Forgive me, but it's not that kool-aid...







What a smooth little test ride, only an 883 with mids, but it was a world of difference from anything else I've ridden (rebel 250, xt225, crf230l, dr650, klr650, xr650, klx351). It cruised 45 great! 70 even better! Makes my klx feel like riding a jackhammer... It definitely needs forward controls and a 1200 motor.

I felt like such a badass....

 

I always thought those where girls bikes. What happened to the pink tassels on the handlebars?

 

Ha! and so the fun poking begins...


It has about the same power to rate ratio as my klx351, about .09 hp per lb. So I guess we can consider the klx a girls bike too .

 

A friend of my wife's had one of those. She is about 5' and 100 lbs.

 

Back in the early 90s when my wife worked at a Harley shop I kind of wanted to sell my Nighthawk S and get a Sportie. Wanted to put the 1200 on it, Screaming Eagle ignition and air filter, 2-1 pipe, real shocks a bit longer to raise the rear and pull in the steering geometry, 18" rear wheel, some real tires, better brakes, and make it work. But all in all, it wouldn't run with the S and would have cost a bunch to do it... Still kinda would have been cool to have a truly hot running/handling Sportster instead of the usual cruiser.

If the engine could be worked to approach the performance of a Buell, that would be really cool. My brother's Ulysses will pull the front wheel quite easily and works pretty good for having a lump of Milwaukee metal in it.

Have fun with the Sporty. Funny how the quickest model in the line-up short of the V-rod is the quickest... yet a girl's bike. Those Harley girls must like to kick Harley guys' butts on the pavement.

 

I like the Sportster 48 with the fat front tire and the spoke wheels. If I had that bike I'd just do burn outs every where.

 

when you said orange i was thinking KTM, didnt know Harleys are also known as Orange. and i also thought the vibrations on the Harleys are also as bad as the thumpers. never rode one before, Harleys are not common here because it is very very expensive and the maintenance is quite high.

 

you poor... poor soul.

 

Harleys are the orange koolaid of the cruise le world. Also it vibrates more at idle, but so smooth at speed.

 

Actually the orange in Harley Davidson is part of the racing colors over the years - Harley Davidson orange and black. The later rubber mount engine Sporties are supposed to be very comfortable from a vibration point of view. The older solid mount engine Sportsters are significantly less comfortable.

Regardless, for most it is about image and/or tradition.