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If youre looking for a fun bike then the 48 scratches that itch for sure. Its a blast to ride. Definitely recommend the 2 riser though. Makes the bike much more comfortable
If you have a debit card it just takes a sec to run through the gas station. I put 19k on my 48 never had a problem one. I believe the sportsers are one of the least expensive to maintain most reliable bikes made today,yes a Harley Davidson... I live in mt and the small tank sometimes was a challenge getting from one place to the next but with a debit card it made it doable. With that said have you seen the new 1200 iron? Might be worth a look.
Last edited by 5150northrider; Mar 7, 2018 at 10:48 AM.
I tried the 1200C, the Indian Scout, Yamaha Bolt ... and many other cruisers and touring from 500 lbs all the way to 930 lbs. I found anything above 600 lbs is not as fun on the twisty roads as the ones in the 500 - 600 lbs range. The Indian Scout had more power than the 1200 Custom, but the ride was kind of bland compared to the 1200C.
I like everything on this 48 except the 2.1-gallon tank.
If you could share what you like and what you don't like about the 48, that would help. If you could also tell me about the Sportster reliability.
I've owned my 2017 48 just over a year, it's my first bike and love it probably more than I should. LOL During the summer last year, I test rode a "17" Heritage & "17" Road King, during that time I really thought I wanted to up-size. But after some thought, I realized I'd more than likely missed my 48 more than I'd enjoy a bigger bike. I've added a few things but, that's part of making her mine. I also for awhile wanted to swap out the tank but then it wouldn't be a 48. For me the tank makes it but, I guess a 3.3 could pass.
"If I get another bike someday, my 48 is going nowhere!" I chose my bike on looks alone without a test drive and luckily I could never be any righter.
I am 5'9" and like my ride but I found the stock bars to be no good as they made me reach too far so I put on Biltwell chumps which i am very happy with. If you have never ridden forward controls then you will want to change them too because I feel like I have little control with nothing to grasp with my legs. I plan on putting mids or further forward mids on soon but I can't decide which. If you are used to grabbing a bike with you knees then you will be uncomfortable because it is impossible. I added a squeeze bar or grip bar which helped a little. I get a lot of complements on my bike but for longer rides i would look elsewhere . I would say yes for the commute but after a hundred miles you will be hating it and if you hit a sizable bump on the hwy you rear end will be launched off the seat which is a little scary. Let me know if you have anymore questions.
I bought a 2011 Sportster 48 a few years ago with only 1,000 miles on it. To me the 48 is the coolest bike Harley makes, hands down.
I used it to hop around town over my Ultra and believe me the factory seat sucked, it road like ****, vibrated like a mother*ucker, but I LOVED IT!
That tiny tank had me filling up on a regular basis and averaged about 70 miles per tank full.
I had the same choice when I bought my Roadster when they first came out. My advice is to test ride both at your local HD dealer and see which one speaks to you. The main factor that swayed me on the roadster v the 48 was the bigger tank size and the mid controls (I found them more comfortable coming from riding sport bikes/dirt bikes). IMHO you can't go wrong with a sporty for riding just for fun. You can hammer on it and lean it hard or sit back and cruise comfortably. Attachment 620374
Nothing but good, love my 48. Swapped out the peanut tank for a 3.3 gallon tank, tall boy bars, sundowner seat, wind screen from National cycles and a stage 1 with DK outlaw 587 AC, freedom slip ons and power vision tuner. Maybe not the quintessential 48 but I made it the way I like.
I started on a '95 883, went to a superlow, which I did not like and then found my 2014 48. I love this bike - its just fun. I don't know how else to put it. Over the last couple of years I've added mini apes and a larger tank. I've had other bikes but for a day or afternoon of fun riding out in the country, its the 48.
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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.
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