I think this is my favorite bike on the forum.

 

I know, I wish my iron head was close to looking and running like that.

 

One thing HD has definitely done right, is keeping the same classic lines in their bikes. All these new bikes with their "beaks" and designs that look like some pissed off insect, have lost sight of what motorcycling was.

That bike looks like the bike I fell in love with when I was a kid watching Then Came Bronson.

Nice!

 

I also love the style of this bike . I think it's exactly what a Sportster should look like . So very different from the the current trend for modified Sportsters that seem so prevalent in the UK . Apologies to the owner of the bike in the picture that was selected at random from the internet . I've used it to illustrate what I mean . Tank lift , wire tuck , fender chop , low bars , sprung seat , short pipes , no front fender and a back tyre on the front . They all look the same to me . I'd be interested to know what others think especially our American members .

 

I have to agree with you, the bobber thing has been played out. Nothing original about it anymore, every Tom, Dick, and Harry with a hacksaw and a rattlecan has one.

 

Never been a fan of that style (bobber) bike, even in my youth. And the big front tire seems too large for scale. Kinda reminds me of a mad max machine.

 

I also agree. If these "new" bobbers get more steroids, they will look like Batman's two-wheel monstrosity. How can you not love the original Ironhead? A local vintage motorcycle shop owned by an eccentric mechanic who specializes in old stuff but also works on new stuff has the 1000cc Sportster (1983?) Ironhead and refuses to sell it. He also has possibly hundreds of vintage bikes from all over the world that he refuses to sell but will gladly talk to you about them all day. I was allowed to sit on the Sportster. I don't know how to describe it but I will never forget it, mid-controls, buckhorn handlesbars and all. When I go into the dealerships and look at the newest ones, I get bored.

 

I don't do mods that adversely affect performance, like making them more top heavy, my growing waistline does more of that than I want. Also want my comfort in my older years, that means a good seat and fenders, handlebars in my comfort zone. Sometime in the transition from youth to old fart, I got tired of noise, too. Yep, that style doesn't do much for me; at one time it looked unique, but today they're common. Not saying they're bad looking, just not what I'd want to ride. Wonder how people are going to try to make the water coolers look "unique", or at least not like just another metric. I don't think a tank lift (or anything else) is going to improve their looks much.

 

Agree. Love the simplicity of that old Ironhead.

 

Thanks for all the nice feedback, guys! Another thing about the older ones (including the early Evos) is the smaller size of everything on the bike. They are skinny and fairly light, which is what I love about them. It's really noticeable if you park one next to a new Sportster or if you sit on one. Mine is a late model Ironhead, a 1983 XLX, so it was the stripped-down model to start with. I've added a few things to back-date the looks and a few performance and braking/suspension mods, but it still looks a lot like a stock machine. I rode it to the Barber Vintage Festival in October, a 250 mile round trip and had no problems at all. Here it is with the stock XLX seat...