+1 get some loud *** pipes down there, i lived in SD for four years and had my fair share of near misses driving a full size half ton pickup truck.

 

I love my Sporty, they are great bikes for around town and a superb bike for getting out of town, I live in So. Cal my last long ride was to Laughlin and back the only problem I notice was when I hit the high desert, it was blowing (wind) rather hard and high gusts seemed to push the bike across lanes rather easy, my buddy was riding his fatboy and he too struggled with the wind but not as much as I did, that being said I still prefer the sporty. I have owned many bikes throughout my life but the sportster by far is the best, hands down.

Cost is about $200.00 every 5,000 miles to maintain, Insurance (on the 1200) from Farmers is $240.00 a year ($20.00 a month) for full coverage. *Insurance may vary a few dollars depending on age and driving experience.

I have a great insurance guy out of Redondo Bch. so if anyone needs Insurance and is paying more in So. Cal send me a pm..

 

the 1200 will have a little higher top speed due to different gearing. 883 converted to 1200-1250 will have the same top speed it had before conversion.

 

I'm 5'11 and 175 and my 13' Iron 883 hauls me around perfectly. Even with the misses on the back we can do 85 all day long without the bike struggling on the interstate. With my mods I've outran a couple 1200s and 1250 conversions so some that say youll want more might not necessarily be accurate. I have the stock mid controls, stock bars and a badlander seat. Most of my height comes from my legs and I'm not cramped one bit. Its comfy for in town runs and on the interstate. GEts decent gas mileage no matter how hard or slow I ride her. Its very nimble and gets the job done. I'll be doing my 1000k service within the next month and I bought the bike with 2 miles on it 5 weeks ago. My insurance is 196/year in Illinois through progressive

 

Thanks for the replies, guys! I'll definitely check out both an 883 and 1200 and see what I feel comfortable with. I still think I'd rather start with the 883 and see how I feel after a while. I know a lot of you have already been there and done that - and if you could do it all over again - you'd go straight for the 1200 . I know for sure I want a Sportster because I like minimalist bikes with a rough edge to them for beating around town. I don't plan on adding a whole lot to it; in fact I'm probably going to be pulling more things off than adding on. I like keeping my bikes as simple and clean as possible.

Oh, and can anyone recommend some nice bars for a rider my height (5'8")? I really dig the drag bars and clip-ons. And I definitely want a solo springer seat for my behind.

 

Don't know if anybody mentioned it already, but a 1200 and 883 weigh the same other than a few pounds here and there due to trim levels and accessories.

My first bike was the 1200C I currently own, it was easier to handle than the 250 Marauder I rode in the safety course. Before that, I rode a 125 dirt bike for a couple weeks 30 years ago.

 

I've never ridden a Sportster yet, so can anyone here compare the power level between a 450cc dirt bike and an 883 or 1200? I know there's an obvious difference in power since it's a twin, but how much? A lot? Whole lot?

I like to move up little by little in order to keep myself safe and out of trouble, but I'm definitely considering going straight to the 1200.

 

Guess I'll chime to say that it's a different kind of power than you are used to. The first biggest difference is the gearing. Tall, way tall. After that, then you notice the torque. Third thing you'll notice is the twitchiness of the throttle. Last thing you'll notice is the weight, but by that time you'll be intrigued. Just watch that right wrist as you're learning it until you can handle it. Pretty soon you'll be wondering why you waited so long to get this bike. Enjoy.

 

Buy a 1200, you won't regret it.

I got my brand new XLC last year in februari, rode it each day to commute to my work, except when the roads were icy.

it has right now 23,300 miles on the odo.

I've had a few problems with it, all covered by the warranty:

- voltage regulator went south after 7,500 miles, H-D sold for 6 months (Nov 11 - March 12) Sportsters with faulty regs. As H-D could not supply them to Europe within three to four weeks and as I don't have any other transportation, my indy put an aftermarket one, bought in Germany. Problem solved...

- rear wheel spokes came loose at 15,000 miles, my indy changed the existing nuts by aftermarket SS ones

- at 19,000 miles, the rear exhaust gasket between the head and the pipe got burned out. Replaced by the same indy again, at no cost.

The Michelin "Scorchers" are good tires, but expensive. My rear tire had to be changed at 17,500 miles, which is quite a good mileage to me. Due to the price of the Scorchers & following my indy's advice, I took the Continental "Milestone" way, better tire than the Scorcher under the rain, less slippery, but won't certainly get the same mileage as the Scorcher, I guess.

All the maintenance is done by my indy, I let my oil ( half dyno/half synth) be changed each 2,500 miles, maintenance each 5,000 miles costs me for about 160 € and I pay +/- 360€ each 10,000 miles.

I'm really happy with this bike. Good value for the money

 

1. Dead easy! Harley factory service manuals are readily available and probably the best there is. Stacks of useful info available and help in here.

2. Yes, although Harleys are probably the most modified and messed about brand and can suffer owner abuse. Just chose your bike with care.

3. Suspension. And suspension. It is mediocre at best. But I have owned Harleys since the 1970s.....