68 sportster pre AMF

ok i know this is a vfr forum but i trust your opinions and need advice. i got a guy who wants to sell me his harley sportster 883 1968 with magneto ignition/kickstart for $3500.00.

its a cool old bike,,just need advice? what can i expect?

 

well its a 42 year old bike...has he had it the entire time..same questions as if it was a VFR really....whats the condition of the tins? high Mileage? leaks....I t has to have at least one oil leak or something is wrong with it.....(that was a joke BTW) google the bike and see what other specimens are commanding for a price and go from there...

 

A 66 XLCH out the door was around 1500 bucks brand new. If you need a project that would be it. My advice? Check out the prices of parts for a similar bike on a Harleydood forum.

 

1968 was actually the first year for AMF. A factory service manual and a good set of knees are required. 3500 sounds good, but it all depends how many "mods" have been made. Most Ironhead problems are past owner issues. Check out the Ironhead section @ xlforum.net

 

this what the owner said:

The bike is largely the same, except some repairs are required to get the bike running again, namely the rear oil line needs to be replaced, the magneto cap needs to be replaced, new plug wires are needed, and the backing plate for the air filter can either be repaired or replaced. The total job should not cost more than $150 if you're really unlucky. I have been saying for the last three years that I would do these things, but have never found the time to do it. My long term plan for the bike was to fix it up, pickle the engine, then never ride it again. Simply to keep it for show. But I have not shown the interest to do this for a while. I don't need the money, so please don't try to talk me down on the price, I just want the bike to go to a good home, and perhaps down the occasional highway one day. As it is, it is 95% bone stock, shy of the paint, seat, and the retard I put on the mag (from a '67) so it wouldn't kick me back. The tranny was rebuilt with NOS parts, as was the mag. Gaskets are new all around. Rubber has only 600km on them, and the heads have been set back to factory specs. Rims are stock with drum brakes. If you go and see the bike, you will see a dusty bike that has moved little. But in buying it you'll get the factory repair and parts manuals ($150), a jack stand ($150 -- see photo), a box of spare parts (including gaskets, coils, condensers a Tilotson carb),


I NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY IF THE JOB IS SO EASY WHY DON"T THEY EVER DO IT THEMSELVES?

 

buy it, they're a blast to ride. I have a 98% box stock 1974 XLH. The bikes from the 60's usually bring more bucks too...........

 

LOL..I hope this guy throws in a large size bottle of Tylenol with the bike. The magnetos were fine on those bikes until the bars were changed and there was no accomodation for spark advance and retard. Nothing like a big twin slammin the kick lever into one's shin.

Check the clamp that holds the spun steel cap on the generator. Many times those were put on backwards and the generator was open to airflow. Not a good thing..

The stock "peanut" tanks on the XLCHs were good for about maybe 50 miles..

IMO the clue is that the guy thinks you should pop for the bike, fix it then just look at it. Maybe you can get him to toss in a bridge in NYC as part of the deal.

 

I saw one that was Cafe'd. Looked really good!

 

Those things are the equivalent of buying a steam locomotive. Hell for loud, throw off vibrations and lubricants, stop about as well, take forever to get going, and need Loctite on everything. If you're buying it to enjoy as a conversation piece, the conversations will mostly be you cussing yourself. Take and spend 3500 on hookers and blow, you'll have more fun, and you wont have to move them around the garage all the time, they'll just leave on their own when the money's gone.

BTW if you've never tried to stop a bike from 70 mph with drum front brakes, I suggest buying some Power Putty and working on your grip strength until you have Popeye forearms.

 

VFOURBEAR...I think you have hookers confused with sluts...but thats sound advice.

 

Some folks in some circles consider McDonalds a cafe. Mostly harleydoods IMO..

 

Monty Python says it best: "Run Away, Run Away."

Slow, ugly, heavy, vibrating POS. And...it's 42 years old. Some things improve with age, Sportsters ain't one of them.

 

If the speedo drive is driven off of the engine as opposed to the front wheel check the engine case very carefully. Follow the speedo cable and look underneath the bottom of the cam cover on the right side of the bike underneath the shifter. Look for signs of welding. Some of these were known to have a speedo drive gear pop out and literally blow the engine case apart. Not good. If it's been welded at all thank the man for his time, complement him on his nice bike and get the hell out of there.

 

Harley did make a XLCR cafe racer style bike in 77/78 in all black. There was a race team at the 24hrs of Nelson back in 78 or 79 that raced one. After going thru two engines they gave up and didn't finish. Hey they tried though. I passed that bike many times hoping it wouldn't puke it's motor until I got past!

 

Those bikes were limited editions and I think designed by Willy G and more than stockers. The harleydoods didn't like them which was to be expected.

Is the 24 Hours of Nelson anything like the 24 Hours of LeMans or watching Keifer Sutherland whack bad guys round the clock?

 

True those bikes werent Harleys in the way we know them hahaaahhaaa. And they still bring a pretty penny when the rare one comes up for sale. Another one of those things you wish you'd have bought back in the day and kept under a cover in the back of the garage.

 

As counterpoint, lore has it that Willy G. was also in on the design of the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile.

There are two of these puppies that I know of owned by guys in my club. Both got a needed fix by a retrofit of a Mikuni flatslide. For about two grand and change there is all sorts of aftermarket stuff that can make either newer sporty into a good looking bike. For the rich kids, the Mert Lawill stuff is first class.