Please talk me in or out of an ironhead sporty...

[marianospeedcycle]

Hey dudes, long long time lurker, finally get around to posting.

I've been pretty much non stop reading about Ironheads for the past 72 hours, someone just give me a sanity check here. So many mixed opinions from they're complete trash, to just a tad finicky but rad. I've only owned Evo's so I don't know what to believe. I'm looking for a base to do my next sporty build on. I have a titled, clean frame from a '99 883 lying around...but the more I think about it, the more I lean to just getting a runner and then chopping it over winter. I sold my last complete bike back in spring to buy a house. Now that things are settled, I need to get out and ride again.

Went out to see a CLEAN '83 Ironhead Sporty the other day. 14k, 2nd owner, seems to be well maintained, has some head and cam work, loads of receipts all with it. Rides fine through all the gears, nothing alarming but I didn't pull plugs or anything like that. Lots of fugly, pointy, chrome shit bolted to it, but the bike is very clean. Charging system is fucked and needs a battery though. He's asking $1900. I want to buy it, but at the same time the Ironhead thing frightens me a bit.

Do I just pull the trigger? I figure worst case scenario, I ride the piss out of it throughout fall and find out the motor is shot. Swap the tins, fork, wheels, brakes, and other random bits onto my other frame and continue on with that. I'd need to find an Evo at that point but I'll have basically a complete bike already.

[JBinNC]

Iron XLs are much more difficult to deal with than an evo XL, but that being said, a low mileage unmolested later bike like the one you are considering would be a decent choice. The '79 and up don't have the classic frame of the earlier XLs, but do handle better because of that.
The '84s had the alternator behind the clutch shell, which is VERY expensive to fix. I don't know about the '83s, at least the early ones had a (Japanese) generator.

As XLs go, the five speed evo ones are really good bikes, tough as nails and cheap in today's market. Do not make the mistake of thinking any iron XL is anything of the kind. If you want to go forward with that knowledge, God's blessing upon you.

Jim

[Skjoll]

IMO it depends on how much riding vs wrenching you want to do and if you have another bike as a primary. I get the allure of ironheads, they have a charm of their own and I keep eyeing pre-AMFs but personally prefer to ride waaay more than wrench nowadays so it's 5-speed rigid mount blockheads for me.

[Guest]

If you have a love affair with ironheads do it. There is no other reason to.

[JBinNC]

If you have a love affair with ironheads do it. There is no other reason to.

I think it borders on mental illness myself, but I am a long time sufferer.

Jim

[hillcat]

They are only good for around town bikes. Suck on the highway. Suck for a passenger. Suck for reliability.IMHO

[AlbertaFarmer]

Very poor resale value from what I have seen. Compared to an evo XL or any big twin.

[marianospeedcycle]

If you have a love affair with ironheads do it. There is no other reason to.

I'll admit I'm drawn to it for some reason just to try something different. I know it's not exactly ground shaking, but there's something about an Ironhead that speaks to me. That and I really did like the sound of it. Could just be me going mental about thinking this is a good deal, but I feel like it had a better tone than an Evo.

As far as reliability and resale goes, I don't really give too much of a shit. This will eventually be a stripped down hardtail just to hop around town on and occasionally ride the 10 miles of country roads into work.

[Dragstews]

If I miss my guess that bike started life as a XLX which was a Ironhead motor in a XR-1000 frame and running gear.. ??
(The Vin #'s would tell the story)

For all the chop goodies that it has, don't think you can go wrong with the deal...

[Skjoll]

If you have a love affair with ironheads do it. There is no other reason to.

I think it borders on mental illness myself, but I am a long time sufferer.

They are only good for around town bikes. Suck on the highway. Suck for a passenger. Suck for reliability.IMHO

"You got the extra spark plugs I gave ya?... and the baffles?... Well then that's it, I can do no more, she's all yours baby." (begins a cross-country journey and even picks up a dame what gots nice gams)




TV shows were always a true reflection of reality.

[AlbertaFarmer]

I'm pretty sure the kid that steals the girl in the end of two lane blacktop was on an Ironhead as well.

[marianospeedcycle]

I did not run the VIN, but the owner says it's an XLH1000.

[britbikebuilder1]

Not really sure why everyone hates on ironheads , when they are right they are right . Fun to ride, maybe not on the freeway .
If you need to rebuild the engine you can have more in that than the whole bike will ever be worth . So if it runs good dont worry about that .
I personally try to stick with the pre 1970 models if they are stock they will hold their value .
If you are going to just chop it up go for it have fun and who cares what the naysayers say .
1500.00 since it needs a new generator would be an ok deal.

[Tattooo]

Not really sure why everyone hates on ironheads , when they are right they are right . Fun to ride, maybe not on the freeway .

Not me I've always liked them............. Here's a couple of mine from a few years back.....

[Tater66]

I cant tell you how many times an old man has come up to me to talk bikes. Usually some goofy ass dipshit.
Inevitably, this fool will mention " I used to have a Harley". I would reply half-heartedly "Oh yeah, whadja have ? ".
Answer was ALWAYS a Sportster. Most likely an Ironhead. So please get a MANS bike so I dont have to keep having those conversations.


LOL. I really like the white one, Tattoo. Tin primary cover is tits.