My Sportster Runs!

Kim Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:57 am

After parking in the shed for WAY too long a time, my 1974 XLCH Harley Davidson Sportster is dragged into the sunlight and fired up.

All original...the same valves and pistons and rings and coils and pushrods and gears whirring and clacketing after being kicked through about 5 times!

My baby speaks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P1Fllz03Ug&t=17s

Ken Cook Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:11 am

That's a great feeling when they fire up. I bought a Yamaha enduro XT 550 in 82. I still have it and it looks great. It sits for years and years and whenever I pull it out and offer it a few kicks, it starts right up old gas and all. I don't understand why my newer bikes sit for less than a month and I have to crank the starter out of it to get them to run. Simple is what works and that's where the industry went haywire.

fredvon4 Tue Apr 06, 2021 6:51 am

Way cool... I sure miss all my bikes

KariFS Tue Apr 06, 2021 11:10 am

Love it! Original paint, stripes and all. Sounds wonderful too Cool

An unmodified Sportster of that era sure is a rare sight. I didn’t realize you still had it.

I tried to post a video of mine starting up (mine only has the electric foot), but for some reason my iPad disagrees with youtube right now. The start-up video was prior to finding out a slight problem with the transmission...

It’s all fixed up now. I took the gear box unit to a shop to get the new gears and the gear change forks properly shimmed and then shimmed the unit into the block myself. A bit different compared to old Hondas that you can just throw together Smile

I replaced the clutch discs and the primary chain while I was there. Had to make some special tools and jigs, always interesting to learn new stuff!

MauricioB Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:43 pm

Hey Kim !!, you feel very happy there friend !!! .... and no wonder !! ... congratulations, that deserves some good beers while you listen to the engine sing! Beer Cheers

**Cribbs74** Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:53 pm

It was nice to hear how happy you were. Made me smile. Now go get some new tires and tear up the road. Maybe a new chain and brakes too... Wink

**944_Jim** Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:26 pm

Congrats! I know the feeling, but haven't had it in too long.

Ken Cook Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:54 pm

I have a 73 Kawasaki Z1-900 that's been sitting as long as I can remember. I hope to get it running soon. 4 into 1 megaphone exhaust, you can probably here it from my house if I'm ever able to get it running. It sucked a intake valve which went through the piston.

Davenz13 Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:36 pm

Ah Sportsters, I love em.
Back in 99 a mate told me about a Sportster at the local wreckers. It was a sad looking thing painted orange and definitely in need of attention. This is where emotion overruled common sense. If I’d known how much money I was going to throw at it, and honestly, once I saw it I did and I should have left it there but bought it anyway.
Still with the suspension and brakes upgraded, new Koni rear shocks, progressive fork springs, Brembo rear caliper and twin four pots up front it handles and stops okay. Full engine re-build and new Andrews gearbox internals completed the major improvements. Still running strong over 20 years later.

While having a clean-up needed somewhere to put Konrad the Halloween skeleton so sat him on the Sporty. He seems to like it there.

Davenz13 Wed Apr 07, 2021 1:34 am

Yours is only six years older but that’s a nice original bike Kim, bit of a lick and polish it’d come up nice while still keeping that survivor look, bit like us older folk really. Old Bugger

Change of oil and filter and have a bit of nostalgia over summer. Cool

Do you both good I reckon. lol!

OhBee Wed Apr 07, 2021 3:49 am

I had a 1975 XLCH... and a bum knee thanks to an occasional slipping kickstarter! It took all of my weight to kick that sucker over! Sold it to fund my move to Montana.....dumb Idea. Another bike I wish I still had!