Ironhead A place to talk about Ironheads.

newby help needed

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 2, 2006 | 02:19 AM
  #21  
piniongear's Avatar
piniongear
Stellar HDF Member
15 Year Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
Default RE: newby help needed

IMHO that is just more BS coming from someone who may not like ironheads. I can get a bad transmission when I buy a Chevy, Ford, or Cady for that matter.
No, ironheads are not known for bad transmissions, shifter forks etc, etc. My old Sporty has 80000 plus miles on it that includes two total engine rebuilds in it's lifetime so far. The transmission has no rebuild and has never failed.
In addition, my ironhead experience goes back to 1957 and with the K models that proceeded the Sportsters. K's had the same gearbox and clutch as the Sportster since they were the Sporty's Grandfather. No problems with those either in my experience with them. This gearbox has been used since 1952.
Don't be deterred in your search for an ironhead. You will be riding something that is quite different when you pull up in that crowd of lookalike EVO's and Twin Cam 88's. In fact, you will find that most people will not even have an idea of what you are riding, other than saying it is an ironhead of some unknown vintage.
Harley dealers (around me anyway) will not work on ironheads. You know what, I bet the mechanics in these shops are not capable of working on them either. After all, most ironheads are older than the young mechanics who man the work benches with their electronic diagnostic equipment. Ha-Ha, they are not going to solve problems on an ironhead using those toys........pg
 
Reply
Old Oct 2, 2006 | 07:57 AM
  #22  
sepixlh's Avatar
sepixlh
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 751
Likes: 6
From: 500 miles south from Artic Circle
Default RE: newby help needed

ORIGINAL: piniongear

IMHO that is just more BS coming from someone who may not like ironheads. I can get a bad transmission when I buy a Chevy, Ford, or Cady for that matter.
No, ironheads are not known for bad transmissions, shifter forks etc, etc. In fact, you will find that most people will not even have an idea of what you are riding, other than saying it is an ironhead of some unknown vintage.
Harley dealers (around me anyway) will not work on ironheads. You know what, I bet the mechanics in these shops are not capable of working on them either. After all, most ironheads are older than the young mechanics who man the work benches with their electronic diagnostic equipment. Ha-Ha, they are not going to solve problems on an ironhead using those toys........pg
I agree all that piniongear Bensonjv you need to ask yourself: are you willing and capable to keep that ironhead up and running by yourself ?
If not do you know good mechanic who knows ironheads ? These aren't so complicated equipment and this forum is good help
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Flathead Butch
Flathead
5
Jun 21, 2012 06:50 AM
Bullfrog
Shovelhead
3
May 14, 2011 05:12 PM
camarotuner
General Harley Davidson Chat
4
Mar 6, 2007 02:13 PM
harleyvirgin
Ironhead
15
Mar 4, 2007 06:52 PM
lownloud
Ironhead
1
Oct 21, 2006 03:26 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:50 AM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE