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I own a black 883 and the only thing I added was ape hanger handle bars, they are just the ticket for comfort on rides cause you are closer to the controls.
Welcome to the world of Harley. I bought mine in June of this year, '05 883C. I upgraded the seat to the HD touring seat and added Sportster Pullback Handle bars, Kuryakin footpegs with heel rest. I tell you all that, to tell you this, 5,300+ miles since June. I have ridden 200 miles in one day and over 400 in one week-end, plus the back and forth to work and out around town. It is a good all around bike. Maybe not so good for longer straight through type rides, but if I was looking for comfort on 1,000 mile trips I'd a bought a Winnebago. By the way I'm 50 and aint a tough young gun no more. Tough "maybe" deffiantly not young! Fire up that Sporty and ride, ride, ride!
I just turned 60 and the XL1200R is everything I was looking for in a bike. No cushy suspended two-wheeled Cadillacs for me. Give me a bike that's tight, with strong torque, and good speed for riding the twisties. I love having my face in the wind at a good angle (left and right) and the XL1200R fits my style perfectly! Now, to get everything ready for Sturgis next year...
Ive been through my share of bikes, and I always come back to the sportsters. I love them. Ive never had an 883 but Id assume there is little difference between them and the 1200s.
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.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
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.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
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.