You over paid..dude..

 

Uh-huh... Maybe you'll "graduate" some day!.....ya know...move up??

 

sure the xl is small but it handles better than fat. i ride skinny and fat and really do not see much difference, but i am used to the thing. the old lady may be a different story but with a nice air ride seat, even the sporty is a long distance hauler. i have run 1000 mile to cocoa beach with the old lady and the only complaint is not the vibration but being not able to stretch out. i have run longer distances on smaller machines like a 305 honda to cali. from louisiana.
now for the fat, the torque is relentless unlike the sporty which peaks out early in its stock form. even at 90, just roll on the throttle and she moves. i have never owned a rubber mount so the ridgid engine is about the same as the sporty just a little further up the rpm range.
if you just want to cruise, go fat with all of the accessories to match. but do not over-rule the xl as she still can hold her own and run circles around the fat one.

 

I rode a 91 Sporty for 10 years, with many long trips under my azz. On one of those trips, I had the unfortunate luck of blowing a quarter size hole in one of my pistons about 300 miles from home. FOrtunately we had extra funds, and the dealer had 2 bikes on the floor ready to go. One a Wide Glide, the other a Sloptail. The dealer let me take them both out for a test ride, telling me to put on at least 100 miles on each, te help me make a decision.

I choose the Wide Glide and have never looked back. I still have the Sporty, at it's a lot of fun as a T to T bike, but for longer trips, I will take the WG hands down.

Put those rentals thru their paces, and your buddy will have a better feel for the type of riding, and handling, each scoot exhibits.

 

Hey Hdtwice,

All you need to do is ask my wife. I bought a new 2006 XL1200C that I absolutely loved. We rode for about 200 miles together last labor day with my brother and his wife. When we got back to my brother's house, he took my wife out for a ride on his 2000 RKC. Well, to make a long story short, when we got home that night my wife was on the Harley website looking for my next bike. She told me I was getting a Roadking even if I didn't want one. She really had to twist my arm..... I do miss the Sporty, it was a fun bike around town but I have to admit, so is the RK and her *** is no longer sore after a couple hour ride.

Yas

 

I've had em both, but for years I've been on the big twins. It's just something you kind of go through. If you're serious about long rides, trips, travel, etc., you need to go to a touring model. Although the Dyna series offers some great options very reasonably. I often do 400+ days just to go have lunch. It's just the way I ride. Lots of Touring riders are the same. Comfort is key for long distance travel. If on the other hand you only want to tool around town, up and down a canyon once in a while, and maybe some short runs on the weekend, then maybe the Sportster would be the way to go. Define how he wants to ride, then you can answer the question. Budget might play a role as well, but I really think the key is defining how you really want to ride. You can always make it work, once you know that answer.

 

I had an '07 1200C. They all say it's a great bike. But I was never happy with it. I rode it 2 weeks and could have sworn somebody snuck in my garage and shrunk it.

Don't be fooled by the nickname "Sporty" 'cause its a truckload of crap. Just about any Japanese bike made is "Sportier"

Sportsters are top heavy and don't corner very well. The frame is too high off the road.

I wanted a Harley and could afford ia Sportster but I was sorry.

I was heavy into self hate. Damn I felt stupid.

Then the clouds parted in December of '08 with the "Trade your sportster for a big twin at full price" sale. I giggled like a teenage girl being asked to a prom.

I made a good deal on the Dyna I now ride...an FXD.

It's yer basic Dyna but it's all I could dream of. And it is not a Sportster on Steroids like they say. It is HUGELY better and actually handles 50 times more like a Sportbike than a sportster. It's just as fast and has more torque.

I hope this helps...

 

He might want something that looks a tad less ugly.

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But some people are blind.

 

I rode an 84 Sportster for 23 years. It was rough, it shook, and I loved the darn thing. Last year I finally got my dream bike, a 99 Softail Custom. When I got the Sporty, my wife and I were in our 40's, and never rode over maybe 100 miles at a time. Now we are almost 70, and ride the Softy about the same as we did the Sporty back then. I had a lot of fun an that Sporty, but the Softail is a fabulous bike. I rode a bagger once, and completely lost the motorcycle feel. I have to agree, for long trips they would probably be great, but for me I might as well take my mini van.