When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
It's funny to think back about how intimidated I was by the weight of this bike and how now it feels like nothing. I honestly can't see myself getting another bike. Well, maybe another sportster!
Totally know what you mean bro. Came from little jap bobbers myself and was actually a bit nervy when I test rode my 48 at the dealer. Not even 5 miles into it and it felt so natural. The sound, the grunt, vibrations and the surprisingly good handling had me sold. Now 3k into the new bike and i ride it like a pit bike. Awesome !! Will never consider another brand motorcycle. The Harley experience has me hooked...
Awesome !! Will never consider another brand motorcycle. The Harley experience has me hooked...
Yep, pretty much this. As much as I used to be a brand loyalist, I totally think I get the "why" of buying/riding a Harley now. There are probably a bunch of other really fun bikes to ride, but for me this is perfect.
Awesome !! Will never consider another brand motorcycle. The Harley experience has me hooked...
I agree that a Harley gives a extra little grin factor, but it really depends on ones desires and what excites them. I grew up on the back of my dad's harley, and seeing his '62 in the garage gave me an appreciation for the MOCO, but as I became a teenager the sound of the dry clutch of the ducati made my leg scratch the air like a dog. When I was 19 I was torn between a Duc Monster and a Buell. Having my dad's Harley love in my blood I went with the '01 Buell and the 1203 EVO engine. I Enjoy the crap out of that bike but never ride it any more because its so aggresive. Got my dry clutch ducati when I was a little older, and now I rounded it off with the '12 Sportster. I probably will only ride the '12 for years to come. fits my riding style in the new phase of life (30's with kid(s)) no need for racing around the canyons, now i just sweep through them and enjoy the wind.
No reason to limit yourself to ONLY harleys, however one should always have at least ONE harley in their stable....
Also, great new bike! Ride it for a while and tweak it as desired.
Picked up my first Sportster (and first Harley) today! It's an 04 with 8000 miles. Coming from riding small Honda Twins for about 5 years now and I'm really excited!
Bought it from a dealer in the area and its running pretty darn good. Some scratches and dings on the tank but that just means I won't be totally bummed when I ding it, ha!
Picked up my first Sportster (and first Harley) today! It's an 04 with 8000 miles. Coming from riding small Honda Twins for about 5 years now and I'm really excited!
Bought it from a dealer in the area and its running pretty darn good. Some scratches and dings on the tank but that just means I won't be totally bummed when I ding it, ha!
Hey Dude, I like Black Sportsters, BUT, I don't like the Rubber Mount ones, & yours is the 1st year ! Somebody asked on page one, if it was an 883 or 1200 ? I guess, you don't know, & nobody else bothered to ask ! IMO, all the Sportsters of the last 15 years, I find very top heavy ! I have a 1986, 1st year Evo Sportster, punched out to 1200, 4 speed, rear chain, Sun Racing Rims, 18" front & rear, with Metzlers, was able to squeeze a 140 on the rear, been lightened & lowered, front & rear, 98 tin, 883 on the tank, it's a wolf in sheep's clothing ! I've been riding Sportsters since the late 60's, lots of XLCH Strokers !
Lets get back to your bike, it was the 1st year of the rubber mount motor, that means, it's the 1st year without the Trapdoor to the Tranny ! You don't want to miss any shifts, if you ever have any tranny problems, the motor has to come out & the cases split open ! The Sportster has been around for 60 years, it's the BEST Motor they ever built. Why would they get rid of the Trapdoor, with easy access to the tranny ? Answer; to get DEEP in your pocket, or you buy a NEW BIKE ? I wish you the BEST of Luck, I've taken my Black Beauty to Laconia, the past 19 summers !
Good Tip; the 04 to 09,, the oil return line is under the left cover, after an oil drain & fill, put on a cheap filter, pull the return line off the oil tank, put it in a bucket, run the bike till the oil runs clean & new, about 30/32 oz., shut it off, put on a S&S oil filter, add oil to fill mark ! Go riding, check the oil when you get back, it will stay clean for months, you won;t be able to read your dipstick ! Again, Beware, Be Smart, Be Safe, Boston Jim
Good Tip; the 04 to 09,, the oil return line is under the left cover, after an oil drain & fill, put on a cheap filter, pull the return line off the oil tank, put it in a bucket, run the bike till the oil runs clean & new, about 30/32 oz., shut it off, put on a S&S oil filter, add oil to fill mark ! Go riding, check the oil when you get back, it will stay clean for months, you won;t be able to read your dipstick ! Again, Beware, Be Smart, Be Safe, Boston Jim
Hey Boston Jim, thank you for the tip! Also yep, it's an 883. I would agree with you that my bike does feel more top heavy than my friends '69 sportster, but it still feels manageable to me. Putting on new rear shocks tonight since it looks like based on weather Friday will be my last ride of the season out here.
Hey Dude, If you're putting it away soon, think like a boat owner/marina, change all the fluids, pull the plugs, spray the fogging oil into the cylinders, turn the motor over, put the plugs back in, clean it, polish it, cover it up, hook up battery tender or pull the battery, if you can keep the tires off the ground, that would be Great ! You're ready for Spring ! Good Luck, BJ
PS, The jury is still out on running it dry or Stabilizing a Full Tank ? NON-Ethanol would be BETTER !
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
