Harley ironhead?

Question

I found a 72' ironhead and was wondering if anyone knew how reliable they were if properly taken care of.

Answer 1

they are reliable if taken care of, and yes they will leak oil thats the way they were disigned, because the pressure in the crank case builds up, and the oil seeps out the gaskets.  i was once told by an old biker that its when it stoppes leaking when you worry. but the shovel head engine is one of the most popular engines of true bike builders. and hardcore riders.

Answer 2

If the price is right, get it.

Look it over because you will find yourself replacing a lot of parts.

Remember H-D stands for hundred dollars, the price you can expect to pay each time you order parts!!!

Answer 3

As long as you do the maintenance on it, it will be an alright bike. There will be alot of bolt checking for vibration loosening. If your looking for a maintenance free bike then this is not the bike for you.

Answer 4

All kinds of things can go wrong with them, but they just keep runnig. If you take good care of it, it will go another 36 yrs.

Answer 5

Ironhead, that's a new one on me.  From 1966-1985, the engine sold was known as the shovel head.

The Shovel Head was manufactured during HD's bad times under AMF control.  The Shovel Head was where Harley's picked their nicknames like Hardly Drivable, ride a Harley - pack a lunch.

A good friend of mine as an 1981 FLH w/Shovelhead.  It's a leaker, always marking it's territory.  Always hooked up to a battery charger.....

If you like to fix things, thats a good bike to have because something will always be busting.

Answer 6

a friend of mine had an 85 ironhead sporty. now h-d was bought back a few years before his was made, but the old iron is desirable in good shape. all mechanical things need maitenance, some more than others, but if you take care of it it will last a long time.

Answer 7

OK little bike but  Dont leave your tools at home

Answer 8

In 1969, American Machinery and Foundry (AMF) bought the company, streamlined production, and slashed the workforce. This tactic resulted in a labor strike and a lower quality of bikes. The bikes were expensive and inferior in performance, handling, and quality to Japanese motorcycles. Sales declined, quality plummeted, and the company almost went bankrupt.

The Block Head came out in 86, the "Evo" but the 96 an up models  are the best.

.....Yeah it's c**p don't buy it.

Answer 9

I'm pretty sure 72 was AMF....not good.

Answer 10

if its in good shape it can be reliable. their less likely to leak oil than the big twins from the same era due to the unit construction IF ALL THE OIL HOSES ARE NEW & TIGHT & the gaskets & seals are in good shape.

a 72 ironhead will have points & condenser, they should be replaced about once a year or every 5 to 8 thousand miles. or just get an electronic ignition from a catalog.

it has solid lifters, your supposed to check the valve adjustment every 2k miles but no one ever does , most people just check it once a year or, never as long as its running alright.

they have a generator & regulator which will require occasional service but is more trouble free than the late 80s clutch drum alternator.

they do vibrate quite a bit, this bothers some people others dont notice it.

it is an AMF (69 to 81) but anything that was put together wrong would have been corrected by the dealer(at his own expense) by 1973 when it was new, so dont worry about it now.

those things would stand a lot of abuse & neglect(& it probably has in 36 years) their usually good for about 35k to 40k between ring & valve jobs.

keep in mind they can have a whole lot of things wrong with them & still seem to be running alright.