Newbie looking for guidance

[kwbikr]

I'm new to this forum but have 40 years of M/C experience from fabricatiing to racing to restorations. I REALLY wanted to find an unmolested 1983-84 XLX and then found one. I've ridden it a lot and love the bike. I've changed it only by a 22 tooth countershaft sprocket and generally made it right overall... Here's my question:

I really want to make the motor as strong as I can make it with good reliability and flexibility. I want to keep the all-stock look (including the pipes) when refreshing the motor...I'm good with spending the $ required to get it the way I want it. What would this group recommend? Headwork, cams, carb?

Any guidance appreciated...thanks, KW

[vlmuke]

I don't know much, but you should lots of replies but welcome to the forum!!!!

[Gcram399]

Welcome to the forum from SW Pennsylvania.

There are quite a few Ironhead owners here and I'm sure they will be chiming in to answer some of your questions.

[kwbikr]

I don't know much, but you should lots of replies but welcome to the forum!!!!

Thanks for the welcomes...nice to know there's at least one Triumph owner here...I have several Meriden twins myself...love them all...

[IronMick]

Andrews PB+ cams.
Andrews accelerator pump kit, assuming you have the original Keihin butterfly carb.
Cycle Shack taper tip slip-fit mufflers, very similar look, better performance, more sound but not loud like drags etc.
drill some holes in the A/C backplate
Rejet the carb following the Stickys, accessed thru the last of the red posts near the top.

Welcome! to the IronHead forum.

[ezmerf]

Welcome to the forum.This is like Allstate your in good hands now.

[GA_Ironhead]

Port those heads! Add gapless rings and a set of cams to match your riding style.

[kwbikr]

Port those heads! Add gapless rings and a set of cams to match your riding style.

Can you recommend a place that can do a good job on iron heads?

[GA_Ironhead]

Tom has been doing IH porting for over 30 years. Tom Gordon 507/402-4000

Ask him for performance recommendations as well.

[Bob F]

Welcome to the XLForum.

You want power? Stroke it!

[83XLX]

The Screamin' Eagle air cleaner kit for the '86 and '87 Evo will fit, and uses the stock cover. You get an aluminum backplate with a 360 degree opening, a velocity ring, and a K&N filter. Looks stock (it does stick out about 1/2" farther, though) and really flows well. You may have to look a while to find one, though.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c237/rotcorp52/P1000216.jpg

[85mm]

If you go strong on the engine, you may want to consider upgrading the transmission to Andrews gears at the same time.

[ezmerf]

I would say figure out what you want a bar hopper are a sled that will take you cross country if you so wanted.That's when I 'd start my build to fit that category.Building a durable bike is as good as building a street rod.When you've used the quality stuff to build with and the best mechanic you know you,you can be pretty assured you'll not gonna sit on the side of the road.

[the cowboy way]

if yer gonna ride it hard
upgrade the trap door

I wouldn't ride it hard there is a difference between ridin hard and fast
its 28 years old
allmost every part is breakable

[83XLX]

...I wouldn't ride it hard there is a difference between ridin hard and fast...
Very true. I ride mine fast, but not hard.

[piniongear]

I'm new to this forum but have 40 years of M/C experience from fabricatiing to racing to restorations. I REALLY wanted to find an unmolested 1983-84 XLX and then found one. I've ridden it a lot and love the bike. I've changed it only by a 22 tooth countershaft sprocket and generally made it right overall... Here's my question:

I really want to make the motor as strong as I can make it with good reliability and flexibility. I want to keep the all-stock look (including the pipes) when refreshing the motor...I'm good with spending the $ required to get it the way I want it. What would this group recommend? Headwork, cams, carb?

Any guidance appreciated...thanks, KW
Building an engine, like most things, is a trade-off.
You cannot have extra performance without the loss of reliability. It just does not work that way.

So decide which you want most.
If today was the late 1950's or early 1960's.......... I would say you might gain something by building for performance.

But today being today, where any 250cc dirt bike is going to eat ANY Sportster's lunch at a red light.... there is nothing at all to be gained by trying to beef up an ironhead engine. Period.

So I suggest you use the best parts you can buy today and build that engine to last.
If I were building that engine today I would most likely use forged pistons. They would be 9:1 ratio at the most because of today's poor fuel quality.
I would bore it out no more that it took to clean up the cylinders.
I would install standard valves with new bronze guides and new valve springs.
I would use the cams that came in the engine, if all four were in good condition (no galling).
I would install a Mikuni VM38 carb on the bike to finish it off.

The end result would be a good strong engine that is going to look original, start and run much better than original and last a long time.

For an old antique bike, you cannot ask for anything better in my book.
pg

[nikki]

Building an engine, like most things, is a trade-off.
You cannot have extra performance without the loss of reliability. It just does not work that way.

So decide which you want most.
If today was the late 1950's or early 1960's.......... I would say you might gain something by building for performance.

But today being today, where any 250cc dirt bike is going to eat ANY Sportster's lunch at a red light.... there is nothing at all to be gained by trying to beef up an ironhead engine. Period.

So I suggest you use the best parts you can buy today and build that engine to last.
If I were building that engine today I would most likely use forged pistons. They would be 9:1 ratio at the most because of today's poor fuel quality.
I would bore it out no more that it took to clean up the cylinders.
I would install standard valves with new bronze guides and new valve springs.
I would use the cams that came in the engine, if all four were in good condition (no galling).
I would install a Mikuni VM38 carb on the bike to finish it off.

The end result would be a good strong engine that is going to look original, start and run much better than original and last a long time.

For an old antique bike, you cannot ask for anything better in my book.
pg
+1 I agree piniongear this is not a new Iron head at best we are talking about a 1985 xl (26 years old ) to a 1957 xl (54 year old) Nikki