Higgins? 70 Sportster

[Chocaholic]

This popped up on my FB feed and caused an itch that I really shouldn’t scratch. Interested in your thoughts. Not completely original, but I like it. Hopefully the link works:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1354850051242546/permalink/6396495403744627/

[KFC911]

I'm not a FB member .... can't see ad. How much? Should be dirt cheap imo....

I had an '87 for several years btw...

[asphaltgambler]

Couldn't see details or price, don't have FB. Can you post that here?

[Chocaholic]

Not dirt cheap and not much info in the ad…he’ wants $6k.

1970 Harley Davidson Sportster, all original except for the turtle tank , newer paint,and solo seat ,always garaged in a temp controlled garage ridden rarely over the years, now health requires sale. new battery and regulator, rebuilt carburetor this is an XLH with electric start. bike is in great condition ready to ride anytime anywhere.

[flatbutt]

iS that an AMF?

[Tobra]

almost certainly, hence the different gas tank

might be worth $6000 though, it looks pretty clean

[herr_oberst]

Nice looking. I've always been a fan of the bobber style of custom, but as a plus six footer with stupid long legs, I'd look like a monkey on a circus bike on that beauty.

It really does look tidy and well loved.

[Chocaholic]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

iS that an AMF?

AMF came later (74-ish) as I recall. Pretty sure this is pre-AMF. Jeff must be out riding his today. Just heard from seller. He’s owned it since 1973. Top end done about 10 years ago. Waiting for confirmation on mileage, etc.

Update…bike has been sold.

[Jeff Higgins]

Yup, I actually was just out riding mine today. I finally broke down and installed one of the Ultima fully programmable electronic ignition units. It is a single fire setup, with several advance curves and rev limits programable. The bike has never run better.

Back to that '70 shown above - sure is a pretty bike. The turtle tank adds worthwhile range over the peanut, holding something like four gallons to the peanut's two. I had a '67 with that tank, plus the big white "sofa" seat. I really liked the combination.

The '70's are the first year that Harley ran the Bendix carb, finally getting rid of the Tillotson. My '67 had the Tillotson and, believe me, you want nothing to do with it. While the Bendix isn't a great carb, it is very simple, rugged, and serviceable. This bike may even have something else on it by now but, judging from the air cleaner housing, I bet it's still the Bendix. If it's in good shape, it should work great.

I only see two non-original parts, maybe three. The seat and exhaust are non-standard, and the oil tank should be painted black, not chromed. It's probably been replaced, but at least it's still the original configuration.

As far as parts, absolutely every part on that bike is still readily available new, save for the major castings like the cases, but those are very common used as well. Parts quality varies significantly by source, you essentially get what you pay for. But it's all out there - that's the important part.

This is an AMF bike. AMF took over much earlier than many think, in 1969. At this point in time, however, that's really neither here nor there. There were absolutely some quality issues, and some outright sabotage from some disgruntled workers, but any bike still running and on the road today obviously escaped all of that. My own '76 was terrible - you wouldn't believe what I found the first time I tore into it, in the early 1980's. Lots of sloppy inattention, some of which was what led me to open it up to begin with.

This bike has had a "top end job", so someone has been that deep into it at least. These bikes can require a top end refresh every 30,000 miles or so, so it's really not unusual that this one has seen that, even if it has relatively "low" miles.

The price seems about right for what he says it is. Ownership history is probably the single most important issues on old Sportsters. They were (and probably still are) the absolute bottom of the barrel in the Harley pecking order. Which means, ultimately, that many have been owned by some absolute morons who have kept them (more or less) running by every half assed measure you can think of, and many you cannot. While their sheer ingenuity can often be amazing, the havoc they wreak as far as long term viability of the machine is legendary in Harley circles.

This one sounds as though it has had a pretty good life, and has not been abused. That is huge when it comes to these bikes. I've seen a lot of "lipstick on pigs", with these bikes being cosmetically appealing, but with all manner of nefarious "repair" lurking inside. I cannot stress that enough, it's the biggest thing to watch out for.

This one does look very promising... Says the world's worst influence when it comes to guns and old bikes...

[Jeff Higgins]

Rats - just saw your update. Oh well, probably for the better. These can be cantankerous old beasts, even the best of them.

[Tobra]

I bet he got his asking price too

[Jeff Higgins]

Oh, I'm sure he got full price, even though it was towards the high end of the market.

I find it a bit perplexing to see just how relatively "cheaply" even very good Ironheads can be had. They still don't fetch any kind of "real" money. Granted, even $6k for a now 53 year old motorcycle seems like "a lot", when Evo Sportsters can be had for half of that, in pretty much pristine condition. The Evos are so, so much "better" bikes. Alas, even more so than Ironheads, I just don't think they will ever become "collectible".

Knucklehead, Panhead, and Shovelhead Harleys - "big twins" - are going through the roof. $30k will barely get you a decent Panhead these days, and it's all too easy to spend over $50k on one. British bikes of that era, Commandos, Bonnevilles,, Gold Stars, and others at which the Sportster were targeted will fetch several times that of even the best Ironhead.

I think it's an odd situation. Personally, I think the Sportster was the best bike Harley was building back then. Certainly the most "advanced", for the era anyway. Yet they remain unloved, even scorned. I don't think they will ever shake that reputation of being the bike that those who really couldn't afford one flocked to, and butchered in every conceivable way. It's a shame. They are great bikes, and a lot of fun to ride.

[flatbutt]

I just noticed that there's no kick starter. Did they have electric legs that early on? There seems to be a nub of some sort on the rear of the RH case.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

I just noticed that there's no kick starter. Did they have electric legs that early on? There seems to be a nub of some sort on the rear of the RH case.

Good eyes! I bought my '87 Sportster from my buddy who rebuilt it and rode it for years (beautiful bike too) before giving it to his elderly dad (who passed on later) .... it was his dad's 13th Sportster .

Buddy said growing up that his dad always told him .... when you can start it .... you can ride it !

edited: When I bought it, I kinda intended to eventually give it to my buddy's son who was about 13-14 and into dirt bikes. Kid grew to about 6'4" and 250+ within a few years ..... Plan B .... sold it to my bud's uncle (also a friend of mine) instead.

Road >>> rode .... I'm such a tode

[Jeff Higgins]

1967 was the first year for an electric starter on a Sportster. The Panhead got one in 1965, the "Electra Glide". Last year for the Panhead, by the way, with the Shovel being introduced in 1966.

My second Sportster was a '67 XLH, which had both the electric starter and a kick starter. That was the only year the XLH had both, from '68 and on it was electric start only. I should have kept that bike... I actually traded my '69 Super Bee for it. My buddy decided he wanted his bike back, I wanted my car back, so after about six months we traded again. That's when I bought the bike I still have today. Must have been 1979-1980.

My current bike is actually an XLH. I converted it to kick only, removing all of the electric starter stuff, after it became just a play bike and I no longer relied on it for transportation (I commuted on that thing exclusively for darn near the first decade of my employment, and even the first few years of our marriage). Took about fifty pounds off of it.

My first Sportster was also a '76, an XLCH, kick start only. I was in school at the time, and soon grew tired of being late for, or missing classes entirely. I traded it to another friend for that Super Bee, and he soon sold it. So, from a '76 XLCH to a '67 XLH and back to a '76 XLH subsequently converted to an XLCH. Oh, and back to right hand shift, like my '67.

As an XLH, replete with the electric leg, left hand shift:



Same bike in XLCH guise, right hand shift: