Well I picked it up last night and drove it the 53 miles home, with no problems except the last quarter mile. I was pulling off the major highway by my house and it quit on me. I go to the key to try to start it and it feels like there is no power going to the ignition, wont turn over, click or do anything. I pushed it the rest of the way home, sure is alot easier to push then my Road King.

I tore into it last night to see if I could find what was wrong and I think a wire that was the ground for what I think is the "ignition coil" had broke off the connector. I saw fresh clean metal compared to the rest of the dirty stuff. I am going to try to reconnect that wire and see if it starts tonight.

IF that is the only problem this is going to be a great bike. I Plan on redoing all of the wiring, because it is a little of a rats nest. It has no turn signals, and the brake light doesn't turn on when the front brakes are applied. All of which are a requirement here. The speedo doesn't work as mentioned above. THe odometer is still turning so I think that it is most likely the actual guage itself.

And the rear brakes dont work, but I am going to replace the master cylinder. JP cycle has one that fits for $79. I think.

OTher then the above not bad for 1900, and I got 2 seats, the large and the small tank, and buckhorn bars, the cables for them as well as the apes that are on it.

It is the original carb and very little engine work done to it I am really happy with my purchase besides the wiring, thus far.

 

'73 was a transition year. As you start working on it you'll find lots of one year only parts. The problems you have described so far are minor and easily repairable. Weakest part of those bikes was the Bendix drive in the starter.

Based solely on the non-stock rear wheel, I'd have someone who knows what he is looking at determine if the bike is mostly there, or a swapmeet special. If it's a "bitsa" you can just concentrate on making it a good runner. If it's mostly original you can work on bringing it back.

Good luck with it! They were great bikes if you knew how to work on them Don't get worked up over the AMF thing. The labor problems that affected the '70-71 models were over by '73. The only limitation to the '73s were they were trying to soldier on with a '50s design and tooling in the '70s. They weren't any worse than the soon to disappear Brit bikes, but a long way behind the jap models of the era.

I recall paying just a little less for my '73 "CH" brand new in the fall of '72. I still have her. They must have done something right!

 

What State do you live in ? This past year I changed the registration on my 1984 to HISTORIC...and I had to pay (NJ ) Reg. fee of $44.00 for THREE years, (renew every three years WITHOUT payment ) and NO INSPECTION. Plus the insurance on historic is CHEAP ! Just something to look into.

 

Congrats on your new bike. Ride Safe

 

Front brake light switches were not mandantory until 1975. If you have the original front brake contoller, it will not have a brake light switch. Daytime running lights were the same way. You will have to tell the inspector that in order to pass inspection. On my '73 I ended up rewiring the entire bike because of the brittle wiring. Time consuming but not a big deal. You got a great price, take your time getting everything right, by this time next year you will have a great sounding, very dependable bike. If you have to replace the voltage regulator, make sure that you get the correct one. The one for the XLCH will not put out enough current to keep the battery charged at night. (Found that out the hard way)

 

Sorry, but there is a front brake switch. Most parts are available JP cycles, Ebay etc. Post some pictures , I have a 73 in the stable.I would like to see yours

 

Here's mine after I hardtailed it and removed about 60lbs of junk (speedometer, fenders, turnsignals, mini-apes, god awful king and queen seat.....)

 

The guy before me changed out the rear fender, so I need to try and find a stock or stock reproduction rear fender. I think my Brother and I are going to try and get this back to as close to stock as it will go. I got the ignition wires rewired and it starts and runs great, took it for a little run tonight and the headlight doesnt work. On to the next wiring project. Walmart's 20 dollar wiring kit is really great for the cost. Spooner where did you get your seat. I think we will end up wanting one like that, and great lookiing ride. Mine has alot of work left to do. But that was part of the reason to buy it.
Thanks again all for the help Pics tomorrow.

 

I bought the seat off of Ebay. It's been a couple of years, but I think that I paid around Fifty bucks for it. All Leather and very comfortable with 3 inch springs. Krylon paint job over a Thanksgiving weekend.

 

They are all money pits.