Where are all the Old Schoolers
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,856
Likes: 127
From: Middle of Kansas
You have to remember if you are older than dirt like me, that when I had my 1942 "45", that there were no turn signals, and the whole bike was just simpler to wrench. Fuel injection makes me cringe, as does electronic throttles. I was just a kid, but I learned how to fix stuff to keep it rolling. I wanted a bobbed look before that was popular, so just took out the pin in the back fender, and pulled the back section off.
My front brake cable was broke, but who needs a front brake anyway. The cable to the mag was broke also. No problem, just reach down and retard it by hand to start, and then advance by hand when it was running. But there was nothing like kick starting an old Harley on a cold morning. That reminds me. I see guys starting there kick start Harleys in some of the videos, and they all do it standing off to the side. We always started ours stradling the bike. Guess a lot has changed.
When I got the "45", it was powder blue. I wanted it black. So; I went down to the hardware store, bought a can of black enamel, and proceded to paint it black with a brush in the back yard. It came out extremely well for a brush job, and I was happy. I had worked for a painter, and learned how to paint with a brush.
I guess what I am saying is that everything mechanical was just basic stuff. There was no gingerbread, just what it needed to work. Not that they did not need worked on, just that all you needed was basic tools.
I also had a 48 Ford. When you opened the hood you could see everything on the engine that could possibly need work. Open the hood on anything today and you can't even see the engine.
There is an old saying, that if you can make something with 3 parts, an engineer will come up with a way to make the same thing with 25 parts. Sometimes I think it is true.
My front brake cable was broke, but who needs a front brake anyway. The cable to the mag was broke also. No problem, just reach down and retard it by hand to start, and then advance by hand when it was running. But there was nothing like kick starting an old Harley on a cold morning. That reminds me. I see guys starting there kick start Harleys in some of the videos, and they all do it standing off to the side. We always started ours stradling the bike. Guess a lot has changed.
When I got the "45", it was powder blue. I wanted it black. So; I went down to the hardware store, bought a can of black enamel, and proceded to paint it black with a brush in the back yard. It came out extremely well for a brush job, and I was happy. I had worked for a painter, and learned how to paint with a brush.
I guess what I am saying is that everything mechanical was just basic stuff. There was no gingerbread, just what it needed to work. Not that they did not need worked on, just that all you needed was basic tools.
I also had a 48 Ford. When you opened the hood you could see everything on the engine that could possibly need work. Open the hood on anything today and you can't even see the engine.
There is an old saying, that if you can make something with 3 parts, an engineer will come up with a way to make the same thing with 25 parts. Sometimes I think it is true.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh
hey quad, I learned along time ago especially with the shovels that a low rpm idle only sounds good, and is hard on the motor. I have been running my motors at 1000 rpm idle for as long as I can remember, and aviod the bike idleing as much as possible. I lock the idle around 1400 when starting for a brief warmup and in very cold weather will actually shut it off after a few minutes and allow the heat to expand throughout. these steps aren't as necessary today as they were and not everyone agrees with me, but this is my way and I doubt I'll change it. I agree that nothing sounds better than the low idle lope of a harley, I just leave that to those who choose to. I get to still enjoy the sound of a quick take off, grabbing gears, but with my low final drive by the time I get a few well placed gear changes I'm cruising at a pretty high speed, generally higher than the allowed ( by those who make a living enforcing such things) and well, I guess maybe I'm old or something, I'd like to think possibly wiser, hehe, but It all comes down to, thats how I do it and well, how anyone else chooses to do it is their business. oh I havent ever had the opportunity to install evo flywheels in a shovel but I know some people who swear by it. lighter rotating mass with good rods seems to make sense to me. when I build this shovel case I'm going to look for reliable improvments, and well as we all know, sometimes ya get the bear and somethimes the bear gets you. never to old to learn a new trick, or get tricked but thats what keeps me sane I guess. probably be awhile before I get a chance to start aquiring the parts so who knows what the final assy will be. peace brothers
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh
hey jim never owned a 45 myself, but always kicked mine same as you. lot of guys did it the otherway. how many times did ya get a bit of air with a kick, and how many times did ya hit that spot on your ankle when it unexpectedly slipped though. ever wonder what in the world possessed us to love those old machines. gluten for punishment I guess. hell I tell everyone I got 26 yrs of marriage, it just took 3 women to do it. actually olny 2 , but its funnier with 3, and who knows I'm still breathin and lovin it.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,856
Likes: 127
From: Middle of Kansas
Ouch! Don't think I got bit very often by the kick starter, but when it happened it hurt for a week. LOL. I did forget to retard the timing a few times, and she would always let me know by kicking back. Always tried to keep my leg bent just a little so I wouldn't go to far.
I lived in a little town of 1100 people, and was the only Harley rider in town. The girls loved to ride on it, and there was this one special one,,-- Well, we have been married for 50 years now, and she still rides with me sometimes. Time fly's when your having fun.
I lived in a little town of 1100 people, and was the only Harley rider in town. The girls loved to ride on it, and there was this one special one,,-- Well, we have been married for 50 years now, and she still rides with me sometimes. Time fly's when your having fun.
Stage II
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Just started riding
Hey, i like how all of you talk about how all the young kids don't do anything for ourselves anymore =p. I just turned 18 and got a 1984 early ironhead. i would love to fab stuff myself but i don't have the materials or the tools laying around to do it. I've had the bike for less than a month and have only had a week to ride it. First i replaced the primary gasket and decided to try and take the clutch cable out and snapped the adjuster, then i took it on the highway and it started running rough so i drove it home and there it sat. Right now im replacing the oil lines on it to find that oil leak and hopefully this week i'll be able to get it timed and the pushrods adjusted. Don't think that all of my generation is at a total loss. There are a few people that aren't afraid to get covered with oil. i personally like working on my vehicles but most of the time i don't have the resources to do it so i have to buy aftermarket parts or take it to a mechanic. 
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,856
Likes: 127
From: Middle of Kansas
Good for you. That 84 Sporty will teach you a lot, and you will have fun with it . I just sold my 84 Sporty a year ago that I had ridden for 23 years. They are easy to adjust the valves since it has solid lifters. Just remove the pushrod tube keeper, and put the cyl. you are working on at tdc. Then adjust the lifter to where there is no up and down play in the push rod, but you can still spin it with you fingers. I am glad to see that you being a young guy are still one of us. May your tribe increase.
Yeah Jim, I'm 56...going on 30...
Bernie: I bought an oil pressure amplifier off of Fleabay to handle the loss of oil at low rpm's and just to check on that, installed an oil pressure gauge...but this sonovagun idles at 15 lbs. and runs at about 45+. Just not enough miles on it yet to loosen it up?
Anyway, fooling with the carb, I can idle it down allright, but with the light flywheel it won't keep running like the old hawgs would. It even likes to stall now and then at the faster idles and I've got stage 1 with a #48 pilot, to which I forced a sewing needle thru the tower holes to open them up more. (I believe that slightly increased the vacuum to the jet) It actually acts like it needs a #50, but I'll check for intake leaks first with a new o-ring. (Screamin'EagleII's and K&M AC)
Genius at work: at 17 in the USCG, I bought a new 500 Honda (the only cosign my stepdad would do) and in 4 months "chopped" it with bolt-ons, butterfly washers in cutoff pipes, and all the usual nasty stuff you do without a shop, rendering it worth less than half what it was.
Traded that for a rigid frame BSA 650 in a box. (kept gettin' DUMBER) because that was so radical...turns out it was a full-race engine and a beeyatch to keep runnin' but RUN IT DID...later became a Triumph mechanic and lived with the shop owner (Motorcycle Mac's in Norfolk Va.) which led to Harleys and a litany of bob jobs, Trumpets at first. Built one of the first sporty's with 3.5 tanks, wide glide, fat everythings to look like a 74. Remember when we called the big dogs 74's?
Bernie: I bought an oil pressure amplifier off of Fleabay to handle the loss of oil at low rpm's and just to check on that, installed an oil pressure gauge...but this sonovagun idles at 15 lbs. and runs at about 45+. Just not enough miles on it yet to loosen it up?
Anyway, fooling with the carb, I can idle it down allright, but with the light flywheel it won't keep running like the old hawgs would. It even likes to stall now and then at the faster idles and I've got stage 1 with a #48 pilot, to which I forced a sewing needle thru the tower holes to open them up more. (I believe that slightly increased the vacuum to the jet) It actually acts like it needs a #50, but I'll check for intake leaks first with a new o-ring. (Screamin'EagleII's and K&M AC)
Genius at work: at 17 in the USCG, I bought a new 500 Honda (the only cosign my stepdad would do) and in 4 months "chopped" it with bolt-ons, butterfly washers in cutoff pipes, and all the usual nasty stuff you do without a shop, rendering it worth less than half what it was.
Traded that for a rigid frame BSA 650 in a box. (kept gettin' DUMBER) because that was so radical...turns out it was a full-race engine and a beeyatch to keep runnin' but RUN IT DID...later became a Triumph mechanic and lived with the shop owner (Motorcycle Mac's in Norfolk Va.) which led to Harleys and a litany of bob jobs, Trumpets at first. Built one of the first sporty's with 3.5 tanks, wide glide, fat everythings to look like a 74. Remember when we called the big dogs 74's?
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh
Jim I too am a trumpet fan and sold my hardtail bonneville about 7 yrs ago, after owning her for, at the time, most of my life, to a fellow that keeps her on the road. I actually bought her in Va. Bch. while in the service down there in the 70's. She and I stayed together through many states and many times, and even when she became sorta second fiddle, I still enjoyed keepin her up and running for those times when ya just felt like a change. It was a mistake to let her go, but atleast I still get to see her on occasion, usually in the wind, catchin gears past my home. One great thing about triumphs is, no matter where ya go theres someone local with the same passion for the older bikes. I currently help out a friend who has an old pre unit hes been tinkering with for yrs and never seems to quite find the time to finish, but i'm sure someday its going to get the attention it deserves.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh
hey quad, you probably know this but its important to drill your idle mixture plug out and I like a finger screw in there, forget what they callem, for easy adjustment. I also drill larger, 1/8 inch, the hole directly behind the slide and install a thunder slide. I don't really know which of the changes has the greatest effect cuase it something I usually do all at once and have great luck running 48's and 190. of course my configuration warrents those jets and yours maybe different, just something to consider.