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JayStronghawk....most people don't notice in your Sportster picture that there is a clutch cable, and a front brake cable....NO THROTTLE CABLE! We know why, though.....dead man's throttle. And the Buckhorn handlebars...they were the best...can't even find them anymore. I had a 1972 XLCH that was my key to freedom. Ah, the good old days.
Me too, a buddy has an 883 that he bought for his wife. She's gone but the bike is still in his garage, hmmmm, another sporty chop., that could be fun too.
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"The memories of a man in his old age, are the deeds of a man in his prime" - PF
I to never heard of a dead man throttle. How does it work?
As it applies to boats it's a throttle that doesn't automatically return to idle; it stays wherever you set it. I'm assuming that it's similar for motorcycles.
please enlighten me to what is the longest running HD production bike
The "X" model as in XL, XLCH, XLX, etc. The Sportster.
The company was doing okay when the Sporty came out. So I don't make it the one that saved the co.
The XL-series hit the dealers in 1957. Labeled the Sportster, launching one of the most famous and well-termed motorcycles in history. The XL was a pure, American hot rod motorcycle. It was the first American muscle bike, and today remains the most popular machine in its class.
The model that I believe saved the company, was the "Factory Experimental" model they came out with in 1971.
Take an X series front end, and marry it to an F series chassis, VOILA, the "FX". I believe, please correct me, the best selling model of ALL time for HD, the FX series. The Japanese were running rampant over the land, along with the tail end of the British bikes.
This was also a couple of years into AMFs slash and burn technique to make HD profitable, again. BOY, that worked then, just like it does now, huh? And WE still talk about the quality issues, 40 yrs (YEP, 40 this year) later.
My one and only "NEW" store bought HD, a '76 XLCH.
__________________ U don't quit ridin' cuz U git Ol', U git Ol'cuz U quit ridin'
American by Birth - Biker by Choice - Saved by GOD's Grace So Many Bikes, So Few Bikers.
The Sportster is not the Longest Running Model is the preferred choice of many. Not always just an entry level although for many it is .. The Old Iron Sportsters were a pleasure to ride as well still miss my old 69 XLCH even if it did take a few kicks to get it to come to life.. I still have a Sportster and probably always will til i can't ride any more.. They are a breed of their own..
I have a buddy over in springhill that can hook you up with another 1969 sporty,,,, he just dosent have the time to really make it a daily rider.
As it applies to boats it's a throttle that doesn't automatically return to idle; it stays wherever you set it. I'm assuming that it's similar for motorcycles.
call me uneducated - how's the dead man throttle work?
The throttle mechanism consisted of a heavy cable run from the carb up to the riser where the two piece handlebars attached (one for each side). The cable went into the riser and into the end of the handlebar, then snaked through the handlebar to the throttle grip....INSIDE the throttle grip. In the grip was a curved groove that pulled or pushed the ball end of the throttle cable as you twisted the grip. It had no return spring mechanism, so wherever you held the throttle....it stayed. It was a great arrangement, but by today's standards considered unsafe with no return spring. Sort of a built in cruise control...saved your wrist from holding the throttle open on a long cruise.
We know why, though.....dead man's throttle. And the Buckhorn handlebars...they were the best...can't even find them anymore. I had a 1972 XLCH that was my key to freedom. Ah, the good old days. 
2000 Dyna SuperGlide Convertable
