Total Motorcycle Community Forums

atom wrote:Similarly-styled bikes that are better suited to newer riders in the same price range as the 919:

BMW F650's and G650

Buell CityX
.

Ok, so I went to Harley Davidson to check the Buell (before seen this post) and they didn't have one at the showroom, I saw one at the service station and it looks cool,but.. I don't know.... What do u think about the XL 1200C Sportster?

Nope, go for the 883... I've ridden that one and it's plenty powerful and fun enough to last a newb a LONG time...
Wrider
EDIT: Also, if you get bored with it after a while, for less than the cost of the 1200 you can buy a new top end for it and it becomes the 1200...

Not2old wrote:What do u think about the XL 1200C Sportster?

that's a good bike. as with any bike, if you're aware of the power, know your limitations and take it easy, you'll be fine...

anarchy wrote:

Not2old wrote:What do u think about the XL 1200C Sportster?

that's a good bike. as with any bike, if you're aware of the power, know your limitations and take it easy, you'll be fine...

+1

A friend has the 1200 sportster, I found it a little top heavy. You may want to sit on it and feel the weight and see what you think. It's a bit awkward at first with the COG where it is, and the forward controls, but you get used to it pretty fast, and the bike is quite nimble once in motion.

you went from 919 to 1200sporty? wow, switch powerlevels, ride mannar, entire genre....
go get something small and used, doesnt really matter what, ride it for a little while, then decide what you want

If you MUST, why not just grab the 599. . .it is as equally sexy (hell thats gonna be my NEXT bike when I get "tired" of the SV - yea right).

Back in 99 I bought my first bike and it was a Sportster 883. All my friends were HD riders and they talked me into believing that it was a great entry level bike. Well, it's a great entry level priced bike for the HD line.

Anyway, I had never ridden a motorcycle in my life and was a fresh grad of the MSF class. I bought the 883 and immediately knew it was too much for me. I was also living in Los Angles at the time, and the traffic didn't make learning any easier. I wasn't so much afraid of the power, but the high center of gravity didn't do much to build confidence. Two years later I sold the bike with only 745 miles on it and swore I'd never ride again.

Fast forward to a couple months ago. I got bitten by the bike bug and decided I needed to beat this fear I had of motorcycles. I started doing a lot of research and did some Google searches on "Sportster Good Beginner Bike". I quickly learned that the sportster can be a challenging bike for even intermediate to advanced riders and that I had made a poor choice for me personally.

I started visiting dealerships and found a V Star 650 Classic. They had a sportster sitting near it and I went back and forth sitting on them and standing them up. I couldn't believe the difference. The V Star just felt so much better with the low center of gravity and I bought it. I've only had the bike for a couple of weeks now, but have put over 200 miles on it. Yeah, that's not much but you have to consider I had the HD for two years and only put 745 miles on it. Got lucky and found the bike that fits me.

Have fun finding the bike that fits you.

OK thanks for all the comments. The change of idea from the 919 and the sportster wasn't that bad... I thought before about the sportster, but I just put the 919 in the thread. Any way, the 883 sounds good enough. I rode a Honda 250, 20 years ago for a time, used it to go to work, in a city with a lot of traffic, but this one I want it for recreational, and I know is the same peril (with all the sunday drivers on the road)... thanks guys & gals.