Which Sporty model..Form or Function ??
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Which Sporty model..Form or Function ??
Nearly ready to buying my fist Harley...and need some advice.
I currently own a 2009 Suzuki Boulevard C50 classic, which i really love...but I just want a Harley...the sound... that endine.. the heritage..well you know..
My first limitation will be budget (Harley are really expensive down here in Australia), so as much as I'd love a nice Heritage Softail....it's way out of my budget... So i'm looking at the various Sportster models.
Here's what I'm liking ...and what I'm wondering about:
"Forty Eight" .. love the low fat look ... BUT doesn't look like much suspension there (to compare with my Bouly)..and that tank ain't going to take me very far either...So any solutions with that model ??
"Iron" ... Also love the look / style... but have similar concerns..
Another model i was looking at is the "09 "Low" 1200 (American version)..we have a few of these imported for reasonable money... though not exactly the style I love...look lik it maybe a little more comfortable and has the bigger tank too...
I'll be looking at a second hand model..preferable just a few years old with low mileage.
I commute on my bike daily (only a few kms) but try to get in at least one good ride (a few hundred kms) most weekends..
Anyway...any advice you can offer me would be most appreciated..
thanks Brian
I currently own a 2009 Suzuki Boulevard C50 classic, which i really love...but I just want a Harley...the sound... that endine.. the heritage..well you know..
My first limitation will be budget (Harley are really expensive down here in Australia), so as much as I'd love a nice Heritage Softail....it's way out of my budget... So i'm looking at the various Sportster models.
Here's what I'm liking ...and what I'm wondering about:
"Forty Eight" .. love the low fat look ... BUT doesn't look like much suspension there (to compare with my Bouly)..and that tank ain't going to take me very far either...So any solutions with that model ??
"Iron" ... Also love the look / style... but have similar concerns..
Another model i was looking at is the "09 "Low" 1200 (American version)..we have a few of these imported for reasonable money... though not exactly the style I love...look lik it maybe a little more comfortable and has the bigger tank too...
I'll be looking at a second hand model..preferable just a few years old with low mileage.
I commute on my bike daily (only a few kms) but try to get in at least one good ride (a few hundred kms) most weekends..
Anyway...any advice you can offer me would be most appreciated..
thanks Brian
Last edited by metromix; Feb 10, 2012 at 04:34 AM.
Road Master
Joined: May 2010
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From: ENGLAND
All the cool looking sportsters , iron ,48 and nightster , have pretty bad suspension , and a lot of the comfort problems really depend on how much you weigh , i was to heavy for mine and i hatted it after about 20 miles , if i were lighter i would have loved it , you will get about 120 miles from the iron and nightster tanks and about 80 miles out of the 48 ,swapping the 48 tank to a nightster one seems a common mod , because of the limited range , but there not tourers, there fun , run around kind of things with a great look , your not going to feel sad on any of them , and with a set of slip on mufflers and some new progressive type shocks , any of them will suit anyone who is around 180 lbs , ........my personal fav is the 48 , it just looks so cool , specially if you paint the tank 
Last edited by MADDOG187; Feb 10, 2012 at 04:50 AM.
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Ok, well I only weigh around 155 lbs...and I'm only 5'7" too...hence the lower bikes suiting me better...
So how different is the ride with these "progressive type shocks" ?
I also read somewhere...that a guy was looking at an additional fgas tank mounted somewhere on a 48 too...can't remember exactly where it was though... hmmm anyone here done that ?
So how different is the ride with these "progressive type shocks" ?
I also read somewhere...that a guy was looking at an additional fgas tank mounted somewhere on a 48 too...can't remember exactly where it was though... hmmm anyone here done that ?
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Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Snow Hill, NC
I am 6'1" and had a 05 XL883C...i weighed 250 at the time..it was a pretty comfortable bike...i personally wouldn't go with a low or iron...those look good but the suspension sux.
You may pick upa 883C or 1200C, bigger tank and suspension...the 05 had a Carburator on it but i re-jetted it and it ran good....
I would also go no older than 05 because that is when they started rubber mounting the motor to the frame and made a difference....
Having had a C50, you will love even the 883....The usability of the gears are a lot better than the C50...I could ride 70 MPH on the interstate and with a windshield it was good....I had a nice big T-bad and had a square cushion made to snap on to the T-bag to serve as a backrest and could ride pretty long distonce considering it was a sportster...The stock seat was so-so... i installed a Sundowner and VOILA....
Don't let anybody tell you that a 883 is underpowered but a 1200 is quite a difference and i think worth the extra cash...you should be able to find a used one somewhere....
Not sure how the Harley market is down under...
Good luck and you will love the **** eating grin on your face when you ride it...BUT BEWARE....the sportster is like Crack....it will get you hooked....If you can find a deal on a nice Dyna or Softail...go for it.
You may pick upa 883C or 1200C, bigger tank and suspension...the 05 had a Carburator on it but i re-jetted it and it ran good....
I would also go no older than 05 because that is when they started rubber mounting the motor to the frame and made a difference....
Having had a C50, you will love even the 883....The usability of the gears are a lot better than the C50...I could ride 70 MPH on the interstate and with a windshield it was good....I had a nice big T-bad and had a square cushion made to snap on to the T-bag to serve as a backrest and could ride pretty long distonce considering it was a sportster...The stock seat was so-so... i installed a Sundowner and VOILA....
Don't let anybody tell you that a 883 is underpowered but a 1200 is quite a difference and i think worth the extra cash...you should be able to find a used one somewhere....
Not sure how the Harley market is down under...
Good luck and you will love the **** eating grin on your face when you ride it...BUT BEWARE....the sportster is like Crack....it will get you hooked....If you can find a deal on a nice Dyna or Softail...go for it.
Road Master
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 950
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From: ENGLAND
Ok, well I only weigh around 155 lbs...and I'm only 5'7" too...hence the lower bikes suiting me better...
So how different is the ride with these "progressive type shocks" ?
I also read somewhere...that a guy was looking at an additional fgas tank mounted somewhere on a 48 too...can't remember exactly where it was though... hmmm anyone here done that ?
So how different is the ride with these "progressive type shocks" ?
I also read somewhere...that a guy was looking at an additional fgas tank mounted somewhere on a 48 too...can't remember exactly where it was though... hmmm anyone here done that ?
the range on a 48 should be o.k for what you do , but Ive seen those aluminium camping fuel canisters strapped to 48,s in case they run low , or you could put 1 or 2 in a tool toll or a saddle bag if you were going on a longer run just to get you out of trouble,
you soon get used to the range of your bikes and fill up early rather than run out .
Last edited by MADDOG187; Feb 10, 2012 at 06:53 AM.
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: oklahoma
get what bike you want man... get the bike you fell for when you first saw it! you will end up wanting to replace the shocks soon anyway!
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From: Orange County, New York
Ok, well I only weigh around 155 lbs...and I'm only 5'7" too...hence the lower bikes suiting me better...
So how different is the ride with these "progressive type shocks" ?
I also read somewhere...that a guy was looking at an additional fgas tank mounted somewhere on a 48 too...can't remember exactly where it was though... hmmm anyone here done that ?
So how different is the ride with these "progressive type shocks" ?
I also read somewhere...that a guy was looking at an additional fgas tank mounted somewhere on a 48 too...can't remember exactly where it was though... hmmm anyone here done that ?
