Harley-Davidson Ironhead engine

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Harley-Davidson Ironhead Sportster engine at the Harley-Davidson Museum Harley-Davidson Museum February 2024 23 (Engine Room--Ironhead Sportster, 1957-85).jpg
Harley-Davidson Ironhead Sportster engine at the Harley-Davidson Museum
1980 HD XLR Sportster with Ironhead Engine
1980 Harley-Davidson XLR-1000 Sportsters Front.jpg
Manufacturer Harley-Davidson
Also calledXL
Production1957 to 1985
PredecessorHarley-Davidson KHK

The ironhead was a Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine, so named because of the composition of the cylinder heads (Iron instead of Aluminium). The engine is a two-cylinder, two valves per cylinder, pushrod V-twin. It was produced from 1957 until 1985 and was replaced by the Evolution engine in 1986.

This name was applied to the Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycles that used this engine.

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