Let's talk... Ironhead Sportsters

I had a 1000 CC four speed Sportster (white) circa 1978 model year (purchased used). It was electric start (only) and had problems with battery going dead. I removed the electric starter and replaced it with a kick pedal. No problems after that. It only had a 2.2 gallon gas tank.

My neighbor/friend wanted to take the bike for a ride. I said sure, you start it, you can ride it. He was about 40 years old and almost died trying to kick it over. Never got it to run (thanks be to God).

I went over to the bike, set the pedal very low on its stroke (almost to the very bottom), and used my left foot to start the bike on the very first kick. The trick was not to try tp push the pedal all the way down from the top.

I did not know at the time of purchase that the previous owner had extended the forks a couple of inches. This made it more difficult to lean over in a curve. So one day on a blind curve (the utility company had placed a power pole on the outside of the curve, exactly where a vehicle would run off the road if going a little too fast) I smacked the power pole doing 35-45 MPH. Turned the bike frame into a pretzel shape and cracked the engine case.

I was wearing a full-face helmet, but fractured maxilla, mandible, orbit, pelvis. That was back in '79 and I am still here to talk about it. A little worse for wear. Be careful.

PS Edit: As mentioned above, the four speed Sportster's like I drove are not that well suited on the freeway, they have 60 horsepower, so they really need that 5th gear like the newer ones have to make it a much better cruiser. I don't know what the ratios are four-speed vs. five-speed but would like to know.