Ok  let's see how many die-hard Sportster fans we have here just to kick it off I have owned quite a few Harley's, four Sportie's, one FXR, one Low Rider and one WLA, now the bike I miss the most is my FXR it was a fantastic bike but now I own a very good  XL 1200R  Sportster I set it up with good shocks, good seat, and handle bar riser's and now the bike fit's me like a glove.

So here is the point I am trying to make I getting back a good tax return so if I sell my Sportie plus the money from my tax return I should be able to step up to a bigger Harley I admit it will be a second hand bike and a older model but here lies my problem if I get a bigger bike I have to start to set to it up again but I will have no money left plus could I also bought someone else's problem's with this bike so no money to fix as well.

The winner is keeping my Sportster I do love this bike as I said it is set up well, it goes great with plenty of power to spare, motor runs very sweet, and last but not least I be a bloody fool to sell such a great bike GO THE SPORTSTER'S cheers.

 

Good topic Choco.

Personally i would never upgrade to a bigger bike. My Iron is my first harley and the reason why i got it was because it was great value for money. There has been alot more people buying Harleys now because of the new appeal of these entry level bikes. Definitely a culture change happening with HD. Even when my iron is 10 years old i will chop it into a bobber! then it will keep its appeal in my eyes. ALso not concerned with the power  It's got enough HP for my liking.

I cannot justify getting  a motorcycle that is worth a nice car. To answer the question, even if i could afford and upgrade to a big bike dont think i would, i just hoon around town with my mates for fun. A motorcycle will never become my primary form of transport hence no need for a big bike.

Dont get rid of your sporties! they will eventually become classics!

HOWEVER .......if someone said i give you a harley for free..........2010 fat boy lo please

But thats just my opinion.

Good topic for discussion Choco

Mate where do i start

In 1986 i had 4500 cash in my pocket and walked along elizabeth street melb looking for a top nick trumpy or sporty. Could have bought a brand new suzuki katana ride away and had 250 cash left (running them out at that time) I was 20 by the way

But i spied a 1981 Laverda Jota with a slaters racing 3 into one short open megaphone race exhaust guess what 24 years later i still got it. 

Got married had kids mortgage etc and still got the lot,  but managed to sell off all my crap in the garage ie CX500's Ducati Singles and the remains of an SFC replica twin and finally got my hands on a sporty (IRON 883)  nicknamed the ebay bike cause thats how i got the money together.

I have ridden 1200 sporties a dyna, softy, roadking, new Trumpy, and too many Jap bikes to list in my decision of what to get next for what may be my last motorcycle purchase. 

Where do i start in my praise of my sporty age has come into play here, i dont need 120 hp, i dont want 400 dollar rear tyres, i dont need forward controls, i dont need a big bulky bike to get to work, i dont need 1600cc to ride at 60 ks an hour or even at 100ks

All in all my sporty rules and you know what in a couple of years when it gets the 1200 kit and any mods i make to it it will be icing on the cake.

Springer fork wire wheels etc etc by the way check back in 24 years mate and we will have this discussion again

Brucey

 

The Sporty is the bike for me. The cost/value for money was not really an  issue for me, I just love the way it rides and feels and sounds. The big twins just are'nt my kind of thing.

Funny thing, just like Brucey I also own a Laverda that I bought new some years ago.

I've spent a fair bit of time on most of the range lately, I've got a friends 06 softail in the shed that I ride a fair bit, and I've spent alot of time on my cousins 2010 V-rod Muscle. I've got to be honest, I HATE the soft tail, and the V-rod was good fun in the begining, (fit is terrible though) Untill I did the 1250 conversion on mine, then I wasn't really that impressed with the V-rod given the huge price differences between the two.

Out of the whole range, The sporty fits me the best, I'm not a tall guy though. - If I were to buy another Harley now, It would be a current streetbob with some forwards (looks & fit) or a fatbob which rides the best by far...

I gota admit, a Fatboy lo with a shorter seat, some forwards & the boards thrown in the bin would be pretty cool too..

Go ride every bike your dealer will let you get on. Somed you'll like & others you'll just plain hate.

Thanks everyone for your replies so far it is a good topic to talk about and I admit even if I had the spare cash I would not to move up to a bigger bike because like I said before I got a fantastic bike and I would be a bloody fool to sell it I love my 1200 Sportie it does everything I want it to do and at half the cost of a bigger Harley so I am on a winner there as well cheers.

Yep, similar reasons to most of the other posts here. My iron 883 is my first Harley too. Its great for fanging around town and longer rides on the weekend. With my family situation at the moment, long distance touring is out of the question. As for the power, if I wanted outright performance I would have kepy my Ducati and made some chiropracter very rich. Dollar for dollar, the sporties are hard to go past. I like the big twins too, but being a smaller sized person, the Sportster just fits right. I have ridden a fair number of bikes, and the Iron is one of very few that just felt right the moment I road it. hard to put it better than that - it just fits.

Nice one Piglet! Good example. The 90's models are tops!

It can be Scary going up to one of the Big bikes ... wooooh.

Choco personally mate i would love to chip up to a bigger bike, but not at the cost of losing my nightster. Its the first Harley i got and hopefully i will give it to my kid one day for his first. I have spent alot of time and money like you by the sounds of things getting it set up the way you like it. My plan is to save up and hopefully in a few years chip up to a softail deluxe and start the time and money again as it has been fun doing alll the work myself. I love all styles of Harleys and would like to own one of each but not rich.

Anyway mate your call

Bucket, Have you had major issues with your sporty? or anyone...whose had it for that long.

Usual wear and tear obviously...but like oil leaks...etc.

 love my 883 but just got a 2010 muscle and BLOODY HELL ..... dont ride one unless you can afford it or you will probably sell ya kids for it

 Piglet your sporty to me is the perfect HD. Seriously run in and you are in no hurry to change. Did you ever find a six speed box? Message there for people who think the 5 speed topping out at say 180kph is enough.

My Iron was meant to be my first and last HD so I spent every cent I could find on it then fell in love with a 2005 fatboy which I was dead scared to get on - fitted crash bars straight up. Funny thing is it was easy to ride (best advice I got was from someone on the forum re starting out on it: "Keep away from that front brake") and  I like it a lot but now I have to sell the Iron and will find it very hard to let go. If it wasn't for lack of parking and money I'd keep it forever.

I saw the perfect Iron last week - a 2010 in stock condition and absolutely filthy. It has clearly been kept outside and never washed. This is one bike that looks like it's meant to be dirty! You can't treat a big twin like that.

Piglet.  If you dont mind what sort of seat do you have on your sporty,it looks like a comfy single .  Regards Bagga.

Enjoyed my time on the Sporty even for an 883, having a fucking ball on the 2010 Dyna Super glide custom, like a Sporty on steroids,handles so much beter, I even put Sportster bars on it because there so comfortable

Oh hell yeah !

 

I also own a 1972 Corvette but I'm saving up to buy a Station Wagon !!!!!

Man, I'd trade that Corvette any time for a '72 Ford Ranchero with it's gobs of body roll, three speed slushbox, 3 miles to the gallon, fantastic performance (1-60 in jus 3 weeks !) street credability beyond belief ! I'd just be the ENVY of EVERYONE !

 

Step up ????

Step Up ????

I guess if you get old and need to slow down it's a step up. Once you lose your balls and become a grandpa and prefer the stereo and air conditioning it looks like a step up.

Not for me yet (I'm only 59). Maybe in a couple more years when my knees finally give out all together. I'll even get an electric start one.

Ok i'm 6'3" and about 110kg and this is my ride......never thought of changeing her....

Yeah, I couldnt help myself, and got a Heritage Softail. Naughty hey.

So, if you want to move up to a 2010 Custom 1200 Sporty, let me know, cause this sweet little girl is for sale.

So nimble hopping off the bigger bike back onto the sporty, but I want to do a lot more distance cruising, so plenty of room in it for my goodies. Not that the sporty was a problem. Weekend down the coast a few months ago was a breeze, and no problems keeping up with the big boys, except the throttle hand reconsidering some of the higher 3 digit numbers.

So, wanna new (almost) 2010 1200 Custom, let me know.

hey guys funny isnt when the twin cams came out around 99--2,000 everyone wanted one, wow 2 cams. The good old sportsters were running 4 cams, gear driven at that. A closer to vertical and shorter pushrods than any other harley model. Not only that the box was a right side out drive not like their big brothers--alot easier to get to that trans pulley.( no pulling the whole inner and outer prinary off) Have to be a stronger box with power in one side then out the other or at least that seems to be the way baker boxes are made. the sportsters certainly have a lot going for them especially with the 1200 motors---just my two cents worth---(07 roadking rider) cheers Grim

I still have my Iron and will sell it because of lack of cash and space but it has a lot going for it. Easy to handle, heaps of fun because you have to ride it harder, looks just as good dirty as clean and you'll take it in the rain without hesitation. With the home-of-chrome Fat Boy if there is a cloud between Sydney and Perth it stays inside. If I had enough riding hours available I'd be tempted to keep the Sporty. If I can only have one bike though, the Fatty is more comfortable at speed and a more relaxed ride...as long as you don't drop it at the lights (so far so good).