Hey....
Ok....its that newbie....seeking thoughts/opinions/comments please....
i took a 2007 XL1200 for a short fang yesterday to see if this is the one.....
Felt good.....could handle it.....had difficulty carrying out a figure 8..found the top end hard to pull around....but this could be me...or my technique....
Lets be honest...being in Perth it was freezing yesterday arvo and I was a touch cold trying out this sickle....
I did like the sickle.....felt good and I felt confident on it too.....
So...two questions if I may.......
Do they like the grunt....
I found I had to pull the revs up all the time....this maybe due to the bike being cold maybe...or do they like the revs?
If you were in a position of being able to buy this bike.....would you consider buying a brand newie as the price change isnt much difference between this one and a 2008 one...
Technical questions???...
Well i know Jack about bikes.....except where to put the juice!!!!...I have heard that they suffer cam wear...and the belts are costly.....
So help me out everyone cause I am stuck on my decision here.....
Taking it out for a run on Monday to see if it feels right ...big diffference to haning it round the neighbourhood for 20 mins to actually riding it for a hour or two......
I did have a shot on a 2000 Hugger 883...but whadda bucket...perhaps it was just the one I was riding..but it was a absolute b*tch to ride...wouldnt buy it in a heart beat...
Ta
FHB
FHB, A 1200 Sportster has a decent amount of grunt, being the lightest bike in the Harley range makes up for the smaller motor compared to the bigger bikes. From your other post you mentioned that you are vertically challenged, if you are looking at a Sportster I would suggest looking at the Nightster or the Sportster low as the seat height on those bikes is low compared to the standard Sportster which I'm assuming is the one you test rode. The 1200 Nightster has the same power output but has a lower seat height and pull-back handle bars.
The reason you found the front end hard to pull round is that Sportsters typically have narrow handle bars which makes for more difficult tight low speed manouvers, this can be fixed reasonably easily with wider handle bars.
Whether or not to buy new depends on how much the 2007 is going for. A positive with buying an '07 Sportster is that it has fuel injection like the '08 so there's not much difference between the '07 and '08 Sportsters. Previous years ie '06 and down had carbs.
The 2000 Hugger is an older Sportster, prior to 2004 the motor on Sportsters was hard mounted, ie no rubber mounts between the motor and frame, which made for more vibrations especially at higher speeds. From 2004 and onwards the Sportster was re-designed from the ground up. Others may argue this but I would recommend getting one from 2004 onwards. If you look in the Sportster section there is a review article on the 2004 and up Sportsters a very good read, here it is:
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=1&postid=9729&view=topic
Ta Chops and BL.....
Your knowledge has helped me make up my mind.....
The XL...which yup i would say is a standard going on what you've said...didnt have the pull back handle bars etc....
Its going for $16G's..got 8600 on the clock......
But with both your wealth of knowledge I've decided not to get the one Ive tried....
I feel I really need to check out the Nightster and even a later model Hugger....
If I am going to part with so much dosh I kinda feel go a new bike and get it to the way I want.....
For sure I adore the one Ive tried but lower and pull back bars would be better....so to pay for the differences and then to transfer etc...I am getting very close to the cost of a new bike....
With the 883 I tried....you couldnt ride it..you actually had to drive it...rough ride didnt bother me...but you couldnt sit back and chill on it like I could the 1200....I had to focus on every move I made.....not enjoyable at all....just rough as guts........missed gear and everything..real bucket of pus I felt....
I was going to go up Frasers for a look and a try next weekend.......beleive they have a coupla low riders in there atm.....Ive already decided I have to do a run to Bunbury though as it appears they have a good name around the traps......
Ta for yor help.....and I am going to go check out the review article......
G'day FHB, I have the XL1200 N nightster, for me it's easy to ride, pleanty of go even with out mods. Give one a whirl, you may be suprised, they are a tad rough in the suspension, but that like most things can be changed to a softer set.
Good luck with ya hunt
Skull, not sure what it's called, but it's the standard seat, after my first ride I thought it was shit, but, after a few rides I'm quite happy with it. I had arranged with a local seat builder to redo it with better foam, don't think I'll bother just yet.
Would like to try a brawler if I could find one to sit on.
KC, can ya post any other details about ya seat.
Thanks.
Hey FHB,
Remember also that although you fork out a lot more in Aust shekels for a HD, resale value is pretty good. I had a 94 Sportster 1200 for a few years, and only lost $500 less than I paid when I sold her last year. I doubt I could say the same if I'd sold a 13 year old car with 40K on the clock!
Sportys are great bikes, compared to the bigger models they are more nimble and easy to chuck around, if thats your thing. Although everyone refers to them as the small Harleys, you're still talking about a 200kg plus bike with an engine capacity of 900-1200cc's. That ain't 'small' !! I've ridden many Sporty's and of course the 1200 definitely has more grunt, the 883's seem to run out of puff a bit in the higher gears. As Cher once said "there's no subsititute for cubic inches" (not sure if she was talking about engines, or something else..)
Go for the newer rubber mounted engines, unless you want to have numb feet and hands after an hour at road speed. My older 1200 was great around town but anything above 100 meant a whole lotta shakin. Plus as others have said, the fuel injection is a bonus and the brakes are better these days!
good luck
Good choice FHB
I like the look of the nightsters. Classic, simple ,stylish and 1200 cc's.
ONE DISADVANTAGE THOUGH. 3 months to wait. You'll be aching by then.
All the best. Cheers
