I am looking to get my first bike in the coming months. My brother-in-law has an '04 Deuce and is encouraging me to get a bigger bike. I love the looks of the seventy-two but he says I would look silly on a bike that small. I have always loved the looks of the old school bobbers and I think a 1200 would be a great bike to build.

I have been looking at a few from a '93 to '99 1200 models and some 883 models with the 1200 conversions. I want to just buy it with cash so my budget is $4k, are these models years reliable at their age and are these bikes overall reliable?

This is an example of a bike I would like to build based on the 1200.

 

If you are just running around on them the sportster is fine! If you ride long distance the bigger bike is the way to go! Don't let anyone tell you that the sportster looks to small! It is small but that is the point! You can be to small for a bike but depending on the intended use the sportster isn't to small!

 

If you go to 05 you can get rubber mount and still hit your budget. If you want reliability go for the 1200. Not saying the 883-1250 conversion isnt but sometimes you don't know who did the work and if it was done right. 4k isn't far off from an 05 883 and you can do the conversion yourself or wait for the right deal and get a 1200 for closer to 5. Otherwise the evo is a bulletproof engine and you can't go wrong either way.

 

Correction:

04-Current XLs are rubbermount.

04-06 are carbed if you prefer them that way

07-current are efi

 

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...294473081.html <--- just a little over budget but IMO well worth it...rubber mount...EFI...low miles

I would haggle him down then sell the saddle bags and windscreen which pretty much would get you close to budget

That's just one...i saw a bunch of 2004's for just around your budget

 

Thanks for all of the replies! Does the rubber mount make a huge difference in the ride quality? I am mainly getting the bike for around town riding and an occasional 2/300 mile weekend cruise. I am 6'2 and 210lbs. so hopefully it wouldn't be to small of a bike, but I think if it came to that I could always sell it and upgrade later down the road. I wanted the 1200 because I heard the 883 has some trouble keeping up on the highway with the bigger bikes is that the case?

I was looking at this bike because I am really digging the blacked out engine, any thoughts?

http://smd.craigslist.org/mcy/4277986992.html

Another in my area an 883
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/n...304706751.html

 

They don't call the solid mounts bone shakers for nothing. Not a big deal around town, different story as the miles add up.

 

One main difference i noticed with the rigid vs rubber is that my hands/feet become numb after a little while when riding a rigid.

 

I've owned big twins since the 70s and, much as I would have loved a Sporty a long time ago and kept test riding them, I just couldn't bring myself to buy one until after I tried a rubber mount. It's the way to go!

 

wife had an 883 and now has a 1200. you definitely want a 1200 especially given your size.