Roger that Primal! LOL

Thanks again everyone!! Much appreciated! GREAT advice all around.

Accumulating cash - slowlyHopefully, Santa's gonna' bring me a Sportster this year...
he'll probably be a bit late... he's gotta get to the good boys and girls first ;-))

At the risk of jinxing myself, I am on the verge of picking up an ole' 86 XLH 883....

Not the greatest bike but the greatest bike I can muster at this time...

... thanks again to all who shared their thoughts.

Enjoy Scott as I know you will! Sportsters are great bikes and last forever... ask Yamaha owners what happened to their 86 VMax or ask Honda owners what happened to their Magnas... most of those bikes are in junkyards!:-) Just sayin... you made a good choice!

Enjoy Scott as I know you will! Sportsters are great bikes and last forever... ask Yamaha owners what happened to their 86 VMax or ask Honda owners what happened to their Magnas... most of those bikes are in junkyards!:-) Just sayin... you made a good choice!

Very cool! I am currently torn my self I like Victorys but I love Harley's but I am looking at them also. But my bike is also a small bike but great for a new owner, but I'm all ready pining for a bigger bike I'm also short but I'm not small in the waistband. But test ride all the bikes you can because if you have back problems like I do and have talked to others that did and the sporties had some pain from where shocks are located. But it is how you feel on it and how it rides to YOU not others. So if you can give the ones you like a try you may be suprized.

But good luck on your search!

@Black9: Thanks man!! I am salivating over her arrival... pulled the trigger on a complicated swap and there is still a lot that has to be finalized but, baring some unforseeable SNAFU, she's mine :-))

Although I tell myself I can trade up later I suspect I'll own this Sportster till I die or pass it on to one of my boys :-) Sort'a like a gun and my old CB. Just can't part with 'em....

@Seakers: If money were no object, I'd grab up a Victory! Looked at a few but can't muster the $$$

@Seakers: Re: back pain, I hit an unseen pothole on my CB down on Watt ave. G'D'! That nearly killed me. A compelling reason for a bit more space from the car in front of me...

Geez, the roads here in Sac, CA are really, really, really bad - especially noticible when you're on a 1973 CB. I guess we all need to pay more in taxes so they'll fix the !@#$!@#$ roads :-/

( That was sarcam: If my taxes get any higher I may be forced out of the state I love, in which I was born and have lived virtually all my life. Only my wife's refusal to leave family behind prevents me from moving now. )

mine is a sportster 883L ! My husband started with it when he got back into riding. HE loved it and still will take it out when he just wants to have fun on the ride! He still says it is fun bike!!! I ride it now, ( and we didnt have to adjust it for my short legs ) and love it as well, although probably havent had as much fun (speed-wise) as he did with it!!! YET!!!!
As for uncomfortable for two riders>>>> We rode it everywhere!!! It wasnt bad! Maybe have to stop a little more often but it was the only bike we owned for ahile. Long trips probably is not the most comfortable and our ULTRA CLASSIC LIMITED is way more comfortable ---- but hey it is a bike with get up and GO!!!!!
Even If I get another bike in the future, this one may still stick around for a while!!!!

Well, ya won't hear THIS "biker type" puttin' down Sportsters. My XLH Custom 1200, was my favorite bike, and I still cry when I look at the pictures. I had to sell, cause I had a son to raise, and had lost my job. I've also had three of them, from a basket, to a used, to a brand new. While they CAN vibrate a little more than a heavier bike, it's not something that should interrupt your riding experience. The "dry weight" on Sportsters is only 6-800lbs, depending on the accessories. And just so you know, I HAVE laid them down, once or twice, but was fully capable of picking them back up. I am 5'6" and weigh under 130 lbs. So, don't let the CC size, intimidate ya. If a lil' girl (lol) like me can do it, so can YOU!!! Trust me, this bike ROCKS!!!
And I know, you're gonna LOVE IT!!!


Ride Free
Tweek

Thanks @bikersue and @Tweek. I GOT IT!!

Rode ~100 miles yesterday. LOVE IT!!! It looks sunny this morning and I am SOOOOoooooo ready to ride again... I just hope the bike will actually stop at work - and not just fly by ;-))

I love my 2006 1200C Sportster, my second bike, it's feisty on the get-go, 'lighter' to handle. A 'bigger' guy had it before so he kinda spruced it up and male bikers have to ask it it's a Sportster, haha! I have seen many guys, regardless of their size riding Sportys and never give it a thought of comparing it to their 'manliness' so to speak. I am 5'5" and it fits me just perfect, didn't need to lower it at all; I preferred the 1200 because of its bigger fuel tank so I can take longer bike trips, it's been very well taken care of. Actually, I am thinking of selling it....... FYI.
Talk about 'comments' about Sportys from guys; I get alot of snickering and snide remarks about my V-rods from the 'old school' bikers ......... so yeah, to each his own .......... I don't worry about it.
Get what you can ride, safely and comfortably without losing your $$$.
Good Luck!

All my friend here it is in a nut shell Love my sportsters. Sportsters were the ride of choice for many thoughout the years, they been cross country and back many times over. They have a 883 easily coverts to 1200 (less insurance) were talking a 1200 here not 250 or 500, the older evo years don't have the problems the old ironheads have with leaking, rattling the shit off, and wow the work ya can do to the motor and the customization abilities are limited to the owner. Many custom builders look for Sportster motors.
Any bike you get that is rubber mounted is going to have vibrations at standing and low speeds, and high speeds over 20 they're gone. The only truly smooth all them timers are those that are counterweighted or the boxer motor. First you have to decide what type of riding your going to do, if your going to routinely carry a passanger, will this be your main form of transportation, those kinds of things first. Why? so your sure the bike and you are up to what you want to do with it be it bar to bar, to the shore and back, weekend trips, tour the country. Every bike including 250's can do this however some are better than others for. Do your research go to a show like daytona, laconia, sturgis, go to some place that allows test rides and see what your comfortable with before you decide. I rode a sportster for years maybe 13 before I decided I wanted a road king, but I bought a dyna had that for 8 years til I bought the road king. Each bike was awesome, I think for traveling the road king is freaking rocking, however if ya going to be in town then go with a sportster, if ya going to most be in town and do some longer things once in awhile check out dynas or softails. It depends all on you and what you want and how practical you need to be. Hell you can even go import there isn't one thing wrong with that either, after all most of harley parts are made over seas and not really an American product anymore, maybe an American Company but products F No, that's why they got all them recalls and stupid wear out parts on the new modles. So what ever bike you chose it is about you your needs and how much the bike fills the bill. have a great one "T"

@bikeNrun14 Your 1200 Sporty sounds GREAT!! I would like to have held out for the 1200 but, with my Honda in pieces in the garage and all this sunny CA weather, I just had to have something NOW!!!

On the freeway the 883 leaves me wanting a bit more but, It'll do just fine for now :-))

@Tumbles: Good sutff. Thanks!

I think a Dyna is in the (distant) future but for now I'm absolutely LOVING the sporty!! In fact... gonna go check the temp outside and fire her up !!!!!! It's a beautiful sunny morining here in Sac. Ca!!

AWESOME!! live it up as much as you can, it's infectious ain't it?? Happy for you ........

I have never understood why some people look down on Sportsters. I absolutely loved mine, and only traded up for a Fat Boy because I wanted something better suited for long rides. I had a 1200 Custom; it looked great and had plenty of get up and go. I used to take it places I never would go with my Fat Boy. Big isn't necessarily better.

My Dad has 2 sportys both are beefed up. He has a 07 nightster with stage 1 race tuner, race cam's & heavy breather and thunderheader exhaust his bike is dyno'd at 98hsp for a 450lb bike thats one fast SOB. If you dont like the sporty's and thats your choice look for used dyna's, fat bob's or vrod... all great bikes. Doesnt matter what you ride, it only matters that you ride. What ever fits into your life is the bike for you. you deff gotta feel comfortable, proud, and free....

try being over 6 feet tall and ride a sporty...get what you can afford mate you can always update if this skool is your bag. Why waste money on something you may not stick with.

Great bike. I've been riding my 04 883 XL Custom for 5 yrs and I love it! I added aSundowner seat (wider) and Mempis Shades windshield and lots of Chrome and she can run with the big boys.

Mike

Thanks all! Got ~300 miles in this weekend... still in love w/ 'er ('86 883 XLH Sportster).

She's a keeper... even if I am fortunate enough to upgrade later. Great raw bike! Noth'n fancy... but wonderfully fun to ride :-))

Congrats Scott on the recent purchase! I almost bought a sportster instead of my VTX,yet the X fit me like a glove.
No complaints here,just the usual moanin abt lack of bling for more chrome

You mentioned higher speeds on the freeway,I thought of what I did on my 750 Honda Shadow ACE,changed out the rear sprocket to a sprocket with fewer teeth,it lowered the rpms on the top end,tho I did lose a bit on the bottom end.Nothing drastic tho,and it was worth the changeout.Less than 50$ got a used sprocket from another rider.Installed myself.It allowed me to cruise on the freeway at 70mph comfortably.hope this helps.

lovin this sunny weather!!

stay safe n enjoy the ride!!

TEST DRIVE find what fits you. why just Harley? there so many other bikes out there. you talking money. harleys are expensive to maintain. I'm not rippin on Harley. My wallet can't afford anything about a Harley. I have a 750 Honda Aero.
It's a low stretched vtwin i love it i do my own maintenance.. but any custom or tuning is 1/3 the cost of Harley .If you got the money hell yeah Harley has some sweet rides. I like the iron 883 or the nightster

hop on some bikes!

Glad to hear you got yourself the bike and enjoying it. May you have many safe miles together.

Thanks again all.

While I've always wanted (and finally have) a Sportster, I'm just a fan of riding. The bike you have and ride is a GREAT bike. Enjoy!!