Harley-Davidson

[Putty]

Anyone hear anything good or bad about the nightster or the iron 883?

[mcattack]

What are you planning to do, Ride the bike for a while then upgrade or just take short rides ever now and then, solo or 2 up. It sort of depends on your budget and what you are planning to do. They are not the best choice for most people. Small motor not much power. Springer, softail might be a better choice. I can help a little more if you let us know what you are planning to do. PM me if you want to take this off line.

[Putty]

The nightster has a 1200 but the drawback is the 3.3 gal tank. The sportster Low has a 4.5 gal tank but not the "blacked out" look that I like. Mostly single riding, few long trips and mostly a commuter during the summer. I wonder if the 883 has plenty of power for a noob rider like me, most likely more than enough.

I like the ride for free option that HD has right now for the later upgrade.

[mcattack]

I will say this up front. I have seen a lot of people buy the sportster bikes and not one of them kept the bike. You will be going back to upgrade. If you are going to finance the bike I would say go ahead and get one of the next models up the dyna or softail. The softail is the best riding bike. When the local dealer had there bike show I went and rode all the bikes and the softail was the best riding and handleing bike to me. The 1200 will get you around but it is sort of weak. Gas tank size does not matter to much, most people need to stop and take a break about the time you need gas. Some local dealers will let you rent bikes and you can try out a couple of different bikes during the rental period to see what you like or try to catch a dealer having a special event and you can test drive them for free. If you have never rode street bikes make sure you go with a training class. Your best option if your not sure you want a bike; buy used and save a lot of money upfront just try to get one with fuel injection. I have been riding for a long time and have had several different bikes and I just sold an electra glide and went with the Goldwing for long trips, cause the Harley just was not very good for hours on end riding at high way speeds, to much vibration. Any thing else you need just hit me up.

Edited February 28, 2009 by mcattack

[NoSteel]

Not sure what your build is but you may want to test ride either sporty before commiting... I'm 6'0" with long arms and legs and can tell you that any sporter just will not work for me regardless of engine size. Even on short trips comfort is a factor and the peg, hadlebar, seat arrangement just does not work for a larger rider. If you find riding is your thing, you WILL end up trading to a larger bike. My thought when I got my forst Softail was I may as well start with what I'm going to eventually end up with and even then I later went to a Touring model. It used to be that you did not loose enough on a used Harley to not get a full size model to begin with, not so sure now but with the economy the way it is I bet you could still cut a pretty good deal. I would say if the sporster is to your liking a Dyna model would be also and is a much better choice for not a whole lot more money. As far as an 883, you'll be looking to re-jug it to a 1200 within a month!!!!! Get out and take some test rides.......

[Tom Mainus]

I concur with everyone here so far. I started with a sportster, and my wife started with a sportster. Half way through the first riding season you will want to get rid of it for something bigger. Don't be intimidated by the bigger bikes if you have never rode before. My wife upgraded to a street glide and she has never looked back. It is a little lighter than a bagger, has a lower center of gravity because it doesn't have the tour pak up high like my classic does, looks sporty but it is still comfortable enough to do the long rides like we like to do. Go rent a couple and try them for a week-end.

Tom

[ciscoip]

Well, just to add in my $0.02, if this is your very first bike, first, go take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. Second, buy decent gear. Third, don't buy a Harley, especially a new one (unless you're rich). The reason is, there's a good chance that you'll probably drop your first bike at least once during your first year of riding. I don't mean a big crash or anything serious, but something more along the lines of a low speed drop in the parking lot or garage while you're moving it around. I think the chances of this increase with heavier bikes, as once they start falling, they're harder to stop. I'd get something cheaper and lighter, with little or no bodywork, like a used, Suzuki GS500, Honda Shadow 600, or Suzuki Savage.

If you are determined to get a Harley, go to a dealership and sit on all of them. A decent dealer will allow that; most, if not all Harley dealers will allow test rides too.

To clear up some misconceptions about Sportsters, 883 Sportsters aren't bad bikes. A new 883 can very easily be increased to 1200cc cheap and easily, usually for less than the cost of a new 1200. The newer (2004+) rubbermount Sportsters have reduced vibrations transmitted to frame, but at a cost of increasing the weight of the bike by about 75lbs to around 570lbs.

As for power, most of the last 25 years, stock 1200 Sportsters made more horsepower than stock big twin motors. Even today, the stock 1200 Sportster makes around 65ish rwhp, while the big twins are making around 70ish (883s make around 50ish). But you have to factor in the fact that all of the big twin bikes weigh about 60-250lbs more. Regardless, none of them make huge power (some make pretty good torque though); I think for the type of riding you're describing, an 883 wouldn't be a problem, and like I said, it's cheap and easy to upgrade to 1200.

While stock Sportsters, including the Nightsters, without forward controls aren't as roomy as the big twin bikes with forward controls, you can retrofit forward controls and even extended forward controls to any of the bikes with standard controls. If you want to compare what that would be like, go to dealer and sit on a Harley XL1200C (the 1200 Custom).

Personally, I'm conflicted. I like the narrower profile of the Sportsters (air filters on the big twins sticks too far out and pushes out my right knee), but I like the look, lower seating position, and angle of the seat on Softails.

However, my hate for polishing chrome and my desire for a bike with non-crappy brakes, decent suspension, and much better handling led me to buy something entirely different from my Harleys.

Edited February 28, 2009 by ciscoip

[Putty]

However, my hate for polishing chrome and my desire for a bike with non-crappy brakes, decent suspension, and much better handling led me to buy something entirely different from my Harleys

Like a BMW?

[ciscoip]

However, my hate for polishing chrome and my desire for a bike with non-crappy brakes, decent suspension, and much better handling led me to buy something entirely different from my Harleys

Like a BMW?

Nope, actually a Honda VFR800. Some of the BMWs seem nice, but they all seem overly gimmicky. Some of the BMWs have a lot of chrome too. Also, all the maintenance parts are pricier, and if it's something you can't do yourself, labor tends to be pricey too. Are you cross-shopping a Beemer too? Again, unless you're rich, I'd stay away from them for a first bike.

Edited March 1, 2009 by ciscoip

[Les Snyder]

I started riding again after about a 30year hiatus with a 04 Sportster 1200R... I like the dual front discs with both tach and speedo for gauges. After breakin, had Wes Brown at Cycle Rama in Largo,Fl install a set of D & D 2 into 1 pipes and dyno tune it....we obtained 79 hp and 82 ft lb of torque and would scare many of the larger HD bikes. Added a JAG oil cooler. I got about 45mpg so you had to watch fuel with the smaller tank, but never had to grab the fuel valve under way. I put about 33,000 miles on it in 3 yrs. Replaced the front sprocket for a couple of months to play with road gears. I got a Suzuki DL 1000 V-strom for trips to Ruskin, and put about 8K on it before I crashed it. Decided to upgrade to a Dyna 6speed but they no longer made the super sport with the dual front discs, so I traded the Sportster in on a Yamaha FJR. If I ever run into the Orange Sportster again I would like to buy it back if the price is right. regards Les

[Putty]

I like he price point on the sportsters. I rode a big Honda for years as it was my only means of transpo in Kali. If I can get an Iron 883 and amp it up a bit, the wife will be very happy, er.........happier than not very happy..... All the other sportsters, other than the nightster are way too chromey bling bling. IF I could dumb down the sportster Low with that 4.5 gal fuel, all would be bliss.

[HSMITH]

Buy a Road Glide and buy once. Best all around bike H-D has ever made, good for short trips and if you have to cover any real distance it is far better than the Electra line. Put the lowering kit on and drop the top bag and beetch back, looks good then too.