The Motorcycle that Saved Harley
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2024
- Here's how the Sportster saved Harley, as they faced relentless competition from British and then Japanese Manufacturers from the 50s through to today
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Denying Sportsters will be H-D's final undoing.
Got my first sportster at age 14. My dad bought home a frame and 6 boxes of parts and then handed me the repair manual and told me to put it together or he'd sell it. I worked on it after school and weekends for two months till it was road ready then drove it to school till I graduated. I'm 63 now and building my 9th sportster to start riding this year.
Turned 65 and just decided to buy my 5th Sporty (7th Harley-Davidson) and I want to put it in a rigid frame. The Evo motor is the best and Sportsters are everywhere.
Afternoon Bart - I have just watched your video and wanted to say a big thank you. You mentioning my channel - especially the Sportster history series - meant the world to me (& Anna!). There have been many problems in the OT household these last few months as Anna's health contiunes to be dreadful problem; it means that video making has to take a back seat all too often.
But watching your video, with your generous supporting mention, put huge smiles on both our faces: THANK YOU! It feels like 'vindication' to me - if that's not too melodramatic - but after years of hard work, I feel elated that you appreciate my work. Thank you again, Bart. (Anna said about your comments, "It was lovely, truly lovely.")
Cheers,
Chris
In the 90s Erik Buell added world class brakes, suspension, forty more hp, dropped a hundred pounds and made a street bike that handles like a ninja & sounded like a XR750 🏁
My neighbor just picked one up. It is a beast.
I began riding in 1967. At that time the Sportster was one of the fastest bikes you could buy. Ironically, it is now considered a beginner bike by many.
Isn't that ridiculous? My 6:06 older brother started then too. It was either a FL machine in various forms or an XL He bought new 68 XLCH for $1650.00. I started in 79 on a 69 XlCH.
🤦♀That's the urban legend usually spread by experienced riders who call themselves "influencers". They often have social media with lots of followers, to disseminate their speculations/beliefs as truth to those who have no experience.
Telling teenagers, who only had ridden a bicycle so far, that the Sportster is a "Beginner Bike" is plain irresponsible and dangerous.
Not even a Honda CB300R is a beginner bike as many experienced riders want to make us believe, much less a over 800cc Sportster.
The 1st bike similar to a sportster i've ridden, was a Keeway K-Light 125. It has everything like a H.D. Sportster, except for the engine.🤩
Have a great weekend, ride safe🏍💨, and watch good movies!✌😉
Just goes to show how difficult Harley Davidson is from the rest of the motorcycle industry. The sportster is their sporty bike and people say it's for women lol.
A light low power bike is the ONLY moral way to train a rider. They will never learn if their first experience is that of being overwelmed by weight and power. I have heard what should be responsible industry people (shills) I suspect, shamelessly recomend 600 cc bikes with 60 or more Hp. I'm sorry, I don't get it. Do they not care that ANY kid who is truely a kid, will have to see how much fun it is to go 130 mph? Do you want that for your Kid? Likewise, giving a Kid a bike they can't stop from falling over because their legs aren't up to it? Please get real!
My favorites were the old Honda Scrambler twins.
My dad had a Sportster when he met my mom., in highschool...he sold it and bought a covair so he could take her on more dates....fast forward to my dad at 65 coming home with a brand new Sportster ....well my stepmom took one look at it and said it's too small for me to ride on the back...so next day it's raining so he loads it in the back of his truck under a tarp. And back to the Harley dealer....he comes back a while later on his new big Harley , top of the line. All the bags...she hopped on for a ride...she loved it. So he rode her on down to the Harley dealer so she could drive his truck home . Well low and behold , the Sportster was still in the truck...he decided to get both!
I was not expecting that last part at all!!!🤣
Rockin' parents !
The plot twist! 😂
Legends
Wise decision. I ride my sporty like I stole it.
93,000 miles and counting on my 2009 Sportster. Original clutch cable and drive belt.
Ride on!!!!!
that is so cool! I only have about 48K miles on my 2008 883. But I'll get there!
1983 and newer Sportsters are the best. My uncle drag raced the old iron ones.
Original cable but I hope not clutch, if yes you better get it done whether it works or not. Look up sportster grenade plate.
@@tjr1142 You got me. Yeah, mine went at 38,000 miles and cut a groove in both the hub and basket. The Energy One clutch has been in there since.
Fun fact: the sound of the bike being kick started at the beginning of Wild Angels is an Ironhead.
I read that an F-15 Eagle requires 12 hours of maintenance per hour of flight. My ironhead sporty only needs 4 hours of maintenance per hour of riding.
It takes that much time (4 hours) because it was not built to be disassembled regularly for maintenance, right?
- Unless, the person who does the maintenance really enjoys taking his sweet 4rs3 time on it, like the rest of the world stops while disassembling & wrenching its various parts... Is like therapy, i guess...😊
Read up on an F-22 Raptor, you might be surprised.
Haha!
My Dad and I, after I bought my 1970 XLH Sportster last month:
Dad: "Man, I wish I was you."
Me: "Really? Well, hang in there."
Still got a 72 XlCH.
Michael Parks -- "Then Came Bronson". That was an architype for me...
The magneto powered XLCH was the most badassed bike ever produced. It was the only motorcycle capable of maiming its rider before it even started. I've experienced the dreaded kicker slip on my 69 CH, which left me bent over the bike, biting the cobra seat in agony. Too many Sportster histories overlook one of the most colorful chapters in motorcycling history, when Harley-Davidson set the Absolute Land Speed Record for motorcycles at Bonneville in 1970 with an XLCH. Warner Riley, Dennis Manning, Cal Rayborn, Dick O'Brien are a few of the legends responsible for this accomplishment. It's a story worthy of a movie, kind of a corporate version of The World's Fastest Indian. At the height of the Japanese invasion HD set a record that lasted five years. It was the last time the LSR would be set with a single engine bike, and Harley did it with a four speed, magneto fired, foot shift ironhead with drag bars.
My first big motorcycle was as1964 Harley Sportster XLCH model. No battery, just the magneto ignition. Drum brakes and prone to speed wobble at higher speeds if you weren't careful. Truely a love-hate relationship trying to get it started in cold weather. Folks used to say Harleys were notorious oil leakers but this sportster never leaked a drop. I bought it used in 1966. Rode it for three years pretty much trouble free. Had to put a new chain on it right away as it had been used for funeral escorts and hard on the drive chain, clutch and brakes. I had many other bikes over the following years and went back to the Harley's when I could afford them. Bought a 2001 Road King and rode it for 3 and a half years then bought a 2006 Sportster 1200 Roadster, the last year for carburation. Loved it and rode it for 4 years. Also trouble free for about 40K miles. I wish I'd never sold it.
Harleys don't leak oil they just mark their spot😄
I've starte🎉d buying 883's for investment 15:35 04 to 06s are about 3-4 k w less than 10k on the clock...parts availability is goood
Roadsters are great!
1969 XLCH magneto ignition. NOT a reliable bike to get started. Lost a couple of jobs because of that bike. But I kept that Sportster! And come to think of it, it did not leak at all!
@@samborez8089,
You Go, Brother! lol!
I have my 3rd Sportster now which ive owned for about 6 years. I also have an early dyna lowrider which i love , but not as much as the sportster. The reason i have the lowrider is because my wife , who has a street glide, wanted me to get a touring bike for riding the kids and taking long riad trips. Touring bike ppl get really annoyed with the extra gas stops. But after riding her bike a few times i realized that they really kind of eliminate everything i love about riding a motorcycle. And the sportster is really the pinnacle of everything i love about riding. Its the perfect bike for me. Its the most customizable and hot roddable motorcycle thats ever been made. And the xl evo engine is the most bulletproof engine ive ever seen on a motorcycle. The reson i bought the lowrider was because its the closest thing i can find to the feel of a Sportster in a bigger bike .
I've owned 3 Ironhead Sportsters. I have to dispute saying that the AMFs were as unreliable as Triumphs (I've owned them, too). I rode for daily transportation, always got to work.
After a few Big Twins, I'm on a Pan America now. Harleys are fun again.
I bought a brand new 1000 cc Sportster in 1973 built by AMF for $2200..It never left me down and leaked oil like a Harley was suppose too..I have great memories of that bike.
Funny-my old kawi 650 leaked more than any of my sporties and hogs.
They don’t leak oil, they’re marking their territory.
My first Harley was a 2003 Sportster. I rode sport bikes before that so the bike was very slow but had 10x the personality. Haven’t owned anything but Harley since.
I know most people don't think of the AMF era very fondly, but goddamn do I love how they painted those tanks in that era. The font and the stripes are just so perfectly retro, glad HD brought them back on some of the newer models.
AMF brought in CNC machinery and updated the manufacturing including early development of the EVO. The only reason they got a bad rap is because they continued manufacturing with antiquidated machinery as they updated the plant. So in my opinion AMF saved HD
Nothing wrong with the AMF Motorcycles as long as you serviced them regularly like your supposed to do
The AMF years were good.
AMF May have saved Harley, but the quality control during those years was spotty to say the very least.
Try riding a bone stock AMF product all day… you wouldn’t think they were so great. The Evo bikes are much more comfortable to ride.
I've owned two Sportsters. My first was a 1964 XLCH, which as my first big motorcycle. Bought used in 1966 I rode it for bout 3.5 years. Many dirt bikes for me and my two sons growing up and a few road bikes from the land of the rising sun. I pretty much loved them all. Took a hiatus from street riding long enough to raise my two sons to adulthood. My last two bike were a 2001 Road King bought in 2003 and the last was a 2006 Sportster Roadster 1200. It was like coming home again. I'm now 79 and still ride.
The xlch is up there and stands shoulder to shoulder with the worlds greats of motorcycling!
The first bike I actually had title to was a 1960 XLH that I bought as a pile of rusty parts under a tarp in my buddy's back yard. Built it as a bobber from the ground up myself. Rode for three years, sold it for $900 which was the down payment on a brand new 1200 Custom. Rode that bad boy for over 20 years. Bought an Electraglide Ultra Classic (FLHTCU) and rode that for years but had to sell it when my hips and knees no longer supported riding a 900 lb. bike. About a year ago I bought a 1984 ironhead Sporty and am in the process of chopping it. It will probably be my last bike. Start with a Sporty ... end with a Sporty.
Interesting fact, the sporty XL name stood for experimental lightweight. Useless info, GREAT VID!!
XLCH… what does the CH mean?
Chad 😂
Of course I had to Google it and the c h means "competition hot". I've been riding Harley since the early sixties and have owned a couple of XLCH'S back in the sixties.. I never really knew what it meant I never really asked and never really cared.. I had a souped-up xlch in the 60s and it was clocked by the state police at 150 mph.. I was not riding it but the Harley-Davidson mechanic was and his friends at the State Police clocked him.. those were the good ole days..👍🤗😎🥂😁
@@goldilocks913 thanks for making Google that.. now I have another piece of useless information to store in my already over stored brain..hehe👍🤗🍺🍻😁
Now after more investigation I am reading that the CH in XLCH means kickstart.. it says when the electric starts came out they dropped the ch.. I guess if I keep investigating I will find some more meanings..
I had a 72 Sportster in a rigid Arlen Ness frame , drag bars and prism gas tank . It would vibrate so bad you could not wear a full-face helmet because of blurred vision . And I LOVED every moment of every ride !
I have had my Sportster for 25 years and 400,000 miles on the original engine. Side valve engines with low compression are easy to start. I have had my Triumph Tr-6 with a hard tail and magneto for 40 years. Very happy with both of them. Also love my URAL side car outfit.
The first bike I owned was a new 1997 Sportster 1200 Custom. I loved it and rode the hell out of it before upgrading to my 2000 Super Glide. All I've owned over the past 26+ yerars have been Harleys owning models from every family, and my current ride is a 2016 Slim, but I loved my Sportster.
That early XL with the red & black paintjob is super attractive. 😊
Rode a '97 883 to Sturgis twice. I was a lot younger then. 😁 It was a great ride though. Still have it.
How often did you have to pull over to take a break?
My first Harley was a "72 XLCH, then a "94 883 then a "05 XL1200C, which I still have along with a "08 VROD NRS.
My first Harley a 69 Iron Head 1000cc Sportster, I was 17, leaked like crazy, but I didn't care, from there the Evolution, is what saved Harley 😎
Since I own both a '95 Sporty & a Triumph T-120 (owned since the mid 70's), I can tell you that, true to form, the Harley is heavy, very gyroscopic & requires a LOT of effort going through the turns. It just wants to stay upright, where the T-120 just falls naturally into the turns & gently whisks you around without a fight. In fact, I put TR-6C pegs on the Triumph because I wore out the solid foot pegs & almost "pinwheel'd" myself a few times with the solid pegs. The Harley 883 EVO motor is the "Chevy 327" of bike motors though. It's so totally reliable (went back to points & condenser) & I know I'll get there & back no matter where I go. The Harley requires little maintenance compared to the Triumph, both tend to shake & lose oil, but I love them both...... for very different reasons. Great post.
I have 2 Sportsters (both EVOs) I also have an FXR. Remember that while the British bikes were smaller and more maneuverable, they were not well suited to long distance touring, which has been my main motorcycle interest for nearly 50 years. The early Sportsters were not called "ironheads" until the EVO came out in 1986. There needed to be a way to differentiate the two. I love the look of the original Sportster, except for that horn. I also have a 1966 Bonneville, and a 2013 Royal Enfield B5 Bullet 500, converted to a carburetor and aftermarket exhaust. After decades of owning Japanese motorcycles, I simply got tired of their boring over refinement. I wanted bikes with some rough edges, not something smooth and quiet. The Honda CB750 is one of the bikes that I got tired of, and went looking for something more enjoyable to ride. I found that with Harleys and British bikes.
I worked for a Harley dealer when I was in high school put many of these bikes together for customers in 1963 i rode an xlch to sturgis later i rode the same bike in hill climbs loved that low end troque
I've had Harleys and Hondas triumphs and a BMW I've got 04,5,&6 Sportsters and a Honda Ruckus I'm an old man and I'm grateful...may Harley bless you too someday..Happy Freakin ❤
My first Harley was a 96 883 and I loved it, hated selling it and i currently ride an 06 883R, good damn bikes
My 1st Harley was 1967 XLCH. It was the first of four HD. Bart, I think you have and understand the feeling of HD ownership.
Great video ...... 68 years old been riding for 60 years, LOVE my Sportster, Great motorcycle and wherever I go, it turns heads. .... What a motorcycle should be.... !!!!!! My lady and I enjoying the mountain roads of Upstate New York ...
I used to ride my old Honda 90 through the Catskill mountains near where the 1969 Woodstock festival was held. Good times!
Government bail outs and import tariffs have helped HD survive.
In 2008 HD tapped the Federal Reserve CPFF on 33 separate occasions for an amazing $2.3 billion.
that is when gov't. was pro-American. Today they are pro-Amerikan (socialist) Amerika Last !
Yep, had the 1200c with the new shaped tank in silver and dark red when it came out. Liked it as a real chill out ride. Now I own a Royal Enfield Classic 350 reborn in red and chrome, another chill out bike. HD are crazy dropping the Sportster from their line-up.
I started riding in the mid 70's. I've owned a total of 6 Sportsters throughout the years (including other Harley-Davidsons and other makes). I'm currently on a Triumph and I'm now in my 60's. At times I'm still tempted to get another Sportster. I've always had fun on them. Thanks for the video.
I've had three Sportsters including my current Model 72. Though my Fatboy is my main ride, my Sporty always brings a smile to my face with its great looks, sound and maneuverability.
I own 4 Harleys' 1989 FXSTS,, 1988 FLHS,, 2021 FLHX,, 2002 XL 883-1200. Guess which one gives me the exhilarating ride? You guessed, the XL
I bought a NEW 2001 74ci sportster and here in February of 2024 I am still riding that same sportster. It now has over 95,000 miles on it and the heads have NEVER been taken off. I will have someone COMPLETELY go through the engine this summer, planning to spend about $5,000. At $19.00 per 1,000 miles, I think the motorcycle has earned it long awaited reward.
Yep, be good to it and it will carry on for another 20 years.
I started riding Hondas at age 10. Owned nothing but Hondas and Yamahas until age 57. I just did not get H-D until I road one. Now I own a Road King and this spring all my Hondas are being sold. I love the vibration, I love the 4th gear whine. I love the sound. I am one with mechanical machine.
As usual, very well done Bart, and from a 70 year old dedicated dirt bike man, I have always loved the Sportster, especially the XLCH. Keep up the excellent presentations.
I rode a '67 Sporty iron head back in the 80's. Bought my '67 Triumph Bonneville 650 in '78 for $400.00. Both were great machines. I now ride a '99 Heritage Springer last year evolution motor.
Got my Superlow 883 couple of months before the pandemic hit in my country. Found out later that my bike was one of the last few evo sporty's sold by the local dealership (a few miles south of Manila) before they started importing the newer rev max sporty. Definitely keeping mine, that's for sure.
Their not imports their us made
@@leighfisk1344 uhh i'm pretty sure those HD that come to the Philippines are actually made in Thailand, because if it did come from the US, the duties and taxes will prevent many Filipinos from buying HD's and just stick to Japanese, Chinese and Indian brands...
plus I checked my VIN, it says it was made in HD Thailand
AMF or not 72 XLCH was the perfect look for a V-twin ! IMO of course. 👍
I had a 1996 883, I loved that bike, great sound, great handling, loved the pull back bars. But I've moved up to a Fat Boy, another great bike but sometimes I pine for a ride on my Sportster
Yup, the ironhead was much improved over the K model, in more ways than just overhead valves. One "innovation," was the use of a cassette style transmission with a trapdoor plate that allowed you to remove the transmission without splitting the cases. I use the term innovation loosely because if you look at an exploded view of a Vincent Black Shadow engine and transmission you will notice a strong similarity to the Sportster unit. Funny how this popped up right after Vincent closed their doors..... 🤔 Harley has several "innovations, similar to that, the clutch booster, ratchet top for the trans, softail frames.... 🙄 Thanks for showing the Forgotten Motorcycles clip, Keith's channel is awesome! And, I have to mention Baxter Cycle, they have a big selection of vintage Brit bikes, new Triumphs and Royal Enfield. 😁
My first real bike was a 1957 Sportster that was bored and had "P" cams. It made the 409 Chevies, 406 Fords and 289 Mustangs very jealous. That was in 1966-today it would just be an also ran, specially with its poor handling. I would still love to have that old bike back ...frame number 1273 if anyone knows about it.
It's telling that Harley chose British layout foot controls on the '57 Sportster. They didn't want to make any impediment to the 40cu in Brit bike riders coming on over to the dark side.
Another one in that vein was the +/-'59 Indian (Royal Enfield) Chief 40 Cu In, and sold in the States with Brit foot controls.
I have a 96 Stage 4 1200 Sporty that looks nothing like it did and now that I have choppered out the front end I can't wait till spring to start riding it. Takes it to a whole new level.
Sounds awesome buddy-been digging Sporties since my first in 81. Many bikes in between, big twins and Japanese alike but always had a sporty hanging around. Usually sees more stick time than my big twins too.
I think I would be happy with a Road King as thats my fav bike but with the chopper front end and all the mods my bike is so different from all the other harleys and unique is kinda cool. Plus I was surprised the chopper front end is no different than the stock (more or less). Gotta love how easy sportys ride :) Cheers@@kenster007
Got my first Sportster when I was 16. My brother had a 3 yr. old 1972 1000 XLCH. He wrecked it on his way back to his base and had me and a friend of his pick it up. He told me if I could fix it, I could ride it. My mom wouldn't give me the keys but my cousin told me "If the lights will come on, it'll start." I rode it til I enlisted and when I got out I bought it for $243.00 and a bag of swag.
Great video! I just bought my first "vintage" Sportster about two months ago. It's a 1982 XLHA (Anniversary). Iron Head. 7K original miles and looks like it just came from the dealership. All original. It was stored properly for 35 years before I bought it. All I needed to sort was replace the flasher, starter relay, and buy a sealed battery. Even came with the 42-year-old Goodyear tires. (gotta change those out). The NGK spark plugs had the Harley Davidson name on them. All the rubber, including wiring, was soft and pliable. They didn't make them easy to work on, for sure, but wow, what a wonderful riding and sounding bike. Like a motorcycle should sound and feel like!
Thanks Bart. You gave me a fresh perspective on HD.
Bought mine June of 1974 and still have it. Some don’t even know what it is.
My first Harley motorcycle was 1997 1200 Sportster, and I did several Iron Butt rides. I ride Street Glide now.
Purchased a 73 1000 sportster in 1978 upon arrival to Californis. What a beautiful fun experience...my very first American made,besides a Briggs and Stratton 3 h.p.mini. bike. Up and down Highway 1 while the coast rolled out to sea. Thank God for American Dreams.
While working behind the parts counter,at Santa Ana Harley-Davidson out came the "Ironhead.A twist of the throttle,as the front wheel lifted off of the road. Amazing Grace was often said....
That 1200 is probably still tearing it up somewhere.
High torque engines are much more enjoyable to ride than high revving screamers.
Well isn't this a super bullet point exposé of my fav Harley. I have two Sportsters now, but owned 3. My first was in '88, the 2nd year of the Evo. I got it custom painted in "signal red" as Harley had stopped releasing solid colours (other than black).
I was into Harley's since a teen in the 70s but could never afford one until I started saving my hard earned money in the 80s. Then it all became real. A 1200cc red sportster with 1920's decal and pinstriping ordered from Warr's Harley-Davidson in London UK when Fred Warr was still around. Not many women bikers in those days but that bike took me everywhere around UK and was seriously fast off the green signal lights in towns, ahead of all the Japanese multies back then. It got stolen almost a year to the day I bought it.
For the next 30+ years I raised a family and then retired from work early, due to long-term health issues. So I got me another sportster in 2022. A silver/black 2003 100th Anni 883. Defo the prettiest bike I had ever seen. But having been away from biking for so long it took a while to get used to it. I took a 2 month course in "back to biking" and regained confidence and strength. Being back on the bike really lifted my depression and mood. But I dropped it several times and decided to get a lighter version. That's when my 3rd Sportster came along, a black 2009 fuel injected rubber mounted 883 Low. Totally different bike, faster and so nimble. This is now my day to day ride. The Silver 883 is my pretty comp bike with a number of aesthetics for ease of riding a heavier machine. She's my baby, named her "HiYo Silver", after the Lone Ranger. The Black is my workhorse and her name is Black Beauty. Over time I'm gonna turne her into a Gold & Black1937 mock-up and call her Goldilocks.
I'll be putting my story and build on my YT biker channel (krazyKittyHarleyGal) sometime this year.
Thanks Bart for this super post on the Harley Sportster. Will check out the channel you linked to, though I think I follow him via my biker channel.
🏍️💨🏁
And the BEST 'eye candy' production tank of all time.....(6:04)
As a young man my second bike was a new ‘04 1200R, plenty of power and very fun but it could put my hands to sleep at higher speeds. Sat on a ‘75 at a dealership around that time which seemed like a skeleton, super super cool. Some years later I got a good deal on a used ‘09 883L which was an absolute turtle but still a nice bike for 55 mph highways. I’ve been riding Japanese bikes since then but I still sometimes think about getting a 1990 something 1200 and I actually really like the looks of the new liquid cooled Nightster that everyone seems to hate.
My first Harley was a 2 yr old 2005 Sportster, I bought in 2007. In 2009 started my adventure to ride through all 48 continental US states. Three solo trips 2009, east coast, 2010 west coast, 2011 mid continent. never let me down. great memories, great bike.
I have an Electraglide and a 2016 Roadster, i find myself going to the Sporty more and more it's just fun.
I had a '59 XLCH... It was the machine owned by the chief mechanic in Mobile, AL in the late '60s. If only I'd known then what I know now...
My favorite bike in the late sixties was the 900 Sportster. I liked the look but more than that was the sound! I was still a young teen and at that time, it became my dream bike. To this day, I have never ridden or owned one. My bad. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
Go and get u 1 come on !
@@pascalmargulies LMAO Thanks, I'm long over it. My 2013 SuperGlide satisfied the itch.
Back about 68 I met a friend from grade school who had bought a Sportster a year or so earlier. He showed it to me and it was impressive. He said that all if the big British bikes were faster so he spent a pile of loot having the engine seriously modified for power. He asked if I wanted to go for a ride and I did. When he went to start it he got kick back a couple of times and the third time it kicked back really badly, while a young couple watching form their front lawn started laughing to themselves about 20 feet away. He then climbed up on to the bike and jumped up high and came down hard to start it, almost broke his leg, they laughed even harder. He did it again with more vigor and it started up, and he revved it up good perhaps 3-4 times - The look on the couple's faces were of fear and horror. Off we went on a very nice warn summer's day. Met him again about 83 and he was riding a newer 1000 Japanese bike and his wife had a 750 of the same make - the 1000 back then was known for it's power, just can't remember the name now although not a Honda or a Kawasaki. He told me at full highway speed the bike under near full throttle would blurr his vision. When I asked how this happens he simply said the G force was enough to flatten his eyeballs enough to do it. He also mentioned that he had to be careful with the throttle must of the time. I believed he likely moved to the USA and never saw him again. Thanks for the falsh back in time👍
I owned a '60 XLCH for about 20 years. Magneto fired. Hands down the hardest bike to start I've ever experienced.
My first Harley was 76 Bi-Centennial edition. I rode it all summer, and then took it into my small gas engine repair shop at school. I stripped it down and rebuilt it from the ground up, stripped the paint ( wish I had saved the tank as is,Collectible with the Bi-Centennial scheme) I painted the whole bike candy apple red and had it gold pin stripped. The bike didn't need rebuilding, but I did it for the experience and loved every min. of it. That was my 5th Bike and 1st Harley. I bought four more over my life time.
I had a 69 sportster my first Harley in the 80s I've had a few choppers Norton triump Harleys but my sportster will always have my heart .it changed me lol ...Harleys are my favorite bike still .they should keep making sporster s I say
I'm in the UK, I've ridden all sorts of motorcycles over the years, now I'm retired I thought I slow things down a bit , so I wanted a cruiser bike, I brought a 2004 Harley Davidson sportster xl 883, and then turned it into a bobber, I have great fun riding it, if someone says to me its a baby Harley or a girl's Harley (🔔🔚) I tell them its the bike that saved Harley Davidson and probably there longest running model.
What a great video-love/loved all my sporties.
My built 95 1200 smokes most bikes on the market. The 4 cy croch rockets are the only bikes that even come close to in racing. Sportsters are underrated
Air cooled Sportsters are so relevant today that once Harley-Davidson gave up on building them the Chinese gave birth to their copy. I keep thinking (and not understanding) why Harley gave the contemporary enviromental laws as an excuse to stop building air cooled Sportsters once the Chinese "interpretation" of it is more powerful and fast than the original one and is still Ero 5 compliant. 🤔
Coca-Cola Classic/Kawasaki KLR 650 marketing scheme? That would be epic.
@@spacetruckin6555
Yes it would but unfortunately I don't think so.
I guess it's more Harley missed their own boat.
I bought my '64 XLCH in 1994. Still got it. 😎
After 60 years of ownership, I'm sure you are very familiar with the Bike.
@@BobbyTucker Not sure if you are joking. 2024 - 1994 = 30 years.
Great video, really appreciate your work in putting all these clips together. Amazing to see “what goes around, comes around” in action. Thanks.
Yes I also really love all those clips too!
Longtime fan. Not that you've been doing this for very long, but I was a very early sub, as I recognized a worthy wordsmith.
Point is, exceptionally well scripted young man. Among your very best. You have a way with a turn of phrase.
"Categorically" has perhaps nowhere ever been more aptly emphasized, and I was amused.
I bought a 73 Sportster after my 1st US Navy WestPac. It had that new car smell, but rode like a scared pig not a HOG. So I "traded it in" for a Wide Glide. Never looked back. Then I got a Goldwing.... no more 2 ounce grasshoppers bouncing off my chin. Then I got old, it's hard to get out of my recliner... I subbed. Good job on this one.
As a former Harley big-twin owner and current triumph owner, I still like the Sportster. The xlch is a basic bike, which is great. What else do you need?
I had a '60 XLCH in 1968. Not sure why, but I can still remember its serial number - 60XLCH4366.
Armando Magri had a Harley Shop in Sacramento, California in the 1950s. Our friend, Chip Porter, worked in the later shop in the 1960s and he had one of the fastest Sportsters in Northern California. On summer nights in South Sacramento, you could hear him driving it home, with straight pipes, which made the most amazing sound we ever heard.
i got one is very reliable and the carburated ones have that sound . people doesnt understand how it is. just old school motorcycle magic.
I've got a XL1200X that I've built into a fun little weapon, the bike has been an absolute gem and very fun to ride!
I have owned several brands and types of bikes but my ironhead is by far my favorite. It’s a love hate relationship but she’s the one I tend to be pulling out of the stable the most often
Been riding for more that 40 years. I like to buy unwanted used bikes and refurbish them close to stock. Over a dozen bikes, mostly the big three Japanese and a BMW. Never considered Harley because of the cost and seemed like a worn out cliche. Seven years ago my riding buddy unexpectedly bought a 2004 Sportster XL Custom. What could I do except try to match it. Since I’m not into the cruisers, I picked up a 2005 Roadster, which has a more standard style and upright seating position, with 27K on it. Absolutely love it. Added a windscreen and soft bags to make it a good midweight day tourer. Super comfortable or powerful? No, but enough for me. It’s unique and stylish. Easy maintenance and feels great on the road. I appreciate it’s place in Harley history. Probably won’t sell it until I can’t ride anything anymore. Since owning it, I kinda get the Harley thing now. I sent the link to your video to my riding friend. Well done.
I did nearly 140000kms on my '07 Sportster and loved every moment of riding it. I still have a '75 Sportster bobber and '65 Sportster chopper.
My first bike was a 78 Super Glide. A friend at that time had a 1000cc Sportster. My Super Glide was a 1200 cc or 74 cu in engine. Yes it was part of AMF and both bikes were shovel heads. Paid 4200 for it brand new over in Eindhoven Netherlands. Had it for just over 2 years and put 35k on it when I sold it back to the dealer for 3400 bucks. Didn't own a bike until 2004, it was a Super Glide 88 cu in engine loved it too. Eventually got an 08 Ultra Classic, still have it and over 113K miles on it.
integral valve guide seats ... that's why they opted for the iron head.
one less setup, and simplified production process; anticipating higher volume.
My 63 xlch. Iron from the past forged from fire into steel, it's not just a ride but the way that you feel, with the wind in your face and motors roar in your ear gets me high on my ride and the tties and beer, so give me a sportster and a tank full of gas and I'll cruise on down the road on iron from the past
Good video ! Yep, harley is respected for not copying or jumping on trends. They must still be doing something right that customers like. because the just keep on going forward selling bikes. 55 yrs daily rider, yes i have a 22 iron 883.
(&4 other MCs)
I've had my '71 XLCH Ironhead for 25 years now and am on my second rebuild. Summer daily work commuter is my Goldwing. When I want to have fun in the evenings - the Ironhead gets rolled out :)
Really can't argue with that F150 analogy.
Got my BSA Starfire (250) in 68 and then a BSA thunderbolt 650 in 69. Starfire was reliable but the thunderbolt was a drag. After that I moved on to Japanese bikes. Had a sportster for almost 15 years (2005 to 2019). Since then I have been riding a royal enfield classic 500. It's better than the HD but not a highway bike. If I wasn't so damned old, I would get a royal enfield GT650.
The Harley has a Heritage..defined by their design.. Thanks to Willie G!
Proud Skirtster owner right here 🤚
Yes since 1981
And me since 87
skirtster?
@@MrThegbAmericans who are too fat to ride a sporty call it a girls bike-skirtster.
@@MrThegbgirls bike
Great review thank you. The bike Harley is passing off as a Sportster now is an absolute abomination.
The 883 Sportster was very advanced for its time. None of the big pommie bikes had unit construction. Unfortunately for Harley the philosophy of using solid bar instead of tube makes for very heavy bikes. Good UTube video.
Horsepower isn’t everything for every rider. Torque at low RPMs! Twist the throttle in higher gears and start going faster without downshifting is the V-twins forte.
DIY OEM and aftermarket parts for the Ironhead and EVOs is part of the story. Andrews, V&H, S&S … are all staples of American cruiser culture from the ‘60s to ‘00s. The Sportster is akin to sporty ‘60s Chevys with the SB V8.
The Sportster is a story of evolution (pun intended). From the ‘57 XL with its old school exhaust and 7.5:1 CR to the mid-60s XLH/XLCH (9:1, duel shorties) to electric start & 1000 cc, to mid-90s XL1200 Evo with 5 speed, the dark side XL1200N 883N, to the last XL1200R roadster with more sport (adjustable USD forks) The Motor Company did just enough to keep the Sportster relevant. Whenever TMC strayed too far from the Sportster theme they didn’t sell well. Witness the ‘70s with the 83-84 XR1000 racer-based (2 years before Suzuki unleased the iconic GSX-R750) and the decade too late Café Racer (XLCR1000 which IMO has the same endearing strangeness that makes opossums kinda cute). I wish I could “garage find” one of each of these with low mileage!
Check out my comment in this article above.
XLCH literally stood for Extra Light Competition Hot, which is pretty darn cool.
I recently bought a '77 Ironhead motor to build a wide frame chopper, not the typical narrow Sportster frame.
Rode a new 883 in 84.( just holding it for a guy, till he got back from Japan) Man, that bike felt like a clunky old, under powered , minibike I used to own. Had been riding a 350 Yamaha r5 2 stroke for years before that, and a 78 Yamaha 750 Special. Got a few nice vtwin cruisers now, and an R1. Maybe one day I will be in the Harley league.
Harley's not going to set any LSRs, but they are now reliable and they don't leak oil everywhere, I've mellowed out and I'm riding a Sportster and lovin' it.
I bought a 1965 BSA A65L and I got several pamphlets of original literature , mixed in was a 1964 exerpt from Hot Rod magazine about the "BSA A65L " and the headline read "The Fastest motorcycle ever tested by Hot Rod Magazine , 130 MPH ! Out of the box!
The BSA , A65L motor , was actually a Semi-Hemi , Stroker by design . It had a 76 mm bore and a 75 mm stroke (a stroker is defined as an over square configuration, meaning the bore diameter is bigger than the distance of piston travel) , and the lack of external push rod housings and oil lines make it a hemi , it had one oil line that went to the valve cover ( that in itself made it a "Semi-Hemi" ). I found that at 65MPH my RPM was at 2000 on my BSA , where as my TR6C Triumph , Desert , Trophy, Scrambler Special , signified by nobby tires, fold over foot pegs and high exhaust pipes and mufflers on the left side with a burn protection shield / cage over the exhaust pipes, ran a significantly higher RPM ( 2800-3000) at 55 MPH .