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I bought an 883 Sportster as my first bike because it was what I could afford at the time, plus I had never ridden a bike before and was intimidated by the bigger bikes. I had a friend ride it home from the dealership for me, and then had him " teach " me to ride. After taking the Rider Safety Course and learning how to ride the right way, I prceeded to put 10,000 miles on it in 2 years, including a 7500 mile trip from Mass to Nevada and back. I then tried a bunch of different bikes over the years but allways missed that Sportster, so last spring I had a chance to get another one, this time a 1200 and I grabbed it. I've had one of these on my face ever since.
I used to collect model motorcycles when I was young and I always loved the Sportsters (not even knowing anything about them). So last year I was flipping through a magazine and saw the "for as little as $99 a month" advertisemnt, and realized that I could actually afford one. A month and a half later I had the down payment saved up, and got my 883C wich is pretty much what I always wanted... Awesome.
Still got those old models. (minus a few that I destroyed)
I bought my XL1200C because it felt the most comfortable and was in my price range. To me it is the bike that epitomizes what motorcycles are. I bought it right after I completed my MSF course. I think I should have waited for this bike a little longer as my riding skills are not that good yet. I ended up buying a 250 to still practice on. Once I feel confident enough I'll ride the sporty again. I just can't afford to try it right now after the last ride and dropping it.
Price - and bang for the buck. To get into a Harley, I knew I wouldn't be able to afford a BT for quite awhile. With some adjustments I feel very comfortable on it ('92, with a Seeger Chopper kit) and don't feel that it's too much bike for me. I'll probably move to a larger bike when I can afford it, but for now it suits me just fine.
The reason i got my Sporty was to me the best damn looking bike on the showroom floor. The day I went looking, My friend and i on his wide glide went out looking for a Street Bob but that didn't happen. They had 4 Street Bob's I looked at first then i saw it. I went over and sat on it and right then i Knew i had to make it mine. It will be 2 years this October. I'll Never let it go!
I had a Vulcan 900, my wife a Vulcan 500. We have kids, hence, we are not off touring. I wanted a Harley and after test riding an 1200 08 Sporty Low I came to realize I liked the narrow, more flickable, office space. The extra grunt was really nice and who doesn't love that distinctive lope? ;-) So I traded the Kawi 900 (a fantastic bike BTW) on the 08 Low. Have not looked back.
Side note: My wife loved my Sporty more than me. Last weekend she came home with her own 1200 '07 Sporty Low. To her credit she took a test ride on a 2010 Dyna Custom to make sure she would not have a case of the woulda-shoulda-coulda's. She liked it but is was big and heavy compared to the Sportster. Maybe later.
Damn fine, fun, easy to ride, affordable bike in our opinion
I've always wanted a Sportster but keep messing with other bikes. Since I'm 68 and don't have all that much time besides being lazy, I finally got one that's ready to go.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
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Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
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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.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.