Expert Help Please!

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by j7yse

They want £6400 for the 04 54 5000 miles in black with the forward control adaptation, is this fair?

You could get a new one for £6,995. Mind you, it wouldn't have the forward controls; 33398-04 Polished: £307.96, 33395-04 Chrome: £395.96, from Guernsey H-D; fit 'em yourself and save yourself the labour charges. The Sundowner 51507-04 is £237.56, but you've also got loads of non H-D seats to choose from.

So it is easy to fit a sundowner seat? I have seen a custom 1200 05 that is £5995, it has a back rest so if I bought a sundowner seat I could fit it myself?



Now I am really confused!

Thanks for all your help guys!

J7YSE

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by j7yse

So it is easy to fit a sundowner seat? I have seen a custom 1200 05 that is £5995, it has a back rest so if I bought a sundowner seat I could fit it myself?

Undo bolt at back of seat, clear the peg that holds the middle of the seat underneath, and lift off. Fit new seat the same way. If you get a Custom you need a different seat to an R, because of the larger petrol tank.

51507-04: Customs

51509-04: all others

Thanks for your help! The Sportster R has a stage 1 and I think screamin eagles exhausts where the custom 05 doesn't have either. Will I miss the power? The one I rode had the stage 1 and I loved the power! Also, on the Sportster R, does the backrest come off as easy as the seat or is that a bit more of a job! My idea is to swap seats depending if the better half is on it or not!

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by j7yse

Will I miss the power?

I'm the wrong person to ask this of, since my 883 is restricted to 33 bhp! If you get a bike without stage 1, you can always do it later, when you can afford it, and that way you can fit exactly the air cleaner and pipes you want, not what someone else chose.

Originally Posted by j7yse

Also, on the Sportster R, does the backrest come off as easy as the seat or is that a bit more of a job! My idea is to swap seats depending if the better half is on it or not!

Depends. You can get quick release side plates for the sissy bar, which er, release quickly, or solid side plates which don't. Depends which sort it's got.

You might like to think about a few other things. The Customs are lower, which you might like if you just want to cruise (or pose!), or the higher suspension on the R would be better if you want to ride fast; especially round corners: much bigger lean angle. The Customs have a narrower front tyre on a bigger diameter rim (tyre diameter is quite close though), whereas the R's tyre has a bigger contact patch. The R has a tach; you can fit one on a Custom, but only a mini tach, and you can't have the gauges side by side (not without lots of changes). The Rs have dual front brakes, but the Customs have a bigger tank. Depends what you want out of it.

All these things can be changed, but at a price. Might make sense to choose the one that's closest to what you think you'll want.

If you get hold of the Parts And Accessories catalogue you can see some of the possibilities, or look here: click on 'Flip through the pages of the 2006 Genuine Motor Parts and Accessories Catalog'.

the stage onen makes a big difference on a bike as asthmatic as an 883! if you take a test ride on the two you will notice the difference straight away!
they are two different bikes to look at, and you have to go with the style that suits you. you can put forwards on the R and change the seat just as easy on both, but if you deep down like the custom look the R wont stay that way for long, and vice versa.
i have a 2002 xl53c and love the tall long front look compared to the regular sporty of the same year. im not to keen on the new tank on the customs though, iprefer the old style, narrow style which i think you get on the R.
you could save your self a lot of money and get a pre 04 bike without the rubber mount engine, that could have less miles than the 05 your looking at, and be just as good condition, but it may have more mods done to it already. i think your looking at around £600 for a stage one from a dealer, bit less from an indie. the pre 04 has more character in my opinion, i didnt like the ride as much on the new model when i took a test. my custom will handle as well as most other bikes out there, just get used to the bigger front wheel. i have never scraped the ground yet and i ride it pretty hard! i kept up with a buell at not quite legal speeds on a twisty road the other day so dont let that put you off.
blag a dealer for several test rides on different models before you decide.
dan

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by danpie

the stage onen makes a big difference on a bike as asthmatic as an 883!

I'm looking forward to finding out!

Originally Posted by danpie

i have never scraped the ground yet and i ride it pretty hard!

I have, more than once, and I ride like my granny! Oh, hang on, I've lowered mine even more (11" shocks and shorter fork springs), that'd be it.

[Tim]

The back rest can be very difficult to get off...................thats why i paid someone to do mine for me.........................

[Tim]

My advice from what i have bought and learnt in the last year would be to buy a 04 883 custom with a stage 1 conversion................you can always up grade the engine later..............

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by Timbo 2

The back rest can be very difficult to get off...................thats why i paid someone to do mine for me.........................

Can it? I didn't know that. What makes it difficult? The sideplate fits between the fender and the fender strut right? I would have thought it was just a matter of undoing a few bolts and sliding it out?