Topic: Harley XR750

[Bob3050]

I think I've found a project that will occupy my free time for quite awhile. I'm going to pick up this sportster and this XR750 roller this weekend. I'm not sure yet if this sporty is going to be the donor bike or not. It's a '74 so it has right side shift which I really don't want. It's a pretty nice bike though and would probably be fairly easy to sell and find a little bit later donor. It does have a matching rear fender, it just wasn't installed when I took the picture. I'd love to have an XR engine either 750 or 1000 but I don't believe that is an affordable option. The other consideration is the lack of space for a battery on the XR so I probably should find a sportster with kick start. I haven't kick started anything that big in a long time and I am 72 years old but I'm pretty confident I can do it. I will try before I buy. In all the years I've been playing with bikes I've never had a Harley but I think this just might be a good one to start with. I'm sure there must be plenty of guys on this forum that can point me in the right direction when I need help, anyway I'll probably find out.

[Retro Rocket]

Good XR's are worth big bucks Bob and like rocking horse poo to find, grab both, have a think and go from there....

[754]

Nice I love them XR,s. You may need the earlier cases for the XR.. Powderman probably knows..

[honda_dog]

Harley XR, the Evel Knievel bike, pretty cool. Nice project.

[Greggo]

I like that XR roller!

[754]

I want an xr or a boardtracker in the family room.. Even if its an empty motor..

 Got a pretty good start on the boardtracker, but not getting to work on it..

[dusterdude]

Dont be skeered,right side shift is a mans bike


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[Bob3050]

Dont be skeered,right side shift is a mans bike


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Many years ago(early seventies) the bike shop that my brother and I owned carried Honda, Triumph and Norton. Honda was left side shift, Triumph and Norton were right side and to complicate it Triumph was first gear down and the rest up while Norton was first gear up and then rest down. I once wound a Norton up in second gear and then proceeded to stuff it back in first when I went looking for third. I caught it quick enough that it didn't do any damage but it sure got my attention in a hurry. So I think I'll stay out of trouble rather than have to get out. I hope to be able to jump back and forth between my Honda CB500 an the Harley with no confusion. But if I don't find a more suitable donor I will use the right side shift.
Bob

[72 yellow]

Dont be skeered,right side shift is a mans bike


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Many years ago(early seventies) the bike shop that my brother and I owned carried Honda, Triumph and Norton. Honda was left side shift, Triumph and Norton were right side and to complicate it Triumph was first gear down and the rest up while Norton was first gear up and then rest down. I once wound a Norton up in second gear and then proceeded to stuff it back in first when I went looking for third. I caught it quick enough that it didn't do any damage but it sure got my attention in a hurry. So I think I'll stay out of trouble rather than have to get out. I hope to be able to jump back and forth between my Honda CB500 an the Harley with no confusion. But if I don't find a more suitable donor I will use the right side shift.
Bob

I jump back and forth riding my 72 CB750 and my 71 BSA Lightning.  Same left and right side shift differences.  Just think about it for a minute and off I go.

[dusterdude]

I used to have a right side shift sportster,i miss it


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[72 yellow]

I used to have a right side shift sportster,i miss it


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Yup. I had a 73 XLH Sportster with the right side shift.  I think about 1975 they changed to left side shift.

[754]

They had some very strange shifter parts for a few years.I think 77. Was the new cover with shaft coming  out near footpeg on left. And peg was mounted to the cover.

[Terry in Australia]

They both look sweet Bob, can you fit a Sporty engine in that XR frame mate? Cheers, Terry.

[Powderman]

Okay, time for me to chime in. I think you are way too old to be attempting this build and should instead send that roller to me ASAP. If that won't work for you please put me in your will.
I can go from right side shift to left easily, only takes a minute or a mile and it becomes second nature. Might be easy for me because I've done it so much and I can see where you can mess up if you're not paying attention.
 I think the first electric start XLH came out in 67 and uses the same motor mounts so it should go in that frame. That roller is exactly what I am looking for to put a big Sputhe motor like my 1327cc in it.
You're never too old to ride as long as you think you can. This is my buddy Jim, he's got a few years on you;



He rides this nitrous injected Sportster:

[Terry in Australia]

I think that old geezer would look more at home with my 1861 Springfield .58 cal mate, but I like his sporty, I'd like a fake XR with a big bore engine, reversed rear cylinder etc. What a great street bike that'd be! Cheers, Terry.

[Powderman]

The old geezer is ex FBI and a gun smith. I wish Allen would do another run of these old heads of his. I think they would be as popular if not more than they were in the 70's-80's.

[Terry in Australia]

No worries, is it possible to modify a front cylinder head to fit the rear cylinder, or do you need a specially cast head? Cheers, Terry.

[Powderman]

No worries, is it possible to modify a front cylinder head to fit the rear cylinder, or do you need a specially cast head? Cheers, Terry.

I've seen front heads turned backwards before but that puts the ports on the left side. I never looked at it but I don't see why you couldn't put a front head on the rear and just run reverse cams on the rear cylinder.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks mate, I thought I'd seen a Sporty with front head on the rear cylinder in a bike magazine years ago, I'll have to do some research...........

[Powderman]

There's some discussion here about it:
http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?t=209385&highlight=reverse+rear+head&page=3

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks mate, and I love this guy's build from your linK.

Harley- Norton caferacer

[Powderman]

You can see where he had to cut the rocker boxes in half and modify them to work. I'd like to see a front head bolted to a rear cylinder to see the rear exhaust/front carb clearance. I think the exhaust port is angled more downward then the intake so there might be enough clearance to run 2 front carbs/pistons/pipes. All that would be needed would be reverse cams made for the rear cylinder. Is anyone making custom cams for Sportys these days. In my case back in 1976 we just called Sifton and ordered a custom set of "C" grind (Barracuda) in an XR pattern on early XL shafts and slip them in with no mods.

[Terry in Australia]

That all sounds great mate, but I've got so many projects right now, I might just buy one of these and pretend.

Harley Davidson XR1200

[Powderman]

"The Sporty characteristics of a Buell" Bull Chit. It's still an over weight tractor and you would only be pretending like you said. Anything with a clutch can do a wheelie. Wait till you have time to build what you want that Harley never did.

[Terry in Australia]

Ha ha, my Triumph Rocket III weighs about twice as much as that bike mate, so to me, it's a lightweight!