Sportster Question
Sportster Question
I don't spend much time in this area because I have a Heritage. I have a question for you Sportster folks.
My wife has expressed the desire to own her own bike however she is less than 5 ft. tall, which makes her choices limited. She was looking at an 883 low the other night at the dealer. She got on the bike and stood it up without any help from me. Apparently some of the riding classes she has taken have paid off.
My buddy says I am totally wasting my money on an 883 and I should at least go for a 1200. But this bike is for my wife. She will never have anyone riding on the back and I doubt she will try riding it on Long Distance journeys. By long distances I mean more than a hundred or so miles.
Just curious what you Sportster Pros think. My thought is if it is for her and she is comfortable with the 883 then so be it.
My wife has expressed the desire to own her own bike however she is less than 5 ft. tall, which makes her choices limited. She was looking at an 883 low the other night at the dealer. She got on the bike and stood it up without any help from me. Apparently some of the riding classes she has taken have paid off.
My buddy says I am totally wasting my money on an 883 and I should at least go for a 1200. But this bike is for my wife. She will never have anyone riding on the back and I doubt she will try riding it on Long Distance journeys. By long distances I mean more than a hundred or so miles.
Just curious what you Sportster Pros think. My thought is if it is for her and she is comfortable with the 883 then so be it.
Club Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 30,914
Likes: 16
From: Springfield, Ohio
RE: Sportster Question
This thread might beof some help:
https://www.hdforums.com/m_2544837/tm.htm
Has a great list of seat height's in it.
I think the 883 will have all the power she would ever need.
https://www.hdforums.com/m_2544837/tm.htm
Has a great list of seat height's in it.
I think the 883 will have all the power she would ever need.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 83
Likes: 1
From: Darlington, England
RE: Sportster Question
Go with the 883 if that's the bike she feels comfortable with. My wife &I both ride 883R's. They are superb bikes, will cruise all day at 70 mph + & we don't feel any need for the extra engine capacity.[/align]
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
From: Southampton, United Kingdom
RE: Sportster Question
Hi, My wife has just bought her first Harley an 883 Low, she is just over 5ft tall and it fits her well, I tried to get her to go for a 1200, but she didn't like the idea, she only started riding earlier this year and then passed her bike test on a Suzuki Marauder 125. In the end I accepted that for her the 883 was the right choice, she felt confident and safe with it, that was inportant to me, and the bike was for her after all and not me. We can always put a 1200 top end on in a year or so !
Good luck
Steve
Good luck
Steve
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,961
Likes: 3
From: Boise, Idaho
RE: Sportster Question
The 883L would be a great choice.... Keep in mind that the 1200s really don't weigh any more than the 883s (the Nightster is actually the lightest of the bunch). However, the fact that she is comfortable on the 883 is really what is most important for a new rider IMHO. If she feels like she can handle the bike, then that's half the battle. Good luck and ride safe
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,478
Likes: 12
From: Nashville, TN
RE: Sportster Question
I have an 06 883L. I love the bike. Over 29,000 miles in 19 months. Has plenty of power, and I do all different kinds of riding. The extra power of the 1200 would be nice, but I've never felt like I didn't have enough power. Biggest problem might be the stock seat. That thing sucks, and if you get a more comfortable seat, the height might then become a problem. I can't help ya there. I didn't buy the Low because of my height, I'm 6'0". I just liked the looks of the Low better.
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,317
Likes: 11
From: Tucson, Az
RE: Sportster Question
The comfort level of the 883 L and the 1200 L should be the same. Interestingly the 1200 is even a couple pounds lighter. If you research enough thru these forums you will find a number of people who bought the 883 and wished they had bought the 1200. I've never seen a posting by anyone who had a 1200 wishing they had bought an 883. (Keep in mind a person can ride a 1200 just as slow as anyone can ride a 250.) If and when she does want to stretch her legs on more extended trips she will appreciate the 1200s more adaptability to the highway. Also, I think when you factor in the resale value it might be worth considering the 1200 L.
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