Nothing wrong with Ironheads if they're "right" and taken care of. Problem is, most of the older ones have been used and abused for years and have excessive wear throughout because of it. I've owned this one for 19 years and put over 40,000 miles on it. It needs periodic oil changes, rear chain adjustment, and pushrod adjustment...that's about it.

I don't think twice about hopping on it and heading out by myself for a 200 mile ride with no tools - it's that reliable. Not leaking oil all over the place, either. Nothing wrong with Evo's, either, and you can wring more power out of one than you can an Ironhead. Here's my '83 XLX:

 

Sweet lookin Ironhead 83 XLX!

 

Had my ironhead since 81. Really haven't had much trouble with it. It's a 75 xlh. Still runs great and I ride it every week. They have their quirks but hey it's over 30 years old and believe it or not, stuff breaks. I don't understand the guy who was complaining about cases splitting all the time. Never heard of that before. They aren't hard to work on either.

If they leak oil it's because you don't know how to work on it. If they don't run right it's because you don't know how to work on it. The overwhelming majority of ironhead problems are owner induced.

I've listened to people whine about "I wish I would have kept that classic so-and-so" all my life so I decided never to sell mine. Will probably be buried with it. I bet it will still be running too. Hard to wear out an ironhead.

 

I've been riding a 1970 XLCH for 6 years. Bought as a basket yet complete and bone stock. new front tubes,chain and a oil change. and I was in the wind. I've made Sturgis twice 1000 mile round trip with no problems well exept I had to stop for fuel more than the 1972 Shovel and 1966 Pan Shovel that I was running with.. But that wasnt a problem it gave them time to catch up !!! As for Pro's and Cons . To each there own !!! One thing about it is I enjoy blowing rice away!!!!! For a 900 cc bike there's just nuthin like the sound and power these ol ironheads produce...

 

iron heads get a bad reputation mostly because of how they are taken care of. my 1974 ch has 150k miles and never was wrenched except to change some broken valve springs due to the engine coming to an abrupt halt while taking the front end off a 1972 chevy impala. yes i had to jig the frame and sraighten it out and put a new front end on but it was not the bike's fault. the cast iron engine will take more heat and with less growth than an aluminum engine. the solid lifter engine will wind out to 7500 rpm and hold it all day if need be, trust me, in my wild days, no mercy. stock power out put is fair but not far off from the evo. the four speed was fair but a little wider ratio than the evo but close in over-all reduction. point ignition is upgradeable as well as stelite valve seats for unleaded fuel. as hd becomes more look-a-like the japanese machines, the styling is distinct and will turn heads. i always get questions when i ride mine as most have never seen one. but my favorite thing was i got all of my drinking money for free. i pick my target(one i know i can wax) and place my bet. after i beat him, i ask double or nothing and he can switch my spark plug wires. wax him again, take my new found money and buy my rounds, simple but effective!!!

 

ok first off,
hello im new here an all ....
but id like to start by saying i own a ironhead,
and im a little puzzled by some of the crapola SOME people have to say about the ironhead....(you know who you are...)lol...
split cases???
shims everywhere???
not reliable??
hard to work on???
wtf???
ive owned mine now 3yrs....
and i put more than 800miles a WEEK on my baby,,,to-from work...
never,an i do mean never has it left me stranded.....
mine is stroked to 98ci 10.5 to 1 comp port-polished topend ...alt upgrade
the works...
ad to that it dont leak a drop of oil...
yes i have to check her over now an then...
but work on her 7 days an ride 1/2 an hr????come on bro.....lol
these motors were in production 29 yrs....
and only the 45ci flatty was produced longer, at more than 40 yrs...
and that says alot for the engenering of this motor.....
it is what it is...an i LOVE mine..
an ive only lost 1 race to an evo...
but more than that, its not a evo...
witch have become kinda like the butthole..everyones got one.
as far as all that,,,
id push my iron before id even own a evo...
but im not a cookie cutter kind of guy,,, lol
an bro,,,??/
come around to my neck of the woods...
(in my best southern draw..)LOL
we'll twist one up..
burn it down...
cus an discuss then.....
we'll line em up an settle it....just liike it should be...lol
dont think im being a hater,,,ive got plenty of freinds that have evos...
there just not my gig.....GOOD LUCK....peace....

 

.........

 

That's 29 years...

 

man i dunno what some people have been smoking,
i aint no grey beard but the ironhead is a tough little engine especially compared to todays sporty engine. if its been taken care of and worked on properly its jus tas reliable and just as oil free as a blockhead. the problem stems when owners/wrenches half *** fix things, use the wrogn parts, and rush puttign them back together.
i bought a '69 xlch a year ago now and yes i spent a good portion of that time fixing it but 3/4 of the work i done was properly fixing what the previous owner had already fixed, the other 1/4 was age related. years ago some people had issues with vibration loosing thigns up but they have something now called accurate torque wrenches and lock tight, when properly used it works LOL

dont turn your nose up on an ironhead without actully checking otu a properly maintained one, casue even if you break down with it as long as you can tell the difference between a 9/16 and 1/2 wrench you an usualy fix it

 

I owned 2 of them over the years and between them had over 130k on them.They were as reliable as my 05 Train in every way.If they leaked something wasn't put together right.I really rode the hell out of my 73.That bike had a regulator go bad and a couple of chains in 75k.I would say thats pretty reliable.Back in the late 60's and 70's you had to order one if you wanted one so most took care of them.Most of the older stuff has been hacked up by shade trees these days but some good ones are still out there.Would be smart of you to get an old wrench to look at it for you before plunking down the cash.The sound of a hot rod Iron head is pure lust. What will **** a lot of guys off with their 30-40k bikes is people will pay more attention to yours when they sit side by side.G.