Sportster Models 883, 883 Custom, 1200 Custom, 883L, 1200L, 1200S, 1200 Roadster, XR1200, and the Nightster.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

'95 883 Progression/Retrogression Thread

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 27, 2016 | 10:00 PM
  #11  
langwilliams's Avatar
langwilliams
Elite HDF Member
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,830
Likes: 302
From: Lorain Ohio
Default

nice work so far.
 
Reply
Old May 31, 2016 | 08:55 AM
  #12  
Lawson_Inc's Avatar
Lawson_Inc
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Morrill, Ks
Default

Originally Posted by 19Sparrow87
That blue is awesome. I wish I knew how to powdercoat because my tank and fender would be painted by now. Well, them and a bunch of other parts lmao. Hope the new speed sensor fixes your issue hoss.
Thanks man, the speed sensor though...

So I removed battery tray, and the other 3 covers around it...I removed the chrome oil pan shield...after dicking around with the speed sensor screw for days, off an on... I finally got it off with a pair of needle nose pliers turning it a 1/16th of a turn at a time. Left it that way until the sensor came in... Went fishing for three days and returned to parts in the mail.

Decided it was time to put new oil in it... it didn't need it, but I wasn't going to get to that screw to tighten it back down with the new speed sensor if I wasn't able to move oil lines...

So...new clamps on existing oil lines, powdercoated some more chrome, new speed sensor on... maiden voyage around the block and THE SPEEDOMETER WORKS. Nice!!

Rode the bike to a car meet a couple miles away the next morning and it started popping when giving throttle...bad...then it died at a stop light... hahaha, I love you motorcycle. Kept cranking fine, just wouldn't turn over. Pulled the spark plug wires off and there was no spark from the wire to the plug. Nice... towed it home.

After a few hours in a cool garage it started right up.
New Coil ordered... we'll try again on Wednesday. lol



 
Reply
Old May 31, 2016 | 09:54 AM
  #13  
19Sparrow87's Avatar
19Sparrow87
Tourer
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 264
Likes: 17
From: York County, PA
Default

If it's not one thing it's another right? I'm waiting on parts now for the new bars and I'm just waiting for the headache of extending wires to begin. Should get a DK coil relocation kit since you'll have the old ones off, two birds one stone kind of thing.
 
Reply
Old Jun 1, 2016 | 01:54 PM
  #14  
Lawson_Inc's Avatar
Lawson_Inc
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Morrill, Ks
Default

Originally Posted by 19Sparrow87
If it's not one thing it's another right? I'm waiting on parts now for the new bars and I'm just waiting for the headache of extending wires to begin. Should get a DK coil relocation kit since you'll have the old ones off, two birds one stone kind of thing.
I was fortunate enough that when doing drag bars (replacing bars at all for the first time) that I didn't have to extend wiring. I would like to pull everything out of the headlight though so I can mount a led light. I see myself needing to rewire stuff at that point because there's 3-4 harnesses in there currently.
 
Reply
Old Jun 1, 2016 | 02:30 PM
  #15  
19Sparrow87's Avatar
19Sparrow87
Tourer
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 264
Likes: 17
From: York County, PA
Default

Maybe just a little bit. I'm saving up and ordering the modular kit and bullet light from DK. Also going to order up their LED bulb along with so I can just switch everything out at once.
 
Reply
Old Jun 1, 2016 | 02:32 PM
  #16  
Twospot's Avatar
Twospot
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 668
Likes: 34
From: New Jersey
Default

It's looking great! I have a dumb question. I have a Dyna, but was thinking about picking up an old Sportster like this to work on for learning to wrench, messing with a carb, etc. Can these older 883's be bumped to 1200 relatively easy (like via a kit)? I apologize for hijacking
 
Reply
Old Jun 1, 2016 | 02:36 PM
  #17  
Lawson_Inc's Avatar
Lawson_Inc
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Morrill, Ks
Default

Originally Posted by Twospot
It's looking great! I have a dumb question. I have a Dyna, but was thinking about picking up an old Sportster like this to work on for learning to wrench, messing with a carb, etc. Can these older 883's be bumped to 1200 relatively easy (like via a kit)? I apologize for hijacking
you're good, that's my plan, do the cosmetic stuff now and do the 1200 kit with cams or something this winter. From what I've read the complete kits are pretty easy to do at home with normal tools, then just a tune from that point.

Originally Posted by 19Sparrow87
Maybe just a little bit. I'm saving up and ordering the modular kit and bullet light from DK. Also going to order up their LED bulb along with so I can just switch everything out at once.
you should probably get comped some parts from DK, you're doing good marketing. lol. This being my first Harley I was unaware of DK and all the kits, thank you man!
 

Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; Mar 9, 2017 at 04:44 PM.
Reply
Old Jun 1, 2016 | 02:40 PM
  #18  
19Sparrow87's Avatar
19Sparrow87
Tourer
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 264
Likes: 17
From: York County, PA
Default

Originally Posted by Lawson_Inc
you should probably get comped some parts from DK, you're doing good marketing. lol. This being my first Harley I was unaware of DK and all the kits, thank you man!
They'll be making money off of me this winter for sure lmao. They also have the 1200 upgrade kit you're thinking about getting. Mine already had it when I got it or that would have been more money to DK
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jun 1, 2016 | 02:41 PM
  #19  
Twospot's Avatar
Twospot
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 668
Likes: 34
From: New Jersey
Default

Originally Posted by Lawson_Inc
you're good, that's my plan, do the cosmetic stuff now and do the 1200 kit with cams or something this winter. From what I've read the complete kits are pretty easy to do at home with normal tools, then just a tune from that point.
Cool man. Subscribed. I'd like keep up on your progress
 
Reply
Old Jun 1, 2016 | 09:01 PM
  #20  
Lawson_Inc's Avatar
Lawson_Inc
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Morrill, Ks
Default

Well...it wasn't the coil. Damnit...more reading to do I guess.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:10 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