883 = Red Headed Step Child??
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Joined: Aug 2005
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RE: 883 = Red Headed Step Child??
ORIGINAL: Whistle Dick
I see a lot of guys defending the 883 on here but I wonder how many actually ride on or have one as their main bike? Many dudes defend it by saying "I like to ride my wifes" or "My gals 883 is fun to take for a quick spin" but do many men on here really ride one all the time? I own one bike, a 2000 883C that is all stock, when I ride with my friends (who have07 Dyna wideglides) and I am behind themstopped at a light I gotta be real careful or else I will fly right up theirbehinds when we take off!! I can't believe how quick my 883 is compared totheir wide glides. Yet, it seems like883's are only taken serious to a point. I cruise right along sidethem or anyone else on the highway. So if possible can I see a show of hands by the male 883 riders here? I am just curious to see what kind of numbers there are.
I see a lot of guys defending the 883 on here but I wonder how many actually ride on or have one as their main bike? Many dudes defend it by saying "I like to ride my wifes" or "My gals 883 is fun to take for a quick spin" but do many men on here really ride one all the time? I own one bike, a 2000 883C that is all stock, when I ride with my friends (who have07 Dyna wideglides) and I am behind themstopped at a light I gotta be real careful or else I will fly right up theirbehinds when we take off!! I can't believe how quick my 883 is compared totheir wide glides. Yet, it seems like883's are only taken serious to a point. I cruise right along sidethem or anyone else on the highway. So if possible can I see a show of hands by the male 883 riders here? I am just curious to see what kind of numbers there are.
I will tell you that mine will smoke hers at any gear but hers will outcorner mine anywhere.
So no I don't ride an 883 exclusively but I do get the best of both Sportster worlds.
Mileage is close on both bikes.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,641
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From: Ozark Country
RE: 883 = Red Headed Step Child??
ORIGINAL: Whistle Dick
I own one bike, a 2000 883C that is all stock, when I ride with my friends (who have07 Dyna wideglides) and I am behind themstopped at a light I gotta be real careful or else I will fly right up theirbehinds when we take off!! I can't believe how quick my 883 is compared totheir wide glides.
I own one bike, a 2000 883C that is all stock, when I ride with my friends (who have07 Dyna wideglides) and I am behind themstopped at a light I gotta be real careful or else I will fly right up theirbehinds when we take off!! I can't believe how quick my 883 is compared totheir wide glides.
That's determined by driving/riding styles, not because of the potential of the vehicle.
The only way to see which vehicle (or bike) is quickest is to take them to a timed drag strip and see who gets to the finish line the quickest.
Many don't realize that besides being making torque at a lower RPM (in fact my Softail makes 84 pounds of rear wheel torque at a fairly low 3,750 RPM), the lower gearing is much like the 883, and more aggressive than the 1200's.
Here is the gearing used in the 5-speed Softails;
1st gear ~ 10.110
2nd gear ~ 6.958
3rd gear ~ 4.953
4th gear ~ 3.862
5th gear ~ 3.150
Tourer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 322
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From: Midwest
RE: 883 = Red Headed Step Child??
I hear ya oldfenderdude! I think it would be fun to see at what distance in a quarter which bike is quicker. Perhaps the 6 speed trannies are slower off the line? Maybe not? Maybe those dudes drive like old ladies? I really just wanted a show of hands to see how many men own an 883 and actually ride them. I will start another thread and do a poll.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 229
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RE: 883 = Red Headed Step Child??
I own and actually ride an 883. The wife had one and it was such a fun bike I had to get one for myself. If your style of riding is like mine and you aren't a huge guy it works well. I am 5' 9" tall, 185lbs, and I will rarely ever go over 80mph on the highway. The 883 is quick enough off the line and at city speedsthat if I need to jump ahead of most cars to get over a lane it is not a problem. I don't drag race it, do wheelies, or get too crazy on it.The bike is light and nimble and a pure blast to take on the twisty mountain roads. The only downside to the 883 (and Sportsters in general in my opinion ) is they are not well suited to 2-up riding. Other than that it works great for me.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,561
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From: Billings, MT
RE: 883 = Red Headed Step Child??
My 03 883 Hugger is my only bike. Going to do a minor upgrade soon at 10k miles (pipes-A/C-jets). It's fast enough now to scare the cr*p out of me, but suits me to a T: I'm 5'9', weigh 170 and rarely ride 2 up. Being 62, I appreciate its quickness and agility - much like my 57 Triumph in the early sixties. There was no problem with power riding up the Beartooth Pass and back this weekend (10,974 ft - 8,000' rise in 12 miles). But, there is some lag at 65 into a 40mph wind, a common occurance here that is really annoying and prompting the upgrade.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 891
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RE: 883 = Red Headed Step Child??
Harley changes a lot, and makes changes on a regular basis. The new Sportster may look a lot like the original, but lots of parts on a new one won't fit an '03, and vice versa. That does make it more difficult to find add-on parts.
Lots of folks are interested in heritage. Harley is interested in staying competitive. That's why they are still in business. The 883 is a winner--as it goes, so goes Harley.
Lots of folks are interested in heritage. Harley is interested in staying competitive. That's why they are still in business. The 883 is a winner--as it goes, so goes Harley.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,961
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From: Boise, Idaho
RE: 883 = Red Headed Step Child??
Hey, I am selling an 883R to a friend tomorrow. I was able to negotiate a pretty amazing deal for him (better than what I got lol) and he is limited financially. He has already called me three times today to make sure everything is in order. He is so excited that he can hardlystand it! It isone of only two remaining 883Rs on our floor. I don't care what anyone says, the 883 and the Sportster line in general are bad assscoots. If it was good enough for Elvis, it's good enough forme.
I take alot of crap from my fellow employees for my 07 XL1200N. Surprisingly though, none of them have taken me up on my offer of: "lets run 'em."Hmmmm... I wonder why that is? lol Sportster bashing is a product of ignorance - people who don't really know their Harley 101/Harley history. I agree that Sportsters aren't the greatest two-up bikes (although they can do okay fora smaller couple). That is really the only major limitation that I see to the bike though. I say roll on with that 883... If anyone else is cooler than you.... they must be ice baby [8D]
[IMG]local://upfiles/29881/75187864F53E461CB7F235713C7A1F9A.gif[/IMG]
I take alot of crap from my fellow employees for my 07 XL1200N. Surprisingly though, none of them have taken me up on my offer of: "lets run 'em."Hmmmm... I wonder why that is? lol Sportster bashing is a product of ignorance - people who don't really know their Harley 101/Harley history. I agree that Sportsters aren't the greatest two-up bikes (although they can do okay fora smaller couple). That is really the only major limitation that I see to the bike though. I say roll on with that 883... If anyone else is cooler than you.... they must be ice baby [8D]
[IMG]local://upfiles/29881/75187864F53E461CB7F235713C7A1F9A.gif[/IMG]
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2005
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RE: 883 = Red Headed Step Child??
i loved my 883 sporty, but just wanted something with hard bags. no offense to the guys with bags on a sporty, it's not for me. and i rode 2 up on a big twin, and just new that i wanted one. my wife is not the smallest of woman, so on my 883 in the mountains, it could have been better. so i was thinking of doing a 1200 conv, but that didn't solve the bag issue. so i decided to go to a big twin, andgot my EG. i love it, but i also love sporty's. and i've rode my buddies 1200 and it's not all that different than my 883. i think a lot of people that get the 1200, it's just their way of saying, "mine's bigger". and i don't mean everybody, just the majority. I got a camaro SS, mine's a 350 instead of a 305, well i got a 1200 instead of a 883. a sporty is a sporty, no matter how you look at it. and us sporty riders get bashed on all the time about girls bike this, small bike that, not a real harley, etc etc. so why don't ALL sporty riders stick together, instead of having bashing contest within the ranks of sporty riders. we all love our sporty's so what does it matter if it's an 883 or 1200?
later,
wanna
later,
wanna