Old HD, Worthwhile?

[Goat Regime]

Looking for a bit of advice and/or opinion from those of you who have owned old Harley's, CD, I'm lookin' at you man. I may have an opportunity (if the story is legit from my brother) to trade my '03 Spirit 750 (20k km, new Pirelli front, rear tire still great, V&H pipes, jetted, new batt, Drag Specialties mirrors and tail light, etc.) for an old modified HD, plus the fellow will allegedly give me $1500 on top - story is his daughter wants a bike and, doesn't like the 883's that are out there, wants less power.

From what I am guessing due to the photo, it looks like a Ironhead engine but, since I don't know the year I'm not certain if it's a 900cc (883) or a 1000cc. Thus far I know nothing at all about the bike aside from what the picture tells me, may need a new rear tire. I'm suppose to talk to the fellow (hopefully tonight) to find out more.
Common sense says beware, trading a more modern and mechanically sound Metric for an old HD may be unwise. I know the old HD's didn't exactly have the best reputation mechanic wise and, HD didn't really fix their issues until the Evo engine.

All the same, it looks like a cool bike and I imagine it sounds pretty mean, won't know until I check it out in person. Looking for opinions from those experienced with these bikes.

[halifax]

GREAT IDEA!.....As long as you remember:

1. an Ironhead Sportster is an Antique Motorcycle;
2. Some Ironhead parts are very very very scarce (Preston Cycle is your friend!)
3. Most Ironheads have internals that have been cobbled together from different Years & Versions of Ironheads;
4. not all Ironhead parts will work in whatever unique setup you are looking at there...there are intricacies year over year;
5. even when it does work, it will be mostly unreliable;
6. it will almost certainly always be leaking oil from somewhere
7. unless you have another bike, you won't be riding nearly as often as you are right now;
8. an Ironhead cheeseburger/chop/bob/hack will never be worth any money
9. unless you do all your own work, you will grow to believe your mechanic(s) are either Geniuses or Imbeciles
10. they weren't a very good bike when they were new, either

[CrazyDave]

Aw man.. part of me wants to tell you to go for it.. part of me wants to say KEEP AWAY!

It is not a bike for the faint of heart, it is not a bike for those who are not mechanically inclined. It may run great for years, it may blow the top end two weeks into owning it.

Check out that rear brake it looks like a rivet affair, that oil bag gets hot. It's gonna be loud, it's gonna leak.. personally I am drooling!

Get it, you'll break down on the side of the road, you'll swear and scream,you'll have fun.. unless the cam gear lets go and freezes the motor at around 45 mph..

In my mind I have already trashed the Z bar, and solo seat, put on 12 inch apes a king and queen seat and a funky skull inspired sissy bar

[CrazyDave]

Originally Posted by halifax

GREAT IDEA!.....As long as you remember:

1. an Ironhead Sportster is an Antique Motorcycle;
2. Some Ironhead parts are very very very scarce (Preston Cycle is your friend!)
3. Most Ironheads have internals that have been cobbled together from different Years & Versions of Ironheads;
4. not all Ironhead parts will work in whatever unique setup you are looking at there...there are intricacies year over year;
5. even when it does work, it will be mostly unreliable;
6. it will almost certainly always be leaking oil from somewhere
7. unless you have another bike, you won't be riding nearly as often as you are right now;
8. an Ironhead cheeseburger/chop/bob/hack will never be worth any money
9. unless you do all your own work, you will grow to believe your mechanic(s) are either Geniuses or Imbeciles
10. they weren't a very good bike when they were new, either

Oh and I concur almost completely with Halifax too. Sporty parts can be had for the price of a basket case sitting on Craigslist.. no worries, the bucket you buy will likely have something else wrong with it, giving you access to the part(s) you need.

[70 Maverick]

I'd stay with what ya got.I've owned a few in the past,and agree some parts are hard to find,and when you do find them,you either pay out the nose,or the person won't come off them. Built right,they can be a decent bike,but that one there,looks like you'd be getting someone else's problems.If you enjoy wrenching more than riding,then I say go for it! Good luck in which route you go.

[GiveItToMikey]

Yup. Had a HD yearrrrrs ago and loved it. I would also work on my bikes back then and loved that, too. I especially loved the feeling of riding a roller coaster -- off the tracks, which is especially what I loved about my HD.

I'm lookin' at that picture of your prospective new (old) ride and can already visualize parts flyin' off it.

Makes me wanna go outside, hug my Shadow and tell her to, "Never leave me."

[CrazyDave]

Originally Posted by GiveItToMikey

Yup. Had a HD yearrrrrs ago and loved it. I would also work on my bikes back then and loved that, too. I especially loved the feeling of riding a roller coaster -- off the tracks, which is especially what I loved about my HD.

I'm lookin' at that picture of your prospective new (old) ride and can already visualize parts flyin' off it.

Makes me wanna go outside, hug my Shadow and tell her to, "Never leave me."

What?? You mean to tell me you don't miss the exhilaration of finding out your front end is cracked miles from home and wondering how your gonna get it home.. just before that evil grin surfaces on your face and you say WTF and click it into gear?

[GiveItToMikey]

Originally Posted by CrazyDave

What?? You mean to tell me you don't miss the exhilaration of finding out your front end is cracked miles from home and wondering how your gonna get it home.. just before that evil grin surfaces on your face and you say WTF and click it into gear?

Close, CD. However I think it was the cylinder and not front end. If my memory serves me well it was only running on one cylinder at the time I got it but was so fast I didn't know the difference (compared to my Honda 305 at the time). All I knew was it's a Harley and I'm gettin' it, damn it.

And damn it, I got it.

[CrazyDave]

Originally Posted by GiveItToMikey

Close, CD. However I think it was the cylinder and not front end. If my memory serves me well it was only running on one cylinder at the time I got it but was so fast I didn't know the difference (compared to my Honda 305 at the time). All I knew was it's a Harley and I'm gettin' it, damn it.

And damn it, I got it.

Springer front end..cracked

2nd gear..kaput

rear brake failed.. twice.. on a rear brake only chopper

coil came flying off ( love those shoe laces )

and on a similar Sportster as Goat is thinking about.. cam gear took out all four cams and froze the motor.. at 45 mph...

Just some of the fun

[rb608]

I'll gladly defer to the HD historians here; but IMO, you'd be foolish to give up a badass functioning Shadow for an uncertain HD antique. I guess my question would be, if that HD were perfectly mechanically sound and as dependable as your Shadow, is it what you would prefer to own and drive? Questions about its integrity are secondary to that.