I currently own a 2003 883 Hugger. Got if from my nephew last year when I decided I wanted to start riding. Actually, the wife bought it for me. I went in to it with the idea that if I liked riding, I could ride the Sporty a while, then move into something else.

Well......I've had my eye on a new Street Glide Special. I made the mistake of driving one at the dealership last fall. WOW!! What a bike.

However, a buddy of mine told me that one of his good friends went from a Sporty to a Heritage Soft Tail and really regretted buying that "heavy bike" and often wished he had his Sporty still in the garage. His reasoning was how light and nimble the Sportster was to maneuver.

Has anyone here in the Sportster forum sold their Sporty only to wish they had it back? If so, please elaborate.

I don't think keeping 2 is an option. Wife doesn't ride with me and I have a 7 mile drive to work (one way). I don't do a lot more riding than that..... at the moment.

Thanks for the replies.

 

Trust me...owning both is awesome...just do it! You only live once.

 

still got my 91, bought it new.
Still enjoy , and the cost of keeping two , or more isn't a lot more than one .

My insurance on four is about $250 a year ..(cant ride but one at a time)

 

like most, I started on a sportster in 1990. went to a low rider, to a fatboy, to another fatboy, to my present road king. 3 months ago I was looking at the street glides at the dealer and saw a 48. then started thinking how cool my old sporty was. how light it was, how fun it was. so I bought a 48. I used to do a lot of long distance riding and the road king was awesome, as im sure the street glide would have been also, but the sporty is so much more convenient to ride around town, the bigger bike is a pain in the a** and I wasn't riding as much. now i'm on the sporty every chance I get and having a blast. I did keep the road king for the long distance rides though. I don't have a note on either bike so it only cost me insurance every year and thats it. if I have to choose at the end of the summer to keep one, I think it would be the sportster. but the road king is always good to have around for those big trips if you can do it. i'd say if your only doing 7 miles a trip, i'd keep the sporty. lugging the bigger bike around for 7 miles gets old quick. its easier to just jump in the car, then eventually you stop riding. i'm rejuvenated since I bought the 48

 

I'm thinking you might want to try taking a Dyna for a test ride. Big twin power but still has that sporty type handling and feel. One of my riding buddies just traded his Sporty for a 2014 Dyna and now bugs the heck out of me to go riding every chance he gets. I would say he is very happy with the Dyna.

 

Lost my XL1200C in a wreck this spring, thought I'd 'upgrade' so I bought a Low Rider to replace it, always liked the Dynas...

Nice bike but I'm really missing the Sporty

 

Well personally I'd go with a Heritage. But if you don't think you can handle it, well that's ok, I suppose.

 

Actually no, I bought a new 48 and kept it less than three months. The thing rode like a brick and only had a range of 75 miles per tank. I took a loss and never looked back. Sad to say but I bought it on looks alone,

 

Given what you stated you don't need a tourer (for now) Eventually, if you start doing some long rides and/or the occasional overnighter that could be an option. Maybe at that point you could be in a position to own both (that is my recommendation) I sold both my Softail and Sportster around 5 years ago when I bought my Road King. I immediately got sellers remorse and took 5 years to buy another Sporty to add to the stable sitting next to the 'King. They will pry this one out of my lifeless hands, I can tell you that. I missed having a small light bike to ride locally. If my ride is under 140 miles, I usually take the Sportster. My opinion is that buying a Glide to ride "right down the road" is a bit silly.

 

I started out in the Harley world with a New 1995 883 Hugger, I sold it in 1999 and stepped up in models, sense then I have owned a few larger models all of them I have enjoyed owning but nothing like the feeling I got riding the sporty, there were many times I wished I still had it especially when standing at the base of a Mountain look up at the long twisty road.

Anyhow, in late 2012 that desire was finally recaptured when I purchased the 2013 Forty Eight, I do still own a 2004 FXDL but have been kicking around the idea to sell it because it sits more than it gets ridden, kind of a waste of a good bike in my eyes.