Please tell me if your harley sportser is worth the money and would you buy another ? Oh and how has the maint

Question

been has it been expensive to maintain I mean compare to other bikes? I want one Ive always wanted one now Im old and can afford one just wondering if its the way I should go as far as upkeep!

Answer 1

Dude get a Honda Shadow Spirit... They look better, half the price and more durable. As of the sound you can modify/change the pipes to make it sound just like a Harley.


They are also chromed out with really nice paint jobs straight off the showroom floor

Answer 2

I owned a 1999 Sportster for five years and used it mostly for commuting to work and short rides for fun. It wasn't reliable even for short trips. Many of the other Harley owners that I knew and rode with had similar problems. Getting stranded on the road just seems to be part of the Harley experience.

Over the approximately 10,000 miles I operated my bike it had repeated oil and air leaks around both valve covers, a snapped throttle cable, a binding throttle grip and clutch lever (both were replaced and the problem came back), brake light switch failure, bad voltage regulator, headlight failure (twice), turn signal failure, battery cable failure (twice), spark plug cable failure, ignition module failure, speedometer sensor failure, starter relay failure (twice), and other problems. I had all these failures despite the many hundred of dollars a year that I spent at the Harley dealer making sure the bike received all its recommended maintenance.

Even if the Sporty had been reliable, it wasn't a very good bike. The seats were too soft and the seating position was uncomfortable, vibration from the motor was bone-shakingly bad, the mechanical and exhaust noise level (even with stock exhaust) made earplug use almost mandatory, heat from the rear cylinder head made for very hot summer rides, loud backfiring if ridden with less than a 15 minute idle warm up, heavy engine knocking under load (even with premium fuel), one of the weakest pogo-stick-like suspension systems ever devised, a heavy clutch lever with a grabby clutch, a loudly clunking transmission, expensive maintenance requiring the use of "Harley" brand oil, transmission, and brake fluids, tiny gas tank requiring frequent fill ups, top heavy weight distribution which made very low speed riding a little awkward.

Good things were the gas mileage, 55 mpg and sometimes more. Torque on the hills was great. A generally solid feel despite the fragility of the bike's electrical system, People love shiny Harleys and you get lots of opportunities to meet friendly people. A fair purchase price (Sportster only) and better than average resale value.

My advice: if you've always wanted a Harley and the cost and inconvenience of owning one is not an issue, then you should buy one and enjoy it. Owning a Harley really is a unique experience and I hear the new version of the Sporty has addressed some of the problems I experienced with my 1999 model.

Answer 3

Lance 11813 seems to know the most on this subject. Thats about the most honest answer I've seen from a Harley rider. Most Harley guys have short term memory when it comes to the problems they've encountered as they hate to admit the bikes are junk. Typically they've never spent time on any other bikes either so they have nothing to relate it to. You'll also note that they rarely talk about ride comfort or reliability, but more often they mention how they get more looks. Remember also that the 883 puts out a pathetic 45 horsepower and the 1200 only puts out about 65 - yet the morons that love them like to equate noise with power. So, if you enjoy wearing frilly leather and buttless chaps, riding an uncomfortable and unreliable bike that is 20 years behind any japanese or german bike on the market, go with the Harley.

Answer 4

Don't buy in to the Harley-sell. Harley's are not more expensive because they are a better build nor are they of higher qaulity then a high-end Japanese cruiser. They are more expensive because they have a corporate sponsered "Bad-Boy" image backed by publically owned shares of the company (how's that for completely selling out?). For some reason, heavy-duty tool bags just keep getting suckered in to purchasing these bikes! Oh, plus Harley's have "The Sound" (lol, but only after your dump hoards of cash into pipes, after-market kits, etc etc).
You are a fool to purchase a Harley. Will you buy all the lame leather gimmicks emblazend with their silly orange logo, too? Will you take part in the corporate sponsered Harley gatherings where Ma and Pa Fattykins show off their life savings in the form of a Future Rust-Bucket 1200? Will you veinly attempt to bulk up your biceps to appear like a true monkey swinging from $500+ ape-hanger bars (remember, they MUST be chromed!)?
Dude, go Jap. and be one of the orginal cruiser riders.

Answer 5

Don't buy into the attempted sell of a rice burner. You will only endure Harley envy, as all do and then want to upgrade. The rice burners do not hold their value and you will never be able to get rid of it without taking a hit. There's a logical reason why Harley's cost more. They are also more expensive to maintain but well worth it esp. if you want to travel long distance at all. If going with the Sporster, go with the 1200. You won't be able to sell the 883 if you want to upgrade later. And if you get the 883, you would again be wishing you had more power within a short time. Take your time as it's an investment and should be looked at as such. Talk to other bikers as far as the best place to shop around, online as well as Harley shops. Good Luck!!

Answer 6

I have owned both harleys and jap cruisers. A sporty 883 new will cost you about 7500, however you will immedietly end up adding close to 1000 in extras just to make it ridable. (upgraded seat, windshield, stage 1 etc) A sporty 1200 should start out about 9k. New harleys do come with a 2yr warranty now. My sporty did have it's share of problems, mostly with leaky rocker box gaskets, wiring issues and a speedo blowing out but all of these items were covered by warranty. My jap cruises had their share of issues also. Rusted out gas tank right off the showroom floor and 3rd gear stripping out after 1yr on a honda shadow. overall the jap bikes are probably a bit more reliable and better, however when it does come time to sell the bike, you will get most of your money back with the sporty, with the japanese bike you will not get much resale. Another option is a triumph. they are in the same size range, around 800cc and cost about the same as an 883.

Answer 7

Buy American - Harley is the only way to go. If you get a Sportster, you'll wish it was bigger in less than a year. So get a used bike with under 50 K on it & you'll be happy. Lots of Evo's on the marker right now with the new engines coming out - so you should be able to land a good deal. If you like the Sporty look, get a lowrider or a Dyna wide glide. Personally, I like Fatboys - but whatever, just stay true & stick with a HOG.

Answer 8

If your gonna buy a bike, buy a Harley. Cause you'll only get laughed at if you buy a Jap bike and try to make it sound like a Harley. Besides, Loud Pipes - Violate Rights and make you look and sound like a a-- hole biker.

883 is a great bike, take care of it and it will take care of you.

Take note, the people who knock Harley's are the ones who can't afford them. Plus your Harley will be worth more in re-sale or trade and will still be running in 20 years.

Answer 9

I have a 1200cc Custom Sportster for sale. I love the sportster and it was definately worth the price for a first bike, but for long road trips with the wife it hurt her butt. I'm selling to upgrade to a cruiser. If you're interested, I'll send you the flier on mine with all of the accessories. Low maintenance and factory warranty still left till 2008. Awesome paint job!!

Answer 10

It's a good "starter" Harley. I had a 1996 Sportster and had it custom painted and put on tons of chrome. You'll outgrow it and want a bigger bike. I own a 2004 softail "deuce" now.