883 - and how I wanted to hate this bike.

[Edbear]

Where do people get these idea's from ?

From the looks and sound...?

[Subike]

Not intended to be a tourer, the Sportster range is about looks and sound!

Almost the best bike as a tourer for newzealand roads
= Not fast enough to get tickets. ( want to out run a plod on one?)
= peanut tank ensures a coffee and a piss is taken often
= vibration means you cannot fall asleep
= poor brakes means you dont risk supersonic twisty manovers
= exhuast note is better sounding than an Ipod
= out of nessesity the jouney becomes better than the destination

The 84 sporty I had did the curcuit of the south island many times over in 2 years , never let me down once, only ever replaced the chain tyres and oil....

[240]

I had me a 1200 sporty and loved it! Rode a mates 883 and it really surprised me. I went back to Jap and now German so i am a brand whore! I will buy H-D again,and yes as you highlighted they do have faults and are crude but they are grouse!
Honestly though buy what makes you smile when you get off.... go the 883!

[popelli]

I was really enjoying your review until you threw in the character card. Pisses me off as if the same crap people claim as 'character' on HD's etc featured on a Jap brand they would rubbish it as vibrating too much, temperamental to start etc. Every bike I've ever owned, be lent or test ridden had some form of 'character' - liking or affording it or not was a completely different matter!

Right - that's off my chest.

I personally highly rate the Sportsters and recent additions like the Nightster and 48 only add to the appeal. However the 883 is indeed a gutless motor best ignored - go straight to the 1200 Heck many of the 883's you see being sold have had a 1200cc kit fitted, those poor owners should have shelled out the small extra cost of getting the 1200 in the first place and spent the balance of $ they put towards the big bore kit on some decent suspension.

Just an opinion. Ride the 1200 before signing up the 883.

Girls bike - pifffff, pass me a leather mini skirt then, I rate the Sporster.

buy the 883, they have different heads with samller ports than the 1200 and a kitted 883 is usually quicker than the factory 1200 and ultimately you can extract more power from the 883 heads than the 1200 heads

cost of converting a 883 to 1200 is not a lot and can be done in an afternoon by a competent bike shop

forget the harley clones, gerneally they do not hold their resale value and the evo sporty motor is pretty well bullet proof

[AllanB]

Interesting comments re 883 to 1200. Sounds like I was wrong (my kids tell me this happens often .....).

And he is right regarding resale on Harleys as a rule, however I've recently heard rather poor reports on low trades being offered on Sports by HD dealers. It may be a local thing I don't know. It's a give the Suzukis and the likes will drop a fair bit on trade value.

It is an interesting thing the cruiser market - there are Harleys, which ironically were never actually cruisers, just Harleys - that's just they way they were built! The phrase was not really coined until relatively recently (in bike years) - When Yamaha started doing 'factory customs' in the late 70's very early 80's they were 'specials' or 'customs'.

I am still surprised none of the Jap makers has revisited the high powered IL4 cruiser - I still think there is potential for a custom derivative of a standard. WTF says a cruiser has to be a V-twin? Maybe with ducati entering the scene the power wars will start again in this segment.

[martybabe]

80's they were 'specials' or 'customs'.

I am still surprised none of the Jap makers has revisited the high powered IL4 cruiser - I still think there is potential for a custom derivative of a standard. WTF says a cruiser has to be a V-twin? Maybe with ducati entering the scene the power wars will start again in this segment.

Couldn't agree more Allan,it's like the whole motorcycling world is stuck in the V twin/low power mind set when it comes to cruisers. High time they had another go at IL4, IL3 custom special thingies with the running gear of a naked/standard bike but with a custom type stylie, it can be done. I do acknowledge that some previous incarnations were a bit Fugly but I remember a beautiful home made FJ1200 custom thing, all the power/handling/brakes/Ground clearance of the original bike but fantastic custom lines.

I suppose Triumph have at least tried to break the Vtwin fashion with a couple of their models. Harley should stick with it though, wouldn't be a Harley without a Vtwin throbber.

[Big Dave]

A lot of subscribers would have got it today.
Mike Esdaile gives his usual detailed report.



I did the cover design this month too. :-)

[wysper]

A lot of subscribers would have got it today.
Mike Esdaile gives his usual detailed report.



I did the cover design this month too. :-)

sweet. something for me to look forward to, I often get mine on sat, but not today, maybe monday.
Noice cover BD.

[ellipsis]

...how many knockers of a completely user friendly m/c like the rubber mount 883 have actually ridden one...probably the same amount as has had interaction with our asian community or our indian community or our samoan community or...ad infinitum.....fuck all i bet...be tense in the arse and set your ill informed jaw.... unless you can ride like fuck and have had the experience of riding all types of machinery well. who has the final say on what is good , bad , ugly or suspect...my mates on big yank V2s have very little to say about jappy stuff....we mostly came from them...but you are worth a chuckle....you are all welcome to come round and drink piss with us ...anytime

[popelli]

...how many knockers of a completely user friendly m/c like the rubber mount 883 have actually ridden one...probably the same amount as has had interaction with our asian community or our indian community or our samoan community or...ad infinitum.....fuck all i bet...be tense in the arse and set your ill informed jaw.... unless you can ride like fuck and have had the experience of riding all types of machinery well. who has the final say on what is good , bad , ugly or suspect...my mates on big yank V2s have very little to say about jappy stuff....we mostly came from them...but you are worth a chuckle....you are all welcome to come round and drink piss with us ...anytime

exactly what have you been drinking and exactly what point are you making?

[Bonez]

Where do people get these idea's from ?

The little voices..................

[Owl]

Lots of comments like,

“it is a girls bike”
“it doesn't have enough power”
“the brakes are crap”
“the seat is hard”
“it vibrates like hell”

You forgot "8-8-nothing"



I laughed when I heard that one! However, plenty of people do like 883's and you obviously do. My niece certainly loved hers!

[doc]

The little voices..................

..........

[scumdog]

normajeanes (C.B.) '97 1200 'S' is a great bike, comes with factory twin disc front (that STOP the bike) and adjustable front and rear suspension, a real 'fun' bike, nimble and lithe.
200km to a tank
Vibration is bugger-all when riding.

Sadly they don't make 'S' model any more.

And if my 1450 Superglides rubber-mounted mechanical system is anythig to go by I don't think rubber-mounting the sportys will enhance what handling they have.

[Crasherfromwayback]

And if my 1450 Superglides rubber-mounted mechanical system is anythig to go by I don't think rubber-mounting the sportys will enhance what handling they have.

No, the rubber mounted Sportys are just as good as the pre rubber mounted ones. They made the frame much bettera when they rubber mounted them.