I rode the old Sportster today. It's been sitting since October, before my surgery, so I was anticipating some difficulties in getting it started for the first time, even though it's been sitting on a battery tender, I drained the tank and float bowl before I parked it, etc. After all, it is 50 year old technology. 1,000cc twin with 10:1 compression, some pretty wild cams, no compression release nor ignition retard like more modern bikes. Kickstart only. And it senses fear...
Thank God it only took 47 kicks, including priming kicks (yes, I was counting, knowing it might protest being woken up), or I might have given up. Sweatshirt laying in the driveway, tee shirt laying in the driveway, and neighbors bringing their kids inside so they wouldn't learn Mr. Higgins's "starting the Harley words". But, damnit, I rode the Sporty today. And it ran like a champ. What a good day.
