All,

Firstly, I'm sure questions like this have been asked about a zillion times. Apologies from a first time poster if there's a a better place to post this, or if there's a place with more information that I should read first.

So I'm a recently licensed rider with essentially no experience other than the licensing process. I am looking to purchase an early to mid 2000's Sportster, mostly due to the fact that I think they are the most beautiful motorcycles on earth. I'm also told that they are a pretty good option for a first bike.

So I've shopped around and I've found two:

The first is a 2001 XL 883C Sportster Custom with 3200 miles. Listed below at $3400, but offered to me at $3200.
http://www.hdoffrederick.com/new_veh...58&pov=3475975

The second is a 2001 1200 Custom with 20k miles, lowered, extra chrome listed below at $3400.
http://frederick.craigslist.org/mcd/4201062315.html

I've checked out both of the bikes in person, and they both seem like great bikes. The 1200 looks like a million bucks in person. The seller was correct that the pictures do not do it justice. And I did enjoy how the lowering felt. I've heard mixed things about starting out with a 1200 though.

Obviously, am open to any other bikes or suggestions as well.

Any and all advice/feedback appreciated. To say I am excited in an understatement!

Thanks in advance!

-Bob

 

That 1200 is nice. Both seem like a good deal. The 1200 will have a bit more power but I don't think enough to stop you from getting that. A lot of guys will tell you to start out on something a lot smaller than the sportsters even. Which isn't a bad idea either. But if your gonna go for it, it sounds like you already are leaning towards the 1200. And I know a bunch of people who started out on sportsters. It's a great bike. Later on while your riding awhile and venturing further from home you might want even bigger. But the 1200 will be a lot of fun.

 

The 1200,after you have rode awhile you will be glad you did.

 

Don't get in a hurry. Your lack of experience greatly increases your chances of dinging up your new scoot and costing major bucks in repairs- you don't want to do that. Find something that's cheaper and and not too pretty, get used to riding (in traffic), stopping, going, turning, breaking, manuvering and perhaps even falling. Scratch and dent and brake this bike.
I had 30 yrs dirt experience before getting my sporty (4 yrs & 25,000 miles ago) and I believe that's the main reason it still don't have a scratch on it. It's not (IMO) a good beginners' bike.
Get some saddle-time in first, get comfortable dealing with traffic situations and being a "rider", save a few more bucks then go out & find that dream bike.

 

Sportsters went to a rubber mounted motor in 04, makes a big difference in vibration at highway speeds. On my 2000 883, is that a Prius or a semi in the rear view mirror at 65; on the 2004 1200, I can tell if it's a Prius or a Corolla. In 2007, sportsters got fuel injection, much easier to deal with if you don't know carb maintenance; I do and prefer carbs, but I'm one of those old school guys tired of learning new tricks. You can feel the hard pull on your arms past the speed limits on a 1200 and see stock touring Harleys in your mirror; the 883 just gets there in decent time, but you'll see the tail lights on several cars and a few pickup trucks, and even a scooter or two. Touring Harleys will be way out in front. My 1200 also gets better gas mileage than the 883.

Somehow sporties got the reputation of being good starter bikes. They're not. 550+ pounds of a little top heavy bike is a handful, the tall gearing is a challenge for folks not experienced on a clutch, and if it has forwards, like the customs do, your balance is challenged compared to the conventional mid peg position most metrics still have. The stock suspension is merely adequate. You'll see a lot of them with aftermarket seats; there's a good reason for that... Compared to most other bikes, and the larger Harleys, a sportster is about as raw a bike as you can buy new today. So why would anybody that's ridden a lot of different bikes want one? Because it's raw motorcycle, and some of us just love the heck out of that. But that doesn't make it easy to learn on. I'd bet trying to learn on a sporty has turned more people off riding than all other bike models combined.

When my daughter got her license, just the course, no road time, she wanted to ride my 883 first, even though I wanted to get a smaller bike, so I thought, let her have the thrill, we'll just tool around the neighborhood, no traffic. Second or third stop, dropped it - you want to do fairly firm stops, at first anyway, so you don't get the front end wobbling and front brake pulling you down, and that's what she did. She was lucky, stepped off with no injury, $70 on the bike - and that was basically just tipping over with her slowing the impact. Drop while moving, and it could easily exceed $1000. She admitted the sporty was a real handful with no experience, but really had fun on the little trail bike I got her, and now has a Honda 250 Nighthawk I got a good deal on. Either bike didn't cost as much as a good drop on a sporty. Next year she'll probably get comfortable enough to ride the 1200 - and just enjoy the hell out of it. Those used small metrics aren't much, if any, financial loss for a few month's riding, and if you do mess it up, just think what it would have cost on a Harley.

Those might sound like good deals, but I got my '04 1200C for just a few hundred more almost 2 years ago, and it had some extras, only needed an oil change and new tires. Of course, it's a Harley, so I'm still getting "improvements" for it.

Last advice: Check the tire dates, good chance those bikes have original front tires, and probably the rear, too, on the lower mileage one. You do not want to ride on 13 year old tires, rubber will be hard and cracked, and that back end will break loose so easy, even on an 883; I'm very familiar with that... So many people think if it's got tread left, that's all that matters. That trail bike I got the daughter had a 20 year old front tire.

 

I agree w/ imold. Look for a 2004 or newer 1200. There are many out there below $4000.

Bwana

 

You didn't mention if you had taken the beginners rider (or any other) course.
If you hadn't I would suggest taking it just to get more supervised and less risky riding experience, and maybe some great tips.

Secondly, I also recommend (you probably don't want to hear this) that you start with a smaller, more easily handled bike....dirt experience is fantastic (you learn how to deal with situations that could save your bike...and you).

What ever you decide, be safe....and GL.

 

Good advice, I recently had experience with this. Old tires are very dangerous - no matter how good they look. I put a pre-9/11 back tire on, not knowing anything about born-on dates, and I was lucky nothing really bad happened. It was very slick and after just just 2 rides just wouldn't hold air - but never looked flat. Rubber was very hard & brittle. Heard stories about old tires flying apart on the road.
Look for an oval stamped on the sidewall with four digits. The first two are the week, the second two are the year.
Several guys on this forum have said they wouldn't feel comfortable riding on a FIVE year old tire.

 

Following up from these posts, yes, I've taken the basic rider course. In Maryland, the course meets the licensing requirements as well. Nominal experience other than the road portion of the BRC.

I know a few of you suggested purchasing a smaller bike. A Nighthawk 250 was mentioned. Do you know of any other models that I should look at?

 

Anything along those lines. There's gotta be a million Honda Rebels out there for cheap - and probably pretty reliable. When I took my course they supplied all of us with them, they all worked and you can imaginee the abuse they have taken.