K and Sportster triple trees

[sportsterpaul]

Based on what we learned on the previous discussion of triple clamps, I thought I would start a new thread about the triple trees that mount the triple clamps. Here is some raw data from the parts books. Any corrections or clarifications or insights are more than welcome.

1952 parts book:
45701-52; non-parallel stem, tabs for cowbells

1956 parts book:
45701-52B; 1952 to 1954 VIN 2250; non-parallel stem, tabs for gators?; form, fit function running change to -52?; only gators shown no cowbells.
45701-54; 1954 VIN 2250 to 1956

1958 parts book:
45701-52B replacing 45701-52A; 1952 to 1954 up to VIN 2250; non-parallel stem, tabs for gators?; form, fit function running change to -52?; only gators shown no cowbells.
45701-54A replacing 45701-54; 1954 from VIN 2250 to 1959 all

1963 parts book:
45701-52B; 1952 to 1954 up to VIN 2250; non-parallel stem, tabs for gators?; form, fit function running change to -52?; only gators shown no cowbells.
45701-54A; 1954 from VIN 2250 to 1963 all

1965 parts book:
45701-54A; 1954 from VIN 2250 to 1964 all
45702-57; 1965 all

1971 parts book:
45702-57B; Late 1954 to 1970 all
45703-71; 1971 all

1976 supplement:
45703-73; 1973 to *; Kayaba disk brake forks

1978 parts book
45702-57B; Late 1954 to 1970 all
45703-73; 1971 and 1972 all
45703-73; 1973 and 1974 all; Kayaba, banana caliper
45703-73; 1975 to * all
45703-78; 1978 all

1985 parts book:
45703-78; 1979 to 1981 XL, XLCH, XLS
47693-81; 1980 to 1982 XLS; black enamel
47693-84; 1984 to * XL, XLS
47694-83; 1983 XLX; black wrinkle
47694-84; 1984 to * XLX; black wrinkle

Oh dear gosh, I found a bunch more race part books I forgot I had. (I will add this info for the top bracket triple clamp to that thread)
1952-1965 XLRTT, KR, KRTT:
45701-52R; 1952 to * KR, KRTT, XLRTT

1958-1968 XLRTT, KR, KRTT:
45701-52R; 1952 to * KR, KRTT, XLRTT

1970 XR XLR book:
45734-70R; 1970 to * XR, XLR; Bracket lower (includes stem)

1972 XR-750 book
45734-70R; 1972 to * XR, XLTT; Bracket lower (includes stem)

1977-78 XLCR book:
45703-78; 78 to * XLCR

Some of this makes sense. I assume the -78 part is identical to the -73 only it has something different involving the dual disk brakes.

For handy mental reference, I divide them like this.
1) Non-parallel stem; 1952 and 1953, E1954; 33.4mm tubes; 45701-52, 45701-52B, maybe even 45701-52A but not shown anywhere.
2) gators; L1954 to 1970; 33.4mm tubes; 45701-54, 45701-54A, 45701-54B, 45702-57, 45702-57B, maybe 45702-57A but not shown anywhere
3) No gators but not yet disk brake; 1971 and 1972; 33.4mm tubes; 45703-71
4) Disk brake; 1973 to 1984, but with lots of trivial and finish variations, 35mm tubes; 45703-73, 45703-78, 47693-81, 47693-84, 47694-83, 47694-84
5) Race parts; 45701-52R, 45734-70R (Ceriani)

Note I don't bother to keep track of late 1984 bikes with alternator under the clutch, since I prefer to limit my discussions to sensible machinery.

My big question-- is there a big difference between the non-gator triple clamp in 71 and 72, to the Kayaba triple clamp in 1973? Are the fork tube diameters the same? Heck, duh, let me go look--yeah, looks they went from 33.4mm in 1972 to 35mm in 1973 to 39mm in 1985 or 1986 or 1988, long after I care about.

So in the spirit of a binary search, something Dave would appreciate-- as far as K and Iron Sportsters, the one big division is in 1973 when disk brakes and aluminum sliders came in, and fork tube diameter changed from 33.4 to 35mm. Of the earlier period, there are non-parallel stem, gator, and non-gator, all for 33.4mm tubes. Then 1973 to 1984 looks like 35mm tubes with a bunch of variations that humans will never figure out.

So my big question is, did the cowbells only mount on the non-parallel stem triple tree? Stay tuned for next week, when I try to figure out the fork tubes.