1957 Ironhead Sportster. Getting her running. First Kick Start! Part 1
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- Опубликовано: 13 окт 2024
- Carb rebuild and getting the 1957 Harley Davidson Ironhead Sportster Running. Fresh oil, plugs, and carb rebuild.
First start up and working on getting the magneto dialed in
#harleydavidson #ironhead #kickstart #vintageharleydavidson #ladyrider #bikebuild #bikemechanic #motovlog #bikerchick #sportster #1957 #biker
Who the hell is Ironhead Sally? Well here's my channel description:
Old School Bikes and Old School Ways! Ride hard, wrench a lot, and always having a blast.
Bike camping, wrenching, and shenanigans. My husband and I create motorcycle content for people that are tired of seeing all of the fake insta accounts of sponsored boring yuppies. Here's some realness, we are just broke bikers living the low life and getting by. I ride a 1985 Ironhead Chopper as my daily, my touring bike is a 1984 FXR. We have lots of Ironheads and FXRs and are constantly building more, trying to keep these old neglected scoots on the road instead of rotting away in a garage.
Appreciate all the love & support
Keeping it Real! Keep it Sketchy!
FTW💚Sally
Email: ironheadsally@yahoo.com
Ebay Store: www.ebay.com/s...
Ironhead Sally
236 S Third St
PMB# 235
Montrose, CO 81401-3618
Its really special to see couples like yourselves interested in the same hobby, very cool.
Thank you! Harley’s brought us together, and now we can both ride and wrench lol cheers
Congratulations ! You did it!
Wooot! Thank you! I got some big plans for this bike!
Kudos on getting the '57 running!! The engine sounds tight and strong. Love the rake and fork extension. Ride safe and keep the videos coming🙂🙂🙂!!
Sometimes I miss having an old kickstart harley, and then I watch a video like this and it reminds me how much I love an electric start...but when a kickstart FINALLY starts it's a big feeling of accomplishment, and makes the ride that much sweeter! Have fun Inonhead Sally!!
Thanks Paul! Appreciate it! Yes, the one time i got her running on my own kick was like the “ahhhhh” moment of perfect. Thats why u got multiple bikes, the electric start and the kicker 😜 thanks for watching!
Great video.
Nice bike!
Appreciate it! Thanks for watching!
Great looking bike....nothing like knowing ever single part.......very brave wearing soft shoes when kick starting !!! 😎
Thank youuu!!! And i’d say it was more naive than brave lol 🤣
I'm new to your channel, like what I see so I will keep watching.
I have a custom Panhead, 88 inch, kick only in a 1981 FXE frame etc. It has been ignored while I try to get other things done, now it is pouting, wants a new battery before it will start. I have been trying to trickle charge it but no go. So while it waits I have gone back to working on the 1978 Sportster cafe racer I bought at an estate sale in 2016. It is in disquise with different tank and rear fender. The engine was used for 1/4 mile trips in a different frame, then he rebuilt it with new cylinders etc. It is supposed to run, don't know, it has a 4 1/4 (+/-) inch stroke and I suspect very lumpy cams by the modifications, nice Sputhe cases and other goodies. Tires are brand new but 30 years old, brake master cylinders are dry and crusty. I have had the Pan for 25 years but new to Sportsters, hoping I will learn stuff from you two while I look over your shoulder.
Thank you Warren! Welcome to the channel 😁 that Panhead sounds awesome. Cheers!
Dam girl im jealous, i really love that ‘57 , ol’ blue!!!! And im not saying this to be mean, but i really enjoyed seeing your face the first time experiencing the frustration of kicking and it not starting!! Anybody who kicks knows the feeling, and the disappointment of turning the key off, walking away, and taking a break to catch your breath!!! Been there a million times, but stick with it, nothing more exhilarating then when she actually starts up, after all that frustration!!! And just remember, even when she’s not starting, you still look dam cool kicking it. There’s so many men out there that haven’t even tryed it!! YOUR actually doing it!! 🍺 and ya got a good teacher there too!! 🍺
Appreciate it! I’ll get her, that first kick start where she finally fired up for me was like the “taadaa” moment, and i am ruined! Gonna be chasing that dragon 🤣that feeling of ur old bike doing as it’s told!! 💪🤣 It’ll be a battle and learning curve but i’ll get there. Appreciate that support! Ironhead Fam
came across your videos looking at restoring older Harleys and instantly subbed. love your enthusiasm. and I'm lucky to have a wife that's in to bikes as much as you guys are. can't wait to see more!
That is awesome! Rare to have couples that can share a love of motorcycles! Its alot easier when ur both on the same page in ur passion! Cheers and welcome to the channel! 😁
Yes! You got her running! Can't wait to see you ride her.
Wooot thanks Kevin! Next thing is tires and brakes and continue to get that carb and timing and magneto all set right. Then i’ll be ready to ride her. Appreciate the support! 🤩
CONGRATULATIONS almost makes me miss kicking my 59 in the winter in Oklahoma. In my younger years.
Thank you @LadyTam55!
Good job.
The old iron heads were harder to kick than the big twin. I used to kneel on the seat to pump it up and kick it hard. You'll get it!
Thanks! I’ll give that a shot, learning the technique. Cheers!
Makes me smile.😎👍
Thanks! Cheers 🤩
Fantastic to hear it burst into life. Kick starting Harleys is an art. Each one is different. Keep at it. Took me months to perfect kicking my Shovel. Nice.
Appreciate it Stanley! Thank you, Going to get lots of practice! 🤩 be so worth it once i get the technique down. Ur right, it is an art!
@@ironheadsally By the way, as far as I'm concerned Sally its not a Harley if the air filter cover doesn't stick into the inside of your right leg. Just my thought. Cheers.
My first bike was a kick start and I was taught to straddle the seat and kick start in which all of your weight will do the trick and that was back in 1973.
Good deal thank you!!
Congrats great looking bike
I got my first Sportster, a 1957, when I was 31 years old. I’m watching her kick start this bike. It causes me pain just watching. I’m 76 years old now and I still have a bad right knee from that Sportster. All I can say, is, be careful. And get rid of that Bendix carburetor too lol. This bike also shifts on the right side and brakes on the left. In an emergency it is no Bueno.
Appreciate it Scotty! We are being careful and i’ma make sure the timing is set good to avoid nasty kickback. Will be a learning curve on this bike lol. Thanks for watching!!
😖 I destroyed mine on a 73 in 1976
Sounds like a beast! Who needs tires or brakes lol. I wouldn't be able to resist. Ive spent almost a whole season on 25 year old tires before 😂
Ahhh i’m not that much of a dare devil, want to go thru her a little more before i take her out, checking all the bearings and brakes lol and have dry rot on a tire. Cheers!
Hope you’re doing well girl! Good recovery! Grtz from Belgium 🤘🏻
you will get a sportster knee you go girl your bad ass !!!
Thanks Earl! She’s already kicked back a couple times, lol powerful little brat, gotta give her some act right 🤣
Hey congratulations on getting your 1957 900 running. That is sure a beautiful bike and whoever did the rebuild must have her torqued up with a bit more compression. I wouldn't fret on the kicking part; in time you will have that mastered. Me and my 8-year son Levi love watching your videos. There are very few people on RUclips that wrench on what they ride, and very few Iron heads, shovelheads and Evo videos of people taking cross country road trips like you and your husband do. Ride safe my friends
Wow! That is so great, I appreciate it! Not long before Levi can ride with you 🤩 teaching him a love for older Harleys. Thanks, we definitely ride and wrench and try to keep it interesting. LoL Cheers!
kick thru & h0ld dwn like ur hubs d0es.
she d0es s0und real healthy!
🤘😎🤘
Ich freue mich soo für Dich.
Kick ass! Miss you guys!
Nick! Hope all is well and the Dutchess is treating u well 🤩
@@ironheadsally Just grindin over here! But the Duchess is a peach! Yall txt me sometime, still got punkin?
Make some decent fork stops you will need them. Good luck on this kickass bike
Definitely, that is high on the list, this bike is super floppy! Poor tank has dents. Cheers!
I had a 57 Sportster in the 60's, I still remember the serial number 57XL2381... Put a panhead distributor in it with a small battery and it will be real easy to start...
Ohh thats too cool! Mine is 2881 🤩 oohhh thank you for the insight, great idea! Appreciate it!
57XL3160 here; thirty plus years ago. Boots with a heel and anger to kick it. Nice work
Aranyos vagy! Imádnivaló! George from Hungary!
🤩 cheers George, thanks for watching!
Bitchin little bike. I like the rake on the frame.
I’ve been kick starting bikes all my life. There’s a real knack to it for sure
Oh yeah i am learning for sure 💪 gonna be a cool bike if i can ever finish the freaking thing! lol
I got an extended kick arm. Can't recall who sold it but it's out there. Stroker kicker. Good luck. I've got a '69 XLCH.
Oh cool, that would be sweet, use all available space! Thanks
added leverage too@@ironheadsally
You can try a trick that was in the 1979 580 CCM Works Replica Owners Manual, put it in 1st Gear then pull it backwards until it stops , it will be just over compression , take it out of gear and just kick it through , It may work for you on this Harley
Thanks! It’s worth a shot! this bike is a nightmare to find neutral unfortunately lol
@@ironheadsally It could be worse I tried kicking My Dad's Panther 600 single with the ignition set wrong and it launched Me over the Handlebars into a load of cardboard boxes 😂
@@ukusagent oooff! That sounds like a helluva flight! 🤣
Congrats on getting her running. It seems that you have a solid machine. That has to be encouraging! Just fyi: Every magneto bike that I have personal experience with was a beast to kick start.
Thank you! Yes she’s strong and solid! And that may have something to do with it too! We havent adjusted anything on the magneto but i’ve heard that they are harder to kick, i’ll get her lol
@@ironheadsally " i’ll get her lol" Of that I have no doubt. Y'all make a great team.
You can add sissy bar it will be awesome
Wow that makes a lot of sense thank you! Lots of resistance
Excellent - the α and Ω of Fe Heads!
It is really nice to see your Alpha (’57) and your Omega (’85) happily sharing the same stable.
To ease the kicking process - I wouldn’t suggest altering your current kicker arm - best to keep it original.
However, by using another generic arm and adding about 2” to the straight portion you would get about 20% more kicking torque to offset the resistive compression(s).
If the extended arm doesn’t work out you can always return to what is there now.
Appreciate it! Yes the bookend Ironhead years is sweet. And thank you, that is a good idea. Will be a trail and error to get timing and carb dialed in and then set up for me. Cheers!
Sweet. Sounds healthy !! New sub. Here. Luvin yur channel
Appreciate it! Welcome to the channel! 🤩
Great job you guys. I would love to see a narrow drag bar on the bike. Those black bars look like an after thought and are to wide. Enjoy, I love that bike!
Thank you! And i agree the bars a little wide for my liking, they’ll go on a other bike lol
I sometimes pretend to kickstart my bike and when my foot gets to the bottom i press the button and boom , just like that.
I wish I could afford a lift like yours right now , on the upside I have the same blue funnel.
Yeah thats a whole lot easier haha! That lift comes in handy, we got it on a trade for labor lol and the trusty funnel, we will always have in common 😁 ride safe and enjoy!
Love your 57 ironhead your so lucky I'd love to have that bike suck a kick ass ride 100%
Thanks Michael! I’m digging it, gonna be some work for sure tho lol, cheers!
That's a really nice looking bike. I have a 71 Ironhead rigid frame kick chopper. Has a 95 Wide Glide front end with 10 over tubes. Love that bitch. So I'm quite familiar with kick only bikes. Lose those damn tennis shoes get a good pair of riding boots on your feet and it will be much easier to kick that bike, trust me on this Sally. Also when you're preloading it pay attention to what stroke you're on. Intake or exhaust then start your kick from the top like your husband said and kick through the stroke try not to let your foot fly off so the paddle flies back up but you also don't want to hold it down once it starts you should just be able to take your foot off the pedal Nice N Easy after it starts good luck and don't give up but I don't see that in you
Too Cool! Ok, I'm jealous 😂
My back, my legs, my ass are all sore 🤣 if that makes u feel better lmao! this bike is gonna whoop my lil ass into shape
So fuckin rad I love iron heads….. you ever messed with a shovster?
Thanks! No experience with a shovster, not gonna cut up a good engine, if i ever get a broken tranni case ironhead then i might, but the solid rigidity of the sportster drive train is the gold! lol
On that Bendix carb make sure the spring on the float wraps around and lays on the inside of the float bowl...In other words you should have to push the spring in with a screw driver then slide the float bowl up then pull out the screw driver... Hope this helps...
Thank you Jerry! Yes that does help, i was guessing and pushed it in to get the bowl to sit flush on the gasket, i wasn’t sure if that was how to do it, the spring in there has a weird orientation. Appreciate it!
You guys rock!!! im so jealous, I sold my Harleys last summer after being downsized and really miss that roar of them coming to life. Dont get me wrong, I love my Honda, but just doesn't have that same excitement of the first start up of the day that a hog gives ya...when a Harley cranks up its like the bike and you give each other a big high five and are ready to rule the day.
True! It doesnt compare to the power felt when a Harley starts. Cheers and ride safe!
a hint when kicking thru use the bent leg u will hurt yr knee also kicker arm to the bottom of stroke and it won t kick back leave it there intill engine starts or stops moving been kick startlng HD and big bore singles 50 years HAPPY TRAILS
Thanks Don! I’ll give that a shot, i been rewatching the kick video i fast forwarded thru to see what i need to adjust, need follow thru, and a lead boot 🤣🤣 cheers and thanks for watching!
Kickergrüße aus Deutschland
Vielen Dank fürs Zuchauen! 😁
That bike will make you work for it😆
Oh it sure is! 🤣 getting my workout, once everything is adjusted right for the altitude and get the cobwebs off her it should be golden lol
Being. Into. To. Motorcycles. Is. Not. A. ( Hobby. ) it's. What. We. Do. And. Love. Dennis. Western NC. Ride. Hard. Die. Free!!!
Can u pull yourself down by holding the rear fender while kicking to give yourself more leverage?
Yes, that’ll make it easier, once i get some stops so that the triple tree doesnt smash the tank lol! This bike just flops over as it sits right now lol
Im so jealous... 58 would be my birthyear. Cant find a decent ironhead here
It’s always a gamble buying ironheads, they are either loved or abused. Hope u find one! Cheers!
Wearing boots helps to kick'em over. There's a reason bikers "back in the day" wore engineer boots. Also if you go down you wont lose a foot.
Super nice 57
Awesome what's the build number on case belly? Mine says 72857
Sweet! Mines like 28sumthing sumthin lol hard to read lol cheers to ironheads!
I just saw your video about the 1957 Sportster. I have a question maybe you can help me with. I used to have a 1957 Sportster XLCH but I have no paper work anymore. I do have a picture. It was like yours , no battery, magneto only, small gas tank, and small chrome horseshoe oil tank. Nobody believes when I say it was a 1957 XLCH because, they say, that version didn't come out until 1958. Have I been wrong all this time?
Sounds like a sweet bike! But they are right, in 1957 it was just the XL model, it wasnt until the following year that the other models came out. All my husbands ironheads were xlch’s, great bikes!!
@@ironheadsally Thanks. Maybe you can relate to this. After a ride I'd pull around to the back yard (parked bike in laundry room) and just sit there inhaling the great smell of gas, oil, and hot metal. Newer bikes just don't have that anymore.
Soo true, thats what our laundry always smells like haha! Chain oil and raw motorcycle feel and smell are no longer the norm unfortunately lol cheers!
Chulada de chica...
What forward control setup are you running on that?
Not sure, we just picked up the bike a week ago lol, its got some fancy chrome forwards, and they are backwards so the shifter is on the right and brake left.
Those tall handlebars don’t help one bit with the kicking on this machine. Lower bars give you better leverage, easier to control the front end when you’re trying to get it going.
Good call, yes, i want to change the bars, too tall for em anyways, the front end with the raked angle is super floppy, so definitely some modifications coming! Thanks!!
Take it to sturgis, lol
👍😎👍
nice scoot!
Thanks Kenny!!
@@ironheadsally You are one righteous babe! Yer old man is one lucky dude!
Appreciate it Kenny! He’s taught me soo much on working on bikes. Cheers and ride safe out there 😁
I wuz born just down the road from HD, and luv iron heads, (hav 3) and I've always kick-started mine using my left foot, always, and it seems to work easier/better that way! Give it a try and see what ya think!@@ironheadsally
@@kennyh5083sweet! I will get that a shot, getting her rebuilt now cheers!! 🤘🤣
Such a kick ass ride i meant
LoL yah i figured, or hoped so 🥺🤣 lol
Yall running to raton in july?
No, well probably not, havent planned on it lol doing an out of state event the weekend prior so not sure if we can swing back to back with farm and work lol
@@ironheadsally gotcha. Im planning on riding through pueblo then south into ratone. If your plans change hollar!
Awesome! We might do a turn and burn, its a pretty ride!!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🍺🍺🍺
Hey I've got a 58 I would probably be willing to let go
Nice, hope u get a buyer, we are tapped on new bikes for a whilez
The dude.. 1 kick
I know right, frustrating, but he’s been kicking harleys for years. I’m learning lol
I have a 1955 model K
Awesome!
S &s carb super b, lol 11:57
Take charge of that machine. You kick like you're afraid of it. Run it through and hold the kicker to the floor. I'm done. I had a '58 Panhead (kicker only) and a '71 Shovelhead (kicker only) for 12 years. Kick it and be in charge !!!
Thank you! Yes after watching myself, i could see my own hesitation! I let up before it could start. Gonna kick her down, and hold until she does what she’s told! 🤣
Your partner is v luckey guy....J.
😁 thanks, i’m lucky too having a mechanic on duty lol! Cheers and thanks for watching
Right on.👍
Bars are perfect...ditch the risers .
Get rid of that damned Mag and put a dizzy back in it!!!
Momntns🎉❤kayleee
Play some music when you're on time lapse.
I didnt feel a need to
You have a wonderful husband
In todays world what would you say an running Ironhead is worth? . I hate going to stealerships for obvious reason.
Not running i wouldnt pay more than $2k anywhere in the US. If it’s turn key ready to roll, then i’d say $3k at the absolute max. Can get a great deal if ur ready to do some at home wrenching! 🤩 good luck on the hunt!
What ever someone is willing to pay.
She needs an electric start or start doing some squats lol
I have an electric start 85 ironhead, gonna get this kicker working, i’ll get there, and once mag and carb are better tuned it’ll be golden. Need more ummppfff. Thanks for watching!
Try hard sole shoe like a boot ditch the sneakers i bet you ll kick it over .
Thanks! I’ll try that, We are going to check all the timing and points in the magneto. Cold starting it is still fighting it a lot. Getting her dialed in! Cheers!
ugh...why do people get neck tattoos .
Ugh, i know, people doing what they want with their own bodies is such a shame.
BE SURE TO CHANGE THE OIL IN THE TRANSMISSION,for some reason new transmissions are cheaper then oil...
Ohh definitely! First thing we did was change all the fluids. Cheers!!