Harley Davidson X-90 Restoration

[x-90 rider]

This is the bike that we started with last winter - a 1973 HD X-90, all original with a title.



We started out with disassembling the bike to inventory and inspect all parts.



The parts are grouped - paint, powder coat, chrome plating, zinc plating, etc. All parts are inspected and prepped for restoration of the appropriate outer finish. As parts are getting finished they are grouped for assembly.

[x-90 rider]

The bike has seen a lot of use and abuse. Parts were bead blaster, polished, sanded, welded, etc.



This is a full restoration so it should start out as a new bike - new wrinkle powder coating and a NOS speedometer.

[x-90 rider]

All of the frame parts including the seat pan were bead blasted, welded as needed, and powder coated. The original seat foam was reused and a new cover was purchased.



Looks like new now.

[x-90 rider]

The frame is easy to reassemble if the factory crash bars are installed first to help hold the frame upright.

[x-90 rider]

The wheel rims and hubs require quite a bit of work to make them look new again.



The rims are cleaned up and sent out for zinc plating. The hubs are glass beaded and clear coated.



The brake backing plates are polished prior to reassembly.

[x-90 rider]

It always seems like I have made a lot of progress once I have a rolling frame.

[5hpbriggs]

Looks good!

[x-90 rider]

There always seems to be some small parts that are not available for a restoration. This time it was a front brake adjuster. Instead of spending all day going to the motorcycle dealers I headed to the shop.

This is what I started with - brake cables, 6mm stainless steel bolts and nuts.



Put the nuts and bolts together keeping the flats aligned. Carefully TIG weld the nuts and bolts.



Sand the welds down being careful to maintain the outside head dimension on the new parts.



Put the new part in the lathe and face it off. Drill, counterbore, chamfer and deburr the part.



Test fit the cable before taking the part out of the lathe.



Perfect fit

[x-90 rider]

The bike is almost reassembled. I am waiting for the gas tank from the paint shop and I have to finish polishing the front fender. These items will not delay me from running the bike. I have a long yellow fuel line running up the handlebars. The engine will run about 5 minutes on a full hose of fuel.



Once the carburetor and oil pump are adjusted the engine cover and air cleaner will get installed for the final carburetor adjustments.

[x-90 rider]

The bike was actually finished at Laconia Bike Week. I sat at the picnic table one afternoon and installed the tank decals and made all final adjustments. The bike hit 55mph on the first ride into town that same afternoon. Over the next 2 days we put about 50 miles on the bike and it ran great.




1973 Retail Price $325
Cost of bike with title in 2005 $1600
Restoration cost $900
Total Dollars Spent $2,500
Total Restoration Hours - 250 hours
Value of bike today - $5,000
Enjoyment Factor - Priceless