Thread: Motorcycles

@holli4pirating
I always had a thing for old ironheads in a hardtail frame, like a small chopper yet still big enough to ride. They had a bolt on or a weld on hardtail for 'em & I'm sure they still do. Since my 100th anniversary got totaled, it gives me the excuse to finish my shovelhead chopper. I need to upload pics of it on this new Apple I got. My first Harley was a shovelhead I built in my apartment bedroom back in the early '80's.

My Suzuki V-Strom DL650 K8

Great bike for everyday city transportation with good travel capabilities despite the small engine

Originally Posted by engine46

@holli4pirating
I always had a thing for old ironheads in a hardtail frame, like a small chopper yet still big enough to ride. They had a bolt on or a weld on hardtail for 'em & I'm sure they still do. Since my 100th anniversary got totaled, it gives me the excuse to finish my shovelhead chopper. I need to upload pics of it on this new Apple I got. My first Harley was a shovelhead I built in my apartment bedroom back in the early '80's.

This is my first Ironhead. The hardtail is a bolt on, but I'll probably have some welds put on for security. I also have a XL1200S set up as a sporty rider, and my Shovelhead cruiser is still in the works, so this Ironhead will fill the "barhopper" role. To be honest, I'm not sure I'll end up keeping her. Bike #3, and I'm not sure I'll be able to go back and forth between right and left side shift. But I'll definitely keep her through this season and then see how I feel.

I'd love to see some pics of your Shovel project.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

This is my first Ironhead. The hardtail is a bolt on, but I'll probably have some welds put on for security. I also have a XL1200S set up as a sporty rider, and my Shovelhead cruiser is still in the works, so this Ironhead will fill the "barhopper" role. To be honest, I'm not sure I'll end up keeping her. Bike #3, and I'm not sure I'll be able to go back and forth between right and left side shift. But I'll definitely keep her through this season and then see how I feel.

I'd love to see some pics of your Shovel project.

I was going to ask you if it had the left side foot brake & the right side shifter but you answered my question.
When I was turning wrenches for a dealership in Austin, TX, a guy came in with a hook for a hand. I got the honors of working on his scooter & we always had to test ride them when we were done. I think it was his left hand but the throttle & clutch were on the same side & it was tricky using the throttle & clutch on the same side but I got past it. It was tricky but I'm sure the owner had it down.

I don't know if the new Triumph's are that way but back in the day, the English made scooters had the shifter on the right & the footbrake on the left. The Harley ironhead was the only one I know of that was like that but they changed it some years later. I still love 'em though, easy to work on.

The new triumphs are left side shift.

Sent from a moto x far far away

I was doing some reading, and wikipedia said that the DOT mandated left side shift starting in 75 (pretty sure it was 75). The same weekend I bought this Ironhead, I also looked at another that was a 75; the left side shift was nice, but the rest of the bike was not.

Can't remember now, thought triumph didn't change till the 80's. Never bothered me, only took a minute to get used to. The old Norton was different again, 1 up 3 down right side shift.

Sent from a moto x far far away

Originally Posted by Grazor

Can't remember now, thought triumph didn't change till the 80's. Never bothered me, only took a minute to get used to. The old Norton was different again, 1 up 3 down right side shift.

Sent from a moto x far far away

Yep, I rode an ironhead & it didn't take long getting used to.

Don't know if you have heard of this gent, bit of a legend down here. Burt Munro.

Herbert James "Burt" Munro (Bert in his youth; 25 March 1899 – 6 January 1978) was a New Zealand motorcycle racer, famous for setting an under-1,000 cc world record, at Bonneville, 26 August 1967. Munro was 68 and was riding a 47-year-old machine when he set his last record. This record still stands.

Munro's Indian Scout was a very early model, being only the 627th Scout to leave the American factory. The bike had an original top speed of 55 mph.

In 1967, his engine was bored out to 950 cc and he set an under 1000 cc class record of 183.59 mph. To qualify he made a one-way run of 190.07 mph, the fastest-ever officially-recorded speed on an Indian. The unofficial speed record (officially timed) was 205.67 mph for a flying mile.

Because Munro was a man of modest means, he would often make parts and tools himself instead of having them professionally built. For example, he would cast parts in old tins, make his own barrels, pistons, flywheels, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlHA-GTsauo

Now his great nephew is following in his footsteps.

Fifty years after Burt Munro set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, his great-nephew Lee Munro has also set a speed record.

Lee Munro piloted his custom Indian Scout V-twin to 186.681mph (300.4kmh) to set a record at the El Mirage dry lake-bed speed trials in Southern California.

The record break was officially taken by the Southern California Timing Association, which also runs Speed Week in Bonneville, this year to be held August 12 to 18.

Lee Munro Breaks Bonneville Practice Record in Practice Week - Motofire

The Worlds fastest Indian, a movie about Burt, is a good watch although a bit dramatised. On Netflix.