I vote to a full internal engine/trans rebuild and do the bare minimum to get it safe (replace rubber/rotting plastic/brakes) but leave the rest of it ratty how it is. That bike looks perfect as it is
Absolutely! It's a sin to even talk about parting that thing out. I know it's been over two years since the video, so I can only hope Tony did the right thing. How could you even think about ruining it? I bet that thing would bring big money in a specially selected group of bidders who would swear to do the right thing and keep it as is except for repairs. The guy who said "I don't get it (about Sportsters)", must be quite uncomfortable in a HD shop.
@NuBz fine, if you want to be precise. Removing the engine to use in another project would technically be cannibalizing it. But the end result is the same.
*Keep this iconic bike stock or restored back to as it was when new! DO NOT RUIN IT by using it for parts for something else, there are too many sportster resources for engines and parts to destroy this one! This is a piece of history, its historic and will only get more valuable with time!..... There is a line when chopping up a car or bike to be a hot rod or chopper, THIS BIKE isn't anywhere near that line of, Should I or Shouldn't I is a no brainer for a true gear head, not not fuck it up by chopping it up! ..... DONT CUT IT UP, LEAVE IT OR RESTORE IT, anything else would be sacrilege to the Hot Rod god! .... KARMA IS IS IN PLAY HERE, TONY!*
Buy this barnfind. Do a quick teardown to see if its roadworthy. Content! If roadworthy, fix up and use it. (Use it as decor or a giveaway) If too far gone, gut it. More content!
This is true a classic! It's a 60-plus-year-old genuine "survivor"! Clean it up, but leave a bit of the patina, fix the oil leak, lightly polish out just the worst of the corrosion on the aluminum bits, give it a decent paint job with, proper paint but keep the color the same, get it running well and then LEAVE IT STOCK AND RIDE IT! PLEASE!
@@yellowsnow4512 Cars, truck and bikes are not bronze. However, if said items had bronze incorporated into them, say a grill or trim, then yes.. Polished and clear coated to protect the bronze from corrosion and dulling.
First thought is to restore it. However, you could make an awesome "period piece" chopper. I had a '68 XLCH chopper that was built back in the day. Welded hard tail, raked, 10 over springer, no front brake. You get the idea. Not user friendly ! What ever you decide, first thing I would do is scrap that magneto. Mine always gave problems. In the day, you would have to swap it out with a 45 distributor. Today, I'm sure you can find one in a catalog on line. Good luck Tony ! Awesome piece !
Other than a repaint go for it and leave it as is you can't get it any simpler than that. Has what you like all analog easy to work a REAL mechanic's machine the way they were intended to be!!
Please don't gut that bike! Complete, not jacked with, reasonably desirable. I'm not a "must keep original" fanatic, but this one seems like a very good thing that shouldn't be gutted at minimum. Paint, de-rust, make it look good, and ride it.
Clean it up and bring it back to life. That thing is a time capsule, I'd keep it as original as possible. Another ironhead motor will show up at a swap meet somewhere, they're still out there.
As a fellow Sportster guy, pause and scope the carb at 2:27. It is mounted with the float bowl on top. Inverted. Upside down. Fully installed too, with air filter and support arm bolted to the front intake lifter block. I dig the 1st year boat tail red white and blue 1971 Superglide by the office door.
@@hyperluminalreality1 I'm guessing the bike used to be in Australia. That's why the carb is inverted. The decals on the tank are identical to the ones that came on my 1981 xl. My cousin used to have the same superglide. He had a custom licence plate. It read, Im on one. It was to signify Harley Davidson and Merton lawill winning the grand national championship.
YOU NEED IT TONY! I know you want it, so I shall support you and your crazy habits brother! I don't think I could bring myself to part that beauty out, ride it and enjoy man!
I think ironheads have been way undervalued for way too long. I think the younger Gearhead generation with money that don't like gigantic motorcycles are going to start driving the value of them way up.
XLCH were meant to compete with Nortons, Triumphs, BMWs, during the European wave in the late 50s through 60s, then it was the UJM that ruled the roost. I'd spiff it up, it's a thoroughbred. Go find a lesser bike to scavenge parts from for the dirt bike but make this bike the little badass it's supposed to be.
Keep the house paint. Cool part of its history. Someone, somewhere back in time loved it and pieced it together with what they had. This is the very essence of your channel.
No no no! Absolutely do not tear it apart!!!! Get it! Redo it and ride it! Enjoy it! If u feel the need sell it. The right buyer will eventually see it and will drool over the deal!!!!
I know you're not into the "full resto" stuff, but this needs, no DESERVES, someone like you to take some time and bring her back. You won't regret it. Something you will be proud of.
Awesome bike but keep it the way it is! Thats "project x" history! Tempted to send you a modern dirt bike so you don't kill yourself when the rusty forks snap in half.
I would probably leave it complete and get it running. Although i think it needs a set of fork uppers, I dont see them working with new fork seals haha.
Now THATS one sweet girl there! Lucky as hell to get it! One of my all time favorites. Don’t you dare part that ride! Put some decent paint on her and let her eat!!😮
I’d have a hard time parting it out myself especially since it’s complete. I say clean it up strip the paint and spray it flat black or grey and ride it. If I remember correctly the clutch is on the wrong side in those days at least one A friend had was
Run, Tony, Run. The fact that you’d even talk about robbing the bike to fix up a “dirt bike” Sportster means that you’re the wrong guy. Besides, you’re just using these bikes as a diversion to keep yourself from focusing on all the crap you already have in the works.. Yeah, it’s a great project bike, but it’s the wrong project for you.
Give her the refresh, survivor style rider. She's way too nice to part out, get a hundred engines and trans for the spirit of that bike alone. I'm not a Harley guy, I just don't get them. But that '61 I would ride with pride every chance I got, she just needs everything and then she's perfect.
I had a 69 XLCH ,for fourteen years nothing but fun !! Had a Barnett clutch, Track Cam, it would bet the pants off any 1200 at the time ,early Eighties . Give it hell Tony , 🔧🔩✌
That bike is definitely you Tony and it fits you like a glove already. Personally, I'll think your cheese has slid off your cracker if you take it to slaughter and butcher it up for parts it's way too sweet and way too "there" for that B/S. Nice bike shop, I haven't played the old vintage "Evel Knievel" pinball machine in a long while. And there's something wrong with a Harley that don't leak oil.
It's rare to find an old bike that's complete like that one. I would restore it to it's original condition. Mind you not too perfection. Just clean it up, remove the rust, paint it, and make it a daily rider. That includes seal's, gaskets, ring's, and work the head's. That's what I did to my antique Soviet Union KMZ Dnepr military sidecar motorcycle. I didn't paint it because the original paint was good enough. It's a heavy beast of a machine, and I love it!
Tony take it home and please don't break, go the mechanical once over rebuild and tidy her up and she's good to go. Fingers crossed that the house paint cleans off down to the original finish and apply the oil rag treatment! If its needed give her a sympathetic respray with a1960s satin type finish. The shop will have that unmistakable aroma of paint the way we all remember! This takes me back to my teenage years when I sprayed bikes in the family garage. My mother was constantly complaining about the smell of spray paint and dust from rubbing down!
If it was me, I'd be split between restoring it or just clean it up and ride it. Or leaving it behind for someone else. I wouldn't gut it and part it out. Same reason I won't do that to my all original fox mustang. Not worth much but I like it too much to part out.
Get it running and "stopping" lol don't clean too much of the chrome. Scuff 'n spray the tins. Put Ultra Kathy on the back and knees in the breeze. Repeat the latter.
Do a real objective evaluation. If it runs and rides, then clean it up, fix the leaks, and go have fun. If it's not worth saving, gut it and keep the motor/trans for yourself. I wouldn't even paint it.
Take it! Early XLCH cases are lighter weight than late ones, but they aren't known to be super strong and do crack. i have welded a few to repair them.
Finish the projects you have! I guess that's why you did well in drag racing you only have to stay focused for 45 minutes between rounds. As I said before, you're turning this into a bike channel
I agree with all the others here, just go through all the basics, change oil, file the points on the mag, fresh gas, with an inline filter, clean it up and fire it up! I would love to have that bike, it would be fun to restore and run around town on.
It's awful complete. Even though they don't go for a ton of cash, it could be worth cleaning it up and running it as is. Bare motors come up pretty regularly for the dirt bike project.
Awesome find. You CAN NOT dismantle that piece of history. Get it riding, and leave it alone. So cool
I vote to a full internal engine/trans rebuild and do the bare minimum to get it safe (replace rubber/rotting plastic/brakes) but leave the rest of it ratty how it is. That bike looks perfect as it is
Chopper>
Absolutely! It's a sin to even talk about parting that thing out. I know it's been over two years since the video, so I can only hope Tony did the right thing. How could you even think about ruining it? I bet that thing would bring big money in a specially selected group of bidders who would swear to do the right thing and keep it as is except for repairs. The guy who said "I don't get it (about Sportsters)", must be quite uncomfortable in a HD shop.
As much as I love the idea of the Harley dirt bike, my vote is for keeping that bike original.
Don’t part out that old gal! She’s a survivor. Clean it up and ride it.
I second that ,It's a keeper
@NuBz He asked if he should keep it as is or take the motor and sell the rest for parts. Now what do you call that?
@NuBz watch the video.
@NuBz fine, if you want to be precise. Removing the engine to use in another project would technically be cannibalizing it. But the end result is the same.
@NuBz I tried to insult you? Jesus Christ! Go watch it again Chief and go to about 3:40 and listen carefully to what he says.
Keep it original, it falls into the group with the Edsels, corvair, a survivor.
*Keep this iconic bike stock or restored back to as it was when new! DO NOT RUIN IT by using it for parts for something else, there are too many sportster resources for engines and parts to destroy this one! This is a piece of history, its historic and will only get more valuable with time!..... There is a line when chopping up a car or bike to be a hot rod or chopper, THIS BIKE isn't anywhere near that line of, Should I or Shouldn't I is a no brainer for a true gear head, not not fuck it up by chopping it up! ..... DONT CUT IT UP, LEAVE IT OR RESTORE IT, anything else would be sacrilege to the Hot Rod god! .... KARMA IS IS IN PLAY HERE, TONY!*
SO agree!!! repaint original is all i would do and clean it up check engine...love that bike
Restore as original, there are tons of kicker sports out there to play with. Make this original and find a K model for your toy!
Couldn't agree more! It would be sacrilege to part that out.
theres plenty of bikes in pieces to use. you have that correct
Right on man. I agree 100% unmolested Bikes like that are getting too rare these days
Omg I had one of those bajas when I was a kid. That sporty shouldn't be broken up
I wouldn't scavenge that bike for parts its too complete. However you sure are going down a rabbit hole with these bikes.
That's actually one of the most remarkably original early XLCH's I've seen
Buy this barnfind.
Do a quick teardown to see if its roadworthy. Content!
If roadworthy, fix up and use it. (Use it as decor or a giveaway)
If too far gone, gut it. More content!
This is such a find (IMO) is would not be gutted...too complete to desecrate.
It will NEVER run.....with an Early 70's Bendix carb mounted upside down. Pause at 2:27. Float bowl on top.
Give away? That's crazy talk. Would YOU give that away after you just found and bought it? Might as well ask for his dog too.
Keep it stock! A light restoration is all that's needed.
Do it, but don't take it apart it survived this long it deserves to live.
It’s such a clean bike to part out or take the engine and trans for another project. I think it deserves to see the road again!
Save it and bring it back to life !!
This is true a classic! It's a 60-plus-year-old genuine "survivor"! Clean it up, but leave a bit of the patina, fix the oil leak, lightly polish out just the worst of the corrosion on the aluminum bits, give it a decent paint job with, proper paint but keep the color the same, get it running well and then LEAVE IT STOCK AND RIDE IT! PLEASE!
Buy it, get it running, ride it. But never ever wash it. The bike is perfect
The only acceptable option apart from gutting it.
@@yellowsnow4512 Restore.. I will never understand the "patina" nonsense. "Patina" is another word for "total neglect". Restore to like new.
@@hawkdsl do you polish old bronze statues or have them dipped in chromre ? Patina
@@yellowsnow4512 Cars, truck and bikes are not bronze. However, if said items had bronze incorporated into them, say a grill or trim, then yes.. Polished and clear coated to protect the bronze from corrosion and dulling.
First thought is to restore it. However, you could make an awesome "period piece" chopper.
I had a '68 XLCH chopper that was built back in the day. Welded hard tail, raked, 10 over springer, no front brake. You get the idea. Not user friendly !
What ever you decide, first thing I would do is scrap that magneto. Mine always gave problems.
In the day, you would have to swap it out with a 45 distributor. Today, I'm sure you can find one in a catalog on line.
Good luck Tony ! Awesome piece !
Restore it. Looks like the bike Fonzi jumped over Arnold’s chicken shack on Happy Days. Good luck!
You gotta a good laugh on that one.
That was a Triumph Trophy 500. In the first season he had a knuckle head.
Fonz rode a Triumph.
@@pookysdad4884 In the first season he had a 1949 Harley Davidson Knucklehead bobber, with a Sportster tank.
It’s made it this long intact, I think it deserves to live.
If it's all original then it would be a shame to part it out.
love that Hodaka Super rat as well , and that 1972 FX Super Glide (night train)
Other than a repaint go for it and leave it as is you can't get it any simpler than that. Has what you like all analog easy to work a REAL mechanic's machine the way they were intended to be!!
Nay on the paint...I don't think he likes the color? Looked like that only needed polished out...
Love that Hodaka Super Rat!!! Had one back in the 70's
I love it Tony! Don't gut it!
I can’t see you tearing it apart. Restore / get it running again. How often does something like that come along?
Spot on...I for one would love to own it...
“It’s rough”. She’s right up your alley, Uncle Tony and Ultra Kathy.
Please don't gut that bike! Complete, not jacked with, reasonably desirable. I'm not a "must keep original" fanatic, but this one seems like a very good thing that shouldn't be gutted at minimum.
Paint, de-rust, make it look good, and ride it.
60 year old dead stock survivor ( with alloy wheels?!?) restore to original, respect history, it’s classic
Clean it up and bring it back to life. That thing is a time capsule, I'd keep it as original as possible. Another ironhead motor will show up at a swap meet somewhere, they're still out there.
Yes totally agree
I’m with the keep it together and pass it to someone that will restore this barn find.
Buy it, get it running and ride it and keep it , 👀 the way it is it’s Ausome 👌
Well, as a sportster guy I must say. I do like the hodaka.
That was cool to see what a nice super rat
As a fellow Sportster guy, pause and scope the carb at 2:27. It is mounted with the float bowl on top. Inverted. Upside down. Fully installed too, with air filter and support arm bolted to the front intake lifter block. I dig the 1st year boat tail red white and blue 1971 Superglide by the office door.
@@hyperluminalreality1 I'm guessing the bike used to be in Australia. That's why the carb is inverted. The decals on the tank are identical to the ones that came on my 1981 xl. My cousin used to have the same superglide. He had a custom licence plate. It read, Im on one. It was to signify Harley Davidson and Merton lawill winning the grand national championship.
To last 60 years and be as complete as it is, it really deserves to be put back on the road.
My father still has his 72’ FX he bought in 76’ !
YOU NEED IT TONY! I know you want it, so I shall support you and your crazy habits brother! I don't think I could bring myself to part that beauty out, ride it and enjoy man!
I think ironheads have been way undervalued for way too long. I think the younger Gearhead generation with money that don't like gigantic motorcycles are going to start driving the value of them way up.
Great God Harley David Son.
It's a keeper, it even leaks oil out of the left side of the case like it should.
Man I wouldn't take that bike apart. I'd leave it intact.
Uncle Tony.
Please restore this old beauty.
She's a survivor. And a fighter.
Give her a new wonderful life.
And ride the hell out of her after you do.
XLCH were meant to compete with Nortons, Triumphs, BMWs, during the European wave in the late 50s through 60s, then it was the UJM that ruled the roost. I'd spiff it up, it's a thoroughbred. Go find a lesser bike to scavenge parts from for the dirt bike but make this bike the little badass it's supposed to be.
'meant to compete with Nortons, Triumphs..'
That's why it leaks oil then!
Keep the house paint. Cool part of its history.
Someone, somewhere back in time loved it and pieced it together with what they had.
This is the very essence of your channel.
No no no! Absolutely do not tear it apart!!!! Get it! Redo it and ride it! Enjoy it! If u feel the need sell it. The right buyer will eventually see it and will drool over the deal!!!!
Keep it and rebuild it!
The engines for your Dirtster are all over but that 61 has character. Just get it running and use it as is, the patina is awesome!
👍👍👍
I know you're not into the "full resto" stuff, but this needs, no DESERVES, someone like you to take some time and bring her back. You won't regret it. Something you will be proud of.
Clean it up and ride it
Gotta get it running and keep her together. What a great period piece!
Survivor’s deserve to keep on surviving. Clean her up, get her running, ride her. Plenty of basket bike parts around to build your dirt bike
Buy it. Fix it up. Keep it ✅
Awesome bike but keep it the way it is! Thats "project x" history! Tempted to send you a modern dirt bike so you don't kill yourself when the rusty forks snap in half.
Go for it, Tony !! Whichever way you choose to utilize the bike, go for it !!
I'm in the clean it up, get it running and enjoy it camp.
This is a pure restoration project. Bring it back to its glory.
If it's not too far gone, fix and ride, if it needs too much, sell the parts, and build the dirt bike.
Dont change a thing..its lovely..and Im not even a Harley fan..but Id be proud to ride that.
Buy it!! The pin striping is lovely.
But of T -cut n she’ll shine lovely. Don’t repaint her.
👍👍👍
Last time that bike was on the road, was as long ago as my age! LOL! restore that bike Uncle Tone.
I would probably leave it complete and get it running. Although i think it needs a set of fork uppers, I dont see them working with new fork seals haha.
My dad left me a 74. Still in the process of restoring it. Awesome bike
Fix what needs fixin' and ride it as is. Lots of other Sportster parts around for the dirt bike build.
Keep it together ! It’s mechanical history !
NO TRUE HARLEY WOULD PART THAT THING OUT!!!!!! KEEP IT AS IT IS, FIX AND RIDE
Now THATS one sweet girl there! Lucky as hell to get it! One of my all time favorites. Don’t you dare part that ride! Put some decent paint on her and let her eat!!😮
I’d have a hard time parting it out myself especially since it’s complete. I say clean it up strip the paint and spray it flat black or grey and ride it. If I remember correctly the clutch is on the wrong side in those days at least one A friend had was
Fit some good tires on it, clean it back and polish it up. Leave it as it stands. Some things are best left as they are.
You know you're going to buy it. Just do it.
Sickness 👍
Run, Tony, Run.
The fact that you’d even talk about robbing the bike to fix up a “dirt bike” Sportster means that you’re the wrong guy.
Besides, you’re just using these bikes as a diversion to keep yourself from focusing on all the crap you already have in the works..
Yeah, it’s a great project bike, but it’s the wrong project for you.
Exactly !!! Stay away from motorbikes
🤣🤣🤣
As long as Kathy is okay with it, I say: Buy this thing, fix whatever needs fixed, and enjoy the hell out of it! Love the look of this machine.
Give her the refresh, survivor style rider. She's way too nice to part out, get a hundred engines and trans for the spirit of that bike alone.
I'm not a Harley guy, I just don't get them. But that '61 I would ride with pride every chance I got, she just needs everything and then she's perfect.
😂holy Christ this channel has no rudder!
If the bike is restorable within a decent budget restore it. If it can't be saved gut it and part it out. My official vote goes for keeping it intact.
I had a 69 XLCH ,for fourteen years nothing but fun !! Had a Barnett clutch, Track Cam, it would bet the pants off any 1200 at the time ,early Eighties . Give it hell Tony , 🔧🔩✌
Id restore it but I built a poly so my opinion isn’t relevant lol.
Poly motor is cool
Buy it. Save it. Restore it. First time commenter.
Must restore.
There’s too many “throw away” later model sportys out there for cheap that would be great donors, that thing made it too long to be cut up.
That's a bike that should be left intact, it's beautiful. Bit of a clean up and leave it stock as is. Not many like that left.
That bike is definitely you Tony and it fits you like a glove already. Personally, I'll think your cheese has slid off your cracker if you take it to slaughter and butcher it up for parts it's way too sweet and way too "there" for that B/S. Nice bike shop, I haven't played the old vintage "Evel Knievel" pinball machine in a long while. And there's something wrong with a Harley that don't leak oil.
Funny how it had enough oil in it to keep leaking all these years .
Rebuild it, ride it. It's as straight forward as they get. It'll ride good has good power and ultra reliable.👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸
30 year HD retired employee, Harley guy. Do not part it out. Make it run and enjoy it.
It's rare to find an old bike that's complete like that one. I would restore it to it's original condition. Mind you not too perfection. Just clean it up, remove the rust, paint it, and make it a daily rider. That includes seal's, gaskets, ring's, and work the head's. That's what I did to my antique Soviet Union KMZ Dnepr military sidecar motorcycle. I didn't paint it because the original paint was good enough. It's a heavy beast of a machine, and I love it!
It’s too original to part out
Tony take it home and please don't break, go the mechanical once over rebuild and tidy her up and she's good to go. Fingers crossed that the house paint cleans off down to the original finish and apply the oil rag treatment! If its needed give her a sympathetic respray with a1960s satin type finish. The shop will have that unmistakable aroma of paint the way we all remember! This takes me back to my teenage years when I sprayed bikes in the family garage. My mother was constantly complaining about the smell of spray paint and dust from rubbing down!
If it was me, I'd be split between restoring it or just clean it up and ride it. Or leaving it behind for someone else.
I wouldn't gut it and part it out. Same reason I won't do that to my all original fox mustang. Not worth much but I like it too much to part out.
Bring it back to life!
This thing gotta be preserved.
Get it running and "stopping" lol don't clean too much of the chrome. Scuff 'n spray the tins. Put Ultra Kathy on the back and knees in the breeze. Repeat the latter.
😁😁😁👍
I like the way it is painted now.
Do a real objective evaluation. If it runs and rides, then clean it up, fix the leaks, and go have fun. If it's not worth saving, gut it and keep the motor/trans for yourself. I wouldn't even paint it.
It’s not leaking, it’s marking its territory! 😂
Restore it.
Take it! Early XLCH cases are lighter weight than late ones, but they aren't known to be super strong and do crack. i have welded a few to repair them.
Finish the projects you have! I guess that's why you did well in drag racing you only have to stay focused for 45 minutes between rounds. As I said before, you're turning this into a bike channel
I agree with all the others here, just go through all the basics, change oil, file the points on the mag, fresh gas, with an inline filter, clean it up and fire it up! I would love to have that bike, it would be fun to restore and run around town on.
What ever you do don't part it out. And hey, if you dont want it, that looks like a bike i dont need but gotta have!
Hell, I'd leave the house paint! The pin striping is a nice touch lol
Keep it original, it looks awesome as is, maybe a touch up and a rebuild if need be.
Do both! You got a shop for a reason.
It isn't rough. Bring it back to life. Gut it and I unsub.
Good project, don't forget your roots
It's awful complete. Even though they don't go for a ton of cash, it could be worth cleaning it up and running it as is.
Bare motors come up pretty regularly for the dirt bike project.
Uncle Tony
That bike is you!