Music at the end is Broken Teeth by Shark Muffin. sharkmuffin.bandcamp.com/ I don't own the rights to this music I don't make any money off of this stupid channel, I just like the music and making videos.
As the owner of a 79 XLH I know what you are going through. If you don't like working on your bike an Ironhead probably isn't the bike for you. It helps to have an owners manual, a service manual, and a parts book. Since no old Ironhead seems to be stock it helps to know what it actually came with from the factory. And one more tip, a 3/8" and a 1/2" torque wrench are pretty much a necessity. Never forget it will try to vibrate itself apart as soon as you start it. That said I will always have mine. Until they quit making Loctite, that is. And yeah, never run out of Loctite. Good Video, keep them coming.
I hope it didn't come off as me complaining, I love this bike and love working on it! Big smiles every time I ride it. I have another video about how I came to own it and the history of it, plus getting it back on the road after sitting for years. Anyways, thanks for the comment, enjoy your 79!
Ironheads are just a bunch of parts that almost fit. I love my '74 XLH and have owned it 31 years. Most Ironheads have been the victim of unskilled mechanics at sometime in their life.
Fortunately I have one that hasn't been molested too much. My dad paid a pretty penny to fix his up by a PRO but as Harleys do as Harley does it won't start now. Guess it's my turn with the bike🤷🏻♂️
I have a 72 iron head first yearb for the 1000 cc. It came in a basket lol I'm hoping I'm not this guy 😂 But having owen a 63 and 76 sportster I believe I can handle it. Old iron heads rule 👍
What a trip to the past. My '73 ironhead was only 5 years old when I got it. It was a learning platform for me. Stuck float carb tear-down, points adjustment/ troubleshoot, chain adjustment, 20W soaked boot on the left - 60W soaked boot on the right. This happened a time or two a week. It taught me well. I wish I knew where that booger is now - I'd buy it back & park it next to the Softail...
I own a 1967 XLH Sportster and know it better than I know the old lady lol. My Iron head has been very good but a lot of upkeep. I have own it for 41 years and still ride it today
Ironheads were the last of the Harleys made for the true working man. Gritty, rough around the edges, and an engine that sounds like marbles spinning in a glass jar. A total blast to ride but yes, a lot of attention required for upkeep. You have to enjoy spinning wrenches on motorcycles as much as you do riding them to own an Ironhead.
This video was hilarious. I like to ride a 76 Ironhead just keep the daily commute surprising. Sometimes you make it to work and other times you have a good reason to call off.
Great video! Loved it. I started with a 72 ironhead chopper. Lot of issues but I love it.. I learned a lot owning that bike. So my shovelhead that followed was a cakewalk.
Additionally, cut yourself some slack. You're far too hard on yourself about losing the pin. We all make mistakes, it's part of being human. It's unreasonable and unfair to yourself to drag yourself over the coals about a simple mistake, brother.
I always keep a magnet on a stick for dropped parts. I work in the driveway mostly so it helps a lot. Plus the time I take using it can calm me down a bit so I can get back searching if I still havnt found it. Springs, spring clips and pins are the bane of my existence. Great video.
You know, I've looked for that pin (with and without magnet) every time I've been out in my bike shed the last few weeks. Still haven't found the damn thing!
1957 to 1985 were the heyday of the ironhead sportsters. I had a 1971, 1979 and a 1985 a d I loved them all. The 1985 was the most dependable and the 1971 was the coolest. The 1985 was the only one with electric start. The 71 and 79 were Kickstart only. There is nothing cooler than kicking an old sportster to life. I think I am going to get another one. Cool video.
Francis, I need to finish a video I'm working on about my business partner and his 76 XLCH. Kick start with electric start. Bobber project we've been tinkering on for a while. Cheers.
Nice, good on ya mate👍. Bought back a few memories of the good old days. And some not so good ones, like the vibration at 85 miles an hour, felt like the inside of your arse was going to fall out!! Nice bike you have there, keep up the good work.
After my mirror, tail light fell right off my 96 custom wide glide, always pissing gas out the valve and basically all the same shit you going through. Love hate relationship.
I have had 11 out of 23 bikes which were ironheads. Currently a 1975 stroker hardtail....super reliable and here is the secret...1. upgrade ignition 2. Buy a Cycle Electric DGV 5000 Generator with VR endbell, 3) timing 4) non ethanol fuel 5) adjust pushrods every 1,000 miles. There ya go.....there is not much difference between evo sporty from 1985 to 2003 and ironhead from 1957 to 1985. Ironhead charging systems sucked and so did ignitions back then! I have over 20,000 mikes on the stroker without a hiccup!
I screenshot your comment for future reference. Maybe I'll buy a motor to tinker and learn on , learn everything about the motor, then build a mean and nasty chopper. In the meantime, I'll will buy another Hayabusa for extreme performance.
This was really funny. Nicely done. A few weeks ago I took some Kehein carbs out into my backyard to spray carb cleaner though the passages, not realizing there was a tiny washer and o-ring still in the fuel screw hole. (When I say tiny, I mean like 3 or 4mm OD washer and o-ring) They flew out when I sprayed the carb cleaner, but I didn't realize that until later when I found the washer and o-ring in the second carb I was cleaning. I went outside, stood about where I sprayed carb cleaner and started looking around in the grass and dirt, trying to figure out how far they might have flown. Eventually, against all odds, I found both of parts, but it took a while. It took two tries. I found the washer the first time by dragging a magnet around... and the o-ring the second time.
Story of my life, only my garage floor is dirt and I’ve rebuilt many engines in that 10’x10’ tent. I swear there are ghosts who are laughing at me because there’s no f****** way it just disappeared, I saw it fall right f****** there! 🤬 😤 I know the feeling all too well
My First Harley was a 1980 Sportster. My gas tank rear bolt loosened up on the freeway. After that checked everything. Currently ride a 1983 FXWG, check it over before riding.
Lol. I love my 72. After rebuilding the engine and some rewiring it's been pretty reliable. I refuse to ride it on the highway though so most of my bolts stay in place. Once I hit 60 it's no longer a fun ride.
I've got old Japanese bikes I've never had one that didn't have some sort of twisted rear end, I think they must build the frames on Friday afternoons after they've been hitting the Sake I usually line them up by eye
I've got two evo Sportys, '89 and 2000, and the rear tire on both of is noticeably biased toward the right side if you judge by fender and belt/chain clearance. They run mostly straight if you pull your hands off the bars though, so, guess that's factree. I also spend more time looking for things I dropped than actually wrenching. Good vid. Nice seat. Cool bike.
A little drop of bleu locktite mild thread fastener will do wonders on those loosening screws and bolts. Everything that doesn’t have to come apart really to often on my bike gets the locktite treatment. In the last twelve years it had one loose exhaust bolt. The rest stayed put. Your bike still looks really nice. I sure dig that you love it.
Love, the video bro, keep them coming please? I bought my 77 XLH Sportster new and still have it. Solved all the factory problems. It came with a Keihn carb which had a really bad misfire. Tried messing about with the jets but no luck. Bought a new Bendix carb and fitted an adjustable main jet kit. Runs sweet with clean spark plugs and never need to use the choke. Lost about 5 mls to the gallon but no misfires. Is your swinging arm bent on left side at all? Did you remove it to check it's geometry? How's the left shock mount on the frame and has the bike ever been in an accident before you bought it? Ride safe.
Good day. You are correct measuring from the swing arm to the axle. Forget about the adjusters. Take the chain guard off stand back and look down the chain and make it as straight as possible. Good luck. Smitty
I had a 72 that the motor was built and I rode it hard all the time.I bought it did a valve job took it all apart and put red loctite on anything that would loosen. Never lost anything. Had a Mikuni carb which was awesome, started right up. Most reliable bike I owned. Shovelheads have more problems.
I have a 1974 XLH also. There were definitely idiots that worked on it before I got it,But now I am fixing the mistakes and I know it will be fixed right. Ironheads forever !!!!!
Loved the video man. I inherited a dear keepsake 72 Ironhead chopper. Such an incredible bike. I want to work on it, but need to learn a lot. Any pointers for someone with little experience currently?
Buy a factory shop manual, buy a torque wrench, go to some garage sales etc and buy some quality old tools, don't be afraid to screw up. If possible, find someone local to you who is familiar with the older bikes and willing to teach you. Good luck!
From being a motorcycle mechanic my whole life I never go by the chain adjust marks. Especially these older bikes. Even newer bikes I have seen them off a notch or two. I square the wheel and align the chain. Whatever the marks are they are. That way i know it’s correct Nice ironhead tho
@@hodaka1000 basically. How I was taught was to get back from the back wheel a couple feet and spin the wheel and eye down the chain. You can get it pretty close that way. Then look down at the teeth inside the chain on the back sprocket (I look from the back side). Spin the wheel a couple times and the sprocket should be running in the center of the chain. Just a slight bit off and it will be running on the front or the back of the chain. I suppose a tiny amount off isn’t the end of the world. But running true in the middle it will just be so much smoother. It will even sound smoother Motion pro makes an alignment tool that clamps onto your sprocket and has a little rod that sticks out. You let the rod lay on the top of the chain and that gives you a better visual rather it’s true or not. I keep meaning to order one of those
I rebuilt a 1972 XLCH 20 years back and it never gave any problems, but I did keep on top of the servicing etc, so maybe I headed the problems off before they happened. I’m now rebuilding a 1975 XLCH which was previously owned by a chimp and maintained with the same skill level. Pain in the ass doesn’t cover it. I also run a 2001 883, different world compared to the Ironhead, but I prefer the Ironhead hands down. Safe riding.
you're on a amf sporty. my 69 didn't bother with a battery. magneto fired up winter or summer; got me to the tugboat at 3:30 AM. the only thing i bother complaining about was the bad ratchet in the kick start that would hyper extend my knee every now and then.
The rear wheel sits to the right on my '12 Iron, and it did the same thing to the tire.. I think they are ment to sit to the right to keep the chain/belt in line...
Do not adjust the chain too tight (no more than 1/2" at tight spot, and always use a new clip on the master link. Also if it vibrates funny, something could be loose or cracked. I have seen cracked rims, frames, engine cases, and even handle bars lol
As long as no one has had the gearbox apart you might get a not too bads one, as they say "to big for the kids and not big enough for the missus". Plastic steel is your friend after the gearbox hinges 2nd gear (from memory) half out of the cases, right on the join.
Nonsense! I had a 73 in about 81, rode the crap out of it..even trailered it to San Diego,went halfway down Baja, in the heat! It seized a couple times, poured beer on the head and cyls, no problemo! I think I beat it for 2,000 miles. Popd the heads and jugs, got em bored new pistons, didn’t touch da heads, beautiful! The only thing that almost murdered me, was the damn kickstart, even if you knew you we at the top, would release….my fucking knees to this day. Still,..I’m 74, if I could afford one, I’d be there.
@@buttcrackcycles ahhhhhh, one of the except models. You find the exact part you're looking for and it will fit every sportster ever made, except the 76. Adds to the fun.😃
@@bluzbanjo oh yeah, that's an odd duckling for sure. The freaking shift linkage is a nightmare to say the least. I need to make a video about that bike, cool story, he sold it and bought it back years later... From a guy with a pet squirrel 🤣
Looks like your swing arm is bent and twisted slightly, probably from being lightly rear-ended by a car at some time. I've seen that a few times over the last 35 years or so.
Sorry but as an owner of 3 shovelheads, all this stuff is fun and why I love my bikes. At a certain point they become reliable, time to buy another one. That's how I ended up with 3.. so far...
Well that was pretty entertaining. I was hoping you would figure out to measure from the pivot bolt and you did. Like you said, it's a learning process. All of the folks that know everything there is to know didn't know shit at one time. I've got an ironhead and I love/hate it. I've spent probably $12K fucking with it over the past 20 years. Oh btw, you should always turn of the fuel when you stop for any length of time.
Yup I've gotten in the habit of turning off the fuel on this one. I love that you bring up how all the experts started as newbies,I think people forget that. I've been a heavy duty diesel mechanic for over 10 years and own my own business, but bikes are a different thing entirely. And, until this Sportster, I've mostly had newer Japanese bikes. Thanks for the thoughtful comment, hope you stick around for future videos 👍🏼
Own a 1971 xlh 900 bored out to 1000. S&S carb, 2 in straight pipes, electronic ignition, 74 front end. Love this f***ing bike. Love this POS. Breaks my heart and gives me greatest joy. I got used to the ridicule and compliments. We are a strange bunch that love our Ironheads!
whats crazy is when the evo sporty came out it was prob the most trouble free bike harley ever made and ever will make. you beat the tar out of those evos and rarely ever work on them.
I just traded a '91 softail for a '76 xlh. I never liked the softie, too fat, too heavy, no soul. I can't stop grinning whenever I ride the xlh. Unfortunately whoever did the chopper wiring did a horrible job, so I'm stripping it all out and starting over. Still, if I wanted a bike that started every time, I'd get a Honda Shadow. Love my iron!
@@buttcrackcycles it's still left, I'll probably leave it. 40 years of left side shift is a hard habit to break! I always said the only Harley I cared about owning was an ironhead, and this one is set up almost the way I want. Fix the wiring, add a 2 up seat and pegs to the bolt on hard tail, and some flipped up clubman bars and it's done.
Evo Harleys are reliable, but boring! You ride a hardtail ironhead, that bike lets you know you are on a beast and never lets you forget that! Like a WW2 test pilot Every time you ride it!!!!
