Hello all, new to the forums and new to the world of Harleys.

So, dealership approval all figured out and I am approved for any sportster or Dyna I want, just trying to make the right decision.

29 years old 6' 185lbs. Just M1ed with chp class. (Always permit road before) No long term old lady in the picture currently. In my teens and early 20s i did alot of dirt/trail bike riding and a bit of time on a 600 crotch rocket. Always loved the look and feel of a cruiser so with looking to start riding again I want a Harley. I got my ***** out stupid **** kill yourself driving like an idiot energy out years ago cage racing, so finally trust myself enough to be smart enough to always ride deffensively 100% of the time

Having not ridden with any regularity in the last 10 years i am hesitant to go with a Dyna straight away. In addition to getting used to the size of the bike, i also really like the looks of a sportster. Now it's just figuring out which model.

Done a bit of research, pretty much ruled out an 883 completely; since most 6 footers seem to outgrow them within 6 months and they seem to pretty much rule out ever riding two up. So far I am favoring a 1200c. The higher ground clearance, larger tank, forward controls and other doodads seem to make it the safest bet. Not going to outgrow it power wise, and even if i decide i want something bigger for longer rides, doesn't seem like people get tired of a 1200 in the garage as well.

Going to do some test riding in a week or so on a nightster, xr, 48 and 1200c. Anything i should keep an eye on as far as model specific rider complaints? Or any sage advice on something i might be overlooking for what makes one model a clear winner for a first sportster?

 

Welcome to the forum. Test riding the various bikes will give you a good feel on what bike is best for you. Take your time is deciding. Also, do ride a Dyna to rule it in or out. The new Switchback goods like a nice bike. Good Luck!

 

Good idea to try out a bunch of bikes. I have had my XL1200C since Memorial Day and have put about 3500 miles on it since then. If I could wave a magic wand, the only thing I would change would be to add a 6th gear, which would be nice if cruising a highway for hours and hours at time. I don't do alot of that, however, so it's really not an issue. I usually don't do more than an hour or two on the interstates (they're boring) and for an hour or two the higher revving isn't bothersome.

I am 6'2" and 215 with long legs and was told I was too big for a sporty. Don't believe that. At least with the Custom, the forward controls are perfectly comfortable for long days, especially with an upgraded seat. I added an engine guard with highway pegs for another choice of foot position. I love my sporty, ride it every day, and have spent up to 10 hours in the saddle. It handles great and is damn fun to ride.

If you end up liking the Sporty there is no down side.

 

Having been thru the discovery with my wife that the Sportster was under powered for any sustained time on the highway, she now has a Superglide Custom. We were able to benefit from the full MSRP trade in deal they did a couple of years ago. In reality, the entry level Dyna's aren't a whole lot more money than the 1200, they have a lot of chrome, laced wheels, and the same powertrain as the other big twins (except those that now have 103's). The Sportster's have a high center of gravity compared to the Dyna's. Dyna's typically only add less than 100lbs of weight in exchange for a bigger frame, bigger engine and 6th gear. The Dyna's aren't in any way too much bike for you.

 

Thanks for the advice. The engine guards with highway pegs was something i hadn't considered. The important question now though. With financing, how much should i look to get them to move on price/throw in? Think getting those guards and pegs thrown in would be enough? Not sure what their margin is on the bike, they are all at list price.

 

"Underpowered" is nonsense, at least for a 1200. I have cruised at 85 for sustained periods and still had plenty of top end for passing. If you had two very large people riding 2-up, maybe. My wife and I two up have no power issues.

 

my riding buddy rides a dyna... took it from L.A. to Sturgis then to New York, Florida, Texas and home (pretty much all over the country)- when he got back his only comment about the bike (to me) was that he wished that he had the power to weight ratio of the sporty.
as you have seen above, the best advice is to try both. if you go for the sporty, imo you should go 1200.
its great that you have taken the motorcycle safety class... now make sure the bike is also as safe as it can be- to me this means extra lights in front, a really loud horn, good pipes and an extra bright tail light.
ride safe, and cant wait to see what you get!!

 

Two up with an 883 is possible, but definitely will make you wish for more power.

Now...solo with an 883 is just fine for the highway...mine is happy to do 80 all day long.

 

I don't know what "sportster" you are talking about that is underpowered but the only one that I could think of would be an 883. My 1200R loves to cruise at 80 and if I want more then a simple twist and its there. To say that a 1200 is underpowered is ludicrous to say the least.

The limiting thing I noticed is the normal sportster shake on the front end when over 100MPH. I've been there a few times and it is a bit unsettling but also a good way to remind me to bring it back some.

With a larger passenger on the back of a sportster you may find it cramped. I can ride my sportster solo for 8 hours but I get the mrs on the back and it moves me forward and we are both ready to get off within an hour.

Yes the power to weight ratio is great. Few bikes could keep up with it off the line. It was easy to throw around being smaller and lighter and quite nimble. It is a fun bike to ride for sure.

However I did find that I outgrew it. A dyna quite probaby would have a been better choice but that was not an option at the time. However you may not with you not having a mrs or expecting to have one. However if you do get a GF or someone that wants to 2up frequently you may not care for it.

As others said the best advice is to test ride each if possible and go from there. Definitely sit on both for extended periods at least.

 

Take your time looking at these bikes and decide what you want of them. My wife bought a new SuperLow in March, because she liked the Merlot paint job. It's a lovely bike to look at, but the ride is crap. We have just spent out on new RaceTech fork springs and Emulators, plus longer rear shocks, to improve ride quality and comfort. Fortunately she is not short, so raised ride height is not a problem.