Possible forums to get advice
 

Hi xfiltrate,

I agree that this might not be the best palce for tech help with Sportys so I did a quick Google search for you (actually Yahoo but who's fussing) and found the following forums where you might be able to get some advice. The first one looks pretty active, not sure about some of the others.

Harley Tech Talk

Harley Davidson Forum - Enthusiast Forums for Harley Davidson Motorcycles

The Sportster Home Page

Custom Motorcycle Forum at Hot Rod's Bike-Works Magazine

Good luck!

Indoors.

Harleys are a world of their own!
 

Thanks Indoors and the others, Those Harley forums work for me. I just have to figure how to navigate myself into one and contact a local chapter. In final analysis, I have been looking at the Sportster and reading up on its' history, the 883 I have is called the Evolution. the Harley aftermarket products/ accessories are unbelievable! Ever heard of an easy pull clutch???

Sportsters have been around a long time and are improved regularly. I think it could be a South American pave road tourer. I remember in Bolivia, up around the Lake, we met up with a Harley Club of Bolivians. They were really friendly to us dual purpose Honda Riders. Maybe I'll get lucky and be invited to join a Harley club here in Buenos Aires. First, I got to get the low rider out there and just cruise.

I'll just tell them, I was the first American (North) to join a Japanese Boy Scout troop in Tokyo. Yeah, right.

Talk about dual purpose, a Hubber and a Harleyer!

JohnnyVLX, that YouTube video clip was hilarious.

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO ALL! Each time I watch it I see more of its' spoofiness..

I could feel the guy sweat as he rounded the dirt on his big Sportster, one leg all out, just like the pros. Imagine if that bike fell on him, it ain't no XR250, but it did finish the race, according to the subtitles anyway.

You all should check Falcon NX400 Hondas on YouTube, those Brazilian kids really put on a show many clips... Wheelies, and red line, all day long and a lot more.

Anyway, if you get to Buenos Aires give me a shout. xfiltrate

If I was going to use one of the Harleys as a dual purpose I would go for the 883 Sportster with a chain drive like the one you've got. They are heavy but the low seat height makes up for it and they probably aren't as heavy as the big BMWs. I take it you've got the mid controls so you can stand on the pegs, rather than forward controls. Bars and tyres can be changed quite easily, although I'm not sure how easily you can get different tyres in the sizes you would need. One drawback would be the tiny peanut tank.
I can't see you doing much mud-plugging with it but for hard packed trails it should be fine.

HOG - Harley Owners Group
 

Hi xfiltrate,

"Maybe I'll get lucky and be invited to join a Harley club here in Buenos Aires"

Harley dealers around the world sponsor their local chapter of HOG, the Harley Owners Group. If you contact the dealer in Buenos Aires, they'll put you in touch with the club. If they're anything like the HOG chapter I belonged to, they'l be more than happy to chat to you about your Sportster and maybe offer a few tips on how to get it going.

Good luck,

Indoors.

HOG: Trail Blazing to New Horizons
 

Thanks Indoors. I am handling the Argentine registration of the Sportster now, it is a lot of work! Meanwhile, I carefully read the repair manual and have discovered that Harleys are not that complicated. There is a very standard approach to troubleshooting, and when Jeff Condon returns, we will follow the guidelines. This bike is very simple, standard and easy to understand.

Meanwhile, Mariano at Motocare has provided me the name of an excellent Harley mechanic here. ( Marcelo Matocq at this phone 4773-9153 ) I post it here for others. I also have the name of the mechanic who recently did the engine rebuild...

The Harley club just had an encuentro downtown Buenos Aires. They are a very wealthy group of folks.

Anyone with specific tech hints for a 1986 harley Sportster 883, I believe converted into a 1200 is welcome to post here. Thanks guys, the hardest part of all this is the paperwork - getting it legal for the streets! I am dealing with some very difficult and expensive issues, and if interested see the last few posts on my thread Buy/Sell in Argentina at Mexico Central South America region on HUBB.

I did think about adding some of my own comments about HOG but figured you'd find out for yourself. There are a lot of guys just into chroming everything up, fitting the Stage 1 (sorry, getting the dealer to fit the Stage 1), and bar-hopping. But there are also a lot of genuine guys who really do enjoy riding and talking bikes.

Good luck with the Sporty, they're a good bike.

Here's my old one: my old sportster dubai 2000 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Regards.

Have a look at The Sportster and Buell Motorcycle Forum - The International Portal for Sportster and Buell Motorcycle Enthusiasts?

La Harley is up and running 21mar08
 

Thanks for that great web site Grumpy. And thanks to all others. With advice from Marty, 5 chapters of data, the expert hands and mind of Ramblin Man Jeff Condon La Harley a 1986 Sportster 883 converted to 1200 is sorted out and running very well. Oh yeah...

Problems were, suspected dirty fuel after 6 months living in a tunnel and with the police.
Bad disc like points that had to be replaced.
Needed new Harley battery
needed carb cleaning and adjustment, too lean.
plugs, chain adjustments, sorting out of wiring and vacuum tubes
rear break pedal had to be re connected and adjusted
a lot of TLC, a lot of sweat and a lot of running around to Harley dealer and to Supertronics near Buenos Aires... for electronic part testing.

Voila it fires up like new. it runs great and will have valve clearance check , regular maintenance from the mechanic who did the conversion 1500 K ago.

It really sounds like a Harley,

Now on to the registration in Argentina, will keep you posted thanks to all. Have a beer now, we got another one back on the road.

SPEEDOMETER NEEDED FOR A 1986 SPORTSTER 883 Any ideas? thanks again xfiltrate

Great news!
 

Well done for all the hard work. :thumbup1:

It always good to hear of an old bike rising from the ashes, and it'll pee off all those who think Harleys are relics.

You'll have to put a picture up sometime.

sporty
 

Xfilrate, there is an american couple on tour right now in Costa Rica and heading your way. If you'll look on Adventure Rider forum in ride reports they are listed as Cavebiker-No return ticket.
They ride dirt and gravel, not just pavement.

Peter and Kay Forwood
 

Here is THE best bike travel Blog I have ever seen, bar none. Peter and Kay have been traveling for 12 years. Here is the header for their webpage:

This has been a twelve year journey throughout the world which started in Australia on the 3rd of February 1996 and continues today. The same motorcycle , carrying our luggage has now visited 185 countries and ridden over 470,000 km on its journey. We are endeavouring to have it take us to every country in the world, there now remain 8 countries to visit (6 Pacific Island countries plus the two Koreas). It has also visited over 357 countries, states, territories, isolated parcels, atolls and disputed territories as identified in the Most Travelled Persons list.

They are on a Harley. Not a Sportster but a full tourer! If you think they have been on just ordinary roads, check out Section 7 of their trip.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/forwood/mytrip.shtml

WARNING: Don't even go to their site unless you have lots (and I mean LOTS) of free time. I have been following their trip for about 10 years.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

Thanks Nigel in NZ and to Jeff also of NZ
 

This is especially for you Kiwi types. listen up Jeff ... You guys really get things done...thanks

Today during the not so quiet uproar of a nation twisting in the wind as inane, INANE is not the same word as INSANE, but close...political types try in vain to fix an economy that is imploding. HERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS...

Marty's 1986 Harley XLH 883 Sportster converted to a 1200 that was rescued from Patagonia earlier this year is up and running and legally on the road again. After Jeff's contributions, the only things that were needed were, new plugs, a little attention to the carb, installation of new speedometer I picked up in the states...and replacement of a couple of inches of wiring , new oil and safety check...

I separated La Harley from the dealer, where she was the darling of the day for all the mechanics..., this afternoon and rode her home to Recoleta. The papers are all legal now (now that was a couple of frustrating months and I still don't understand all that had to be done...) and , of course I bought insurance.

This bike is incredible, after pushing it around the parking garage for a few months, I was very surprised to learn how well it handles in traffic and OMG the power compares very favorably to my NX400... this is a rocket...

I didn't notice the weight so much as the center of gravity is very low. I barely got into 4th gear 2 times...on the way home. this bike gets a lot of attention, it sounds great, BIG BIG SOUND, looks like a motorcycle should look , I guess, and I would like to thank all of you who have assisted Marty and myself in salvaging an almost lost 1986 Harley Sportster that has a new life now. PS I opted to wear my new fully padded (bulletproof almost) BMW touring outfit.. in lieu of my Brando Black leather jacket because I have never ridden a Harley before...but alas... the leathers would have done just fine...

Jeff, La Harley is waiting you and so is your CV3 come home son. Marty, get your butt back down here and on your Harley ...too. Wayne , see you Sunday morning for a run down to the motocross races... xfiltrate

Harley Sportster with Edelbrock Qwiksilver carb
 

Well, Wayne did show at our meeting point on Sunday morning. I decided not to ride south to the races due to forcasted rain.

Wayne, like the amazing Brit he is, just suited up in his rain gear and headed south. I read in the newspaper today of 3 fatal accidents (rain related) on the exact route he took, on Sunday morning... I am sure he is OK...Wow

Now for the tech question, anyone know why the little pole with the right angle top coming out of the carb does not seat down correctly and causes a fast idle?

The idle is fine some of the time, but sometimes the little pole (I think it is used to adjust the fuel mixture) has to be manually pushed down to have a reasonable idle. Any ideas? xfiltrate

If it's a two stud flange fitting, over-tightening can distort the carb body a little. Or maybe a little WD40 or similar dribbled down the adjuster.
Actually, I know nothing about Harleys....

Regards

Nigel in NZ

thanks Nigel
 

Yep, I think you are right both suggestions might help, will take her for a spin if tomorrow is dry. xfiltrate