The Sportster as a Starter Bike?
#31
10-30-2007, 02:22 PM
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RE: The Sportster as a Starter Bike?
ORIGINAL: Candy Azz
This time you are supposed to take me literally..."It's just not as much of a Harley". Meaning it's too small. Jeez!
ORIGINAL: celticgent
yep.
just like aMustang isn't as much of aFordas an Expedition or a Super Duty Dualie.
yep.
just like aMustang isn't as much of aFordas an Expedition or a Super Duty Dualie.
has less MASS and SIZE, therefore it is LESS of a HD.
on the same token,
a mustang has less MASS and SIZE, therefore it is LESS of a Ford?
right?
BTW - when i was a lot fatter i didn't think a sporty would work for me. now that i'm a bit under 200 lbs, it fits me fine. but i'm also short (5'9")and like midpegs.
i had a friend that was 6'5", 350 and he was kissing his knees and swearing at me when he had to ride in my regular cab ford ranger. to HIM, a ford RANGER was less of a ford..i UNDERSTAND that the sporty is not the right size for everybody.
i just always find it funny that some people judge "real" harleys by size and weight. it's like somebody in a suburban telling somebody in a camaro to get a REAL chevy.
it's like saying that a camaro z28 would be a better beginner car than a caprice...and a mustang GT would be a better beginner car than a ford taurus...i mean they're smaller and easier to handle, RIGHT?
it's just always seemed odd to me that when a person learns to drive a car for the first time, MOST logical people would not give that person a mustang GT as a first car,
but
when a person learns to ride a bike for the first time, what's the one thing you always hear?
a SPORTSTER is a good starter bike!
a 1200 sporty will BEAT a mustang GT...and learning to ride a bike is WAY more dangerous than learning to drive a car...
can you learn on a sporty or a mustang GT? yes
is it teh most logical and best option? HELL NO
#32
10-30-2007, 04:05 PM
Ultimate HDF Member
RE: The Sportster as a Starter Bike?
Like others have said, Harley themselves 'market' the Sportster as an entry level bike, and it is the smallest and lowest priced of all the Harley models.
Some people fall in love with Sportsters and would not consider purchasing any other model, but the statistics I've read show that 75% of all new Sportsters sold are to first time Harley owners, and 90%+ of these individuals eventually purchase another model.
The only problem I have riding a Sportster is that I feel somewhat 'cramped' (I'm 6'2", right at 180 pounds, with a 34" inseam). Even the forward controls on the "C" models aren't true forward controls, as they are only a few inches more forward than the standard mid-controls. The below picture shows what I mean. The 1st picture is a 2005 1200C, the 2nd in my Dyna Wideglide.
Apparently the 'forward controls' on the Sportsters were moved about 1 1/2 inches closer to the rider as part of the 2004+ improvements so they would better fit individuals with shorter inseams.
Some people fall in love with Sportsters and would not consider purchasing any other model, but the statistics I've read show that 75% of all new Sportsters sold are to first time Harley owners, and 90%+ of these individuals eventually purchase another model.
The only problem I have riding a Sportster is that I feel somewhat 'cramped' (I'm 6'2", right at 180 pounds, with a 34" inseam). Even the forward controls on the "C" models aren't true forward controls, as they are only a few inches more forward than the standard mid-controls. The below picture shows what I mean. The 1st picture is a 2005 1200C, the 2nd in my Dyna Wideglide.
Apparently the 'forward controls' on the Sportsters were moved about 1 1/2 inches closer to the rider as part of the 2004+ improvements so they would better fit individuals with shorter inseams.
#33
10-30-2007, 04:19 PM
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RE: The Sportster as a Starter Bike?
i just reread my post after i edited it a billion times...
and it STILL sounds like i have sand in my vagina.
i'm seriously not bent about this, i just wanted to clarify what i meant.
and it STILL sounds like i have sand in my vagina.
i'm seriously not bent about this, i just wanted to clarify what i meant.
#35
10-30-2007, 04:34 PM
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#36
10-30-2007, 04:56 PM
RE: The Sportster as a Starter Bike?
I traded my 2000 Sporty 883 in when I bought my 06 Heritage. The Heritage is definitely easier to ride, but the Sporty was more "fun" in a Sportster kind of way. My Sporty was for zipping around - the Heritage is for easy cruising. But, I will agree that theSporty was more top heavy.
#37
10-30-2007, 05:38 PM
RE: The Sportster as a Starter Bike?
I don't know how many women I have talked into getting the Deluxe instead of the Sportster for their first bike, but boy my local HD Dealer owes me some big friggin commission!
They were all afraid of it's size, until they see me on mine and then they know they can do it.
I rode the sporty years ago. I didn't like it then and not now. It is not a small womans bike...never was. Sure a 6'4" man can almost carry the dang thing under his arm, but you put a 5'2" 98lb woman with a lot less upper body strength? It sucks.
I met a woman who was on a custom 1200 sporty. She is 5'10". I asked her what the heck she was doing, she looked like a giant on that little thing!(her boyfriend had recommened the "starter" bike!)Then I let her ride my Deluxe and she bought one the next day!! Show me the money!!!!
They were all afraid of it's size, until they see me on mine and then they know they can do it.
I rode the sporty years ago. I didn't like it then and not now. It is not a small womans bike...never was. Sure a 6'4" man can almost carry the dang thing under his arm, but you put a 5'2" 98lb woman with a lot less upper body strength? It sucks.
I met a woman who was on a custom 1200 sporty. She is 5'10". I asked her what the heck she was doing, she looked like a giant on that little thing!(her boyfriend had recommened the "starter" bike!)Then I let her ride my Deluxe and she bought one the next day!! Show me the money!!!!
#38
10-30-2007, 05:56 PM
RE: The Sportster as a Starter Bike?
I'm a lady rider, and I almost bought a Sportster, but then I sat on a 2005 Dyna Lowrider the dealer had just gotten in on a trade. It was a bigger bike than the Sportster (1450cc),but I sat on it on a whim. Instead of feeling top-heavy and having to be pulled up from the kickstand with quite a bit of effort (I'm only 5'-1"), I was able to flat-foot the bike and it came up off the kickstand like it wanted to go home with me. It did, and I've loved it ever since. I had ridden a Kawasaki 440 LTD prior to this bike, and even though the Harley hasa lot more power, its balanced so much better, which makes it easy to maneuver while riding and while moving it around under my own power. The lowrise handlebars and low center of gravity also make it great for zooming through the twisties.Try a Dyna Lowrider, you won't be disappointed!
#39
10-30-2007, 06:06 PM
RE: The Sportster as a Starter Bike?
It's the smallest, lightest, and least expensive genuine Harley-Davidson, so it IS the model that is most likely to leave the HD showroom with a first-time HD buyer. An unapologetic, exciting intro to what HD is about.
It wouldn't suck if HD had some even smaller, lighter models for beginning riders and midgets, but if they weren't considered at least as cool as a sportster, would people even buy them?
It wouldn't suck if HD had some even smaller, lighter models for beginning riders and midgets, but if they weren't considered at least as cool as a sportster, would people even buy them?
#40
10-30-2007, 07:48 PM
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RE: The Sportster as a Starter Bike?
ORIGINAL: celticgent
well, an R6 or a CBR has a much smaller discplacement than a Road King, but you can bet neither of those 3 are starter bikes.
of course i'm not comparing a sporty to a sportbike, but what a lot of Big Twin riders don't understand is that smaller engine doesn't always mean SLOWER.
a 1200 will do a 13 second quarter mile STOCK.
a stock pre 2007 big twin is automatically going to be slower than a 1200 sporty. the new 96 evens it up a bit with the lighter dynas, but otherwise, it's going to hold true.
all the "a sportster is half a harley" crap is just that...CRAP.
look at the old shovels and pans...they were 74 inch... were THEY half a harley?
well, that 74 inch is now in the sportster frame...which makes it the fastest stock harley outside of the vrod...
so would you want to give that to a beginner?
the 883 ain't slow either...specially off the line....lot of low end torque. and it's actually a bit heavier than the 1200.
neither is an ideal beginner bike.
an ideal starter bike for MOST would be something 300-400lbs and 30-40 HP
Just because a bike is "fast" does not make it undesireable to be a beginners bike.Any bike is as fast as a person wants to twist the throttle on.If the bike fits the riders stature then it should be considered.If they have to tippy-toe when sitting on the seat (for instance)then the bike doesn`t "fit".It`s all in comfort,fitment when picking a starter bike.Handlebars,footpegs,seat heighth all have to be considered.Plus common sense of the newbie goes a long way as well.Just because any given bike may make 100 hp. doesn`t mean you have to use them all.You get what I`m saying.My $.02.Toby
ORIGINAL: HogBoy
I commented that it may have had a lot to do with smaller bike, lesser hp/cc displacement which people tend to equate with a starter bike.
I commented that it may have had a lot to do with smaller bike, lesser hp/cc displacement which people tend to equate with a starter bike.
of course i'm not comparing a sporty to a sportbike, but what a lot of Big Twin riders don't understand is that smaller engine doesn't always mean SLOWER.
a 1200 will do a 13 second quarter mile STOCK.
a stock pre 2007 big twin is automatically going to be slower than a 1200 sporty. the new 96 evens it up a bit with the lighter dynas, but otherwise, it's going to hold true.
all the "a sportster is half a harley" crap is just that...CRAP.
look at the old shovels and pans...they were 74 inch... were THEY half a harley?
well, that 74 inch is now in the sportster frame...which makes it the fastest stock harley outside of the vrod...
so would you want to give that to a beginner?
the 883 ain't slow either...specially off the line....lot of low end torque. and it's actually a bit heavier than the 1200.
neither is an ideal beginner bike.
an ideal starter bike for MOST would be something 300-400lbs and 30-40 HP
Just because a bike is "fast" does not make it undesireable to be a beginners bike.Any bike is as fast as a person wants to twist the throttle on.If the bike fits the riders stature then it should be considered.If they have to tippy-toe when sitting on the seat (for instance)then the bike doesn`t "fit".It`s all in comfort,fitment when picking a starter bike.Handlebars,footpegs,seat heighth all have to be considered.Plus common sense of the newbie goes a long way as well.Just because any given bike may make 100 hp. doesn`t mean you have to use them all.You get what I`m saying.My $.02.Toby