Ironhead Before & After Pics - Harley Forum

83XLX · #1 10-01-2009, 12:23 PM

Anyone have before and after pictures of your Ironhead? If so, post 'em here for all to see. I've had mine since 1990, bought it as a used, rusted, and repainted '83 model. Here are two pictures - the first from August 1990, the second from September 2009.

crazy n.y. · #2 10-01-2009, 02:00 PM

Hey Great Bike! I just bought 1975 Sportser and want to talk some shop talk. It's my first bike in ten years so I'm a little rusty. I'm trying to get my hands on a owner manual so I can do some repair myself. Let me know what is going to breack down first!
crazy n.y.

crazy n.y. · #3 10-01-2009, 02:02 PM

As I said before nice bike and I would like to know what I need to do first to get my bike humming

83XLX · #4 10-01-2009, 02:03 PM

If you can find them, buy both a factory repair manual and the factory parts book. What break first is a function of how well it was taken care of and how it has been ridden all these years. With luck, you bought one that hasn't been abused too much.

street bob · #5 10-02-2009, 01:03 AM

crazy n.y... good luck on your "new" harley. Unfortunatly, the iron head "AMF" years for harley were not a favorable time frame for H-D. That being said, I had a 72' iron head, and if you got it running good, you had one monster of a scoot. I loved that bike to know end, mainly because it was my first Harley.
Here is probably one of the only pics of my bike when I bought it, in early 1984...

Ride the daylights outta that bike man......
Notice the right hand shift....... dual drum brakes.....

crazy n.y. · #6 10-02-2009, 03:12 PM

Thanks for the reply .WHat kind of scoot do you have now? I'll try to post a picture of my first if I can .Again thanks for the reply

crazy n.y. · #7 10-02-2009, 03:16 PM

Thanks for the reply. If you give me any pointers on the celiniod or ant problems you had it would be greatly appreciated .What do you ride now. Again thanks for time

Buzz Kanter · #8 10-02-2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 83XLX

Anyone have before and after pictures of your Ironhead? If so, post 'em here for all to see. I've had mine since 1990, bought it as a used, rusted, and repainted '83 model. Here are two pictures - the first from August 1990, the second from September 2009.

Nice work. How much taller are the rear shocks now and does it make a big difference in hard cornering? I also like the fork gaiters which give it an old fashioned look.

83XLX · #9 10-03-2009, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzz Kanter

Nice work. How much taller are the rear shocks now and does it make a big difference in hard cornering? I also like the fork gaiters which give it an old fashioned look.

Thanks. The shocks measure 13.25" eye to eye (the stockers were 12.5"). They do make the bike more stable while cornering, but I never had any dragging issues with the old shocks - they just had no damping. These shocks are from an FXDX, and combined with the fork brace and Progressive fork springs, make the old bike handle pretty well. Fork gaiters are from a Honda GB500, BTW, and fit perfectly.

1haugster1340 · #10 10-03-2009, 09:23 AM

Nice Sporty! The XLX is my favorite Ironhead.