CLASSIC 1973 Harley Davidson XL 1000 IRON-HEAD SPORTSTER RESTORED & "TESTA-TUNED"
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I have the same bike. Bought the blown motor and rusty frame on ebay. Now restored to stock. Did all the work myself. Runs perfect and looks great. It took a long time and a bit of money but when it fired up first try it suddenly became worth all the work
Looks bad ass.
This is what I like to see!
Thanks Ken and great work guys, Mario and co.
Great job on her. She is absolutely beautiful. I had that same brochure taped on the kitchen wall by the sink I my apartment when I was 18. I would look at it everyday to motivate me to save the money to buy one. It took me almost three years to save up enough cash to buy a brand new black 75 ironhead. I rode the wheels off of that thing. All of these years later, I still get excited every time I see an old ironhead.
Exactly why we spent 9 months restoring it
Good to see you're great work, keeping these bike's stock, & the 1970s was one of our best times for motorcycling.
It's not obsession! It's called pride in workmanship!!
Ok! It's obsession!! You guys rock!
That is beautiful. I love the look of the left side of the rear wheel, no brake or chain to mess it up.
restoring a 73 XLCH myself right now for my daughter for her birthday....damn takes forever.I like S&S and bought an e
Hi Ken , thanks for filming all these great old Harley's. I have an opportunity to buy the exact same bike at auction here in England 🇬🇧
It was owned from new by a USA army captain. He got an army discount apparently when he bought it. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
You guys filmed this one at the right time. The sun is making that iron head gleam! What a piece of history right there. I’m hopin you guys come across and do the same outstanding resto to an 85 someday. Preferably black with the red and white lettering on the tank but any 85 would do.✌🏻🇺🇸
1985 is a weird year. I had an '85 XLH. In fact a 02/85 pro date. It was the last month, (I think), the iron head was built before the EVO came out. A lot of the parts for a 1985 are different than a 1984 and older so it was difficult to find parts from a swap meet to replace. Great motorcycle though. I should have kept it stock but I did what others usually do and modify it to my liking. Especially the paint. It was factory red and I completely disassembled it to change things up. Mainly the paint. I chose House of Color bright gold/yellow for the frame, which I ground the welds and molded smooth, and tins with same brand sunshine orange flames on the tank and fenders. Hot rodded the engine with cams and high compression pistons, S&S carb, you name it and I did it.
Damn right....your name is on it. Great Job. Be proud.
That is a beautiful Sportster. It is such a cool bike and looks fantastic. Great work Guys.
Beautiful looking bike. I bought a 73 XLH a couple years ago with a locked up engine. I hope to get it back to her glory
Man... My first Iron Head with the crinkle black cases... She ran great for me... Geeezzz you guys keep on bringing out my old bikes... I've had 17... I bet you have everyone of them... You and yours are keeping our memories alive...!! My stupity killed my '73.. I also had a '78 Ironhead as well as a '67 Pan/Shovel Electra Glide brother please keep it up I get more smiles on your website than any other bike site...Love it and Thank You..!!!
I bought that same model in May 1973. mine didn't have turn signals, rear brake was useless, Bendix carb was nothing but trouble. But is was fast and fun.
Absolutely love it! I have to say, though, I've got you beat - I'm still riding my '76 that I bought in 1980. I completely rebuilt mine as well, about six years ago, except I took a little bit different approach. It looks entirely original on the outside (save for a Corbin seat), but there is not a single H-D part left between the cases. All S&S, Andrews, Jim's, etc. Pretty thoroughly hot-rodded, I have no trouble running away and hiding from my Commando, Bonneville, and Gold star mounted buddies. Converted it to RH shift back in the 1980's, as God and Harley Davidson intended...
I'm glad you touched on Sportster values. I've been waiting (hoping) for decades for them to take off and be appreciated for what they are. Certainly the unloved "bastard red headed step child" of the vintage motorcycle world, much less the vintage Harley world. They just don't get the respect they deserve. Maybe someday...
Oh, and just one thing - that big heavy ham can air cleaner housing wouldn't bounce up and down so much if it had the steel strap support behind it, the one that goes down and mounts to the case near the tach drive and front lifters. The whole thing, carb and all, is gonna fall off from bouncing if you don't secure it with that support strap.
I got 79, chopper complete redid. 30s in build.. awsome bike man
I'm floored, "BRAVO MARIO"🏆
Nice ride you look so cool riding around that bike looks so clean nice job yo beach
Sweet looking bike. Harley never should have stopped making that front narrow glide full fender. Its classic.
First like! Love this Channel and all the sick bikes! One day I gotta pass by the museum. Thanks for hours of entertainment ken
2nd year of the 1000cc, first year of the front disc brake using the FL banana caliper for '73 only. Only year for black wrinkle cases from the factory. Last year for the 2 piece handlebars. I owned one exactly like this one in the 80's
Love these old Ironheads .
Very nicely done. Makes me feel bad for my mostly stock 75 XLH that's just been sitting in my garage for four or five years now.
I'm 48 now I got my first bike was a 77 xlh when I was 17, it was plagued with fuel problems for first year or so eventually a guy who ran an old school bike shop had a used 36mm mikuni with k&n chrome faced filter hanging up, I asked about it he said they worked great but everyone just had to have an s&s because the mikunis apparently seemed to japanese. So he sold it to me for $30 plus and my old keihin carburetor and I tell ya it never ran better pulled the front wheel banging 2nd and it had never done that. Significant power increase. Hands down Best ironhead mod ever, prob work good on an evo 883 too..?
Unbelievable work. I'm a sporty fiend. SPORTSTER4LIFE
Great content as usual!!
Keep ‘em coming Kaplan
❤️👍🏻🤙🏻👊🏻
The sound is amazing
The pipes appear to be aftermarket one-piece. The bend on the rear pipe is wrong and allows the rear muffler to run downhill whereas the OEM two piece rear pipe/muffler runs slightly uphill.
You make that bike look small captain !
I'm glad you talked Mario into keeping it original. Sometimes the stock look is the best look. Do you get many Harley Davidson night trains come through your museum? That's my all time favorite next to the FXR.
We have one on display
My first Sportster xlch right hand shift.
Love that right hand shift.I am looking for an old iron head but unfortunately Canada aint the place to look for an old classic.
Pedantic I know but right FOOT change. These were the very best of the first super bikes that started with japanese triples and fours and British triples and a standout twin. I've ridden all of them and given the funds the Sportie wins every time. It just felt so brutal yet actually handled well on the road.
Oh!, come on!!, Kaplan America!!, I know you LOVE bikes!!👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 I guess ALL BIKES!! I would picture you more of a Shovelhead or Knucklehead!!, rider!!✌✌🇺🇸🇺🇸 NOT a Sportster A.K.A. Ironhead.😐😐 And most important!, NO DISRESPECT TO YOU AND YOUR CREW!!! To ME you're thee best channel on TH-cam!!! Cuz you always got very good and interesting bikes!!! Finish with YOUR words, GOD🇺🇸BLESS🇺🇸AMERICA🇺🇸🇺🇸
I'm am FXR & Dyna guy. My two favorites are my turbocharged cvo 110 dyna and my 90 FXR 89" mountain motor
Love the channel and love the old dirt bikes anf that 500r 3 wheeler bad ass i had a 250r it scared the shit out of me lol so i traded it in on a twin 350 yahama banshee
nice bike, I am just getting back to my 73 xlch. had it since 05, my first bike. one owner b4 me. has 18k original miles. plan on getting rid of points for sure. the age of the wires are old so i need a wire harness. recommend any brand.
Nice, good job 👍
Man looks awesome 🇺🇸
Good on ya 🤘🏻
I was 7 when that sucker was new.
Shovels dig graves, Iron blows everything away... Lovely...
👍
I guess I’ve never seen one with shifter and brake pedal reversed like a British bike.. Beautiful
They were all like that til 74
Very nice. What is the sequential portion of the VIN? A few years ago, the first Sportster made in the York plant, a 1973 XLCH, was on display the York open house. That one had a sequential number of all zeros. If you have not done so, you might ask the company about the bike's history based on the VIN. I had a 1974 XLCH that looked very much like this one. Hopefully I can ride up to see it before you sell it. Keep up the videos.
i have 1000 xlx in h-d shop atm nice bike bro💖
What model mikuni do you run on the ironheads? Thanks.
Original heavy metal
Hell yeah
They only made a total of 20,700 sportsers in 1973. total bikes manufactured 37,525
first year front disc
I had one back in the late 80's. Nice bike that I got super cheap but wasn't in love with it as the previous owner went overboard with chroming way too much. Problem was the chrome was done cheaply so was a bitch to keep from rusting
When will they learn chrome won't get you home.
I would love to sell you mine so you could bring it back to its original look!
As far as I know I am the second owner of mine since 1984 with low miles and mostly original.
Text me! 860 916 9784 Ken Sr
I miss my xlch. Got stolen unfortunately.
✅😳
Strange to see you riding something that doesn’t have knobbies
So that's 1973 .