Just like to say hello to everyone.

I'm new to the HD world of bikes and my plan is to buy an 883 Iron, here are my plans below.

Let me know what you guys think.

- Drag bars ( not sure what type to get as yet )

- SE 1200 kit

- Vance & Hines 2 in 1 competition series exhaust

- Progressive 440 shocks with Progressive up front lowered 2" from stock

- Joker machine airfilter, side speedo, fuel cap, foot pegs

- HD side number plate assembly, fuel gauge

Anyway thats the plan thus far, has anyone bought and Iron just from looks alone?

 

 

 

 

 

Gidday Davide and welcome. Sounds like you have it all planned out. You might want to think about the progressive lowered 2" front springs, as the Iron has bugger all front suspension travel as it is. Remember that the Aussie Irons have 13" rear shocks, not 11" like the American models. I put the 11 " rear shocks only on mine and left the front alone, and it looks and works fine.

And yes, I bought the Iron because I took one look at it in the TV ad, on the net and then in the metal and just had to have it. I like the new 48 as well, but the denim black Iron still pushes all my buttons for looks. Just buy one now man, you won't regret it.

Hey David, welcome aboard! I like the sound of what you're thinking, although the side mount kit for the number plate ain't legal as far as I know. Can't wait to see the build pics!

I bought an Iron just based on the looks, and it's my first Harley too. I love the look of both the Iron and the 48 though - if you're going the 1200, why don't you just start with the 48?

TC, have you ever put a pillion on those 11" shocks? I wonder if they make em longer in oz because of the goat tracks they call roads here...? I like the lowered look and am on the verge of getting some Ikons - would like to go shorter, but worried about bottoming out over speed humps/out of pot holes (and there's plenty of those in Sydney)

Hello TC.

I was not sure about the 2" lowered front so I sent an e-mail to Progressive to see what they say. What about getting standard height for the front but still Progressive.

I was told that the AU Iron have 13.5" shocks at rear as confirmed by the dealer here in TAS. So I thought I would lower it 2" and thus it would not be as low as the US Iron, only just.

I do like the 48 but not the fat tyre so much and the 8L tanks.

I really like the Night Rod Special too but 16K more then an Iron? Not sure.

 

Hello daimoh

I don't know if the side mount kit is legal or not but I know I can get one put on if I wish. I guess its like a staight through exhaust, if you can see through it its not legal but everyone still puts them on anyway.

The 48 looks cool but I don't want wire wheels and the fat tyre so much either. The 8L tank is very small and wont get you far either.

I really like the look of the Iron, paint and all, so out of the sportsters this is the look I likes. If were to buy the Nightster then I need to add the Iron wheels, paint (which all costs extra)and the engine isnt black either.

So by getting an Iron + 1200 kit it will cost the same as a 1200 sportster but I have the look I want which I cannot get with the Nightster and 48.

Good one David - I wasn't sure about the upgrade to 1200 cost, so I figured it would be cheaper to do everything else. Srsly looking forward to seeing what you do with it. I love my Iron, and I'm sure you'll love yours too

On the shocks side, did you look at the Ikons? They're Aussie made and as far as I have read, they're every bit as good as the progressives. Judging wondering if I might have missed something ....

TC883, I already have all those bits for my bike in my shed I just have not ordered the bike as yet. Some people tell me to stick with the 883 for a while and some say go for the 1200 straight away. One other thing I did not say Iwas going to do to the bike is flip my mirrors also. I could just buy a Night Rod I suppose but thats a lot of money for a bike really. I know some people who spend all this money on bikes and they just end up sitting there in the garage.

Hello smokeweazel

Who is doing you 1250 conversion and what kit are you getting?

How did you find the 883 riding it around, I was thinking that I would stick with the 883 for a little while and only put on my V&H 2 into 1 pipe + air cleaner and tuner. Then in the future I would do a 1200 kit install or should I do the kit straight away, what do you think?

 

I have the SE slip-ons and tuner and I find the power is quite good. Anything over 140 and it's a struggle, but up to there it's great - plenty of overtaking power, heaps of speed off at the lights.

Be interested in the fuel economy with the 1200 though - I get around 200-225 before the light comes on with a mix of city and windey cow try roads, and I suppose it would be nice to know how much quicker it would be with the 1200.... What's the rough cost of it, all up?

I'm 85kgs too, and sometimes lug the wife around. Not done too much highway work with her on the back, but again, the take off from th lights is great.

Davide,
Welcome to the forum. Your build plan sounds great. The Irons are a sweet looking bike. The first harley I tried had the full SE setup on it and it flew. If I had tried a stock bike first, I probably would never have bought one but I am so glad I did. I have a 1200 sportster and over the past couple of years have ridden a wide variety of harleys whilst mine is getting serviced.
With all of the harleys I have tried, when they have stock exhausts they feel realy underpowered and disapointing. This is because the stock exhaust is so restrictive. However even a hi flow exhaust makes a big difference to the power. Then when you add the air cleaner and tuner, plus progressive shocks it is like a different beast all together. Where I am getting to is if you plan to ride the iron for a while before adding the 1200 / 1250 kit, atleast put the hi flow exhaust, air cleaner tuner and progressive shocks on. The difference over stock will be very noticable.

Have fun

Sprocket

what does the kit include, and how do you think HD would feel if I bought this kit and told them to put it in??

 

The cost is close to 3k fitted. So it brings the Iron to about the same price point as say the Nightster. If I wanted to make the Nightster look like the Iron it would cost more.

Hello Sprokets.

I thought that if I do the 1200 conversion kit straight away I may be able to sell the new heads for a better price maybe.

Another way I thought I would save money is get HD to do the conversion from new then buy a V&H fuel pack and put the

exhaust and aircleaner on myself using V&H settings for a 1200.

I have also been told by two HD dealers that they get better results going from an 883 to 1200 then a stock 1200 of the floor.

 

I will not go the Fuelpak anymore, was talking to HD and they would do a 1200 conversion for $2600 fitted and tuned. What I did not know was in

that the 1200 and 883 heads valves are not the same size,bigger in the 1200. So I'm stuck again in what to do for now, it would be simpler if I could order a Nightster to look like the Iron.

I also heard that HD are launching a program in the US this coming summer ( their summer ) the HD1 custom program. You will be able to order say a sportster with what ever paint, wheels, engine covers ets you 

may want straight off the HD factory. Waiting time will be an extra 2 weeks, so I will wait a little longer to see what happens. There was a youtube video on this but it has now been removed for some reason.