Okay, after living a month with a Harley in my garage, (the wife's) perhaps I had better look into getting a "project bike" before my ******* shrivels up and drops off.

With that in mind, am interested in getting an old sportster to tinker with, so am asking what to look for? Any years/models to stay away from? Any diamonds in the rough? Thanks in advance...

 

Well, for starters, you can do some research at www.sportster.org. That'll give you some history and pics to start with and then everyone else can give you what they know.

 

Just from my own research, it looks like the time between 69' and 81' were the roughest. Harley was sold to outside the family and things kinda took a dip in quality around that time. The person to ask is Skip. That man is like a Harley Sporster encyclopedia!!

 

Harleys in general; not just Sportsters.

 

Ah yes, so true!!
ps. his sign on name here is pococj.

 

Don't believe everything these clowns tell you.

Check out the thread down the list a bit called, "Bad Year for Sportster." There's a buncha good dope in there.

 

SO SAYETH THE SHEPARD!!

 

LMAO I laugh everytime I read this.

 

i dont get it!!

 

Here's the scoop... I have owned Hondas and Kawasaki's for 30 years, and currently own a primo 87 GL1200. Have been trying to get the wife of 10 years interested in riding, but she says I scare the crap out of her if she is on back. (I do tend to ride hard). Anyway, about three years ago she decided to try biking, so she took a motorcycle safety course, and I bought her a Kawasaki 450/4, as a starter bike. Well, the MC safety course never got the students out of first gear, and the second time she went out riding she rode the bike into the ditch...(They never taught her how to take corners). So, she gave up riding, (something to do with a messed up right shoulder), and we sold the K. Well, I planned a ride come Memorial day with about a dozen friends with bikes, (and the thought of her riding behind me was too much, so she decided that a trike was the ticket for her). BTW, I worked subtilly on her for the last 3 years, trying to convince her that if she didn't think she could ride a 2-wheeler, a 3-wheeler was just fine.

Fast forward to a month ago, and a 99 Sportster 883 with Voyager trike converson comes up for sale on e-bay, and she decided to buy it!!! So, now there is a Harley in the garage, and since many of my friends own Harley's, and since I have a set of american wrenches and have been servicing my Goldwing's for over 20 years, figured perhaps, as I enter my 50th year of life, maybe I too should own a Harley.

Thanks for the info so far, will check out the links...