If there is "head shake" there Is a problem.
Shure those flat police style windshields cause turbulence and can toss
your head around.

But Head shake,,,IF you meant Bike Head shake,,front end shake and not brain shake,,:=)
I would consider any head shake dangerous and stop riding till It was
sorted.

There Is no excuse for any Sportster,,any model to wobble or wiggle
at any sane speed or on any reasonable road surface.

I doubt that 1 in 1,000 harleys have the suspension "Sag" set correctly
and I would bet that 1 in 5 are running the manuals reccomended
tire pressure on the stock Lops,,,
All the time thinkin,,the sportster Is supposed to be like this.

 

You already have the big tank, as opposed to the smaller 3.3 gallon one on my 2006 XL883. If I just cruise steadily on a freeway with mine, I bet I get 60 mpg. Yours is fuel injected, but should get similair gas mileage?

I believe the Custom models (not the "new" Custom 1200 for 2011) use shorter shocks, but the longer fork tubes like my XL883. You could probably go with the stock front wheel form a XL883 model, which is a cast wheel. That would give you a 19 inch front wheel, but it wouldn't be the fat tire like on a "48". A parts guy should be able to compare the parts on the 48 to your bike to see if the stock 48 front wheel is a direct bolt-on for your bike. Another option, would be to go to another unlaced rim and have it laced up to your front hub. Then you know it would bolt right on. Again, your HD parts guys should be able to find you a rim to lace up to your hub that would run a smaller diameter, but fatter tire.Drag Specialities or Custom Chrome catalogs should have some.You would still have the spoked wheel though-if that's okay with you.

The spoked wheels need more maintenance (checking spoke tightness), and a flat tire on the road means bigger trouble. A cast wheel, if you carry a kit, can very often be at least temperarily patched without even having to remove the wheel. You can then ride away. I prefer the cast wheels for this reason. They are heavier though.

Power-wise, I like my 883 just fine. I've ridden for 50 years now and owned over 20 bikes, and I'm happy with an 883. If for some reason, you outfit your 883 with windshields, bags, etc, and then decide you need more power, you can do an inexpensive conversion. If you go with the Screaming Eagle (Harley) "dished" pistons, then you can reuse your stock 883 heads.You have to buy 1200 cylinders, or maybe have you old ones bored. Just do this and you have gained about 36% in displacenment-that's quite a bit. The parts can probably be bought for about $900? So, there is always that option. That should make you feel better about spending money outfitting your 883. I have no intention to make m7 883 into a . Maybe if it needs a top end rebuild, I might do it then. A coworker just bought a 1994 with 60,000 miles on it and it still runs great.

Jon

 

Just get a new bike when you can. You are going to pay a lot of money in labor for all those changes and the bike will still not be worth one cent more.