Misconceptions about the Sportster
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 32
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RE: Misconceptions about the Sportster
I just picked it up tonight and while I was riding it home... it's hard to say what I was feeling, but I just don't care what anyone says. I felt like a million bucks on it and I trully felt I had nothing to prove. I absolutly love it.
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2006
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RE: Misconceptions about the Sportster
Hell yeah.
Some dude in a deli parking lot sat on his bike and called mine, "...a half a Harley."
I look at the few oil drips on the pavement under his bike and told him, "Hey, you dropped your oil."
Sportsters are amazing bikes. I just bought mine about 2 monthes ago. I thought of it as my "starter Harley" and was planning on trading it in a year or two from now for something bigger. But talking to another Sportser owner, he quickly corrected me.
Instead of buying a bigger bike, I'd be buying a slower bike.
Some dude in a deli parking lot sat on his bike and called mine, "...a half a Harley."
I look at the few oil drips on the pavement under his bike and told him, "Hey, you dropped your oil."
Sportsters are amazing bikes. I just bought mine about 2 monthes ago. I thought of it as my "starter Harley" and was planning on trading it in a year or two from now for something bigger. But talking to another Sportser owner, he quickly corrected me.
Instead of buying a bigger bike, I'd be buying a slower bike.
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: West Georgia
RE: Misconceptions about the Sportster
Sure sounds like many of you are bagging on the big twins they way you claim they bag on your sporty. Sure you all say you would smoke a big twin but with all the times you would have to stop for gas the big twin would smoke you in distant. Try riding your sporty for 500 miles in a day at 90 miles an hour and tell me it out performs a bagger. All bikes have a purpose and I am sick of sporty owners putting down big twins. Your no differnt than a guy that calls your sporty a girls bike.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 219
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From:
RE: Misconceptions about the Sportster
My sporty holds 4.5 gals and I did ride it 500 miles in 8 hours to Sturgis last year having to stop every time the big twins and goldwings needed gas. My *** was sore but so was everyone elses.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 21,949
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From: My house
RE: Misconceptions about the Sportster
Wow, quite interesting, I didn't realize sportster owners were picked on so much. This might not sound purdy, but I'm at the point in life where I don't give a rat's behind what anyone says about what I ride, my bike works for me, I like it and if I really didn't like it, then I would ride something else until I found one that I was the most happy with, as long as it pleases you, is reliable, fits your budget, and gets you where you want to go and back, that's all that matters, a sportster, a RG, or another brand.
It's all about pleasing yourself, if you have to live up to someone elses standards to please yourself then you ain't figured out how to find your own way in life yet, keep trying you will, but do it on your own terms, we learn by making mistakes in life, we screw up when we keep making them. If I could afford to own a fleet of Harleys, I would have one of every model, but I can't so I ride the one model that suits my taste, and my style of riding, who cares that they call it an "OLD FARTS BIKE"
It's all about pleasing yourself, if you have to live up to someone elses standards to please yourself then you ain't figured out how to find your own way in life yet, keep trying you will, but do it on your own terms, we learn by making mistakes in life, we screw up when we keep making them. If I could afford to own a fleet of Harleys, I would have one of every model, but I can't so I ride the one model that suits my taste, and my style of riding, who cares that they call it an "OLD FARTS BIKE"
Advanced
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 79
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From:
RE: Misconceptions about the Sportster
Actually, I get many more compliments on my bike than put downs. A lot of the time it is good natured ribbing from guys I have known for a long time. But, on occasion, I have gotten snide put-downs from ******** that haven't put 1000 miles on any bike in their entire lifetime, but have a $30k trailer queen with another @10k in accessories. Those are the ones that chap my *** because it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the bike itself, but a perceived social status issue like my little used Sportster was all I could afford. That's what pissed me off about the guy the other day, I could hear the smugness in his voice and that just ain't "biker" to me. In fact, the economics of what I paid for the bike did weigh heavily in my decision when I bought it.
But, even then, I still love the little scoot and I think I'll just keep her. I rode old Ironhead sportys back in the day, they were great then and I think they're great now.
But, even then, I still love the little scoot and I think I'll just keep her. I rode old Ironhead sportys back in the day, they were great then and I think they're great now.
ORIGINAL: John TN
Wow, quite interesting, I didn't realize sportster owners were picked on so much. This might not sound purdy, but I'm at the point in life where I don't give a rat's behind what anyone says about what I ride, my bike works for me, I like it and if I really didn't like it, then I would ride something else until I found one that I was the most happy with, as long as it pleases you, is reliable, fits your budget, and gets you where you want to go and back, that's all that matters, a sportster, a RG, or another brand.
It's all about pleasing yourself, if you have to live up to someone elses standards to please yourself then you ain't figured out how to find your own way in life yet, keep trying you will, but do it on your own terms, we learn by making mistakes in life, we screw up when we keep making them. If I could afford to own a fleet of Harleys, I would have one of every model, but I can't so I ride the one model that suits my taste, and my style of riding, who cares that they call it an "OLD FARTS BIKE"
Wow, quite interesting, I didn't realize sportster owners were picked on so much. This might not sound purdy, but I'm at the point in life where I don't give a rat's behind what anyone says about what I ride, my bike works for me, I like it and if I really didn't like it, then I would ride something else until I found one that I was the most happy with, as long as it pleases you, is reliable, fits your budget, and gets you where you want to go and back, that's all that matters, a sportster, a RG, or another brand.
It's all about pleasing yourself, if you have to live up to someone elses standards to please yourself then you ain't figured out how to find your own way in life yet, keep trying you will, but do it on your own terms, we learn by making mistakes in life, we screw up when we keep making them. If I could afford to own a fleet of Harleys, I would have one of every model, but I can't so I ride the one model that suits my taste, and my style of riding, who cares that they call it an "OLD FARTS BIKE"
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,224
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From:
RE: Misconceptions about the Sportster
Any rider who picks on the Sportster should get an f'n slap in the face and a kick to the nuts for being a dumb azz.
These idiots are not real bikers. They have absolutely no appreciation for the Heritage of the sportster heritage. What about the legendary street dual's with the Triumph's, BSA's, and Norton's in the late 50's through the 70's. What about racing heritage on road or on the dirt track that dominates to this day. What about the fact that the Sportster is a direct decendent of the WL and WLA flat heads that won WWII. The list goes on and on and on.
Stand tall sportster owners. I'm with you and would love an "r" in my garage.
These idiots are not real bikers. They have absolutely no appreciation for the Heritage of the sportster heritage. What about the legendary street dual's with the Triumph's, BSA's, and Norton's in the late 50's through the 70's. What about racing heritage on road or on the dirt track that dominates to this day. What about the fact that the Sportster is a direct decendent of the WL and WLA flat heads that won WWII. The list goes on and on and on.
Stand tall sportster owners. I'm with you and would love an "r" in my garage.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 334
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From:
RE: Misconceptions about the Sportster
I dont ride a sportster, I ride a bagger actually, but two of my best friends have 1200c sportys and my wife rides a 883 sporty, and I tell you what, they are a great little bike, I am 6-1 and way 240 lbs, so I feel way too big for a sporty but I still love to take one for a ride now and then. There is no shame in owning a sporty, They are the bike that started it all. I do have to admit I do give my buddies a little crap now and then about their sporties, but its all in good clean fun. Just like when they call my R.K. a GeezerGlide. Id bet that 99% of the people who call them girl bikes or whatever are the same people who dont even own a bike. Enjoy your bike and keep the knees to the breeze bro.