Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
Recently bought a 883R. Better breaks, fuel injection,, better torque at lower rpm. But why change the gear ratios? At cruising speeds (65mph) rpm is now 3300 (was 3000), a big difference...
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
I have had my 883L since Oct '06.I put a touring seat on it due to I have a broken tailbone.I like the fact that the bike is thin enough for me to stand up on the mid pegs while riding if my tailbone gets too uncomfortable.I got to go on demo rides on the 1200 Sportster,Superglide,Road King and Street Rod yesterday,which did leave me with a desire for more torque and power,but I believe that I would like to bump my Sportster engine up as high as it can go rather than spend 3 times the price on something too wide to handle comfortabley.A fat bob tank would be nice as well...but I will have to wait and see if my business picks up before doing alot of customizing..staight pipes would be nice also...
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
I purchased my first Harley 2 weeks ago,a 2006 883L.Today I finally got it past the first 500 miles and jumped on the interstate (actually I left a V-Star in the dust that was trying to show me up on the Highway..I took the sharp curve of the on ramp onto I-95 South and opened it up just to 90 mph without trying to really get on it and had no problems with the heavy traffic,I have been cruising the back roads at 70 mph with no problems,I did order the touring seat because the stock seat just sucks,but other than that I am very happy with this bike so far...I haven't ridden any of the larger bikes and can't wait until Spring to rent a Street Bob and a V-Rod to see how they compare
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
I have finaly taken owbership of my 883 after ordering 4 months ago. All I can say is that it seems this bike was designed specially for me. I am not new to biking but this is my first real proper bike and I was amazed how quickly I got used to it and even though some say it is difficult to handle I found it very forgiving. The South African roads can be somewhat different to roads in other countries but it seems the bike handles them very well. I won't trade this baby in for anything else.
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
Had the Sportster 883 for two months and covered 2500 miles, mainly long distance, 350 miles at a time. It handles well on the twisties and after the running-in period, has enough power to accelerate quite quickly to its proposed top speed of 105.
I have since had a stage 1 completed to let the engine breathe and it has transformed the bike, 20% more go was projected, and I would agree.
The rubber mounted engine is great. I would not pay £2000 more for a 1200 to accomplish what the 883 with a stage 1 can do.
I have had a 1450 Softail & a Roadking prior to this and the 883 is more manageable, a little less torquey, and taking into consideration it's half the weight and no vibration, I consider it to cruise better at 80 than my previous HDs, and it certainly handles better. -- Riley
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
I just got my bike. I ordered it in January and got it in March. Black 883 XL. My first H-D.
Nice so far. I have already started to transform: chrome upgrade battery, oil, belt guard ul, slash cut down slip ons, air cleaner kit.
I found www.surdyke.com to be the cheapest on the net. Find the part numbers that you need in the HD catalog. Go to the sd site and find it a lot cheaper. I have purchased from them many times.
The only negative comment that I get is why one seat? I am taking care of that. Why should I hog the ride. No pun intended. -- Jim
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
I've put almost 400 miles on my Sportster since purchasing it last month.
The bike is a lot of fun, although I've modified it for my purposes.
Rubber mounting the engine is great, you still have that Tasmanian devil engine, although it's not rocking your eyeballs apart in the early morning.
The bike takes awhile to warm up, do the choke full way, then halfway, then push it in a few miles down the road.
The seat is hell, get something better right away. I made it a purchase point, so the dealer threw in the new seat as part of the purchase. The bike itself is fun, enough power to get on the highway with ease, even with two people.
I put on saddlebags, a sissy bar, a better touring seat, and a detachable windshield (which works great by the way).
It's a very stable bike, and I've ridden it for a few hours without a break and still feel good. The only suggestion I would make is that I'm upgrading the suspension. It's a little soft and bottoms out quite easily. I'd rather have my seat a few inches higher with some stiffer shocks, but that's just me.
Love the bike. It's beautiful. People everywhere stop and take a look, nothing like a Harley.... everybody wants to know how the engine mounting works out..... it really was a smart move. They'll sell a lot of these bikes.
Oh, I also put new pegs on. The stock ones are kinda no frills cheap.
The paint job is nice. The wheels are sporty without being over the top. The Sportster is really just a really nice bike. It will last as long as you take care of it.
To answer the real question, if I had to do it all over again, without question I would buy this bike. -- Steven
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
I just purchased a new 2004 Sportster 883 for my son. I rode it and I was amazed at the lack of vibration. The new rubber mounted engine makes a big difference in ride quality. All of the controls are easy to reach. The bike is very quick and I can't wait until I get the first 500 miles done so I can see what it will really do.
It needs a windshield for any distance riding or you need to wear a full face helmet. The back tire is much bigger and grips the road very well.
I encourage all to go for a test ride. The new Sportster is a different bike and fun to ride. -- Michael
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
I just bought the standard 883 two weeks ago. Much different from previous Sportys.
The joint dislocating vibes are gone (almost) all the way. The rubber engine mounts make the difference.
I checked out the 883 Custom and the 1200s. For the buck you can't beat the 883 -- Harley feel, Sportster look. Has the traditional 3.3 gallon Sporty tank, and lots more std chrome. Has a bigger back tire and seat sits lower, maneuvers the turns quite well.
This is my second Sportster, and with continuous improvements like the ones on the 2004 model. it makes it very hard to upgrade from the Sporty.
The Sportster has been around since 1957 and I think it is going to be here for a long time to come. For the new Harley rider and the Sportster fanatic alike, you can not go wrong. -- BudMan
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
I just traded in my Buell Blast for a Black Harley-Davidson Sportster 883. What a difference.
This is an awesome bike. It's smooth, powerful, well built and priced right.
I can't wait to get over 500 miles on it so I can see what it's really made of.
I highly recommend this bike to anyone who already has some experience riding. If you're brand new to riding, the Sportster may be too much to handle, IMHO. I say this because, it is top heavy and if you don't have any experience you are likely to drop the bike in low speed maneuvers. -- Joe
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
I've put about 2000 miles on my 883. I really love this bike. I can keep up with most of my big twin cruiser buddies, while being able to outmaneuver them on the twisties.
The bike handles very well, and is easily customizable for all types of riding.
Most of all the bike is just plain fun to ride. It takes very little work, and you really can feel like part of the bike. Great for those back road jaunts.
My biggest complaint is with the seat. The cheap piece of plastic they call a seat is horrible, and should be switched out ASAP, if you plan on being on the bike more than 1/2 hour. Also the addition of a windshield really helps on highway runs, and in the cooler weather. Harley offers a nice selection of windshields. I use a detachable so I can take it off in the warmer weather. Lastly, the forward controls aren't quite forward enough (I'm 5'10"). Another inch and the ride would have been 100% comfort. As it is now, I feel like I need to sit back farther than the seat allows. Perhaps another seat will remedy that.
Overall though, this is one nice ride, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a first Harley, or maybe the guy who is outgrowing his sport bike. -- Junkiefred
Harley_Davidson_Sportster_883_MY_OPINION
In 30 years of riding, I have discovered some things about motorcycles. In this review I am going to discuss one of my favorite bikes, the Harley-Davidson Sportster.
No two ways about it, to me the original is still the best, and the Harley-Davidson Sportster is my top choice in the "standard" class. Lots of other riders have voted with their pocket books and agree with me: the Sportster models are the best selling line of motorcycles in America.
Like most standards, the Sportster is a very versatile motorcycle. Take one Sportster, add Harley's flush mount leather saddlebags, sport windshield, deluxe touring seat, low sissy bar with passenger back rest, sport rack, overnight rack bag, and a tank bag, and you have a "sport touring Sportster," a pretty competent bike for weekend trips, without seriously compromising its innate Sunday morning ride capability. The touring seat and passenger back rest make the Sportster a very comfortable bike for riding double.
Today's Sportster looks very much like the XLCH Sportster of 1958 (In the Harley alphabet, all Sportster models have always started with "XL"), but in fact every part of the bike is different. The wheels, brakes, forks, lights, frame, engine, transmission, electrical system, gas tank, seat, oil tank, swing arm, rear shocks, everything is changed, modern, but retains its traditional looks. Harley-Davidson believes in evolution, not revolution. Sometimes this confuses people, who believe that Harleys are obsolete retro-bikes. Not true. After over 95 years in the motorcycle business (H-D is the oldest motorcycle company in the world.), the Motor Company has learned a thing or two about what works in the real world.
They have learned a thing or two about customer loyalty, too, and how to keep it. Years ago, Honda ran ads saying "You meet the nicest people on a Honda." Today, you meet the nicest people on a Harley. Part of the reason is the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.), a factory sponsored club for all Harley-Davidson owners. Everyone who buys a new H-D motorcycle gets a free first year membership in the National H.O.G. Most also join their local H.O.G. chapter, sponsored by their local dealer. H.O.G. gives enthusiasts of both sexes and all ages, and from all walks of life, a chance to meet with other Harley owners, go on rides together, swap ideas, and generally have a good time. There are National and local rallies that you really should not miss. H.O.G. chapters also do a lot of excellent charity work in their local communities. You really do meet the nicest people on a Harley.
All modern Sportsters come with Harley-Davidson's unit construction Evolution V-twin engine, bored to either 883cc (54 cubic inches) or 1200cc (74 cubic inches). The former is easily converted to the latter, since the stroke is identical, by the addition of new pistons and jugs (or by just boring out the 883 cylinders), and slightly modifying the 883 heads. As I write this, the H-D kit to change an 883 into a 1200 is under $900, including installation by your Harley-Davidson dealer. Either engine size gives you easy control of instant torque for real world riding situations. I think of the 1200, especially, as a "velvet hammer."
While we are on the subject of engines, it is no secret that the Motor Company delivers these bikes in a very modest (EPA) state of tune. The factory rated horsepower/torque at the crankshaft, which is about 57/53 (883cc) and 66/72 (standard 1200cc), can be increased by about 7 hp just by switching to a H-D Screaming Eagle low restriction air filter, H-D Screaming Eagle low restriction mufflers, and re-jetting the carburetor. These changes are recommended by almost all H-D dealers world wide, and do not affect your new bike warrantee. For this reason, you will seldom encounter a truly stock Sportster on the street, or one that isn't faster than the magazine road tests would lead you to believe.
Any Sportster is the most basic and honest of motorcycles; a work in progress, a beautiful painting (the finish is absolutely first class) waiting for you to add the final details. That is why you will probably never see two Sportsters exactly alike; everybody adds the finishing touches they personally desire. This is particularly true of the basic XLH 883 and XLH 1200 models. For a complete list of the modifications and accessories added to the XLH 883 test bike pictured above, click here to see the H-D Sportster Accessory List.
There are also three somewhat more stylish "cruiser" models, the XLH 883 Hugger, and the XL 883C and 1200C Customs, all with lowered suspensions. These are particularly suitable for those of shorter stature (seat height only 27.12 inches). The 1200 Custom is the most lavishly finished of all Sportsters, with chrome engine cases and many extras straight from the factory.
The final model is my favorite of the line, the XL 1200S Sport. The Sportster Sport is a return to the original XLCH concept of the hot rod Sportster. Parenthetically, the XLCH Sportster was the bike for which the term "super bike" was originally coined (legend has it that the "CH" stands for either "California Hot" or "Competition Hot"). The new Sport model comes with a little more of everything that has always made the Sportster great, an up rated fully adjustable suspension at both ends, up rated double floating disc front brake, and a 15% higher output 1200cc V-twin engine with lightened flywheels and Buell heads. This makes it the quickest Sportster of them all, with a quarter mile time in the 12.9 second range. Like the standard Sportsters, it retains a generous 6.7inch ground clearance and 36/40 degree lean angles (right/left respectively). Plus outstanding stability, moderate weight for its displacement (all Sportsters weigh under 500 pounds), and the low center of gravity which makes any Sportster a pleasure to ride. Its sportier riding position and understated styling make the Sport the meanest looking of all Sportsters, every inch the street fighter that it is.
Final touches that make any Sportster a top choice in its class include self canceling turn signals, a superior control layout, hydraulic self-adjusting overhead valves, electronic ignition, cast alloy wheels with tubeless tires (laced wheels are optional), halogen headlight, vacuum operated fuel valve, and maintenance free belt drive. The highest resale value in its class does not hurt, either. In fact, many late model used Sportsters are sold for nearly 100% of their new price!
The best thing about any Sportster is riding it. Man, this is an easy bike to ride! Very willing and very forgiving of small errors. All that torque from its big V-twin engine makes it hard to stall in town, and teriffic for passing on the highway. The Sportster's low center of gravity and excellent basic frame and suspension geometry make it very stable and easy to steer at all speeds. It does not flick from side to side like a sport bike, but it steers precisely into turns. And its generous lean angle means that if you enter a corner a little bit faster than you should have, don't panic, just push a little harder on the handlebar (counter steer), and your Sporty will lean that much farther and whip you through without muss or fuss. I just love a forgiving bike that will save me when I mess up! The disc brakes, upgraded in 2000 with 4-piston calipers, are positive and progressive without being grabby. The positive shifter gets you the gear you select every time, although it makes a little noise doing it. The brake and clutch levers are the most comfortably shaped in all of motorcycling. The final belt drive is quiet and clean, needs no maintenance, doesn't jack the bike around like some shaft drives, and is as light as a chain.
The Sportster is a bike equally suited to both the city streets and country roads. The scenic route, always the best choice on any motorcycle, is what this bike seems to have been designed for.
Don't believe the stories you may have read about that bugaboo, vibration. Here is the straight copy: a Sportster is very pleasant cruising at all speeds up to about 60 mph, surprisingly so. In fact, its a blast. And the 883 is even a little smoother than the 1200. From about 60 up to about 67 mph (in 5th gear), vibration gradually becomes intrusive, mostly through the handlebars. I like to cruise at about 65 on the freeway. By 70 mph vibration becomes uncomfortable (to me) for sustained cruising. A modern Sportster is certainly smoother than the 1969 BSA Lightning I rode for many years, and none of us complained about vibration from our Triumphs and BSA's back in those days. If you want a Harley for sustained 70+ mph freeway cruising, look at an FXD (Dyna) or FLH (Touring) model; but for the scenic route, you can't beat a Sportster.
I don't know what the top speed of a 1200 Sportster is, but I will tell you that the first time I tested its "passing power" by rolling it all the way on at 65 mph, I got to 105 mph, in what seemed like a very short time indeed, before I could get it rolled off again! Whatever its ultimate top speed is, I would say it is real adequate.
No other bike in its class holds its value like a Sportster. Or looks like a Sportster. Or sounds like a Sportster. Or feels like a Sportster. In a world full of me-too and look alike bikes, the Sportster is the real thing.
