Ok...can this bike be cool? I don't much care for the long front end. I'm more into the bobber style bikes, but this might be a great deal. I don't know fuck about bikes. I just want something I can roll to work & back, without having to fire up the turbo diesel. I hate the chopper craze, i don't care for these over chromed, super long billet queens. I want something I can ride. It's a '59 XLCH Rigid, Long Springer Front End Kickstart Only, Magneto, Custom V-Bars, Upswept Fishtail Straight Pipes, Runs great. Drum in rear no front stoppers No first gear, needs tubes/tires... Can I put a different front end on it? Shorten it up? What do tires/tubes cost for these things? I'd also like front brakes... I'm up for any suggestions/info... I don't even know what "XLCH" means, I'm used to my old Ninja..lol
I'd buy a sportster engine running- a rigid frame- and start from there. how much is this beast? 3-4g's right If you want to change the frontend you gonna have to change the rake also. That bike is cool the way it is if you like that style. but if your buying to modify your going to be in for it.
If I'm not mistaken XLCH = Sportster. The unit powerplant is another giveaway to it being a Sportster. That's about all I know. I think the bike has potential but Sportsters don't bring the big bucks like a pan/shovel/knucklehead bike will. Putting a short front end on may not be exactly easy if the frame is raked for a long springer (I'd guess that it is, being a custom hardtail). Chris
the only thing i like about that bike is the engine,and even then what with the magneto you'd probably spend more time trying to start it than you would riding it...
I don't believe that is a stock frame. You can change all of it including the front end if your handy with a torch and welder. Shorten the down tubes, take some of the rake out and shorten the front end.Poor people have poor ways and thats how I learned what little I know. I wouldn't be afraid to tackle it. You probably have about a 4-5 inch kick up in the front now. That can all be leveled out. I've done it to a few bikes. TP
Anybody ever notice how Paul and Pauly ride their bikes? They tilt their heads way back, so they can look over the handelbars. I'd be afraid that a bug would fly up my nostril...
Aftermarket frame and forks..but workable. The xlch is kicker only with a magneto from the factory. Not too bad to start if EVERYTHING is set to go. Have you bought it or just looking at this point?...How much??? Sportsters are a blast, but worthless for long rides...they will beat you up big time, especially on a rigid with springer. I put it in the bar hopper category.
Not a big fan of the ironhead sporty, unless it's been well taking care of. You'd probably be better off buying a sporty closer to stock and making a bobber than trying to fix what's wrong with this one...
all real good points already...only thing i can throw in is if its one you want to fire up and go that one prolly aint it...ironheads while cool just aint that reliable and seeing as 1st is out theres probably more going to go wrong in there...looks like they got the wrong shifter for that frame. also most bobbers are stock rake that ive seen...do you dig trumps?
I've owned a BUNCH of sixties sportsters...they are as dependable as the builder. Here's how I feel about em...if you don't want it...I do.
I have a 1959 Sportster in the works right now. When I originaly bought it it was set up similar to that but had never been put together or run. The frame and girder front came from a company called Smith Brothers & Fetrow. These guys were the shit from way back, the frame was TIG welded! Think about that, TIG welding was pretty uncommon in the late sixties and early seventies. I bought my mess at a yard sale for $500 and then sold the 12" over chrome girder and 18" front wheel on Ebay for $471.00. The engine was pretty much trash and had every external removable piece chromed. I spent about $6G on de-chroming, polishing and rebuilding the stock engine and trans. I have built a custom rear fender from my Triumph leftovers, custom oil tank, custom light bracket and repo 32 Ford tail light converted to LED inside. I have started working on the frame but have stopped to finish my truck. What still needs to happen is to take 15+ degrees out of the neck. I am going to keep the 6" back bone stretch as it lends itself better to the early board track style I am eventually going with. I picked up a 1998 FLSTS front and shortened it 2" and converted it to run a 2000 Honda Shadow 19" front wheel that I like because of its 52 spoke count. Eventually the custom disc brake and other assorted bits will find their way on but not right now.
One more thing...people who say magnetos are unreliable and finicky, just don't get it....airplanes have magnetos.
I second that, mags are the most reliable thing going. Also I have never had a problem starting a bike with one. Probably one of the biggest mistakes people make with a magneto is running resistor plugs or wires or both! They may be needed on cars with radios but not here.
Thats an older picture, the engine is actually in it and that mess is a bit more organised now. And belive me I would love to finish it for spring, I also want my truck done and my Triumph hopped up and,,, and ,,,, and..
The front end and bars would bring about 500 in return on ebay. I agree that looks like a custom frame. I heard starting was a bitch too.the main thingI would be concerned with is the vibration of that bike.Hay - would my 800 Kaw Vulcan Vtwin bike be considered a Bobber? it has 34 degree kneck -a 21 frt and 16 rear with stock length wide glide frt.only thing I regret is the stretched aftermarket tanks[a necessity] to conceal the radiator and fan......would the 21 front and 2 degrees of rake rule it out?I intend to run a half rear fender and none at front.......
Man sportsters are fun and reasonably priced. I built mine out of swapmeet parts and have a blast pissing off the neighbors with it. The only thing is ironheads are more wrenching than riding.
I haven't bought YET. I'm still looking. I've been trying to find someone to trade either a car or bike for my Model A...This guy is in NorCal, and I'm in Central TX...we're about 2100 miles apart. He's supposed to call me tomorrow at work to discuss a possible meeting in Phoenix area to do the trade-off. He said it's never given him any shit. It starts on the first kick every time, and has been very reliable. He said he rode it about twice a week to work & back for the past few months, and it has never messed with him. I want a cool bike....I want a cool car.... I don't know what I want, I'm just trying to figure out my options here.
I think I've seen that bike or one just like it back home. I'd buy it(if I had money), how much does he want? I've seen some real nice old sporty chops go for under 3g's, I could've parted it out and made much more than that back. The one thing you HAVE to remember, it's a 9-1 motor with a fixed mag which means watch it and listen to it or you'll have sportster knee in no time. -Jesse
[ QUOTE ] also most bobbers are stock rake that ive seen... [/ QUOTE ] actually all "real" bobbers have stock rake..it started with guys after the war stripping the bikes down..taking off the military bodywork and other unnecessary stuff..throwin some paint on the tank and ridin the hell out of em. i've seen people who call there bikes bobbers that are raked.and they think they are bobbers just cause they have a 21" front wheel...harcore that bike would look alot better if you just got that front end shortened and a little bigger rim/wheel..it would get rid of that "grasshopper" look.
that sportster is better looking than most sportsters already. if you dont want it too long you dont have to start cutting the head tube off and regretting life soon after, that looks like a 17 inch wheel, and the frame rails are relativley parallel with the ground so this is what I would do. If you are really broke, keep that springer, and shorten it. Its not hard, Jason Jesse did it on that black evo that was posted on here not long ago, it was once long, now it accepts a 21. Personally, I think a 21 would be too much wheel for a sporty with a horshoe oil bag, looks fucked up, a 19 might be the way to go. It would allow the bike to drop in front and you could put a bigger wheel on, creating even more of a bobber effect. Thats not really bobbing anything but whatever, call it what you want. out here we say hella instead of a lot. and in florida NADS says WTF instead of what the fuck. also, you could be a king and put a harley springer on it, it still might have to be slightly extended with that front rake but dont worry it will look rad, you will be happy. I have a real harley fork thats been extended if you want a place to start, its PFU, pretty fucked up, but I'll sell it cheep. also yea that springer thats on it would get some cash on ebay, there popular for some weird reason.I might put the smaller sportster tank on it, the 883 or whatever its called, the real small fucker, they look the best, otherwise it looks fucked like Fortier's panhead. take that stupid mooneyes sticker off, lose the gay risers, replace with flanders risers and top tree. lose that rear view mirror and the suicidal tendencies seat pan and replace both with bates seat and mirror and you're done and instantly a king. or disregard... same thing.
[ QUOTE ] lose the gay risers [/ QUOTE ] if he put lower risers on you wouldn't be able to steer...the bars would be hitting the tank
If God had put your dick on your forehead... you wouldn't be able to see... You'd have two balls in front of your eyes. Sam.
[ QUOTE ] If God had put your dick on your forehead... you wouldn't be able to see... You'd have two balls in front of your eyes. Sam. [/ QUOTE ] WTF is that supposed to mean??
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