Howdy all.


name's Leo I'm from San Diego

been riding since December of 2012. my bike is a DRZ400s.

I'm positive by the end of 2017 that ill be selling or trading in the trusty ol' DRZ and getting into a more street friendly bike.

originally leaning towards a yamaha FZ-07 but with my preferred riding style i feel that id be better served on a cruiser type bike and im pretty sure the 883 sportster is the bike for me.

lots of people i work with are harley riders. Im constantly being told(save for one guy) to go bigger and more powerful after mentioning to them my desire for a sportster. thing is im not a person with the need for speed and never have been. i want something small and relatively nimble and narrow enough to split lanes and also have some fun on weekends out on the nice curvy mountain roads here hence sportster.

one of the other arguments is it wont be comfy. now i can understand the complete lack of suspension travel compared to the long travel of my DRZ but for the most part our roads here are in pretty good shape and i know them well. and to be honest the seat of my drz is like sitting on a 2x4 of wood so anything is more comfy seat wise in that respect.

this bike will be used for my short commute of 10 miles that involve a short freeway jaunt over a small mountain that gets congested on the commute home hence the lane splitting. weekend rides out to the mountains(maybe the occasional ride out to our local desert(maybe a little longer of a ride for a sportster from my research but i have a hardened butt from a dirtbike seat haha) and light grocery getter.

mods would be rear suspension upgrade if ride was excessively poor for my taste. some small leather saddle bags, slip on pipes if the stock pipes sound ugly to me(knowing most stock pipes on bikes i would but don't want crazy loud pipes), and headlight if the stock one is horrible for my eyesight at night. also a big plush comfy solo seat if the stock doesn't cut it after an hour or 2 in the saddle.

now i understand there's the street 500/750 that have more suspension travel but im slightly vain and don't like the look of those bikes plus i was told by a few people that the EVO motor is the best motor harley has put out to date. I just love the look of the Iron.

anyway I'm happy i found this forum and hope to learn more since i can pretty much guarantee my next bike will be a iron 883

cant wait to hear from others and get some advice from you fellow riders!


Cheers

 

You will find that most of the people who reply here in the intro section don't actually read the post, or respond in a helpful manner. That being said I think the sportster would fit your needs well. Even if you find that initially it's not comfortable enough you can make changes. Swapping out bars, and changing the seat for example. If it were me I would be shopping around for a low mileage sporty right about now. Used prices should be down due to winter time, and new bikes just coming out.

Good luck, and welcome to the forums

 

Welcome from the central coast of California


My opinion, go out and ride a cruiser bike. I believe the more you ride it the more you will like it.


Good luck with your decision.

 

Go to your local HD dealer and test ride the bikes that are appealing to you. Good luck

 

yea i saw that reading other new member posts thanks for moving it if it was you.

yea im sure the seat is the easiest comort upgrade. just with the fact that the seat is much wider than on my DRZ i know even a less padded one would still be better. i have been looking around theres a few here in san diego on craigslist.

average price is 7000-8800 with varying mileage and upgrades. there are the occasional ones that are from 6200-6500 also with varying mileage and upgrades.

whats the number one thing to look for to avoid when looking for a used 883 also is there a price correlation with mileage?

also is there a mileage amount that i should stay away from when buying used?


that is my plan. im trying to do as much research as i can before going to a dealer to test ride bikes haha. i know its gonna be in the latter part of the year for me to buy. unless i find someone who wants a straight trade over for my DRZ(unlikely).

 

If you were buying a larger Harley I'd tell you to keep the DRZ, but a good rider can flick a Sportster around in traffic almost as well as a DRZ. Let us know when you get the Sporty.

 

You do know that HD hasn't made the EVO motor since 1999 right?

 

Welcome to the forum.

The best advice has already been given. Go and test ride some bikes. I would ride the 883 and 1200. I would also ride some Dyna models and even look at some Soft tail models before you make your final decision.

Good luck on the search. Nothing like owning a Harley.

 

well i currently don't have the room for a second steed and my wife said she was open to possibly riding as a passenger but i know shes super reluctant shes never liked bikes due to a friend dying on one.

if she were more into it id be looking into a buy a larger bike but i dont wanna have just the one big bike and her say nah i dont wanna ride and then be stuck with a big bike i wouldnt be comfortable commuting with in traffic where i liek to split lanes.


umm no i dont know a whole lot about harleys. when i look at advertising it says

"
Iconic Engine
The Evolution engine riding in the nimble Sportster frame is a prime example of the power, durability and proven reliability The Motor Company was built on. Born from the legendary Shovelhead and Ironhead engines, it’s been the power at the center of a Sportster motorcycle since 1984. Its overhead valve design and four-cam gear train have their roots in the company’s race program, and you know it when you feel the surge of brute torque that accompanies every twist of the throttle. The air-cooled V-Twin design with a compact one-piece crankcase/transmission fits the narrow Sportster profile like a fist in a fingerless glove. We began with a strong, trouble-free design. Then gave it constant refinement to bring us to the modern powerplant of today. A testament to the unwavering hunger for advancement in motor technology that has always driven Harley-Davidson."




i figured thats what all the sportsters have?


will do always a smart decision.

 

This is what I always believe is the only way, when you're not sure.