that helped a lot. so looks like i gotta get some handlebars before i do the carb. which makes things difficult because i need the carb soon. anywho, i will definetly keep all parts i remove from the bike. i plan on one day possibly going resto on it and i will not do anything to the bike that requires me to modify/trim anything stock. if i do for example, trim the fender, rake the frame etc, i would first get a replacement fender/frame and mofify that so i still have the original.
so, the next questions i have is as long as the bars i get are 1" bars im good. here's a question tho, these bars here come with or without dimples. im assuming i want without dimples. its confusing tho because it says they are for post 73 bikes. why is this?

aaand finaly(hopefully finaly) is there any way i can run the harley bars with the mikuni, if i gather correctly i can by using this 1" sleeve? and on top of that, can i run the stock bars with the internal cable and the mikuni. im thinking no? sorry if youve answered all of this. im just trying to get my options completely squared before i go and spend 350 on a carb..

 

Let me see if I can answer all your questions:

1)Handlebars....You want 1 inch. Your present bars have light serration marks on the clamp ends to help keep them from turning.
Dimples or not? Remember, you are buying one piece bars. You will have to buy a new fork clamp that will allow a one piece bar to be installed. Your present clamp does not come apart. Buy the bars and the clamp at the same time.

2)Post 73 Bikes: The front end was changed in 1973 from what was previously used. Because of disc brake, larger fork tubes and a number of other reasons. I think this front end was Japanese.
This is another item requiring your close attention: If the clamps you are to buy fit only 73 and newer front ends, make sure that you will be able to bolt this new clamp to your 1969 upper fork bracket. I bet that it is not going to match for bolt hole dimension.

4)Yes, you can use the Harley bars with the Mikuni. See my signature picture below. The bike has the Harley bars, external throttle cable and Mikuni carb on it when the photo was taken. I used the 1 inch sleeve and no other modificatios were needed.

5)NO, you cannot run the stock bars with the internal cable using a Mikuni. The Mikuni requires a flexible throttle cable and will not work at all with the solid Harley cable, which is the same cable you find on any lawnmower.

 

ok, youve convinced me! i dont want to loose the static throttle, and the complication of the post73 stuff seems like its not really worth it. im just gonna go with a Bendix and get some risers of some sort.. last night tho a few people reccomended the mikuni due to its reliability as well. but i think the bendix will give me plenty of starting reliability. 3rd or 4th kick will do too...

so bendix carb, and something to reverse the cable i would much rather do the reverse sleeve. i have no clue where im going to find one though. i spent all last night looking for one in catalogues and online. nothing.
also it seems as tho the risers are going to have the same issue of nothing pre 73. im finding i cant really do anything to this bike and its getting frustrating.
thanks for your help pinion.

 

69sport......I did not intend to convince you, I was only trying to show what problems may occur by whatever choice you may make. I just took a look at where my Tedd Cycle catalog should be and could not find it. I will keep looking.
Meanwhile, do you have a dealer close to you? If so, go there and ask them to look it up in their catalog. Tedd Cycle will ONLY sell to dealers and even then the dealer must place a $100 minimum order. I have bought Tedd Cycle items here at home and have had to wait for the dealer to accumulate enough in orders to reach a $100 minimum. Anyway, that's no big deal because Tedd Cycle has what you want.
Remember, what you are looking for is a throttle spiral that will PULL to open. Both directions are sold. Meanwhile, I will try to find that part number for you.

Regarding the carbs:
The Mikuni is probably a better carb, but it is more expensive, it requires you to give up the enclosed cable and the static throttle has to go. In addition, this carb will require a rubber connector and a different manifold.
The big drawback there is that the Mikuni manifold is about the same size as what you have now. Add the rubber connector on and the carb sticks WAY out from the engine.
Then we arrive at the air filter end of the Mikuni. There is going to be some serious fabrication required to fit an air filter to the carb. I did not mention any of this in my previous posts because I know it had already become confusing enough. People can easily say, 'Buy the Mikuni', but they have no idea of what they are talking about and what will be required to make this fit and work properly. That is why I dislike people giving these off the top of their head answers. They help no one.

Move to the Bendix:
It will bolt on.
It will not stick out further than what you have now.
The air filter will probably bolt right on as well. At most the modification needed will be minimal.
You get to keep the enclosed cable and the static throttle.
You will have to get the reverse throttle sleeve. This is the only problem with the Bendix choice, and like I said, Tedd Cycle sells them.

The handlebars: Yes, the risers will have the same issues as the post 73 thing. You are not going to be able to get risers. You have two piece bars and you have no choice but to use the factory clamp that is on the bike now.
Let me give you an example of what you can do if you are that determined to get risers.
I wanted to raise my handle bars one inch from what they were from the factory. The only thing I could do was to turn them on my lathe using aluminum barstock. I then bought two Grade 8 HS bolts one inch longer than stock and the riser/clamp/handlebar collection bolted right on. It was nice and easy and the bars were where I wanted them. They could have been 3 inch risers if that's what I had wanted. Just buy longer bolts. These 'risers' that I made are really spacers actually.
I have included a photo of this for you to see. This is the only way I can think of to put risers on a pre 1973 Sportster.
Don't get frustrated. There are many, many things you can do to your bike. Just keep thinking about what you want to do and ask those questions.
You have a very special machine there. There are few 1969 Sportsters left in this world. Keep and preserve what you have. I would hope that you are not drawn into chopping up the frame or otherwise disfiguring the bike. That is what happens to most old Sportsters, and the following stop for them is in a junk pile somewhere.


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69sport.....I could not locate my Tedd Cycle catalog yet so I got in touch with my brother who has the number.
The Harley Davidson part number is 56220-58
The Tedd Cycle (aka VTwin) number is VT-49-0911

Take both of these numbers to your Harley dealer and look at their Tedd Cycle (VTwin) catalog. They can order it for you.
Double check this part number while you are in the catalog to make certain the spiral is a pull to open model, because the number comes from my brother, not directly from me.............pg

 

sweet, well i found one in vtwinn with the help of that part #. and yes it says pull to open and that it will reverse the 69 year. ive ordered over the phone from them before, so ill just do that again. all i gotta do is save up the 300.

no way im going to be able to machine spacers like that, so maybe ill see if i can have them done for me somewhere. im going to have to rig something for the speedo's so they dont end up way up there too, im thinking of 4"spacers, although ill probably get 6" made and i can cut them to my liking. maybe ill just remove the guages, or a maybe a special bracket. same with the headlight. ill have to figure something out because a bracket like yours wont fit on mine. what a surprise[:@]

i was just kidding about convincing me. i know you were being objective.