Going to FL, we do take the super slab until we get to FL, then take the coast route on A1A. The 4-corners ride, we pretty much took I-40 until OKC, then rode as much of the Route66 until we cut into Santa Fe. The interstates were pretty much 70-75. We'd hit 80-85 to the nearest rest stop if someone had to take a leak though.

 

I decided on a Sportster as my first bike for multiple reasons. First, I really wanted a Harley-Davidson. Second, I'm a beginner rider and the thought of riding a 900 lbs bike was not very appealing: I want to spend time riding, not at the gym building muscle to handle a bigger bike. Third, the kind of riding that I like to do is in city streets, a 4 mile commute to the office or a 25-40 mile ride to the nearest town... hard to justify spending more on something with windshields, saddlebags, stereo and cruise control for that kind of riding.

As I develop skills, perhaps the Sportster won't be the right bike for cruising and longer rides. But until that time comes, it is the perfect bike for me.

 

Whatever floats your boat and looks good on you My ridding buddy has had his Sporty purchase new back when Brunswick owned them. Has Harley and their logo on the tank. Way over 100K on it.

Recently, since retirement, he go a new huge Indian , a new truck and a aluminum bike trailer. Visits his son in Texas. He took the Sporty... I don't think he fill comfortable on the huge bike.

 

I have a now old 2005 XLH 883. I like that particular model just for the way it looks, plain basic model with the 3.3 peanut tank. Its a modern version of what a Sportster always looked like to me.

They need to get back to a basic entry level model IMO...

I have a Dyna also a 2005. It is better on the long trips, you will "feel it" on a Sportster, but then again I'm old...

 

^ I hope like ever luvin' hell your right Strat. The Sportster IS the very essence of what HD essentially is...sooo freakin simple & basic. W/out it I doubt there'd be a HD today or at least in it's current form.

 

Anybody here ever done business/upgrades w/ these guys?
https://www.883sportster.com/

That 5th gear pulley sounds like a good idea. Be kinda nice to drop the rpms by 500 or so at 72mph.

 

the vrod is over 100pounds heavier than a sportster, mine was 680pounds

 

my sportster would run circles around my vrod, it would be left in the dust on a curvy road. The vrod is only good in a straight line unless you have the streetrod version

 

if you look at the v rod specs the 1250 cc are slower then thw 1130cc models even though putting out 10 less hp the destrayer is the most powerful. If you can not beat a sporty on your v rod well you need to learn how to ride in higher ranger rpm's

 

Not trying butt in gentlemen...but Rhino is right IMO about the fact the Sportster IN REAL WORLD STREET RACING w/ riding skills being equal would have a distinct advantage. 680lbs vs 560lbs (at the heaviest) would be a hard obstacle to overcome. This makes me think of all the YT vids I see of dumbass kiddies fleeing LEOs on rice rockets. They usually evade being arrested because those soy saucers usually only weigh 450lbs at the most and handle like razor blades. But then they ain't HDs and I'll NEVER own anything HDs till I'm worm food.