Harley Sportsters

**Headbanger** · 27th July 2009, 14:31

And there she is, The one with the orange stripe and set of Kerkers. Bought her when I was 18. Totally fucked it.And sold it when I was 20.

**peasea** · 27th July 2009, 19:19

Originally Posted by Headbanger

Or ride right past that service station while the Sportster rider fills up up his cute little tank.

I'd be willing to "race" one from Wellington to Auckland.

That'd be fun.

**peasea** · 27th July 2009, 19:23

Originally Posted by Sketchy Snr

Do you consider Sportsters as an entry level bike, seems Harley Davidson do as they are promoting below. What are your thoughts not so much about HD but about sportsters being entry level?

Remember when a guarantee used to mean something? We still believe in your hard earned dollars working for you. So here's our guarantee: The price you pay for a new Sportster motorcycle is what you'll get back when you trade in.* Guaranteed.

So walk into a dealership and buy a new '09 Sportster® now through August 31st, 2009. Ride it for up to a year. Keep your Sportster in good condition. Then trade it in within one year of purchase for a new Dyna®, Softail®, VRSC™ or Touring model and get back the price you paid. That's right – valued as if it was brand spankin' new.

SCREW IT, LET'S RIDE.

2009 MOTORCYCLES || CUSTOMIZING || FINANCING || RIDER'S EDGE || FIND A DEALER

*Other important conditions apply. View Full Terms & Conditions

My missus is on her second one. Iused to bag them until I took her first one for a fang. Twaz an 883 with a 1200 kit, went well enough, nicely tuned, Harris, SE airbox, Hagons etc. She now has an '07 1200 but that's not got the ground clearance of her '96. Day one we both caught both sides. I like it; it's peppy, more nimble than my W/g and very good looking. I think they are under-rated actually.

**oldguy** · 27th July 2009, 19:36

I do like the look of the XR1200 been thinking about a demo.

Thanks BD for pic hehe

**doc** · 27th July 2009, 19:50

In my expert opinion, go for it.Dont touch the old iron head shit. Mind you they use to be the only hardley you could get in NZ anyway. 883's are a great bulletproof engine. You want to see how much linning that is ground out to make it a 1200. The only time you notice the lack of grunt is when you want to keep up with the bigger stuff , generally passing traffic. But those on the bigger hardleys usually have the same brakes and another 100lbs of momentum so you sneek up on them all the time. Definitly are a more fun ride than those that aspire to have the bigger equipment. They get a bit uncomfortable on the long trips ,and you can't fit as much gear on with out looking like a sherpa. The only time I wish I had a big one is when we're all stopped and bullshitting bout how great the ride was,you forget about that next corner. . You get over the politics of Hardleys and they are great machines. Ferk such a long post I'm going to go and have a lie down that was so tiring.

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**Molly** · 27th July 2009, 20:03

Wife had an '06 883 which I used to love riding (the Sportster not the, oh, erm. OK, well the wife too but that's not what this is about). Anyway, Sportsters are stonkin' and the XR (esp. the blacked-out one for 2010) is great value at around $16k. The valve geometry is better suited to performance tuning too.

Only criticism of the wife's Sportie was that the suspension lacked adjustability. May be better on the new XR though.

**Gareth51** · 27th July 2009, 20:36

[QUOTE=MadDuck;1129325911]I have over taken many an 883 without much effort.

QUOTE]

But you're just a mad duck when it comes to speed

**Big Dave** · 27th July 2009, 20:44

**rosie631** · 27th July 2009, 20:47

The sporties are cool. I have owned two. Looked at getting another one this time round but I want to do some long trips so went for another big one. Sporty would leave me for dead through the bends tho.

**Sketchy Snr** · 27th July 2009, 21:18

Originally Posted by oldguy

I do like the look of the XR1200 been thinking about a demo.

Thanks BD for pic hehe

I also would like to add one of these to my garage. Love to take one for a demo too.

**Sketchy Snr** · 27th July 2009, 21:41

Thanks for all your comments, i have loved the sportys mainly because of my size but i see a lot of smaller people riding big blocks now as well as a fair few women. There is still that feeling the riders on the big blocks look down on you though as if ahh you havn't growen up yet and now i get the feeling that H D are now pushing the same as a sales ploy. Sportsters have been around since 1958 ( i think from memory ) and i believe they are bike in there own right and the comments i have read on here proves that as guys and gals remember there sportster days with pride that entry level maybe for some but real bikes for others. As you can see i like black ones and now i dont have to stop at all the gas stations. I was at manfeild on saturday and there was a guy there racing one it was great to see the set up he had, was he as fast as the jappas, hell no but i bet he was having fun.