How do you make an Iron Head look good, inject a gorgeous girl. From 1957 through 1976 Ironhead Sportsters had a strong run. Fast, torquey, and fun, the Harley-Davidson Sportster was the American Super Bike of the late fifties and early ‘60s. Sold as the entry-level bike geared toward bringing new riders into the Harley fold. The Sportster did its job.
Aluminum was modern and preferred metal for motorcycle heads, allowing for better heat dissipation and higher compression. But with some experience under their belts Harley opted for the more conservative route of a cast iron head for the Sportster. They were going for a reliable entry level bike, so with a conservative 7.5:1 compression ratio the 1957 model did not burn up the roads but met the dependability objective. The later 900 cc had a compression ratio of 9:1 and generated 40 hp.
Coming in many flavors over the years the early XLH was the street version and the XLCH was its off-road brother. The XLR was the racing edition and its modified engine could make 80hp. This engine ran in Cal Rayborn’s record-setting streamliner in 1970. The Bonneville Salt Flats speed record of 265.492 mph would stand for 15 years.
Until the government got involved in 1975 the right side shift the bikes were highly sought after in the early days for flat track racing. Keeping with the racing heritage that helped motorcycle sales the Sportster kept the right side shift of the early Harley-Davidson KR model. On a flat track making left hand turns, and with your left side down you had to shift from the right. These torquey little engines were just the thing to compete with the British models.
This one is a 1971 900cc with right hand shift, when it ends up back in a hardtail frame, I may need to fly around a flat track.
Far from a girl’s bike or a skirtster as they may be called, the Sportster is an all around bike with a strong heritage. They are still at it today.
Credits
Model – Ryker Hart
Engine – ’71 Sportster Ironhead , David Campbell
Photographer – Dangerous Dave
–David “Dangerous Dave” Campbell
Earl’s Garage – Motorcycle, Hotrod, and Event Photography
www.earlsgarage.co
