Hi everyone. New to the forum. I have a 2003 anniversary XLH 883 hugger. I bought it new. I have over 25000k on the odometer and have NEVER had a problem with this bike. I have the Harley slash cut slip on mufflers, buckhorn bars and extra driving lights for safety. Other than that she's bone stock. I've been back and for to Canada three times with it. The problem I have is that these supposed expert riders keep telling me its a girls bike. I just tell myself these people are showing their ignorance. It just gets to me. I have friends who have 883 bikes and with a little tweaking they smoke a big twin off the line every time. It that the mark of a girls bike? IMHO there is no such thing as a girls bike. If it has a motor and two wheels to me its a motorcycle. It doesn't matter what gender is riding it. I chose the 883 for one thing. Gas mileage. I knew I was going to do some long riding and the 883 fit my need as well as my budget. Ask stated I love watching my friends wax these big twins at stop lights. Sure the big twin has a better top end but the power is still there. The sportster as you all know has a higher center of gravity making it a little difficult for a new rider, man or woman, to maneuver at slow speeds like in a parking lot. So please people. Don't tell some one they are riding a girls bike. You don't know if the 883 is all they can afford or they just aren't comfortable on a larger bike. My point being is that we are all bike riders and the common enemy, no matter what you ride, it the cage drivers. Be safe everyone and no matter WHAT you ride, enjoy it! Peace!

 

Well, I'll start by writing that you should repaint your bike from pink to black.
That should stop the girl's bike comments.

Just joking...good luck.

 

"Girls Bike"??, naw; "training wheels" yeah!
It's all in fun....

 

As a rule, people are ********. **** 'em.

 

I like the training wheel joke 😀

 

I personally do not take insults from people I have no respect for.

 

people are morons. you see this in varied forms. big bike v little bike, 1200 v 883, big twin v sporty evo.

i mean just look at the some stuff the non-girl bikes are dealing with:

• engine eating itself https://www.hdforums.com/forum/dyna-...nd-s-t124.html
  
• design flaw stressing owners https://www.hdforums.com/forum/dyna-...ine-today.html
  
• random failure https://www.hdforums.com/forum/dyna-...ed-advice.html

that's in two weeks... search more and you'll find all kindsa issues you'll never see in the with sportys. when in the sportster forums do you ever see anything remotely like that? $7000 engine replacements(that is 2 sportsters if you shop right, or one mean "built" sportster), self destructing components, design flaws left and right, heat issues, leaks all over the place.... i guess having a f'd up bike and paying out the *** to keep it on the road is manly

i have both and ride my sportster almost daily. people still randomly ask me if i'm going to get a bigger bike. i just say "i can't afford a big bike" to stop the conversation.

there is a definite difference but, calling a sporty a girls bike is insane. only a d***head would say that... unless the owner of the bike was, indeed, a woman. it was never a "girl's" bike.

just say... i'm poor, can't afford to be a man. lol

 

Meh, who cares what they say. Sportys are awesome and they are probably just jealous.

 

well just buy a bigger bike

 

wait, whut?

gotta call bs there. not true at all. sporty is like a rag doll comparatively