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1985 HD Sportster 1000....I know...why...lol

Discussion in 'Other Motorcycles' started by Timbox, Aug 31, 2022.

  1. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    All my project bikes are fixed up sold or in the stable. I was going nuts and looking for another good project. Not going with a Virago unless it is the 11oo and can't find them around. No other bikes in my project price in my area so I had to do it.

    This bike was for sale about a month ago, it was listed on Market and then was removed. Out of the blue I got a FB message saying that I could come and pick it up last weekend for the same price.

    The pics that were posted were really bad and I had lot of questions about the bike that the seller was not able to answer.

    It all worked out and I bought the bike. Got it home and started to go through it and found lots of aftermarket mods so I basicicly have a really good deal in front of me.

    For those of us the don't know about the world of the HD, it is interesting. How many things they do are a little bit or a lot different then what us metric folks are used to.

    This 1985 bike came stock with points, I had not idea as I thought most of the metric bikes in the early 80's change over to electric ignitions. Good news, one of the POs put a Dyana 2000i system in this bike.

    Looking to the carb, I was shocked to see a Supper E in place of the stock HD, so no longer have a CV carb and it will be interesting to see how the bike rides with this aftermarket carb.

    The front end has been replaced and upgraded, have to find out more info on that. Looks like the rims are also aftermarket? Powder coat on both. And last but not least the swingarm seems to be aftermarket as well.

    Controls are on order, I will be putting a GPS speedo on the bike. Have to get a brake light for it and then rewire almost the entire bike.

    Good news is, after doing the basic wiring (no key for the bike) I got her running yesterday. I don't think the engine is stock ether.

    Sportster.jpg
     
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  2. faffi

    faffi Active Member

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    Will be interesting to follow!
     
  3. Oblivion

    Oblivion Active Member

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    Cracked up at that one. Enjoy the project!
     
  4. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    So this world of HD is really different. Getting the clutch pack out today I used a 3" PVC part to put pressure on the basket so I could get the ring out. I am waiting on the new stator a higher AMP one, and the little step wedge tool that is needed to make the primary chain stop spinning when you remove the front primary nut.

    The bars are on and some of the wiring is done. Looking forward to the mail for more ebay stuff. I will need a longer clutch cable as well with the 12" bars.

    Looking forward to the GPS speedo and wiring in all the fun lights and stuff. reading the book and they factory fuse blocks are called "copper connectors". Easy to read the wiring diagram and follow the wires around. The PO more or less gutted the wires besides the coil wires still have their ends on them.

    No worries on what to expect from this bike. I know it is a old 1985 v twin and that I have owned some of the meanest metric bikes (in my price range) that are way above this bike. It is just interesting project and I hope not to fall down the rabbit hole.

    [​IMG]20220827_154021 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    [​IMG]20220827_155349 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    [​IMG]20220827_155359 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    [​IMG]20220827_160340 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    [​IMG]20220827_161600 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
     
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  5. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Got the primary off today so I could take the stator off. I just ended off cutting the wire going through the case. I sure hope I have better luck threading it out of the case and down the the rectifier plug.

    Good progress today, got the rear of the bike all wired up and working, well at least the right side.
    [​IMG]304913919_3303427533264125_8950765233302919018_n by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    The bad news....this is not the first time this old 1985 Ironhead has been taken apart. There seems to be a good weld in there and also the starter housing seems to have some bits missing. No bits in the primary drive area so the PO I am guessing rebuild the engine and then cleaned up everything.
    [​IMG]301434216_601424091388505_7260547144302436454_n by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    [​IMG]301849333_1481350455714862_1964847639285086973_n by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    The controls area really different for these bikes as far as the wiring goes. I think I am getting used to how they do it and well at least one side of the bike is working as it should. Once the left control gets here I will make that work. Will have to extend the wires and then make them look good enough to ride and not get laughed ata.

    Might take the time to play with the tank in the next day or two. Looks like it has been sealed so that will be good....I hope.
     
  6. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Still learning these bikes as I go, and that is the fun part I think. I read that I would be able to change out the buttons in the controls for more modern ones. The 85 HD in the pics above is a hold as you turn only and they will not stay on. I found a pair of newer ones that I "read on line" that I could sway the internals with....nope.

    Beside that the day was good, got the new stator on the bike and the primary all buttoned up. Interesting routing the new stator wire down under the bike but got it done.
    [​IMG]New and old stator by Tim Brown, on Flickr

    Finish up wiring the controls just to make them work and then later on I will either wrap them or get some good black insulation and then tuck them all under the tank along the backbone.

    Have to measure and order new clutch cable and front bake lever.

    Then comes the interesting stuff like indicator lights for the rider to see. Oil, signal stuff like that. I have no gauges that came with the bike...hmmm
     
  7. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Wow frustration...but that is all about learning a different kinda of bike. Primary back on, once I got the new clutch cable installed the correct way. Not like our metric bike....no...but that is okay.

    Taking the Super E carb apart now, seems that having the bike running last week was a fluke. Yes there was lots of old gas in there and once I put the new gas in there, all the old gas turned to gel. Nice thing about the super E carb is, you can clean it on the bike.

    Just removing 4 screws that you can access while the carb is on. That is a nice feature. Carb is now being cleaned and I will put her back on soon.

    A issues I have is that the banjo bolts on the front brake. The caliber bolt is smaller then the brake master bolt. Yep, that was interesting to find. So now I have to order a 46" brake line that has the screw in connectors.

    Still having some issues with the gauge lights. I have decided to just add a custom panel with colored LED lights for the oil, turn, neutral and high beam.

    Huge frustration issues when I went to look into the really good looking gas tank. Yes great looking outside, thought it was new....NO! The inside has been sealed and the PO did a bad job of it. The seal is coming off. So now I have to find a way (acetone) or something to dissolve the sealer and so it again.

    What a project....lol
     
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  8. Fuller56

    Fuller56 Well-Known Member

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    Depending on which sealer is in your tank you might be better off peeling the old lined out in pieces. Years ago I had a Caswell liner come off a tank due to my own poor prep job. It was not pleasant but I was able to get the pieces out a lot intact in sheets. Good luck, going to be a mess any which way you go.
     
  9. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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  10. Oblivion

    Oblivion Active Member

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    What the WHAT!?!?!
     
  11. Franz

    Franz Well-Known Member

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    Just what I was thinking lol.
     
  12. Franz

    Franz Well-Known Member

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    Can you use Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) to dissolve the sealant or is Acetone better?
     
  13. Huntchuks

    Huntchuks Well-Known Member

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    Is MEK still easily attained?
     
  14. Dan Gardner

    Dan Gardner Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    I can get MEK at the local hardware store. It's the Methylene Chloride that is hard to get.
     
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  15. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    I put a chain in the tank today and shook the heck out of it. Issue with these HD tanks is they are two tanks joined by a little hose on the bottom of each side to allow for fluid balancing. The very top fill area also allows crossover for liquid. No other large chunks came out but I will have to get some type of MEK or alike to get ride of this bad seal job.....

    I a good note, after the carb was cleaned and will a little choking....the Ironhead is running again. I didn't test the voltage and just called it a day at that point. We have the Cran Fest in my area and well so much traffic I just wanted to get away...lol. Small town of 390 that gets about 100K people or more over the weekend...
     
  16. Fuller56

    Fuller56 Well-Known Member

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    Well, phooey! I thought I was going to be helpful. With that goo I guess not.
     
  17. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Got the bike running but it is not charging....that is with the new stator in it. So now have to start to test the rectifier and go from there. Gas tank is still soaking but one of these days I will have to drain and rinse it.

    Put the aftermarket speedo on yesterday, funny thing with this bike is that the cable "screws" into the gear drive on the bottom. Yes, you have to rotate the entire cable to let it screw into the wheel gear drive. On our metric bikes there is normally a screw or bolt that hold the end of the cable. Not on this HD....lol

    Bleeding the front brakes with the extra 6" of line was a trip. I finally had to turn the bars so the MC banjo bolt was pointing up. I would then fill the MC bolt hole with DOT 5 and then put the banjo bolt in. I did this six times and finally saw the lower puck start to move. What a pain. I thought a Seca front brake bleeding was hard, this HD set a new mark.

    The indicator lights are coming along. I have to get them wired in too, but at least I will have some sort of warning lights. I will have to figure out the neutral and the oil light triggers, either open or a close and then wire accordingly.
     
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  18. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Isolated the oil light ckt yesterday, have that working now. No neutral light on this bike...at least no that I can find. Looked in the book and there is no light in the wiring diagram.

    Unplugged the stator and will be dome more checks today to she what the charging issues are.

    Just coming of my first Vid infection so it has been slow. Down for a good three days with high fever and headache. Oh well had to happen sometime I guess. Almost funny that I caught it while harvesting cranberries. Yes out in the middle of 100 acres of nothing but berry beds, fresh air and water....I guess you never know how you will get it.
     
  19. Oblivion

    Oblivion Active Member

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    I immediately pictured the "Bosshard Bogs" sign from a million and one trips up the Interstate over my lifetime. Hope you're 100% soon.
     
  20. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    All good now, down about three days and that was it.

    Have the tank cleaned and I am not totally sure but I think the rust removed also removed most of the liner??? I know I flushed the heck out of the tank, more then 20 gals of water and even though it is not perfect, there are no small chunks left. I have a really nice aftermarket petcock on there and has a really good filtering screen. I could put another inline filter in but we will see. The bike ran fine for about 10 mins with a fan on the front of it and the carb had no issues with the fuel from the gas tank.

    Now, unless I plan on welding new tabs on the front of the gas tank, I need to hit a few swap meets to see if I can find a new work around tank. My tank has no way to "attach" it to the bike, no front tabs and no rear tang.

    The cold snap here has be out in the woods looking for walking horns, so until that is taken care of and the freezer is happy again, the HD will have to wait.....for now.
     
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