Since we started writing about all of the off road Sportsters, they just seem to be popping up everywhere and now here’s a company that will build one for you. You just supply them with your Sportster (1986-2011) and they’ll give you a scrambler / adventure bike in return, the Baja Iron Sportster.
Gary Strueter, a long time desert, MX and hill climb rider, really likes the whole concept of adventure bikes, riding along and exploring new roads, whether paved or not, and he thought building one from a Sportster sounded like fun, so he did and if you like the idea, too, but would rather have someone else do the wrenching, Gary’s your man.
What you get is dirt bike suspension, including inverted forks, Baja custom exhaust, Trail Tech instruments, Dirt bike levers, chain conversion, dirt bike bars, hand guards, knobby tires, a new lighting package and a whole lot more. The conversion looks pretty slick.
I’ve said before I think these Sportster scrambler / adventure bikes look like a lot of fun and I guess Gary thinks the same way. Cool!
Link: Baja Iron
Previously on The Kneeslider: Sportster Off Road Conversions
Paulinator says
Really, REALLY nice.
Tobie says
Wow! I would love to have this bike…
jon says
Love the Tank. Reminds me why I got rid of the Peanut…Range…Guess if I had a support vehicle ahead of me all of the time in Baja to supply Gas every hour or so, then this would make a great ride down Baja where Gas Stations are sometimes 300 miles apart.
James McBride says
I’d love it if it looked a little more like a HD flat tracker. Can’t have it all I guess.
Jamoke says
Like the idea but it is too much dirt bike and not enought adventure bike (if that makes sense). It would look better with the plastic XR tank or be more useful with the 4.5g tank from the custom. Even better would be a tank similar to the original That little peanut tank look weird and does not have sufficiant range, in my opinion.
I would suggest a different tank and a little windscreen/light combo. Something similar to the Buell Uly with the duel headlights. Also, the seat should be a two-up bench style like a Triumph scrambler. Maybe add some hard bags as well.
Actually, seems to me using the XR1200x would be the best starting point for this. Just take an XRx add some bags, knobby tires, a shield, a better seat and some auxilary ports. That could be cool as well.
B*A*M*F says
Funny, the tank seems to be love it or hate it (I’m in the latter category). The rest of the bike is really, really slick. This is the first Harley I’ve seen in a while that looks fun.
todd says
It does look like a blast (no, not that kind of Blast). I like the minimalist approach taken; it’s an adventure bike along the lines of a KLR650 than a R1200GS. I bet it’s finally more comfortable to ride too.
Yes, the tank NEEDS to change.
-todd
QrazyQat says
I’d like to see an alloy BSA Goldstar type tank on that instead.
QrazyQat says
Like this one http://www.burtonbikebits.net/images/P1010082.jpg
gildas says
Finally a HD i would buy, just needs a proper tank.
Paulinator says
What’s wrong with the tank? Its like the one on my BSA Bantam. Just think of how cheap it is to fill.
JustThunkin says
The tank is perfect…after all you’re gonna want to rest a bit after throwing a high CL’d Sporty around for more than 20 minutes! But while everyone else’s eyes focused on that tank, the first thing that hurt by eyeballs is that exhaust. Whew, just plain fugly. Yeah, I get the style, but I’d rather have the pipes get banged up and replaced than looking like parts that came from a lawnmower. After all, I’m betting this “adventure” bike will spend a lot more time in the same setting as the photo-op instead of bangin mesquite bushes in Baja.
Paul Y says
I kinda like it, but that exhaust looks like a real power killer. Two into one with completely unequal length headers and a tractor muffler, loud and ineffective.
A longer tank and a flat track or scrambler style exhaust would make this look great.
Boog says
This is just silly.
Take what this conversion would cost and buy you a Honda 650 thumper with the light package or that Kawasaki dual purpose 650.. Would run circles around this thing. Keep the Sportster like you got it.
It is different, tho…I guess if you got money to burn.
Just Sayin’
powermatic says
Heavy, low power-to-weight ratio, high center of gravity, tiny tank, weird exhaust, dual shocks, inappropriate brakes, front fender blocking air flow to the air-cooled cylinder(s), no prices offered which has never, in my experience, meant inexpensive, coupled with all the reliability we’ve come to expect from The Motor Company-yep, she’s perfect.
DnA says
Back in the 70s, a friend of mine bought an AMF Sportster at a police auction only to find out that it didn’t have a title. As it would cost him more than it was worth to get it titled, he made a dirt tracker out of it. He installed knobies, Ceriani forks, a big Bonneville headlight, motocross fenders, and a big rear sprocket like this Sportster. (We had a friend that ran a motorcycle salvage yard.) On his first outing, he ran out of gas and had to push it several miles, so he promptly replaced the peanut tank with a 6 gallon BMW tank! It certainly looked odd, but it was a blast to ride.
This Sportster reminds me of my friend’s creation, although this one is so much nicer looking! I’d love to build something along these lines.
Tim says
How much would one of these bad boys weigh compared to those other behemoth adventure tourers do you think? (The big beemers specifically). At least when this falls over it won’t fall on an important part of the engine!
Tim says
Oh, and in my experience, lighter = better, especially off road.
Bet this thing sounds wicked though!
Ry_Trapp0 says
that thing is just plain awesome!!! throw a larger tank on there, some dual purpose tires, and a pair of high temp black supertrapp megaphones riding high and it’s perfect! that thing would be an absolute blast to ride!
mustridemore says
Makes about as much sense as converting a Cadillac to go off road.
No thanks.
Tim says
Escalade is a 4×4, right?
JustThunkin says
Yah, and I see lot’s of 4 ton Cad Escalades with 21’s blastin through Baja every weekend….oh, wait, are you referring to that sandy desert place?? I was talkin ’bout the Baja Lounge and Grill. Nevermind.
Jon Hutchison says
Muffler is sure to overheat the right shock. too.
Sportster Mike says
Good conversion of the rubber mount Sportster, and yes, a bigger tank would be better.
But if you drop it a few times you’ll be SO knackered you won’t want to go too far..
And a set of double Baja headlights just for fun I think.. if only for the drive to work so the buggers can see you!!
Dorzok says
looks like it’s ready to loop out just sitting there. although the concept of a Harley ADV bike is enticing and solid, you just can’t use any of their existing patforms to do it.
Les says
Something to wave a flag at.
Other then that… it seems kind of pointless othen then for fashion points.
If they swap out the frame, swing arm and motor for a crf450 then they might be on to something. Hmm, might be easier to put a sportster gascap on a UJM dirtbike.
Gary Streuter says
We thank you for all of the comments, both positive and constructive.
The issue of the tank has come up many times and to be honest, we went with form over function. I just liked the way it looked compared to the bigger tanks. Any Harley sportster tank for the same year of bike will bolt right on, 3.3 gallon as well as the 4.0 tank.
As far as how the bike performs, well you are not going to see it on any motocross tracks. The bike is very effective on fireroads and hard pack and that is what I built the bike to do. I love cruising down the road and heading off on a dirt fireroad – just because I can. I built the first bike because I simply wanted something different. I had no intention of making a business out of this. By comparision, that first bike was very crude but I was overwhelmed by the number of people who would run across a parking lot just to look at it and ask questions and were interested in owning one.
Later this year we intend to offer this conversion as a kit which will give those doing the conversion the chance to add their own personal touch.
We realize this bike is not for everyone and that is fine – as long as we all keep riding and keeping the sport healthy. Once again, thanks for the comments.
MARK 5 says
Kind of kool! Needs a bigger tank.
See these.http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2009/10/09/harley-davidson-sportster-off-road-conversions/
Jim Hedman says
The tank looks great! The whole bike is very much in the flavor of a mid-60’s XLCH. Well done.
BIgshankhank says
To Gary (the builder), how much of a difference does the frame make? I mean the ’04 and newer frames with the rubber mounted engine are what, 50 lbs heavier with the extra bracing, that to me would put a premium on using the more true to purpose earlier lighter rigid mount frames. And to that point, why stop with 86, the 79 and up frames are very similar.
I dunno, as much as I love Sportsters I don’t have one now anyway but I am just curious.
Gary Streuter says
To Bigshankhank – Yes, the rubber mount frames are about 50 lbs heavier. We started at 86 because we had concerns about doing the conversion on Ironheads due to the fact that they use a totally different rear shock location and the swingarm does not appear to be as robust as those used on the 86 up. Also, I was not sure anyone would want to cut up a classic Ironhead. Later we may try converting one and see how that works but for now we are going to focus on 86 thru 2006. Thought we might be able to do 2007 and above but turns out to be much more complicated since the bike is fuel injected and the pump is in the tank.
Jay says
I’ve got nothing against HD, but I’ve never wanted to own one (except Buell) until now. I would love one of these. Stunning. Well, maybe an aftermarket Baja gas tank, but other than that.