Been looking at the new IRON 883, 883 low and the nightster. I am looking for info on whats the best one to get? Just going to use it around town and maybe to work a few times during the summer. I'm 47 years old, 5'8" and 175 lbs. sat on the bike and it fits me fine. I have also seen alot of nightsters used with real low miles. I don't know what to think about them? Good/bad? Any help or thoughts would be great.

 

Any Sportster would be a fun town bike. And with a little bit of add-on modification, you could make it a fun weekender, too.

As far as I know, the differences between the Iron and the Nightster are style and displacement (the Iron is an 883cc and the Nightster is a 1200cc). While some will say there isn't much of a difference, there is one. An 883L would be fun, too. Different styling than the Iron, but fun.

An 883 will get the best mileage of any Harley, but a 1200 is not far behind.

The "L" Sportsters are marketed for shorter, lighter riders. The suspension is lowered as is the seat thickness. You're plenty tall enough for a "regular" Sportster and it's full-travel suspension, which at your weight you'll like.

Check out the Sportster section of this forum and ask all the new Iron owners what they think of their rides. Plenty of Nightster riders there, too.

Welcome to the forum!

 

It's all about what you like. The Iron, in my opinion, looks better than the Nightster (and I loved the Nightster when it came out). The Nightster has more power, but with the way you plan to ride, do you need that extra power? The Iron will get good gas mileage, look great, and costs way less than 10 grand. You decide.

 

both are great bikes for what you are wanting

 

I think they are both good looking machines, the Iron in particular, from my general experience of bikes all other things being roughly equal I would go with the one with the most power. I once downgraded on engine size and even though I loved the bike (it was a Triumph Speedmaster 865cc) within 12 months I had traded it for a more powerful ride. Then again if it is a first bike you won't know the difference so the Iron will feel plenty powerful (for awhile anyway

 

with new, U got trade in money back, with used U can get more bike and motor. all depends on what U want..

 

My self I love chrome so I have the XL-C.
I like both the Nightster and the Iron, I think the Iron looks just a little more cool, but not by much. I can only tell you what I would do. Nightster has a 1200 motor that's the one I would get. You can get a low with a 1200 too. I like the power of the 1200, but that may not be impotent to you.
You need to decide which one fits you the best... Good luck.

 

Personally, I would never buy a 1200 new. You're much better off buying an 883 and immediately doing the 1200 conversion with Wiseco pistons. This way, you have a much faster bike than the stock 1200 and you're still ahead of the game by almost $1500. Just my two bits...

 

from what i understand they redesigned the 09 883's to where you can no longer bore the cylinders to do the cheap easy 1200 conversion. you have to purchase new cylinders to do it now.

 

Yeah, I think I heard somewhere that the cylinder sleeves are much thinner, thus can't be bored out. But, that's just what I've heard.