Cheapest Harley find yet!
- Thread starter PHeller
- Start date
Basement rat
Over 1,000 Posts
Any pre Evo engine will shake its self to bits. The HD V twin is just about a glorified thumper.
Also, You need to know how to work on them to keep them going if you want to keep it out of the local shop.
I read a book where the founder of the HA's mc said if it wasent for the adds way back about "Nice people ride Hondas", they would all be riding Hondas because theyre better bikes.
Also, You need to know how to work on them to keep them going if you want to keep it out of the local shop.
I read a book where the founder of the HA's mc said if it wasent for the adds way back about "Nice people ride Hondas", they would all be riding Hondas because theyre better bikes.
VonYinzer
Over 10,000 Posts
Nah man... Old Ironheads are a HUGE pain in the ass, sure. But theyre also really effin' cool. The problem with them is in the castings and machining. You know how you can swap parts from one CB750 to another with no issues? Not gonna happen with an Ironhead HD. Nothing "fits" right. And theyre really tempermental. That said, if youre willing to do the work, and spend some cash, you can make a really great bike from one. There are a lot of little "tricks" you need to learn if you plan on owning one though. Unfortunatly only Ironhead owners know what those tricks are. Hahah...
Ive seen some that run like a top, but the owners have had to do a great deal of work to get them there. Once you do though, theyre bulletproof.
Ive seen some that run like a top, but the owners have had to do a great deal of work to get them there. Once you do though, theyre bulletproof.
I wouldn't call it a bad idea, you'll just' need to know basic maintenance on a bike like that. Adjusting the valves, checking oil, points, make sure bolts haven't worked their way loose. It is just and old pushrod motor which means more maintenance then our beloved japanese bikes, it is part of the reason besides cost a lot use jap bikes to cafe over british ones as well.
People rag on the motor due to the fact most don't take care of them and let basic issues go uncared for and then the bike fails.
People rag on the motor due to the fact most don't take care of them and let basic issues go uncared for and then the bike fails.
DrJ
Over 1,000 Posts
Basement rat said:
Yes, I was surprised when I read that too. Sonny Barger, ex-president of the Hell's Angels during the 60s and 70s has gone on record saying if the HAs stuck to the principal of riding motorcycles and not adhering to American patriotism, they'd be riding Japanese bikes due to better performance and reliability.
Vern Autrey of the legendary Boozefighters (which the fictional bike gang led by Lee Marvin in The Wild One was based on) built and rides a Honda CB750.
http://www.bfmcnatl.com/caferacer.htm
VonYinzer
Over 10,000 Posts
I actually know a few 1% guys, and honestly almost all of them have old Honda or other Japanese bikes as "toys". They have to ride the HDs when with the club, but they race and build Japanese or Brit bikes all the time. Hell, theres a member of the Pagans that lives near me that races a CBR600. He also has a cool little Triumph bobber. But... When hes wearing colors, he only rides his HD.
Basement rat
Over 1,000 Posts
Its not a dumb question, dont worry. I had the same one myself but a local guy told me about them. He said he had a bike that if he dident turn it off when he ran inside for something, it would hop its way down the street or out right fall over.
I woudlent mind building a bike with a 70' early 80's jap frame, Buell engine, USD forks, mono rear and all that good stuff. I know it wont be easy and thats not even scratching the surface but its a vision I have based around that old push rod engine.
I woudlent mind building a bike with a 70' early 80's jap frame, Buell engine, USD forks, mono rear and all that good stuff. I know it wont be easy and thats not even scratching the surface but its a vision I have based around that old push rod engine.
VonYinzer
Over 10,000 Posts
Basement rat said:
Thats not true. Thats an old dude, tellin big tales. Ya see it all the time. I have a good friend who owns 5 HDs, 3 of which are pre 1953. All are fine running, and reliable bikes. They have been restored to stock.
I understand the HD hate here, and joke about it myself, but theres nothing wrong with most of them outside of the insane prices they fetch.
The Ironhead is the bastard child of the HD brand (really anything from the AMF years is kinda beat) but with work they can be made into great bikes. Sure they vibrate, and arent "refined" like a Honda or Kawasaki, but who cares? Thats part of what makes a vintage HD so cool. Theyre not for everyone. Theyre dirty, noisy, and antiquated. If you can get one for a steal though, instead of the rediculous prices they fetch, why not?
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
Basement rat said:
Your just being silly....
Ironhead sporties are fucking fantastic motors. And are as reliable as the person thats servicing them. And No, they dont shake themselves apart. Thats what locktite is for.
Personally I'd take a solid mount hd over a rubbermount any day of the week.
P.S. I turned wrench for easy riders for a bit. And no, I'm not biased, I dont own a hd. But, I do get a little tired of people giving them a bad wrap because #1 They dont know anything about them, and #2, because of the douche bags that seem to represent hd these days. They are not all doo-rag wearing douches. In fact anyone on a naturally aspirated hd probably is on it for other reasons besides status.
motrhd
Active Member
Give that Louie a cigar.........I put a lot of miles on an Ironhead, at one time I owned three, one his, one hers, and one that only ran one quarter mile at a time(yeah go ahead and bring the jokes,haha). I do prefer the new fuel injected rubber mounted motors though. You hear a lot of BS out there and you'll know when you are talking to someone that has had experience, those are the people that you can learn from.
All old bikes are cool.........just like old bikers !!
All old bikes are cool.........just like old bikers !!
motrhd
Active Member
I forgot to let the OP PHeller know..............'75 is a good year. You have the option of converting it back to the right side shifter. Sporties were all right side shifters until 1975 when the federal government mandated that all bikes sold in the US had to shift on the left side, so as not to confuse anyone.........yeah right. Anyway '75 and '76 had stupid-assed linkages cobbled onto them so as to conform to the government mandate. They are easy to switch back and a lot more positive shifting.
Swapmeet Louie said:
That's what I'm saying long as you take care of an engine it will get you where you need to go. Like when I bought my vw everyone said it would be the most unreliable engine ever, do basic maintenance and the engine hasn't had any issues besides being over-revved. lol
I love the Ironhead look, but just as much as I do the Yamaha 650 twin.
Thing is, with my job situation the way it is I'd be able to buy the bike...that's about it.
At least with a XS650 I could buy in cheap enough to actually ride it.
But hell, I've got a CB400F sitting in my garage that needs enough attention as it is.
Thing is, with my job situation the way it is I'd be able to buy the bike...that's about it.
At least with a XS650 I could buy in cheap enough to actually ride it.
But hell, I've got a CB400F sitting in my garage that needs enough attention as it is.
dewjantim
duc in the park.....
Ironheads, I have had a few. They are like any other engine, if you take care of them, give them fresh, good quality oil and premium gas (I always use octane booster also) they will be as reliable as anything else. The problem is that many sporty owners are just buying one because they can't afford a big twin. When something breaks they patch it up in the cheapest way possible.... just to keep it going. This isn't the way to repair anything, much less a fire breathing dinosaur of the fifties. Many of you seem not to like Harley's...... well the Sportster was the first superbike. It came out in 1957, had four cams, high compression, unit construction, and a cassette trans. Very high tech for the time. The 900 (really 883) was one of the fastest bikes made during the fifties and sixties. There is something special about those old XLCH (competition hot) kick start only bikes. Everyone thinks they were hard to start....... which isn't true if they are tuned right. One of my friends had one and was always complaining about how hard to start it was and how bad it ran. He brought it over and I set the timing and adjusted the carb. I could stand flat footed...... ease one of the cylinders just barely past the compression stroke, and kick with my other foot..... just a nice forceful smooth kick..... and it would start on the first kick. Of course he roared off down the street and back, then said it ran better than ever before. I rode it and it was fast for an old sporty. He took it home and messed with it and the bike hasn't run good since. What can I say..... he is an ironhead rider 
. Anyway, buy the bike, get the top end rebuilt, put in new valves (titanium if you want it to fly) and seats, and a set of Wisco high compression pistons and it should run great. The bottom end is pretty strong, check it but it will probably be alright. Clean and adjust the carb, file and adjust the points then you will have a good running, reliable, cool looking old sporty. Guys, geared correctly with hi-po pistons, S&S carb, HD P series cams and open drag pipes an old ironhead will do over 125 MPH. A friend of mine in the seventies had one and he used to blow the guys on stock Kaw 900s' away on top end .......
. Anyway, buy the bike, get the top end rebuilt, put in new valves (titanium if you want it to fly) and seats, and a set of Wisco high compression pistons and it should run great. The bottom end is pretty strong, check it but it will probably be alright. Clean and adjust the carb, file and adjust the points then you will have a good running, reliable, cool looking old sporty. Guys, geared correctly with hi-po pistons, S&S carb, HD P series cams and open drag pipes an old ironhead will do over 125 MPH. A friend of mine in the seventies had one and he used to blow the guys on stock Kaw 900s' away on top end .......
biker_reject
Over 1,000 Posts
Funny... how did your buddy do against guys on built Kaw 900's? ;-)
dewjantim
duc in the park.....
He was smart enough not to run them. He would change his gearing for around town and run a higher gear (numerically lower) when he went on the open road. He liked to hang back and get a run at me when we were in town and try to roar past me taking advantage of that big torque motor. I had to start running in lower gears so he couldn't out accelerate my four cylinder..... that sneaky bastard.....
