I finally got my ironhead running this past weekend. I felt like a fatkid in a bakery. I have something to show for the 6 months of hard work that I put in. This bike sounds MEAN! I actually had to use my shut off button to shut her down. I am not claiming that it is complete (I'm sure there will be issues once I finally get to ride it). The problem is I live in Wisconsin and it is approximatley -5 (without windchill). I may not get a chance to get it out of my icy driveway for another 2-3 months. Winters are already agonizing enough...but now waiting to ride this thing is torture.

A little about the bike..It is a 1966 XLCH with magneto, kick start only. I bought this as a basket case. It already had the chrome frame, extended forks, invador rims and a good lower end. Besides that..everything was missing or needed work. New cylinders, pistons, rings, heads, footpegs, headlight, wiring, carb, seat, gastank, tire, front break caliper, chrome lines, handlebars, controls, petcock...etc etc etc.. I have had a lot of help from this forum and I want to thank you all. There is a wealth of knowledge on here. Here are some current pics.

Don't mind the oil on the floor....that came from my buddy's honda....jk!

 

Looks Good !!!! Nice job... The Invader rims are Classics...Friend has a '72 Ironhead with them too..People are searching for them as collectable & Hard to find..

I also like the blacked cylinders & bare heads, gives it a 'shovelhead' look...

The wrapped pipes are a nice touch also..

On the rocker box allen bolts, I use a Q-tip & swab the inside with paint..Hides any rust & looks clean.. Just my .02

Winter waiting is a beatch !! I like the oldies too.. Have my Old HD Flathead stroker.. Which is my baby..


I'm curious as to your fuel filter location, why on the upside to carb ??

Usually it should be on the downside from petcock for more gravity feed..

Just an observation...

Cool ride..

 

Thank you!

Very good point on the fuel filter location. I will change that tonight. Plus, it will look better on the other side of the bike where the petcock is.

 

I like your "shocks". Did you make those bars yourself?

 

wow, them are some long tubes, they look like 10 or more over, where did you get those? all I can find is 8 over.

whats the overall degree of rake on it?

 

Excellent! I am in southwestern Ontario Canada - cold, snow, wind, etc. I had my coldest ever ride here a few weeks ago, the day before the next big storm hit. There had been enough rain to wash the salt from the roads and temperature was -7`C, with very strong winds.

Aimed the space heater at the oil tank for about 20 minutes to give it a head start. Put on the long thermal u-wear top and bottom, jeans, sweatshirt, leathers. Was good for about an hour riding in the city. Man, what a feeling. That cold weather riding is the best.

So do not despair! No salt and no ice on the roads == ride, ride, ride!

Cool scoot ya got there, eh!

 

Yeah about 3 weeks ago here in jersey it was 20 deg took the ironhead out and i got a brain freeze. When i got my haircut the barber said he can feel the cold coming off my shirt. Nice bike and your right this place is full of knowledge wish somebody was closer to me so i can learn more about tearing them down and rebuild

 

I have the same rims on my '73 model, they are awsome!

 

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I like your "shocks". Did you make those bars yourself?
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Randy
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You don't like my farm and fleet specials? Yes, they are temporary. I had to lower the bike because the springer seat made it to tall for me. I plan on getting a bolt on hardtail kit (because I don't want to weld on the chrome frame). However, I keep losing my ebay bids. If I can't find a reasonably priced bolt on kit, I will get the chrome struts out of J and P.
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wow, them are some long tubes, they look like 10 or more over, where did you get those? all I can find is 8 over.

whats the overall degree of rake on it?
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I have no idea as to what the rake or tube length is. The chrome frame, and forks were already on the bike when I bought it. I do know that the fork lowers are from a 1973 because I had to use a banana front caliper. Other than that. They are not marked in any way. I'll measure for you when I get home. Where do you want measurments from? How do I measure the rake?
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So do not despair! No salt and no ice on the roads == ride, ride, ride!
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I'm born and raised in Wisco and I normally do not even winterize my bike. We try to ride all year. Although, these past two years we have had record amounts of the white SH*T. I don't mind the wind and cold...it is the ice, the snow and the salt. Is there an old Ironhead snowmobile?...hahaha
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I have the same rims on my '73 model, they are awsome!
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Thanks! They cleaned up real nice. I thought that I was going to have to paint them before I introduced them to steel wool...

 

You did good.

I'm with buddy on the fuel filter. You could also route the fuel line between the cylinders, I would clean this up quite a bit.

Pat