Anyone who gives you crap about the Sportster is just wrong, plain wrong. I rode the **** out of my old sportster until I decided to get a bigger bike. I like more comfort and am less concerned with speed now. As I got older, I just wanted something bigger. Mine was an old AMF made 1000, and I rode it for well over 20 years. Of the four guys I normally ride with, 3 have sportsters and one has a superglide and I am not ashamed to be seen on any of them. To top it all off, my sportster is still running strong and probably will be for another 30 years or more. Have fun and enjoy the bike.

 

All of this sportster is a lesser bike is crazy. I have never heard from anyone that my sporty was "to small" or "a girls bike", everyone just says nice bike or nothing at all. And the people I ride with range from Sport Bikes(about 90% of the time all my friends have sport bikes, I know it looks strange with all them wheeling and doing about 130+ and im just in the back chillin enjoying the ride) all the way to custom choppers(which gets annoying because they need to stop every hour or so to make sure that new sound they're hearing isn't something wrong with the bike)

 

Not long after I bought my Sportster I went by an old friends house... hadn't seen him about a year...

Anyway... He hears me pull and comes outside... "Got yourself another Harley huh"?... I said yep... It's not an 883 is it... I said naaa... a 1200... was looking at the 883s though... He said man good thing you didn't get it... that's a "girls bike"...

I said James... I didn't know you were into Harley's... He said I'm not!

Well how do you figure it's a girls bike... he says... everyone knows that... I said... I've owned nothing but Harleys... I've never heard it...

He says well that's the word I get...

I said... hmmm... what if someone told me you were a gay bitch... am I suppose to believe that one too?

He called a bitch back... and we left it at that... lol

We get this all the time with people new to HD... you're not the first and no doubt won't be the last (though I wish it was... this gets old)...

Anyway... if you're gonna worry about what people say... better stick to cars... because you'll probably hear something negative about any model you buy...


Charlie D.

 

Dont get me wrong, Im not worried about what others say. Im just new to the Harley scene and had never heard of anything about Sportsters until I said I wanted one. I was really surprised when alot of that talk came from guys with Harleys, so I was just curious.

 

As far as these guys saying Sportys are anything less than awesome, they're not as true lovers of the Harley as they would like to believe. The Sporty was it, 1000cc sportys started it all as far I am concerned.It started as an awesome looking animal and continues to be. The guys who ride them do go bigger and more comfortable in time, but I bet those same guys who started on the Sporty haven't forgotten the roughness of riding hard. Some of us are just getting old and lean towards the comfort. I am 48 and just picked up the XL 1200 Nightster. It is low and awesome. It is an awesome reminder of the past and I bet you will be seeing and "hearing " a lot more of them! I'll post a pic when it get delivered.

 

I'm 6'4" 250 and have had my sporty for a couple years now. The only negative comment I get is, "Aren't you a little big for that bike?" This is an awesome bike that I have ridden everywhere. It is a little uncomfortable for me on the long hauls, but other than that, it is a great bike with lots of power. Have fun and stay safe.

 

I didn't have an opportunity to really think about what would put the looks of the Nightster over the top..until it was delivered. Must have spent 10 hours waxing and looking at it. Now I see..Buckhorn handle bars, pullbacks, maybe an apehangerand Drag Pipe exhaust would put it over. The result is art. The Vivid black is awesome but will be tough to keep clean, but definatley worth the effort. words fall short, except maybe "wow"

 

yeah, i get a mixed response on buying a sportster from both harley owners and metric owners alike, that is until they see the nightster. I don't think the 1200 is a small engine by any means, I have taken a spin on an 883, and that is fine two until you get to the top end, then it leaves a little to be desired, but the 1200 is way more than enough. The sporty has it's place, and this is coming from a young guy who has owned an old mans bike for 10 years, and it is great to have a nimble bike, and if the wife takes to riding her own horse, than I may just get rid of the goldwing. I put the two up seat on the nightster, but if she gets a bike than I will put the stock seat back on. I would love to buy her the blue/black nightster, but it will be her choice what she rides. In the end, ride what you want, and there is nothing girly about a 1200cc flat olive, and flat black Nightster... and to be honest, I really like the slim upward arch of the sportster tank. It kinda gives it that IRON HORSE look!!! I am not a big fan of the round tube tank though. Looks like a kawasaki...LOL In the end that is the point, if Harley only made one model, it would be very dull! Pick the one that speaks to ya, and if you can't swing it financialy, get the one you can afford, and trade up when you can, cuz unlike metric bikes, you don't lose your shirt. Even if I get a biggerharley I will keep this sporty, and with the seats that are available, the Fuel injection, and engine shock mounts, the sportster really is a whole new animal, IMHO!

 

oh, and I forgot to mention, I am 5'8", 210lbswith a 29" inseem, so the sporty is real nice, and I am flat footed to Boot!

 

Most of the Sportster bashers are guys that just want to look cool or just straight line cruser types. I like having the option of backroads,fast corners and fast pick up.I see tons of baggers in my area and I just do not get point of all that.How about the guys with hugh ape bars and 1in thick seat.Sportster are for riding.