1974 AMF Harley Davidson XLH 1000 Sportster Walkaround
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- In this video I talk about the history of this bike, how I came about buying it, some stats on this model, plus various features and a few things I've done to it in a walkaround.
Hope you enjoy. please feel free to comment, share or give it a like if you found it to be of interest, cheers.
Equipment
Drift ghost 4K
Sena 10C
Sony HDR AS200V
Current Motorcycles
2017 Triumph Tiger 800 XRX Low
1979 Triumph T140D Bonneville Special
1975 Norton Commando MK 3
1974 Harley Davidson XLH 1000 Sportster
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You scored heavily on your machine. As did I this morning. I have been stalking a 1974 Ironhead on craigslist here in northern Colorado, and this morning I went on over to check it out, It`s a bone stock original with 8900 miles, in excellent condition, I ended up parting with two and a half stacks, and now I`m the proud owner. Something about these machines just excites the senses, and I could literally stand and stare at it for hours. The year it was built, 1974, I was a lad of 13, and owning one was as faraway as the moon.
Congratulations on your purchase David, I'm the same in that everytime I go into the shed I find myself lifting the cover just to look and admire like I did the very first time I saw one, never gets old.
@Edward Martinez Greetings Edward, today it gets new tires and tubes, as the weather is just right for countryside rips. This machine in the past year received a transmission rebuild and I had the heads freshened up. I installed an electronic ignition, 5ohm coil, new NGK plugs, plug wires, and sprockets and chain. I would encourage you if the chance presents itself, to Get One!
@@sirrideabit651 The old Sportsters are the prettiest bikes HARLEY ever made. They may beak your back but you will be smiling,proud as hell as heads turn to see it as you go by...Panheadsforever, Sportsters Rule
I bought my first Harley in 86 it was a1974 XLCH mine was black and kick start only and when I was 14 I used to go to the local Harley Dealership (Bellflower Harley in southern California ) where I bought my first motorcycle ( 1974 Suzuki TS 125 ) and sit on the Sportster and dream I was traveling the country on a Sportster like the TV Show ( then came Bronson ) and although I have a Harley now an 05 Dyna I would buy back my Ironhead XLCH in a minute .
Great video and the original owner picked the right guy to sell it to 👍
Thank you and thanks for your memories into motorcycling, I like hearing how others came to love the lifestyle, ride safe.
Beautiful bike! Funny how, as more time passes, keeping it completely stock makes it more unique. Thanks for sharing!
Keep the bike original , there are way to many good Sportsters destroyed.
This one is beautiful !!!
Thank you, totally agree it's survived this long and deserves to stay like it, that's why the original owner sold it to me with a promise to keep his bike this way, a promise l intend to keep.
In 1974 there were two Harley dealerships in the metro Denver area. Neither were called Rocky Mountain Harley nor Freedom. Those dealerships came later. I worked as a service tech for Rocky Mountain for a number of years. The old Colfax Blvd. dealership in Lakewood (a Denver suburb) was simply known as Harley Davidson of Denver. It was housed at that time in a former roller skating rink with nice wooden floors. It was owned by a former Canadian named Roger Edney. He also owned the dealership in Littleton (another Denver suburb on the south side of town). That was the dealership that became Rocky Mountain. The Colfax dealership became Freedom. In 1976 a third dealership was added in Thornton ( a Northern suburb) it is still in existence and called Sun. They were also a Honda dealership. I was their first Harley service tech in 1976. There was a fourth dealership added in Aurora (east side suburb) in 1977. It sold Kawasaki's, Triumph's and Harleys.
I too own a 1974 XLH all original in black. Living at the base of the Rocky Mountains it is a joy to explore the canyons on and like you I love the sound, Enjoyed your video.
Thank you for all your information, the sales receipt I have has the heading, Harley Davidson Sales inc, 8020 W. Colfax Avenue Denver Colorado 80215. It also states that they are an Authorized sales and service dept for snowmobiles.
@@sirrideabit651 that was the old original HD dealership in Denver. Owned by Mr. Koch from the late 40's until 1968 when Roger bought it. Originally it was across the street in a tin Quonset building. Very low key and non descript from a different era. The roller rink was up scale for that era. Now a days that dealership is called Avalanche and has moved to the Morrison exit on I-70. Typical modern dealership large as a department store. But show up on an old ironhead and the crowd will walk away form all the shiny new bikes and gather to look and ask questions.
Thanks again for your vast local knowledge, I also find when I park up someone will stop and look with most wanting to know more about it, now thanks to you I have more to tell. Cheers
@@tinman8678 I am doing a 1973 XLCH for my 22 year old daughter now.Started with a motor and baskets full of old parts collected from building old panheads.Always start with motor and tranny cases and go from there...I had so any Sportster parts I figured what a great Birthday present for my only child,ReAnna.A New Harley Sportster that is 50years old ! The price of NOS parts is out of sight but I have ahouse full of NOS panhead parts to sell.Had three bikes stolen 10 years ago.
lovely bike , it's nice to see someone riding it and keeping it in good shape .
Thank you Ernest, always a good day when I'm out on it.
Had that same bike, bought it new. Great motorcycle it was. Got me into more trouble than I needed and more girls than I could shake a stick at. Loved it.
Sound like you were a bit of a rebel back in the day lol, thanks for watching
My father still has his. Same color as yours. He has a non-stock back tire, added chrome and of course drag pipes (he has all the original stuff too) He bought his new at age 18 in '74. He just retired last year and he'll pass it on. I think as a project, I'll get it in running order to let that Sporty talk to him again. Thanks for the video.
That's awesome he's had it all his life and going to keep it in the family👍 all the best with your project, thanks for watching.
Super nice bike, I am glad you kept it original. It really looks good.
Thank you Gary
Thank you for keeping it stock. Theres plenty of bikes that have either already been modified or need too much work to restore that can be chopped. Your bike is very nice. Keep it that way. And I want to say thank you to you Aussies for totally embracing Harleys. I am a born American living in America, riding Harleys is my birthright, yall dont have that same birthright but choose to ride Harleys anyway and thats pretty damn cool.
Thank you Eric, it's made it this far as a stock bike so it deserves to stay that way in my opinion. I think you would be surprised as to how many Harley's are running around Australia.
@@sirrideabit651 No, I wouldnt be surprised. Australia has been a huge export market for Harley for a very long time!
Beautiful bike. I have a '74 XLH that spent years parked outside and the elements have taken their toll. Its unusual to find an older Ironhead that is as original as yours. I was amazed at how physically big the battery is. I have a couple of big twins but my Ironhead is a garage favorite. Thanks for the walk around.
The ironhead is definitely a favorite of mine too, thanks for watching Kevin.
That bike is sweet! The fact that the black warning decal on the bars is still in tact is absolutely amazing. Kudos for keeping her stock. You've got yourself quite a collectors item.
Cheers and thanks for watching
Beautiful bike. My brother had bought one new in 1974 when i was about 15 yrs old. i am 60yrs old now, and although i have owned many bikes since then, mainly Harleys, this is the bike that holds some of my fondest memories. The same color too!
Thanks Michael, similar story my school mates older sisters boyfriend had one, the first time I saw and heard it I was hooked. It was never far from my mind and many years later the opportunity to buy this one came up. Hopefully I'll be the caretaker of it for many years to come.
(ok, seem to have hit the wrong button for my first post, thanks to text saver here it is)
Hi from Daytona Beach Fl USA, enjoyed your video on your XLH and the puttering sound brought back fond memories of my 1974 XLCH (the man's version) Turquoise colored (rare) that I bought brand new in April of 1974 when I was 20 years old.
It's nice to see that you want to keep it stock and are rolling it back to it's original condition. Just a few things though, the gauge faces are cracked due to some kind of impact and that's a shame as the plastic is not heat crazed or sun faded. The original ignition switch appears to have been replaced with a aftermarket unit as the factory didn't use that kind of key for that year.
The Sportster is a nice around town bike, light and easy to maneuver around in traffic, easy to back up and put into a parking space, but is very fatiguing for very long rides (cross country & border to border) so in 1975 I bought a brand new FXE 1200 to use for the majority of my riding days, (88 thousand miles) much better for loading up the bike with gear and a passenger and with a gearing change and proper tuning can run rock steady at 100mph plus all day long.
Oh and always flip the gas petcock to off whenever the bike is stopped, this is a ritual of any experienced motorcyclist as when the bike is leaning on the kickstand gas can leak into the manifold as the carb and float are tilted. Fact or fiction?Maybe why you had to push the starter button and twist the throttle for a few seconds to start it up again when it was warm. On my FXE when it was warmed up just a tap of the starter button would fire up a warm engine in it's whole entire life. (of course a spot on tune and HD spark plugs may also be a factor in that heh)
A couple of other things I noticed on your bike, hit me up on my email or PM if you want to learn more about the AMF era of Harley Davidson as I lived it and breathed it for decades and can separate fact from fiction, and call out all the modern era "I have a real Harley" jackasses and blockheads.
Hi, thank you for the comments and experiences on your amf harley's, the owner said the lenses were cracked due to the heat, might have been a one off as they are not yellowed, wasn't going to question the 80 year old gentleman. Not sure which key you were referring to, the ignition key is small and has Harley Davidson on it, the other is for a padlock, it looks original to me but I guess I'll do some further research. My old dad always use to tell me to turn the petcock off when parked up which is a habit I do especially with the British bikes, will definitely get in touch if I come across anything I'm not sure about, cheers
My first Harley was a 1982 Sporster, the first one non AMF. It looked similar to that. I miss my Sporty, a great around town bike.
A great find, looks great. Ride Safe.
Thanks Ian
Ian - The first non AMF Sportster rolled off the assembly line in 1957.
Wow what a great looking ironhead sportster! That was a rare find, stock condition, and extremely low miles, that's nearly unheard of. I was actually looking at ironhead sportsters back in '16 and '17, but never came across that one on craigslist. I'm glad a guy like you got it, someone who wants to keep it original! I have an '01 sportster that I bought new, and kept it in mostly stock condition. I did change the electronic ignition to aftermarket type, and I converted it to chain drive ( I don't like belts). Otherwise it looks the same as the day I bought it. I've put 56,000 miles on it so far, and it's still running great! I hope to add an ironhead from the '70's to my collection if I can find one in good, original condition. Great video, enjoyed it !
Thanks Trevor I've had mine since 2012 so you wouldn't have seen it advertised in 16-17, it took some time to find this one, but I reckon there still out there just a matter of being patient and with a bit of luck you will eventually find one, good luck.
Geeez I'm old and out of touch as we never referred to them as "Ironheads" kind of irks me every time I hear that and think 'effin Millennial's. Sportsters were either K's (KH-KR) CH's or XL's even XR's weren't considered to be in the Sportster class except for the very rare first year engine wise. (different frame than the street bike)
Beautiful time machine!!!! Im 65 and my first 2 HARLEYS 1983 SP0RTSTER AND A 1977 SPORTSTER!!!! YOURS IS RARE TO FIND IN THIS PRISTENE CONDITION LOW MILES!!!!! THE 1974 WAS A GOOD YEAR WITH THE NICE GRAPHICS ON THE TANK AND THE PAINT IS VERY BEAUTIFUL!!!! ENJOY HER!!!!
2500 miles! Niccccce 👊, you got a brand new 1974 Harley Davidson SPORTSTER. Score of a lifetime ☝💚 💨
Thanks for keeping it original!
I bought a 1974 Sportster new and rode it for about 10 years. Really enjoyed it. I am back on a Sportster again, this time a 1996 XL 1200C
Hi Nelson that's a bit of a coincidence my first Harley was a 96 1200C, bought a new 03 Low Rider after that which I sold to get the Tiger, Cheers for the sub
Ya got the original beeping alarm. Brilliant!
northerniltree and it still works
I'd leave just as is!!! Good decision on your part... and the previous owner!!! I LOVE stock Sportsters!!
So do I, that's why this one is staying as Harley made it, thanks for watching.
Good shopping, very good shopping. Really great you want to keep it stock.
Most harley's owners modify their bikes in some way, I think if a bike has survived this long without then they should remain factory original.
@@sirrideabit651 - especially back in the 70's !
It's a great looking bike - you should be proud ! I often wonder about the AMF years.... people say the bikes were the worst ones H-D ever made and the lack of spares etc etc, but in my humble opinion they were the best looking bikes of all. Even Harley now is doing paint jobs etc that are 'retro' of these times and indeed the 'worshipped' Willie G had a lot of input into the designs. The wonder factor is that the bikes were made by the same workers, so how come the unreliability thing happened ? The bikes these days seem to be 'better', but in reality H-D are still well 'behind the times' - there is even the Sporty filling the old WL45's void ... and please don't call me a hater as I have a sporty and a twinkie !
Thanks Robert it certainly is a great bike, If it wasn't for the AMF years Harley would have gone under and I personally think they done a good job keeping the name going apart from some quality control issues, plus they were competing with the up and coming Japanese bikes like the Kawasaki Z900 and Honda 750's. I totally agree they had some great paint schemes back then.
@@sirrideabit651 Yes, indeed they did.... it was seeing a 1975 Superglide (FXE - small tank) in a metallic (almost "Electric') blue that turned my head towards Harleys. I would love to find an unmolested example - and the funds to buy it !
There are a lot of idiots in the world, many more now that they allow financing on a motorcycle purchases, no money down and $240 a month will get you a brand new cookie cutter 'chopper' and you will no longer be as we use to call them back in the day "Sidewalk Bikies". Fire, Theft, & Collision insurance on a Harley back in the day would get you laff'ed out of the Insurance Agents office, hell you'd be blessed to have it stolen as most likely you were going to be either killed or maimed for life on that "Murder'sickle'! There was nothing wrong with the AMF bikes other than high production runs with a new factory and the typical problems you have with training a new workforce. The engines were still built in Milwaukee and were shipped to York PA and were all USA parts till the spring run of 1975.
Much of the bad press of AMF is from clueless riders that monkey wrench they're own bikes. Heck even many dealers were clueless, I brought back my new 1975 FXE for the dealers first 'Free' service and had explicit instructions to not change the oil, ie: put in the low grade Pre-Lux oil, or to grease the speedometer gear (over grease sling out onto the wheel, as my friends 1975 XLH had been in service before mine) but to just correct the hydraulic lifter tapping noise. They did everything against my instructions and even the HD dealer (one of the oldest and biggest in California) I worked for in the late 70's still didn't have a clue to the tapping tappets in the big twin. Ah just put the aftermarket solid lifter kit in it was their solution,,,, clueless. The forks & gauges (or 'clocks' to you fur'riners) were the only Jap parts on my XLCH, on the SuperGlide I use to brag to the new blockheads that I could count on 1 hand the number of Jap parts on it (1974 fall production run, no Jap broken spoke re-call) Shall I go on?.... Have y'all learned the new word of the Millennium? Survey says, "Chinesium".
THAT,S WHAT YOU CALL A KEEPER
This was my dream bike in '74. Unfortunately I couldn't quite swing it on my apprentice chef wages in London at the time so I bought a '74 Bonnie instead. If I could find one in this nice a shape I'd buy it tomorrow. Thanks for posting.
There around just have to be ready to buy when they surface, but still a 74 Bonnie would have been a nice bike like my 79. Thanks for watching
Very nice my friend, love that bike! 👍
Cheers mate
Awesome sound 👍
Thank you it's an awesome bike
In my opinion AMF Sportsters have been the most beautiful ever. This one is stunning.
Thank you, I have to agree even today's sportsters are using the old AMF paint schemes.
@@sirrideabit651 Yes, i'm going to have a tank like this on mine.
Love that 1974 tech alarm system. Wicked accessory, never knew about it. Thanks for keeping stock, a thing of beauty right from the factory 👍
what a beauty, keepin it real.
Cheers Norman
Congrats on owning this beautiful machine. I used to own a bone stock 1975 like yours except in black, they handle very nice and are a real pleasure to ride and own. The exhaust sound is intoxicating! They are great investments and only gain in worth each year. I’m still kicking myself for selling mine. Maybe I’m wrong, but I seem to recall that factory mercury alarm also came with a small receiver that clipped to your belt. It’s been a long time since I owned mine so I may be a little foggy regarding this. It looks like this classic Sportster went to the proper owner. I am currently restoring my 1970 XLH back to factory stock. Enjoy ownership my friend.
Thank you Michael, might have to look further into the receiver device, I did ask the original owner how it worked and he didn't mention it but thats not saying it didn't come with one, all the best with your restoration and ride safe
Sir Ride A Bit I just did a little research for you regarding the small pocket/belt receiver.
I actually have the official AMF Harley-Davidson parts book/catalog. It shows your factory alarm security system. Part No. 45771-74 1974 and up. However I see no receiver listed at all.
I don’t know why I have it imprinted in my mind that my 1975 Sportster had a pocket receiver?... it was 29 years ago since I owned mine! It’s not to say you can’t install a modern high tech alarm with receiver AND tracking system if you want.
One thing I do recall is that you can adjust the sensitivity of the mercury switch internally in your old factory unit. At 64 years I am even surprised I remembered this! 🤔. Take care and thank you For being a great custodian of that piece of motorcycle history you have. Ride safe my friend!
Nope no receiver for the 'Junk' alarm. My 2 alarms came in their boxes with the owners manuals as the dealers I got my XLCH & FXE from were intelligent enough to not even install it. I suggest Mr. Ride A Bit remove it and put it in a safe place and invest his money in a big proof coil chain & lock. (and when your off your property don't let the bike out of your eyesight)
Very nice 👍🏼
Thank you
Hi again Sir Ride a Bit, it's Mitch from Armenia, and a fellow Aussie from South Australia. You really live up to your channel name, because it seems you haven't ridden any of your beautiful bikes for about 4 years! I truly hope everything's ok with you and your family and nothing untoward has happened.🙏
I also have a RUclips channel, and it can be a little burdensome to keep producing videos. However, if you do it out of love, it truly does bring joy to others who wish they were in your position. In your case, it's classic motorcycles. in particular, you appeal to my love of 70's Superbikes. The fact that you've acquired 3 of my all-time favorite bikes is amazing in itself, but the way you look after them is very inspiring. Whether you ride around the Whyalla backstreets, or out on the vast open roads of the Oz outback, everything you do appeals to me, and I'm sure to others as well.
So, if you're in a position to post some more videos of these gorgeous bikes, I for one will watch with interest. If you're not worried about subscribers or view counts, your love for these bikes will shine through and appeal to many older riders like me. I'm now 67 and wish I could have just one of your 3 classic bikes. Alas, it's probably not meant to be, especially over here in Armenia. So, please make some more videos if your able to.
Keep safe and God bless you and your family. Best regards, Mitch
I like the style of your sportster ,I started on one.i wish I keep it .I think they sounds strong with muffler on .nice looking bike I would be happy riding it what I like most is its bone stock
I had this exact same model and year in the exact same color. I only owned it for about a year in 1980 when I was 18. I often dream that it’s still in my dad‘s backyard shed. I also live in Denver, CO, USA where you purchased this from!
It's a shame you didn't hang on to it but I think we all have that one bike we wished we still had, thanks for watching
A nice survivor !
Thanks Paul, I'm just the caretaker I hope it will survive long after I'm gone.
This is a stunning beauty , keep it Original !!
Thank you, that's the promise I made to the original owner which I plan to keep, thanks for watching.
Beautiful bike, sympathetically customised and in keeping with original concept, lucky fella mate 👍👍
Thank you Alan, definitely a keeper.
I bought one of these at age 19 from Pate's HD in Chattanooga, TN for $2,481 plus tax.
One of the few times I can say I was too young to buy one new...thanks for sharing
A little lost fact of the 1974 year of Harley Davidson is that they had a strike at the newly opened York PA. factory and there was no spring production run of the bikes making them in short supply in early 1974. I got one of the last unsold XLCH's on the east coast in April of that year and had to make a Kenny Powers "Bomb Ass" run to Harley Davidson of Manhattan NYC with a 2 grand bank check for a deposit to make sure I had it for the 1974 riding season. Total invoice sale price was $2,600 (no NY tax). I already had a $100 deposit on a new Honda 750 and when I made that deposit the dealer had 1 Kawasaki Z900 on a elevated rotating display to which I inquired about buying with the sales person informing me that was already sold and it was the only one there were going to get.
(1 per dealer that year nationwide) I was glad to get the Harley as I had already blown up my brand new 1970 Honda two times and it had been in the Honda dealer (warranty repair) for most of the 1970 riding season. Booo!
Awesome dude you don't ever find original sporties anymore kind of nice to see one that's all original or close to it
You can't improve on perfection. Good for you keeping it stock! Beautiful!
Cheers mate
Beautiful .
Thank you 🙂
Mate, she's a beauty!
wow what a beautiful survivor, man i hope you keep her safe , i own a 1996 and have done so many mods only because there are millions of sporties , but 70s in all original condition i would never touch , i came accross one once the guy wouldn't let go , even though his riding days are done , and i respect that , its his baby , i still keep my eyes open for one , my friend has a 74 1000 and i love it ....nice bike man im happy for you and its in the right place 👍👍
Thank you its safe and running well, there still out there just takes time for the right one to come along, good luck.
I love your bike. I have a 77 sitting in my garage that needs transmission work. Ive got to get that done after your ride along camera has reminded me of how fun it was. I'm 70, myself, so I'd better quit procrastinating and get it done. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you and all the best I hope you get your bike back on the road soon.
Beautiful! My first bike was a 79 xl1000, when I was about 17 (somewhere in 94 I guess).....it was in bad shape but what a first bike!!! Did NOT look like this one haha!
Thanks, you certainly started out on cool bike, my first bike was a honda CB125 lol, still good memories though.
Damn, those old Sporty's are friggen gorgeous.
Puts a smile on my face everytime I look at it
I just bought this exact bike, same blue color at an estate sale in California all original, excellent condition, 14k miles $1800, WHAT A SCORE!
Wow right place at the right time, enjoy your new ride
@@sirrideabit651 Looking at yours I can't wait to get it all cleaned up, it's been in a garage parked for 26 years. I'm like you I'll keep it totally orginal. I have a lot of work as it's been sitting so long.
Nice to hear another old bike kept in original condition, have fun and patience bringing it back to life
Beautiful bike man it ended up in the right hands
Cheers Scott
Lovely, glad you found the period correct parts, I used to work on them when new..the alarm had little bulbs of mercury that made contact if you moved the bike setting the alarm off .......wow how did I remember that weird stuff.lol
Glad you enjoyed the video, It does still work sounded like a small vehicle's reversing siren, but I ended up taking the battery out.
I like it! Your a lucky man. You ought to be glad that you don’t have to put up with the likes of me pestering you to let me ride it every day.
Haha cheers Mike and yes I'm glad
Awesome bike!😎
Hi there Sir, just found this video...and have to say I loved your presentation of how you acquired your beautiful Iron Head Sportster! I've loved these bikes ever since I was a young teenager watching Then Came Bronson. That show started my love for motorcycling...but sadly never got around to owning the bike that started it all for me! Just subbed, because I like your style...as well as being a fellow Aussie (been living in Armenia for the past 6 years). I do miss the Aussie outback...where in Oz was this filmed if I may ask? Ride safe mate. Regards, Mitch
Thank you Mitch, I live in Whyalla South Australia, I've been meaning to do more videos on the Sporty now its back on the road but I have been busy with other non bike related projects. Your story sounds interesting moving to Armenia, anyway thanks for watching and the sub, all the best and stay safe mate.
@@sirrideabit651 ... I thought that scenery was familiar...S.A. is my home State! I've ridden down that way a couple of times...ages ago. Beautiful wide open spaces...that's the part of Oz I miss. We're all mountains here in Armenia...but I love that too. Thanks for the reply mate. Stay safe and I look forward to future posts about you Sportster. Regards, Mitch
Hello, nice motorcycle. I am painting a friends late fathers AMF back to original and I have a question about the decals on tank. I am going to bury them under the clear coat but I was wondering if the originals are on top of the color ( not under clear)? Much appreciate a reply. Nice video.
Thank you Doug, the decals on the tank do have a clear coat over them, good luck with your restoration.
And I second that as both my 1974 & 1975 had clear coat over the tank decals.
I am an American. As a kid growing up, Harleys just seemed like the only choice of motorcycle. I am genuinely curious about the Austrailian Harley culture. Everything I know about Austrailia comes from Mad Max movies and something called the Milpera Massacre which apparently was a shootout yall had between the Bandidos and some club called the Comancheros, whoever they are.
Many of us old bikers who have parts,bikes etc may give parts to some people and won't to others no matter what they offer.
LOOK AFTER IT
I consider myself as just being the next caretaker.
Nice bike
Thank you Charles
I have the same sporty. I’m ready to pass mine on to my oldest son but it’s created a quandary. My younger son loves the bike too. Any chance you’d be willing to let this one go to a new home? It would create quite a family legacy!
Sounds like you have a bit of a situation there Steven, but unfortunately for you I have no plans to let this one go anytime soon, thanks for watching
Nice sporty.. where are you in Australia?
I bought a mostly orginal 74 in from Georgia about 7 years ago. Im in perth. Love riding it. Got a norton as well but kinda prefer the harley.. although get a lot of stick for saying that. Kept it mostly orginal.. have changed to mikuni after a lot of hassles with the bendix..changed to stainless spokes.. little bit of extra chrome. Yet to see another original ironhead over here but i guess they are around somewhere
Thanks for watching Greg, I live in whyalla South Australia, I like riding all my bikes because they are all so different especially the one that is running the best lol. I get the same thing from mates who prefer the Norton, I think it's because to them a Harley is a Harley and there are plenty of them but not many Norton's especially here. But the sportster to me is the most special because of the story behind it. I like to think there are more like ours around tucked away waiting to be found or ridden, ride safe.
Aah.. see you have a norton..two of us in Australia with an original ironhead and norton combo.??...organise a norton ride here in perth once a year.. usually get 50 or 60. Son made a doco of it in 2011.. was on youtube but blocked at the moment.. will go on a private channel soon.. will send you a link
Rocky Mountain H-D is still open. Same address as your key chain. Originally, that bike was probably sold at Freedom H-D if it was sold in Denver new.
Thank you very much Eric for the information, something to add into the bikes history file cheers.
Didn't our (gasp) late fine citizen here in Daytona Beach Bruce Rossmyer own a couple of HD dealers in Colorado? The 'Freedom" H-D rings a bell in his empire of Harley Dealers.
I have a 76 with 3000 miles. Its in pieces but willing to sell either as parts or as is. all original, absolutely nothing wrong with it. Reach out if interested.
Thanks for the offer would like another old sportster but not at this point in time. There is a guy on RUclips that might be interested called jfrost77hd, he buys ironhead sportsters and also sells parts on eBay under frost cycle shack.
Having problems with my carb. It has a stock bendix. Accelerator pump leaks gas. Simple set up but in stumped. What is a better alternative?
I have not long experienced the same issue with mine and seriously one of the easiest jobs I've done. I purchased a complete Bendix repair kit from Zenith fuel systems part no DS-289090 72-76. (Instructions included) It's a simple case of removing the complete pump assembly and inserting the new one, can easily be done with the carb attached. Also having the complete kit allows you to have spares if you experience any carb issue later on.
@@sirrideabit651 I bought one, i got it to pump gas but it still leaks. I'm looking into making sure my float is set right but other than that i cant seem to get it to start and idle
It's hard to know what's going on without physically being there, especially if there are other attributing factors involved like lack of spark or timing issues, I can only suggest seeking help from more knowledgeable people in your area. If however you want an alternative I've recently come across a video on forgotten motorcycles who fitted a mukuni carb size 38 I think to his sportster and is very happy with it, might be worth checking out. Also I think tatro machine who is a mechanic has fitted one to his sons bike in the past. Sorry I can't be of more help.
The previous owner wasn't looking for a "buyer"...he wanted a "caretaker". Beautiful sporty.
Nicely put, hopefully sometime in the future there will be another caretaker.
Hi I have a 79 one, did you or are you going to put in unleaded exhaust valve seats in it? I aquired a owners manual and it says in bold print under no circumstance use unlead fuel
regards Tim
Hi Tim this bike is all original so I add a valve saver additive into the fuel mix, I always have fuel at home and fill up after a ride. Plus I add Stable which helps keep the moisture out the tank as a rust preventative, For longer rides you can take a small bottle with you.
Old post but sweet bike. Use super glue in the cracks to make the gauges water resistant.
Cheers thanks for the tip, I usually gauge the weather before taking it out
Black is beautiful...Chrome won't get you home.
the dealer is still open and in the same spot !
www.rockymountainhd.com/
Cheers Earnest, good to know
Comfortable/ Grate Fuel Mi, for that era, / That’s a time capsule for riding/. Probably Maintained. It’s Truly A Reliable EVERY DAY Riding Machine & Camry 500 lbs EASY, that’s organal bike???
I had a new 75 should have kept it
I think we all have had bikes we wished we'd kept
Really enjoyed your video. Here is a link to an almost stock 76 Harley Sportster that we restored to new. Great deal of fun to do, even more fun to ride. Enjoy! ruclips.net/video/HwofVFNd5S0/видео.html
Thank you I'll check your video out
gives me a woody
You would have to be an idiot to chop this bike. Bikes like this are almost impossible to find.
Totally agree, there are plenty of non original ironheads out there to put your own stamp on
Hey your on the wrong side of the road 😅
180 my arse.
Man that’s a horrible bike….. you should sell it… to me.. & I’ll figure what to do with it.. nice man.. sporty the most underrated bike ever…