Ironhead First Harley - 1975 XL1000 Café Project

[sifty]

Disclaimer: No offence is meant by any comments in this article. Previous to buying this bike, I have owned nothing but British, Italian and Japanese machines, and my only experience with Harleys was mocking friends who had spent (what I considered as) too much money on (what I considered as) outdated, slow, poor handling and overweight monuments to bad taste.

Plus of course, I had laughed at the accountant-types wobbling about on shiny new Hogs, with their weekend ‘bad boy’ stubble, squeaky leathers, and branded clothing -But I think everybody does that…



Anyway, I bought one.
This bike was local, had live plates, matching numbers, and had apparently been sitting the best part of a decade, unused. I bought it with intentions of tidying it up, making it as reliable as possible, and using it as a summer ride, as it was close to being 40 years old and qualifying for cheap registration. The owner said it didn’t blow smoke or leak/use oil, but did have some evil handling characteristics.

Looking it over, it appeared relatively unmolested, there were no obvious signs of backyard butchery, but it did have extended forks, high rise ‘T’ bars, and the usual chrome eagles etc. Mercifully, it was unadorned with tassels…

[hcrashster]

I see that making good first impressions isn't high on the priority list. Good deal.

Looks like you have a good project there.
Plenty of info in the Tech Stickies, Red section right above the threads.



Now if you don't mind, I'm heading to the shop to de-tassle my, um, jackhammer.

[sifty]

The main attraction was the challenge of making something halfway decent out of what is acknowledged as a pretty dire product (from an era associated with dated design, lack of investment with poor production values). Plus it was a reasonable price, and I didn’t have anything American in the shed.

As the motor is not unattractive (largely exposed V Twin engine reminiscent of the great British twins of the thirties) I was thinking of converting to café racer style, just to be a bit different.

The beautiful BSA Y13

Anyway, my plan was to:

• Install shorter front forks
• Fit clip-ons
• Remove all usual Harley tackiness (sorry, but I’m not into the chrome/eagle thing)
• Change fluids, new battery etc, then get it running and see how it goes, before looking at cosmetic alterations.

The sort of thing I was thinking of was a low-cost cafe, along the lines of this crude mock-up.


I will try to add updates of progress as I go, I didn't take too many pics to start with, but have a few to share. I will create a post for each section of the bike...

[sifty]

Originally Posted by hcrashster

I see that making good first impressions isn't high on the priority list. Good deal.

Ha, yeah didn't mean to sound too harsh. I do have friends who ride HD's and good natured ribbing is part of the deal. I have also received great advice from here already, so really don't intend to antagonise people...

[hcrashster]

Don't sweat it.
You could have bought an evo, so you're already one up with an Ironhead.

PS I love my Triumph. Right now, it's holding 3 garden hoses and no tangles so far.
A veritable monument to British design and dual use function.

[sifty]

Originally Posted by hcrashster

Don't sweat it.
PS I love my Triumph. Right now, it's holding 3 garden hoses and no tangles so far.
A veritable monument to British design and dual use function.

Dual use?
If it's a PROPER trumpy it'll be dropping oil to kill any weeds in the vicinity at the same time, plus preventing the concrete from rusting...

[sifty]

Front End

First task was to sort out the wobbly front end, and drop it to where I think a motorcycle should sit, low, level and mean. I found the following:

• Incorrect bearing cups, ineffectual locknuts, and a bent steering stem
• Different length fork springs installed
• low and dirty oil
• Crudely hacksawed internal spacers
• Factory alloy front wheel in useable condition however





I looked at installing a twin disc front end, which would necessitate a new front wheel, but as these are not cheap, I will get it going as-is, and consider this as a future upgrade. I like the look of the ‘pie slice’ front caliper, but they were only used a few years and fork legs/caliper parts are harder to come by. Plus the early Showa forks on this model did not have damper rebound spring fitted, and shorter fork tubes are hard to find (cannot just slide forks up through top clamp as they are a tapered design). 35mm tubes for the later model Showa however are abundant, so I looked at upgrading forks and clamps to fit the narrow-glide sportster format.

I found an entire 1985 FXR-P (police spec) front end on a local auction site for $200, and couldn’t pass it up. This included steering stem, upper and lower clamps, tubes and fork lowers, although the forks were still 2” over length and not what I was after. The brake caliper mounts were also different, so I looked on ebay, found 2” under tubes (new) for $100, and bought a set of later model calipers (left and right) so I can install a twin disc front in future. I also bought seals, progressive fork springs, brake caliper rebuild kit, pads and master cylinder kit (as I liked the look of the original finned alloy master cylinder) and gaiters from a GB500, that are an exact fit for the Showa forks.

{I was amazed at how much stuff is available for 70’s Harleys, although It’s quite difficult to find ‘normal’ things - most dealers seem geared towards the ’longer forks, more chrome, extra eagles’ type of buyer, which I guess is the target market.}

Turns out there were two models of fork caps, a coarse and fine thread type, so I ordered new caps, plus a Timken conversion kit that should improve front end rigidity via the tapered roller bearings. The kit also allowed for the extra length and larger diameter steering stem, so it was an easy exercise, although the newer steering head required some modification to fit, as the steering stops were different.




Judicious use of a grinder and some fabrication/welding allowed the conversion cups and new forks to be installed.







The progressive springs came with spacers to allow lowering, but as the forks were under length, it was hard enough to install the fork caps, so I will leave the spacers out at this stage.


This pic illustrates the difference in fork lengths

As the bike is still balanced on a centre lift stand it remains to be seen how the front end will compress when on
the ground, but clearances appear ok.

[sifty]

Brakes

As the later model fork lowers prevented me from using the ‘pie slice’ caliper setup (without reversing it and fabricating adapter plates) I hoped to use the existing wheel/disc with the FXR fork and brake setup.


Looking at reversing 'Pie Slice' caliper to fit later forks


I began with a seized front brake with a dubious braided line, a master cylinder of unknown quality, and a disc showing the rust of long term storage.



I looked at having the front disc skimmed, but nobody in town was keen for such work (bike discs have to be done both sides at once), so I gave it a clean-up on a wire brush bench wheel, and under the rust it appeared ok. There are concentric grooves, but no radial imperfections, and there is plenty of meat left in the disc so there should be nothing to worry about (and replacement discs are readily available). I cleaned up and rebuilt the front caliper I had bought (new piston, seals, boots and high-temp grease on the pivot points) and had the master cylinder bored, sleeved and tapped for a new connector, as the old thread was a tad dodgy.

The front wheel needed a spacer as the forks were different, but a ¾” shaft collar from the local hardware store (with the set-screw removed and a stainless washer on the bearing side) was perfect, I couldn’t have machined anything better, and the wheel and disc now lined up with the rebuilt caliper.



I had braided line made up at Southern brakes, and took it home with the caliper end fitted only to mark the length and alignment at the master cylinder, so it could be made off in the correct orientation (short braided lines do not twist). I had trouble bleeding the brake till I repositioned the banjo bolt slightly to allow spanner access to the bleed screw, and dropped the master cylinder to floor level to let air rise to highest point. It was then a 5 minute one-man job, and seems to be working well, although very sensitive (large master cylinder and single piston). I have yet to see how it goes on the road, hope it’s not too ‘grabby’….

[snow]

If you're really in search of hardcore, back-to-basics motorcycling get rid of the poofta battery & pussy button, install a kicker, and drop a magneto into that beast & let us know how ya like it. Ironheads, especially mag fired CHs are about brass knuckles not chrome eagles.

[sifty]

Bars

I bought a set of 35mm fork tube clip-ons from ebay that came with 7/8” bars (22mm). This was because anything with 1” bars cost a couple of hundred dollars, but the standard 7/8” were around $35. I bought a metre of 1” alloy bar locally and turned down the end to fit the clamps, which cost all of $30 and allowed me to build to length required. I also bought bar-end mirrors, new grips etc, but until I see how it vibrates, the mirror location is on hold.




Tank

I found a Suzuki T500 tank for $50, that is long and lean and may look ok if I can make it fit (I don’t like the ‘peanut’ Sportster tank with low bars, reckon it looks like a humpty camel, and there is an awkward space between the front of the tank and the headstock). I’ll get it going using the original tank and make cosmetic changes later, including new rear fender and single seat, also rearsets etc will be installed down the track. Possibly new oil tank too, as I don’t like how it sticks out, and I will add an external oil filter as it has none at present.