Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: chuck peterson on August 24, 2016, 06:00:42 AM
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https://newhaven.craigslist.org/mcy/5745435572.html
That's my kinda chopper..
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That will wake up the neighbors!
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Hmmmm, Chuck's chopper, has a nice ring to it!
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What is it about the old iron head sportsters, that they are not considered "chick bikes" by the Harley crowd like the newer sportsters?
Rick.
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Reminds me of my '56 Triumph, same style.
Tom
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What is it about the old iron head sportsters, that they are not considered "chick bikes" by the Harley crowd like the newer sportsters?
Rick.
A kick only Sporty is a man's bike :laugh: I had a 63 Sportster with a much modified engine... To kick start it required a bit of a circus act but it would start on one kick...And the vibration at 6000 rpm is like mechanical scorpions in your clothes...
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XLCH is a fun bike to ride after the effort to start it. The points will start to close on you because of the vibration. Every kick will turn the crankshaft 1/2 a turn vs. a big twin which will turn 1 1/2 per kick. 3 times the effort to get it started. IIRC. Anyone can correct. Resetting the points gap is a regular maintenance item. If ridden regularly, like once every other week. They do sound nice.
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Every kick will turn the crankshaft 1/2 a turn vs. a big twin which will turn 1 1/2 per kick.
That I did not know, learned something new today.
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I can see why its "A Man's Bike"! I didnt realize it is kick start only. It sounds like old sporty ownership can be painful....the part about the mechanical scorpions does not sound pleasant ! Great info, though. I learned a few new things.Cool!
Thanks
Rick
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"Sportster knee" is a common moniker in the vintage HD world......see a guy with a limp, ask him what year his sporty is......
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A stock nicely tuned Iron Head vibration level is ok on the Highway depending on the rider's tolerance for vibration.Thin custom seat amplifies the vibration....Pans and Shovels also vibrate at higher speeds despite what some claim. The XLCH originally had a magneto up to about 1969...A carefully assembled Iron Head won't leak oil and can be reliable..Electric start came out in 1967
Rick, if you like them, find one for sale and con the seller into a test ride...You may buy it... I weigh 165 pounds and can kick start one with no problem...
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XLCH is a fun bike to ride after the effort to start it. The points will start to close on you because of the vibration. Every kick will turn the crankshaft 1/2 a turn vs. a big twin which will turn 1 1/2 per kick. 3 times the effort to get it started. IIRC. Anyone can correct. Resetting the points gap is a regular maintenance item. If ridden regularly, like once every other week. They do sound nice.
I was curious about the crank rotation with the kicker.... A full stoke of the kicker rotates the engine one full turn...The ignition however rotates a half turn if that's what you meant... Actually it's less effort in theory than the big twin...because the engine spins less...
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In theory, yes. I think the Ironhead Sporty had higher compression. I had to do a full body kick with right leg on the kicker vs on my Shovelhead a leg kick. Lower compression? If I had a hard time kicking with the right or fatigued it. I would do the full body left leg kick. Only rarely would I need to do that on the Shovelhead engine.
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Well, I don't know if it was a matter of sharper tuning, technique or luck,
but I have seen my Uncle Benny(posts here as "BadAce") kick start his long gone 1975 Sportster
BY HAND ! ("HAND" Start?)
But if I hadn't had seen it w/ me own two eyes... :bow:
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He may have longer arms than my legs. :grin:
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https://newhaven.craigslist.org/mcy/5745435572.html
That's my kinda chopper..
Wow talk about "old school" chopper.
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An Ironhead can be a "girl's" bike..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_f65pQrLpg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_f65pQrLpg)
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A stock nicely tuned Iron Head vibration level is ok on the Highway depending on the rider's tolerance for vibration.Thin custom seat amplifies the vibration....Pans and Shovels also vibrate at higher speeds despite what some claim. The XLCH originally had a magneto up to about 1969...A carefully assembled Iron Head won't leak oil and can be reliable..Electric start came out in 1967
Rick, if you like them, find one for sale and con the seller into a test ride...You may buy it... I weigh 165 pounds and can kick start one with no problem...
The thing about starting a Sportster is the same thing as starting a Velocette or a BSA B50, which also have notoriously low-geared kick starters - you can't just bash on the lever, you have to know WHERE the crank is relative to TDC (or on one cylider's TDC on the Sportster), and understand how much gas is in the carb throat, push the crank around to the right place, and push it on through. If it's got good compression, been primed/choked right, and the spark comes at the right place in the kick cycle, it'll start. If you've lost track on any of those, it WON'T start, and urban legends begin.
Would always loved to have had a CH for day rides, but no amount of balancing will get that 45 degree primary imbalance out of it .....
Lannis
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What is it about the old iron head sportsters, that they are not considered "chick bikes" by the Harley crowd like the newer sportsters?
Rick.
Once the Gay Pirate moniker was applied, there had to be a way to tell the real girls from the wannabes.
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I can remember me and my cousin doing the "full body stomp" on his Sporty back in 75, cussing like stevedores, until my uncle came out of the house, took a couple of prods to find the right spot and gently stepped on it, gave us the dick eye and walked back in without a word as it idled.
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Yeah....IIRC getting on the right stroke of compression plus the starting drill. Way easier on Shovelhead '80 incher. One way to kickstart cold vs hot then a total guess if warm.
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You can walk one off as well. In gear, back up against compression, pull clutch in. Three long steps and release the lever. Boom yow!
My friend Paul bought a 75 Norton with the electric assist starter. He tried Jump jump kickback ouch! Find the sweet spot and I can start his and mine while seated. 1st kick, every time, hot or cold. Boyer ignition.
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In one of the underground comix from the late 60's, at the back was advertised a Sportster Instant Start Kit which consisted of a 50 ft inflatable hill (yes, it was a joke, but just barely).
Some of the worst pain I ever suffered was hyperextension of my knee from a kickstart attempt on my '71 Norton Commando. Ouch!
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And another good looker...
https://newhaven.craigslist.org/mcy/5745435572.html
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And another good looker...
https://newhaven.craigslist.org/mcy/5745435572.html
That's the same ad as the original post ... did you mean to post a different one?