shift location.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,852
Likes: 2,493
From: Decatur, Alabama
RE: Right hand shift ?? (year ended)
Funny thing about that crappy linkage on the 75. I've had mine for over 25 years and never had one problem with it. I guess I'm just lucky. Now that I've mouthed off, it will probably break on me
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 11,068
Likes: 1,477
From: Texas! Ya mean there's someplace else?
RE: Right hand shift ?? (year ended)
ORIGINAL: ironxl
There's no reason that the external linkage won't give good service, if it is adjusted properly and lubed occasionally. The shifter on my 76 still works smooth as silk.
There's no reason that the external linkage won't give good service, if it is adjusted properly and lubed occasionally. The shifter on my 76 still works smooth as silk.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,754
Likes: 4
From: GA
RE: Right hand shift ?? (year ended)
Interesting. I had a '74 and thought that was the last year. I had never heard about the problems with the '75's. Learn something everyday, I guess.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 770
Likes: 2
From: East NM
RE: Right hand shift ?? (year ended)
The '75s didn't come from the factory with a righthand shift for delivery in the US. It was a DOT thing that mandated standardized shifters on all bikes and cages starting in the '75 model year, so it may be that a few were shipped to other market areas with the right side shifter. Also, on '75 and '76 Sportsters, the way the factory did the conversion to a left side shift made it very easy to convert to a right shift if you needed or wanted it.
1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
right side shifter
i have a right side shift sporster. the vin # starts with 4A on the motor only have 7 digits last 2 are unreadable.have read that 70,71,72 were all 900s and 1000cc came later after 72.how can one tell the difference