About IronHeadCycle
What I do
- Buy and Sell Ironheads and Other Classic Iron
- Buy and Sell Used Parts for Ironheads and Other Classic Iron
- Recondition Ironheads and Other Classic Iron
- Specialty Work
- Wheel Building and Lacing
- Wiring
- Engine Rebuilding
- Transmission Rebuilding
- Flywheel Truing
- Line Lap Case Bearing Races
- Lap Rod Races to Size
- Valve Jobs
- Install Hardened Seats
- Cylinder Boring
- Heli-arc Welding
- Machining, Lathe and Mill Work
- Powder Coating
All work is done in house; IronHeadCycle is fully equipped. When I rebuild an engine I control the entire process from start to finish. Nothing leaves my shop until I am certain it is as good as it can be.
Why Ironheads?
The Ironhead version of Harley's Sportster has been around since 1957 and managed to survive until 1985, and, of course, the Evo version continues on today. All versions of the Sportster can trace their roots back to the VLs of the 30s. In fact, the V begot the W, which begot the K, which begot the XL. And, of course, there are the racing sub-models, WRs, KRs and the ultimate XR. And a host of other sub-models; XLCs, XLCRs, XLCHs and XLHs. My favorite is the XLCH. The XL's direct predecessor, the K, took one of the main advantages of the side valve engine, the four cam design, and used that design to transition to the OHV XL. The four cam XLs have inherently better valve train geometry than any big twin engine Harley makes or has made. If fact, the twin-cam engine is an attempt to make up for some of that disadvantage. The second thing the K did was to eliminate a major flaw of all other Harleys; the separate engine and transmission cases. The unit construction of the K and XL is much sturdier, lighter and smaller than the big twin. It makes for lighter, better handling bikes. In fact, the new big twins bolt the transmission directly to the engine, thus trying to gain back some of the advantage that the Ks and XLs have always had. And thirdly, the K had hydraulic suspension at both ends, which was passed on to the XL. I've owned and ridden rigid's with springer front ends; it is not what it is cracked up to be. Those bikes are ill handling, rough riding, kidney pounders. All in all, the XL is a better bike than the big twin. And the Ironhead is emblematic of everything that is raw and nasty about Harley. The XL Evo is a damn good motorcycle; it fixes the ills of the earlier XLs, but just doesn't capture the essence of the earlier XL. There is nothing like an old Ironhead for peeling the pavement off the road.
What is classic iron?
I like bikes from the early sixties to the late seventies and even early eighties. Bikes older than that are hard to find parts for. Although I have been known to work on old 45" Flatheads, K Models, Panheads and occasional Knuckleheads, I specialize in Ironheads. I also will occasionally work on old Honda 350s or Yamaha 650s. I have been employed by two independent bike shops and a Triumph dealer, so I also speak; English, Triumph, Norton and BSA. There isn't much from the early sixties to early eighties I haven't worked on. I regard most all bikes from that era as Classics.
What do I mean by recondition?
My bikes are built to be ridden every day; modern materials will be substituted and used whenever the original is not readily available or readily affordable. I don't claim to be a restorer, although lately I have done some Ironhead restoration work. I specialize in taking that rusty piece of junk that has been sitting behind your garage for 8 years and turning it into a reliable, road worthy, good looking machine again. Each old bike is one of a kind and will be treated in accordance with its special needs. It all depends on the manner in which your machine met its doom.
How do you get your bike done?
Email me and send a jpeg of your problem machine and a detailed description of what you want done. I can do most anything; welding, sandblasting, wheel building, wiring and engine building. We will discuss over the telephone just how long I anticipate a project will take and how much it will cost. You will be given a written estimate. I don't work fast and I don't work cheap. One of the things that really bothers me these days is when people say they'll do something "real quick". When somebody is working on something for me, I don't want it done "real quick". I want the person doing the work to take their time and do a good job. I live just north of Fort Worth, Texas and can pick up bikes within a 100 mile radius. Outside of that radius, you are on your own. If the cost of reconditioning and shipping is too high, I'll make an offer to take that neglected hunk of classic iron off of your hands.
Terms and conditions...
I accept postal money orders, certified checks, credit cards, PayPal, gold bricks and good old cash. Payment is required before shipping. Prices do not include shipping. I will estimate, as best as possible, costs for big jobs. One half deposit will be required before I start work. If, after 30 days, I have not received a deposit, you will be charged $100.00 per month storage. If, after 180 days, I have not received a deposit, your parts/bike will be sold to cover storage costs. If, 30 days after completion of work, I have not received payment in full, you will be charged $100.00 per month storage. If, after 180 days, I have not received payment in full, your parts/bike will be sold to cover costs. IronHeadCycle is now operating as an insured LLC.
