| Author | Message | ||
     Lemonchili_x1 |
I took Ronin-the-1125R in for his first (1,000km) service today. Yep, he's broken in, but not house trained  When I booked in a couple of weeks ago the service dept had kindly offered a courtesy bike for the day and I took them up on the offer. As I rode in to the dealer this morning, and please note I wasn't late because Ronin has a clock, I wondered what I'd get for the day... An F650G/S? Maybe one of the funky F800R's? They couldn't have any Buell's left as courtesy bikes, could they? I dropped the bike off and the service tech walked me out to... a plain-jane, not Low, not Custom, not Iron, not Nightster, not Wide, Fat or even Cross, black '09 883. Oh, this is going to be interesting... Now for a long time I've thought of getting a Harley. Some day when I got older, possibly wiser, and decided it was time to slow down, maybe around the year 2039... Something like a Sportster turned into an XLCR, or a standard Softail, and the XR1200 certainly looked interesting. Then October 15 2009 happened, and I'm still mad at H-D  , and any thought's of an H-D motorcycle are out the window 'til H-D sells Buell. But I was still curious, and I had to get to the office somehow... So here is Chili's subjective, particularly biased, possibly slightly bitter, inexperienced evaluation of the 2009 H-D 883 Sportster. Based on a scale of 1-5, where 5=AWESOME, 4=impressive, 3=Not good and not bad, 2=meh and 1=You're kidding, right? Styling 4 It looks like a Sportster should look - plain black, no frills, an engine and two wheels. I still think an XL883R (never sold here) is one of the best looking Sportsters, and this plain 883 wasn't too bad either. Ergonomics 1 What size and shape is the design rider for this thing!?!? Someone with a long body, short arms and a serious case of bow-legged duck's disease??? The seat is about 3 inches off the ground, the footpegs are high and in front, and this wide bar which is pulled back towards you. You're pretty much locked into one position and can't move around on the seat. What got me the most was the footpegs - this nice slim V-twin motorcycle but the footpegs feel like they're 6 feet apart, and in just the wrong spot so I always banged my ankle bone on them every time I took off and could never decide whether to swing my feet out and around and onto the pegs, or tuck back and lift my feet behind the pegs. Frankly, just plain weird. Oh, with the low seat you really notice how heavy the bike is lifting it off the sidestand, but the weight isn't so noticeable on the move. Practicality 3 Easy to ride, lot's of options for saddle bags etc, but I can't see a tank bag fitting on the peanut tank. Ok town bike, but the locked in seating position might get tiring on long rides. Oh, it does have a clock though  . Fit and finish 3.5 I know it's the bottom line Harley, but I expected better. Everything is nice, solid, virtually no plastic on the bike at all, but the detail is a little lacking. Eg the cheap plastic cap on the end of the bolt holding the tank on, why not a cover or a dome nut? Or the wiring running down the outside the front frame tubes, wouldn't it be neater to at least run it in between the frame tubes? And everything you touch is big, but without any finesse - the levers, the pegs, etc. Brakes 1.5 Well, they work. It's *ok* under 50mph around town, but frankly they're pretty pathetic compared to *anything* else I've ridden made post 1995. Not much feel, no bite, scary above 60mph. Ride (comfort) 2.5 Not much travel, particularly at the back, bottoms out on big bumps, but in a controlled manner. I wouldn't want to ride it for a long distance on some of the goat tracks we call country highways. Firm seat doesn't help. Handling/cornering/flickability 3 Easy to ride, very stable, but I found the riding position unsettling to me in corners. I didn't scrape anything but I think I came close and I wasn't pushing. Steering is nice and light at low speeds. Engine/responsiveness/acceleration 3? Oh, what enourmous flywheels you have... It's a sweet little motor for a 500 twin... Actually that's a bit harsh. It is a sweet motor, if a bit gutless, but it's happy in any gear, and it'll hum along smoothly at 60mph quite happily. Some vibration when you rev it out, but that doesn't seem to be what it's about. With the big flywheels you have to really take your time changing gear, and there's virtually no engine braking. Grin factor 2 I'm guessing the Sportster was sporty in the 60's, but to me it's now a retro bike. Maybe a 1200 would be better. Giggle factor 1 Well, I always thought you were meant to feel cool riding a Harley, but I just felt kinda silly riding this weird thing like I was sitting in a barbers chair, which is a giggle of sorts... but I wonder if people would be laughing at me, not with me The biggest drawback I always saw with Harley's is I'd have to spend so much to turn it into something I'd like, but my day on the 883 has turned me off that idea. Maybe an XR1200 would be better? But seriously I think V's 550 Zephyr would blow the 883 into the weeds in most categories. A bit of harsh appraisal? Maybe. It's not a bad bike, but I do think it's very behind the times in terms of brakes, suspension and power, and it's just not my cup of tea . If I wanted a pushrod under-1000cc sports bike I'd buy a tuber, an XB9, or an old 850 LeMans II. cheers, chili | ||
| Nevrenuf |
yea chili, they are what they are. the first time i rode one was my buddies 94 1200 and i let him ride my m2low. he was estatic when he got off of the buell but couldn't wait to get off of his pig. although we did get a nightster after totaling the scg a couple years ago and it wasn't really that bad but as soon as i tested the xt, the nightster went bye bye's two weeks later. no desire to get another one and i don't think the wife would either(hopefully). thanks for sharing your opinion of it. | ||
| Fast1075 |
Sounds exactly like the first sportster I ever rode back in '75....'specially the brakes...that thing was SCARY. | ||
| 4cammer |
"The biggest drawback I always saw with Harley's is I'd have to spend so much to turn it into something I'd like..." Excellent quote, and so true. The XR1200 is a move in the right direction, but still too much HD for me. Like you said, everything is big and lacking in finesse. Mr.Buell took the best of HD (the Sportster lump, that I love all too much) and wrapped it up in a package that might not have been the best in detail or fit and finish, but was an answer to a question many had. And still have. | ||
| 46champ |
It is really sad about the brakes, they have installed decent brakes on them. 2000 to 2003 I think were the years you actually felt like you could skid the front tire. Oh well so much for progress. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
The best use of a sportster http://www.phillittleracing.com/SXR.html | ||
| Kilroy |
Chili- What you have described could be applied to almost any of the current HD line-up. Might help explain the current state of the Mo-Cos financial affairs? Kilroy | ||
| Cityxslicker |
You were on the Custom... you should have been on the standard XL883, the Iron, or if you could nab one... the XL883R (mid controls and taller shocks) It is nothing like the Buell. Had I riden a Buell first... there never would have been a Harley in the Garage at all. | ||
| Gunut75 |
I HAD a harley in he garage..........then I rode the Buell! oooooohhhhh boy! | ||
| Cityxslicker |
grew up watching the orange XRs go the flat track mile and half mile... always had a soft spot for the Sportster,.. but having ridden the Buell.... The bikes I should have bought were the S1, kept the XB9Sx I have, and steal, hook crook, abscond with a dirty Buell Muell somehow  | ||
| Rick_a |
First time I rode a Nightster I scraped the footpegs hard just riding around a parking lot. The guys were like, "well, those peg feelers are really big." Yeah, I think there's a little more to it. Progressive 15" shocks?
Exactly. Compared to the other bikes I looked into at the time (H-D XL and Duc M900), the S1 was the logical choice. | ||
| Americanmadexb |
OH SNAP... Don't let Patches hear you gave this bike a low rating. If he is even here anymore, haven't seen him bitchin' much lately. | ||
| Jaimec |
One of the best reviews of the 883 Sportster I'd ever seen (I think it was Cycle Magazine) concluded: "If the Harley 883 Sportster were the last motorcycle available on the planet, we'd all drive Miatas." I remember taking one for a test ride. It felt like my chin was resting on my knee caps, the mirrors were USELESS over 5 mph and the seating position made me feel like I was a human sail. How the hell does ANYBODY ride that damned thing? I understand things have improved with the (BUELL-inspired) rubber-mounted engine... but it's still a POS as far as I'm concerned. | ||
| Danger_dave |
I disagree with most points. Found it more comfortable than the XR1200X (more leg room) and quite enjoyed riding and revving it. I also thought making it work was really quite good fun. It suits compact people and inexperienced riders really well. Brakes on one of the test bikes were fine - one felt like they could do with a bleed. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I have two of them in the garage, one has taken 4k to get it to where I want it, the other will cost me about 3k to get her where I need her to be. The Buell cost me a new front fender set, bars, bags, seat, exhaust, lights, all under 1K (I do miss my employee discount) | ||
| Spatten1 |
I dragged one with my Kawi 500 parallel twin back in the late 80's. It was close, but he beat me. What freaked me out was that one foot peg was further forward than the other. Too complicated a problem for the HD systems engineers, I guess. I think the rocket scientists in Milwaukee have solved that one in the intervening years. I'd still like to have the new XR. | ||
| Brumbear |
I just flat out have no use for em anymore . I have been CURED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | ||
| Llordlloyd |
Never liked 'em since that 'incident' at Amaroo Park. Actually, I didn't like them very much before that either. | ||
| Tiltcylinder |
Traded in my 07 883r for my 09XT. It was quicker and faster than all but the over 110 inch hogs and I liked it. Pegs were terribly placed, did rear sets (homespun), hwypegs and a HD quarter fairing. Triple discs were just okay, my '71 ironhead has late model FLHP four pots grafted on and works much better (plus it weighs a hundred pounds less). The Buell gets totalled, stolen or otherwise; I probably would buy another, no complaints, no problems, just easy fix ergo issues. | ||
| Cycleaddict |
never heard "quicker & faster " ever used in the same sentence with 883 before ! | ||
| Twowheeldream |
As far as the brakes go, I think they were purposefully made a little on the weak side... the bike is somewhat marketed as a starter bike, and a lot of inexperienced riders tend to be grabby with the front brake, kind of a failsafe much like the rear brakes on tuber's, purposefully underpowered so they don't lock up | ||
| Red_chili |
Oh, there's a plan for ya. Put weak brakes on a starter bike. You gotta be a really harsh believer in Darwin to employ that strategy as a manufacturer. "Here, honey, I bought you a new motorcycle. Have fun!" Yikes! |
