A couple of questions re buying a sportster!

[russ39]

Hi I'm getting back into bikes after a 22 year gap , my last bike was an RD 350 ypvs , my wife is going to buy a harley for my 40th which is next year, so I'm doing a bit of research ready for it ! Do the price of bikes really go up in the summer ? I fancy a 1200 sportster, i took one out last week from bridge in exeter and loved it but it was £6200 so a little out of my price range, I'm looking at older models but is there a real difference with the pre 2004 bikes without the rubber engine mounts , many thanks sorry about all waffle

Russ

[Tony Cross]

You should be able to pick up a 2004+ 1200 for £4>£5k., maybe less. The rubber mounted are easier to live with and have a stronger frame. Buy private in winter to save money. Good luck.

[BaZa®]

Russ you can get this at Riders:

or 2k on ebay

under 5k here

[kiwidave]

You should be able to pick up a mid 1990s 1200cc Sportster for not much over 3000 quid in winter. And it will almost certainly have low miles on it. Like, 15,000 or 25,000. Those bikes are good for many times that. But most on the market have toy-mileage on them.

From 91-up they have belt drive and five speeds. Good deal.

A 4 speed Evo Sportster (1986-1990) is nowhere near as good a buy. The gearboxes **can** give costly problems, and the clutch/alternator magnets set-up is a troublesome issue. For almost the same money, you get a much better bike 1991-2003.

By the late 1990s, some 1200cc models had twin plugs, air shocks, etc.....a little bit of dressing up.

Re 2004-up Sportsters. The whole rubber-mount thing is vastly over-stated, in my opinion. Harley's desperate effort to woo buyers ''scared'' of ''all those awful vibrations''.

Before 1980, every Harley owner worldwide was riding without rubber-mounted engines. It never stopped tens of thousands from crossing continents, etc etc etc ....

Plus, what they don't tell you about the newer rubber-mounted Sportsters is that they dispensed with the trapdoor in the gearbox. If you ever have any serious transmission issues on one of these, it will cost an absolute fortune in shop labour as the cases have to be split. So much for progress...

There are no serious issues with 1992-2003 Sportsters. Buy a 1200 instead of an 883. You will be glad you did. Just my opinion....

[russ39]

Thanks for your replys guys, hopefully I'll be meeting you all when I get my bike !

Cheers Russ

[chilly]

This will be a contentious reply to some i know,but i had a 1991 1200 Sporty and didn't like it,it just shook,not vibrate,just a big shake from the engine ,especially at around my cruising speed of 60 /65 mph.
(i ride British bikes as well ,so i know all about vibration )

I now have an old 88 1340 FXR (rubber mount) and that is so different,so much nicer,16hrs in the saddle once with no problems,i've never ridden a Sporty with rubber mounts,but i'd certainly give one a try before i bought a non rubber mount.
My mate had one and loved it.

As has been said before, buy in the winter, and don't be afraid to go private,some cracking deals to be had out there,take your time and get all the info you can,all part of the buying fun.
Would be even better if you could take someone who knows about Harley Sporties with you.

Good luck
Chill

[grbrown]

A further comment on the vibration front. Having owned Harleys since the 1970s a new shovel vibrated like a b*st*rd when new, but the vibration moved up the rev range as it accumulated miles until it ceased to be an issue.

I would have loved a Sportster, as a natural bed-fellow and second bike, but never found one that was acceptable - they don't seem to improve as a solid shovel does. I have ridden iron and alloy ones over the years, both new and secondhand, but never found one I was prepared to buy. I solved my aspirations by buying a Buell!

Modern Sportsters have the same three-stabilizer engine mounting system as Buells, which is the best reason to hold off and buy a 2004 or later one, budget permitting.

[russ39]

Thanks all for your replys, Chilly does this mean that if the model has an r after it ie 883r then this has a rubber mounted engine regardless of year?

Cheers Russ

[chilly]

Not sure mate ,but it sounds a reasonable assumption,which could be dangerous ,but i know the R in the bigger bikes stands for Rubber Mount .

Pretty sure the Rubber mount came out around 2003 .

PM my mate nickb ,he had one and loved it,he knows more about them than me and would be more than helpfull with any questions you have,wouldn't think he looks in here much now as he rides a 70s Harley.

Chilly

[OrangeR]

Originally Posted by russ39

Thanks all for your replys, Chilly does this mean that if the model has an r after it ie 883r then this has a rubber mounted engine regardless of year?

Cheers Russ

No the 883r came before the rubber mounts. All Sportster models 2004 onwards are rubber mounts.

I hope this helps,

Cheers,

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