Hey All,

Thinking about picking up a 1200 Sportster for.... Well, just because. Probably somewhere in the 2002-2006 range.

I've had LOTS of bikes over the years, including 3 Harley touring bikes. I've never even ridden a 1200 Sporty. I've ridden an 883 before, and I thought it was kinda gutless. Lol.

Would I like the 1200?

Thanks.

 

Yes..

 

Gonna probably get all yes's here. I've been riding 34 years, imports first for much of that time but switched to HD first with an 09 1200 Nightster, on my 3rd sporty a 16 Roadster, tried a couple dynas in between, just something about them I love.

 

I'd narrow that down to 2004-2006, '04 was the first rubber mounted. I have both kinds and the rubber is way smoother. I affectionately call my 2000 883 the paintshaker, though it's not really quite that bad. They have carbs up to '06, too, but I prefer carbs, know how to work on them, no efi experience. My 1200 makes my 883 feel like a slug by comparison. Stock seats and shocks on sportsters are what I'd call in the harsh to brutal realm for me, but at 71, I haven't been able to take the pounding for several years I could decades ago. I have more comfortable seats for both sportsters, and put RK air shocks (used, cheap) on the 1200, an easy swap. Really smoothed the ride, don't get bounced off the seat by Minnesota frost heaves now. The 1200 won't keep up with a lot of the sportbikes that are much smaller, but that's kind of like saying a 500hp Corvette won't keep up with a 1000hp Bugatti. A 1200 will get you in trouble much quicker than an 883 will. I just call that more fun.

 

You'll like the 1200 much better compared to the 883. It's a completely different bike with the 1200 motor. I suspect many people are put off Sportsters because their first experience with them is the 883. Also, I'd personally avoid the older models. Pre 2004, the frames were smaller and motors were not rubber mounted. Pre 2007 they still had carbs. I would suggest getting a 2007 or up.

 

 

I recently bought a 2017 Forty Eight as an additional bike. I have found that it is a fun bike to ride due to it being smaller and more nimble than the touring bikes.

 

Another recommendation for 2007 and up. That is unless you enjoy fiddling with a carb. Downside for fuel injection is tuning for mods as you cannot just swap jets.

 

I bought a sportster, a 2007 Low, a while back to go with my '17 Fatboy S. Buddy of mine who has a touring bike mocked me for riding the sportster. Last year, I bought another sportster, a 2012 1200C, and sold the first sportster - to my buddy with the Ultra! Now, he rides the sportster about 90 percent of the time. We laugh about it now.

 

WOW!!! This thread has literally hundreds of years of biker wisdom. I can add that w/out a doubt in my mind with the experience I have now I'd still have bought an 883 in 1988 at age 20 as I just did in 2023 at age 55 buying my 2006 XL which is looking 2me like the peak of Evo carb technology before the move in 07 to FI.