Getting back on, 833 or 1200?

[fatbryan]

I have a little experience with this, my first bike was a 1200 sportster. I have short legs 5;8. I always thought dynas softails would be to big for me. Well i just got a 2004 fatboy for 10.000 with 10.000 miles on it. Even though ive only gotten to ride it once so far. WOW what a difference. Its actually easier to handle then my 1200 was and it fits me great i have no problems moving it around and feel very comfortable on the road with it. GO FOR IT YOU WILL BE HAPPY.

 

[whacko]

Bull dog,
You are right with that! I rode with some friends last summer with my wife on the back of my superglide 96........had two guys on the trip riding 883 sportsters single up and when we stopped for our first break they commented on how my dyna left them in the dust when rolling out from a stop or moving up on the highway. The 1200 sportster may be a different story though........bet that 1200 sportie with no passenger will scream!

 

[Mad Dog Jim]

whacko - true stuff. This is one of those mysteries where the dyno read out and physics math on paper dont match what the seat of your pants are telling you. I personally beleive that same weighted riders on a stock 1200 vs stock big twin,,, the Sporty should win. But it will take more aggresive riding to get it done. Duh, its a race. I'm just saying that if you put a solo rider on a Sporty, and two riders on a big twin, and let them go for a couple hundred miles, the guy on the Sporty will "FEEL" like it took work to keep up.

 

[pecromer]

Thanks for all the great responses. You guys are very helpful and I appreciate it. I was expecting to get some slack for riding a sport bike previously, so I thanks for not jumping my (EDIT) . I’m deployed to Afghanistan at the moment and was only posting because I was considering getting something now because we can get a discount, however you guys have talked me into checking out some bigger bikes which I’m not to familiar with.

I think I’ll take the good advice of renting some bikes before I buy. I was under the impression that the bigger bikes would be too big for me (5’10”/165lbs) but after reading some of your posts and seeing some picks of you guys on your bikes I think I should give it a try. I mainly want something comfortable and fun to ride. I don’t plan on doing any cross country rides; maybe 100 miles at most, just to work and school and some fun rides around Arizona.

Again, thanks for squaring me away and I’ll be sure to post a pic of what I get. I should be home sometime around May and I can’t wait to get back on. :small3d022:

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[cedarbrook63]

Thanks for all the great responses. You guys are very helpful and I appreciate it. I was expecting to get some slack for riding a sport bike previously, so I thanks for not jumping my (EDIT) . I’m deployed to Afghanistan at the moment and was only posting because I was considering getting something now because we can get a discount, however you guys have talked me into checking out some bigger bikes which I’m not to familiar with.

I think I’ll take the good advice of renting some bikes before I buy. I was under the impression that the bigger bikes would be too big for me (5’10”/165lbs) but after reading some of your posts and seeing some picks of you guys on your bikes I think I should give it a try. I mainly want something comfortable and fun to ride. I don’t plan on doing any cross country rides; maybe 100 miles at most, just to work and school and some fun rides around Arizona.

Again, thanks for squaring me away and I’ll be sure to post a pic of what I get. I should be home sometime around May and I can’t wait to get back on. :small3d022:

Take care of yourself out there and all respect to you for serving your country:hii. A lot of our guys are out there too and it's not an easy stint :UK.
Enjoy trying out some bikes when you get home - give the 1200 Sportster a trial ride too, it's a lot of fun. Sportster take some flack from some HD enthusiasts but each bike in the range has its own character and advantages. As Smitty always says at the end of the day "your bike - your choice". Enjoy and ride safe.

 

[cedarbrook63]

all this talk of power and ability of BT to out run sporties is not the whole truth or for that matter the total truth HP is nothing without TORQUE and this is were the BT have the sporty beat and the reason they can pull away once moving as the sporty has to spin up to get to its TQ were as a properly set up BT has it from the word GO but runs out just as the sporty is making its own mountain.
That said a properly set up 1200/1250 sporty will in the twisties give any BT a good run, i know i currently own a Sporty and i will say this once it hits 3K you gotta hang on and it will run off the clock with ease,mind so did my Dyna but thats another story.

Final note - Remember were the sportsters come from before you decide they are loosely based on the KH/XR dirt track bikes - and are nothing like a BT - 4 cams, near perfect push rod alignment, all in one construction, high CofG for cornering ability - need i say more

Oh yeah i still ride the BT as cant be beat for 2 up comfort

ehhhhh - what he said

 

[danthern]

I have a Dyna Super Glide Custom and the little woman has a Sportster 48. Heck of a lot of fun to ride, that Sporty, but as everyone has said, if you're gonna ride any distance and for sure if 2 up is involved you'll be happier with the big twin. The Sporty is just that (sporty), and it'll smoke my Dyna in the twisties but for comfort, you can't beat the Dyna. If you get the Sportster, I'd get the 1200.Good luck in your choice.

 

[cedarbrook63]

I have a Dyna Super Glide Custom and the little woman has a Sportster 48. Heck of a lot of fun to ride, that Sporty, but as everyone has said, if you're gonna ride any distance and for sure if 2 up is involved you'll be happier with the big twin. The Sporty is just that (sporty), and it'll smoke my Dyna in the twisties but for comfort, you can't beat the Dyna. If you get the Sportster, I'd get the 1200.Good luck in your choice.

Does your wife find the small fuel tank capacity to be a nuisance on the 48?

 

[cromwell]

Man I must be from a different planet as I find the only thing I hate about my sporty is the always having to stop for fuel. I have no issues riding the bike for long hauls. Longest ride so far has been a 11 hour day (approx 800km)around Ireland. No issues other than having to stop every 120 miles for fuel. With that said if you are going to do any 2 up riding that I would get a larger bike.

 

[Jack Klarich]

all this talk of power and ability of BT to out run sporties is not the whole truth or for that matter the total truth HP is nothing without TORQUE and this is were the BT have the sporty beat and the reason they can pull away once moving as the sporty has to spin up to get to its TQ were as a properly set up BT has it from the word GO but runs out just as the sporty is making its own mountain.
That said a properly set up 1200/1250 sporty will in the twisties give any BT a good run, i know i currently own a Sporty and i will say this once it hits 3K you gotta hang on and it will run off the clock with ease,mind so did my Dyna but thats another story.

Final note - Remember were the sportsters come from before you decide they are loosely based on the KH/XR dirt track bikes - and are nothing like a BT - 4 cams, near perfect push rod alignment, all in one construction, high CofG for cornering ability - need i say more

Oh yeah i still ride the BT as cant be beat for 2 up comfort

Hobbit is right, when a Sportster comes alive look out, They have won more battle of the twins than you can shake a stick at