25 years of service: Sportster 4 Speed

Transmission story:  This particular transmission goes back to like 1968-1969.  A customer brought in his brand spankin' new XLCH to B&N Cycle Shop (Tony & Noot's old shop) and his transmission wasn't shifting.  The bike was under warranty and the guy supplied a new, replacement transmission.  The only thing that was defective was like a shift roller or something.  It sat on the bench, waiting for him to come back and get it . . . it sat under the bench, in a box for awhile, it finally ended way up on one of those concrete wall support deals that run from the floor to almost the ceiling.  It was forgotten.  Years later when the shop finally closed, it was the last thing they found when cleaning out the shop.  Then it sat in my dad's basement until I bought a 1961CH with a bad transmission - and it's been in my bike for about 25 years.  Still looks like new.  Hardly warn - and it was never out of my bike, until this rebuild.  Nothing wrong with it.  Gears look perfect.  Shift forks perfect.  I only run Bel-Ray 75W . . . a testament to their product - and a testament to my shifting ability apparently - and a testament to the design engineer who stayed in school and listened to the professor and did his homework.

No comments: