My 91 has been hidden in my barn for 24 years, don't want the guys to know
I have such a little bike.


The only time I sneak it out is when I want to blow away some big twins.
Of course I wear a disguise.


Otherwise I ride my bigtwin just to fit in .

 

For those that have had positive input and answered the question without prejudice, I thank you much and value the input given. For the others that have judged me for my reasoning or whatever else, well... Okay:-} However, I've gotten the answer to my question, based on all the replies. Thanks folks!

 

Only problem I can see with a Sporty is that you will quickly outgrow it & wish you bought a Big Twin. I would start with a Dyna or Softail, which you will keep for awhile.

Sportys,especially 1200s, are a lot of fun.

 

The sporty is small, no doubt, it has a 60" wheelbase. They don't get much smaller unless you step through it. That said, many girls do ride "big bikes" with no trouble. So maybe it's not so much a "girls bike" as a new rider, entry level bike for the most part.

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/10/162...onneville.aspx

 

I have always considered them to be among the most difficult of all HD to ride due to their tall stance, shorter wheel base, and lighter weight. My only real complaint though is the tiny gas tank.

I thought the 883 hugger was a neat retro sort of thing. I had a friend that had a blacked out nightster that was really cool. You almost never see girls on them around here. The girls here almost all ride low riders, softails, or street glides.

 

Hell, there are a lot of girls riding Dynas. An 883 would be a great commuter or other short hop bike provided you're not too tall or large for it..

 

Contrary, to what you might have expected, just the opposite is true. To understand this, you have to understand the history of the Sportster. At the time it was introduced, HD was getting a lot of competition from the Brits in the performance arena. HD was far outclassed in that area, so the Sportster was there answer in the lightweight, higher performance segment. That's the reason the early Sportsters had the reversed side brakes and shifter, like the Brits. That way people who were already accustomed to the Brit bikes could make an easy transition. So, when it came out, it was Harley's hot rod. For its day, it was a screamer and nobody called it a girl's bike. In face, if you look around, you can find pictures of Sonny Barger riding one in his younger days. Anybody want to tell him he was riding a girl's bike? Over time, motorcycle performance overshadowed the Sportsters, at least in the overall arena, even though it was still Harley's hotrod. People who really wanted performance switched brands and followed the performance evolution. And, keep in mind that around that time, the so-called big twins weren't all that much bigger than the Sportster 900 (as it was often referred to then). The FL's were 74 inches, 1200 CC's and the EL's were 61 CI, roughly 1000 CC's.


The Big Twins got bigger, both in displacement and style and the popularity of the Sportster waned. Somewhere along the line, the perception changed (with many) that because the Sportster was now the "little bike", that it wasn't as manly to have one and, with some, it became the girls bike. Of course, not everybody has that opinion, but enough do that it gets that rep with Harley owners. As many have said, the Sportster will often clean the clocks of big twin owners, and on the other side, certain big twin owners say that it's about riding a "real" bike not how fast it will go (If I wanted to go fast I'd get a rice rocket...").


You'll find people on both sides of that argument here, so I suggest you decide if you like it and if that's what's right for you, get what you want and ignore what people say.

 

My 883 is heavier than all the many metrics I've had save one that was about 50 lbs heavier. To me, it's not a lightweight, feels closer to my 800 lb Tour Glide than any metric I've ridden. Have had people say I look too big for it (6'3", 230), but long as I like something, don't care what other peeps think.

I will admit the thing is a slug compared to my 1200, Tour Glide (not an 80 inch though...) and 750 Honda and I've ridden at least one 250cc that would have left the 883 in a quarter mile. Maybe till it ran out of gas...

 

I think the 883 is under rated. No, it's not the most powerful, but how many go ***** out on these things anyway?

If any of you are in the market for a super nice 883, I'm needing to sell mine. Too many bikes, not enough room. I hope it doesn't ruffle any feathers linking to a Craigslist ad.

https://fresno.craigslist.org/mcy/4891743606.html

 

Only 5650 miles in 13 years?