Vintage Sporty fans I need your knowledge - please
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 268
Likes: 3
From: Sydney NS Canada
Vintage Sporty fans I need your knowledge - please
Hey vintage sportster fans, I currently own a 2009 Cross Bones and want to build a Sporty bobber - not a rigid, I have back problems and wish to keep my spine as is. I am thinking - red wheels, flat black tins , white walls, suicide shift - you get the picture. Anyway I am looking at 70's era sportsters ( I know OMG-AMF- WTF) I am thinking 1975-1978 because they have left side shift for the suicide shift, and I am not interested in 79 and above because of the frame change and parts availability (of 79 stuff anyway).
I am looking for advice, what to look for on 75-78 sportsters - what were the common problems etc. are kickers more reliable than electrics? What carb should I run etc.etc.etc. Any advice is appreciated, I know you guys have a **** load of experience with these issues. Really like the whole sportster vibe from that era and they are getting harder to find - especially unmolested examples. Keep in mind I am looking at getting an ironhead that will convert (relatively easily) to a suicide shift!! Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge.
I am looking for advice, what to look for on 75-78 sportsters - what were the common problems etc. are kickers more reliable than electrics? What carb should I run etc.etc.etc. Any advice is appreciated, I know you guys have a **** load of experience with these issues. Really like the whole sportster vibe from that era and they are getting harder to find - especially unmolested examples. Keep in mind I am looking at getting an ironhead that will convert (relatively easily) to a suicide shift!! Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: London Ontario Canada
i dont know much about that **** yet my dad has been teaching me about the 1980 shovel head we have seeing as we are rebuilding it ...just dont get an s and s carb we never have had much luck with them the bikes always seem to run like **** but the marcuni carb always worked really good... and go on the classic forms and post this in the iron head section even the shovelhead guys can help you out more then some of the people in this section most of the guys here have newer sportys
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 66
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This is my 1972 XLCH. You could run shocks instead of the struts, although with the spring seat it rides fine. I like the slammed rear look. It also has a right hand shift left hand clutch. If you're going to get an ironhead you better be mechanically inclined.
Last edited by flstci; Apr 20, 2013 at 10:22 AM.
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 268
Likes: 3
From: Sydney NS Canada
Beautiful bike bro!!! Yeah I do my own wrenching and am looking forward to the challenge of owning an iron head. I have never seen a right side jockey shift before - where did you find that - custom made??? Looks awesome.
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 66
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A 1972 Ironhead is right side shift left side brake so I custom made the shifter from parts of a right side forward shifter. The reason I did this was it had a left side brake and I have a softail that is right side brake and I'm not smart enough to switch back and forth. I put the Ironhead brake on the right side and had to come up with someplace for the shifter.
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 268
Likes: 3
From: Sydney NS Canada
Great solution - I also have a softail - 09 Cross Bones - and I am concerned that if I get right shift sportster (Pre 75) that I will run into the same problem - screwing up shifter and brake in an emergency stop. I don't want to kill myself or someone else because my brain is too old to learn to use a left side brake after driving bikes for 36 years all with right side brakes. You have come up with an interesting option here - good work. Something for me to consider.
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