calling all harley riders here

[davipu]

how's this for a deal? 1800 bucks for a pile of sportster?
http://portland.craigslist.org/mcy/73480313.html

[conflicttheorist]

That's Great!  Do you think he'd really consider a trade for my GS?

[davipu]

don't know. but if you want it I got a place you could put it together. (you buy the beer)

[cernunos]

If the tranny and bottom end are indeed rebuilt  then that is a steal. Doesn't say if it's a CH or not but it is probably an LH which is all good. The CH is a kick-start and sometimes had what are called PB or PB+ cams and half point higher compression. At any rate, if I had the cabbage on hand I'd get it...still trying to find an FL basket case. Get that Sportster and you can make into the bike you want real easy. Love the early 1000 models anyway. They look real neat with that side-style oil tank and is probably a right-hand shift. They switched to left-hand shift around '75-'76 IIRC. Get it, trade for it, buy it, just get it. Love the Baby GS, Israel (everybody there knows how to fight), and this forum.

C........

[cernunos]

One other little side note on the early '70s Sportsters. The AMF Sportster first came out in 1973. During those years the stock Sporty would run low thirteens through the 1/4 at around 100MPH. With PB+ cams, a little head-work and carb-work they were into the mid twelves. Not bad really for something so maligned by so many "knowledgable" riders of other iron. I had a '77 CH that we rebuilt with an S&S bottom end that ran low twelves through the 1/4 with my brother on it. Of course once you get into stroking the old Iron-Head Sporty it doesn't tend to last all that long. Dang I'd like to get that bike. Love the little GS, Tasmania (Bebe REALLY wants to move there), and this forum.

C.......

[Ed_in_Az]

 

[cernunos]

Right side shifting was the way God and HD intended the Sportster to be. And the ol' Triumphs too.   . Love the Baby GS, Africa (mother of all), and this forum.
C........

[Ed_in_Az]

 

[cernunos]

Try left hand throttle, right side stick-shifting. Most of the Indians were that way. I never could get the hang of a "suicide" shifter. My best friend rides nothing but those...and he makes it look easy. But, yeh, when I had the TR6 650 with right side shift and had an Electraglide at the same time it could get confusing switching from one bike to another. But somehow I always made it (although I have hit the brake on downshift  before...when a little bit inebriated...that was long ago, I don't do that anymore).  :lol:  Love the Baby GS, Arizona (wanna go back sometime), and this forum.

C........

[conflicttheorist]

I was just kidding.  If the bike was really that good a deal and he had gone to all the trouble rebuilding yada yada yada, he would have spent a few more hours on it and sold it for thousands.  Obviously this is a pile of crap that he probably doesn't think will amount to anything, is not worth the time, and is hoping that he can get a couple grand out of someone who won't figure that out until it is too late.  Put the words harley davison on a pile of dung and there will surely be someone dumb enough to buy it.
 This is not to say I think HD's are poor, I'm just saying that it is amazing how that name will probably sell a heap of parts for more than a running japanese bike. It may never be put together into a running bike but will sell just because people are so enamored with the prestige.

[cernunos]

Well, even if it's just a good frame with good motor cases, jugs and heads that need rebuilding then it's worth 1800. On the tranny for those bikes a rebuild is usually just new bearings anyway...easy to do. Yeh, it probably has rusty wheels, crappy bars, fork tubes, yadda yoda blabba. But the rest of it would be worth 1800. Definitely worth a look see. If I had the cabbage on hand to blow I would go look at it. Hey Davipu, why don't you go check it out. If it's anything at all tell him I'll trade a Baby GS for it. shaZam!, I've built enough of 'em I could prob do it again in my sleep. Thank God the rest of the bike world doesn't like HD...there may be hope of my getting a basket case cheap yet. :mrgreen:  Love the little GS, Saudi Arabia (well, if they'd sell oil cheaper anyway), and this forum.

C.........

[Ed_in_Az]

It may very well be one or several boxes of parts. Hopefully not a total scam. It's true too, that if a box of parts has HD scribbled on it, you can ask more money for it in a yard sale. Personally, I see an analogy here to this Pablo Picasso guy. There is no way I'd pay anything for his so called art. If given to me I'd sell it, 'cause there are others who would lie, cheat, or steal for it, and I could make some big $$$ off it.

Motocycles like many other things can be collectible, and are often seen as an art form. Since I like bikes I see them all as an art form as well as transportation. On GSTwin there are two schools of thought on the art of the GS, old and new. One sees the old naked GS as more beautiful, the other prefers it clothed. Harleys happen to be a more collectible art form. I love the EVO Sportsters, particulary the 04-05s. I think they're beautful. I have a very small collection of ... ONE. Some might think I wasted money, paying too much for too little. You already know what I think of Picasso.

[cernunos]

My problem is I sold more pieces of "rolling art" at dirt cheap prices years ago. Wish I had known what they were going to be worth. Love the little GS, Malaysia (another place where USA mfg jobs are going), and this forum.

C........