Hey guys I had a XLH 1200 sportster given to me that was found in a storage unit. Working on gettin it on the road again but I’m having a hard time identifying year.. VIN says it’s 1990 but it’s got a belt drive which I’m told they didn’t start til 1991... I want to rebuild motor and convert to chain drive.. buying gasket kit and conversion kit is tricky because both kits are different for 90 and 91.. I ordered a gasket kit thinking the bike was a 1990 based off VIN but don’t wanna open it up til I know I have the right seals.. . anyone got some knowledge on this?

also is there an easy way to tell if i have a 4 speed or 5 speed? (and before anyone says it...motor is already out so i cant just shift through the gears and count)

thanks for your help

 

You can still rotate the drive pulley and operate the shifter to make a count
91 is 1st year for 5 speed and belt drive AFAIK

 

If stock, 5 speed and belt drive should make it a 1991 1200, the 883 still had a chain but did get the 5 speed.

I agree with above, rotate the pulley and count the gears.

Also do a VIN search, the VIN # will tell you all, from when stock. What was done to it after that!?!?!?!?!

 

There are some very obvious differences between a 4-speed (86-90) and a 5-speed (91+) motor.

Here's the right side of a 4-speed:



Notice first off how there's a vent hose coming off the cam box cover, in the oil filter pad area. That's the crankcase vent. A 5-speed by comparison vents through the heads, using the bolts that attach the air cleaner to each head, which are 1/2-13 on a 5-speed and hollow, as compared to 5/16-18 and not hollow on a 4-speed.

Another easily spotted difference on this side is the tappet blocks and collasible pushrod covers. See those big blocks at the base of each pushrod cover? That actually holds the lifter. On a 5-speed, it's just a little base for the non-collapsible cover, and the lifter itself is inside the case. Here, look at a 5-speed for comparison:



The stock pushrod covers are not collapsible, and that's just a little pot metal ring at the base of each cover to capture the oil seal. Also notice how there's no vent on the cam box cover.

The primary covers look very different as well, but these are the obvious differences on the right hand side.

 

VERY helpful! looks like i can confirm that mine is a 1990 4 speed.. thanks everyone