Total Motorcycle Community Forums

eric© wrote: I was looking at the Sportster 1200, and was rather amazed to find figures on it such as only 58HP, and a top speed around 105mph. Now I realize that it's a considerably larger bike than my GS, but my "little" bike will do 105 no problem. I then pulled up specs on the V-Max. 98HP, and a top of 132. Bandit-114HP and 146MPH.

Similar results on the other bikes out there....the Harley ends up being the most expensive to buy and insure, gets the cruddiest gas mileage, and has the lowest performance. They sound cool tho

MCN tested the 04 XL1200C in it's 12-03 issue and reported a 12.99 @ 100.11 mph quarter mile with a measured top of 123.7 mph. Quite good stock figures for the cruiser world. It had 58HP with 68 ft lbs of torque.

They tested the 883L model in their 1-05 issue and reported a 14.98 @ 88.93 mph quarter with a 108.2 mph top. 40.8 HP and 41.9 torque. Actually better figures than the Honda VLX and the Aero 750 and also better than the popular 650 Stars. I think a guy that knew how to shift gears and liked too do so could run away from most of the mid size cruisers on the 883. It's 51.3 mpg avg gas milage is better than all the mid size cruisers I can think of. About 10 mpg better than the 1200.

I spent a lot of time sitting on the XL1200C at the bike show last winter and was quite impressed with it's ergos for my 6' 240# carcass. I've never ridden any Harleys although i have been offered a ride quite a few times by friends. I did get a good ride on a 1200 Buell Cyclone with a souped up HD engine down in Knoxville in 01. Wow, amazing torque for a guy that rode down there on a GS500 at about 80 mph indicated. It vibrated extremely badly at idle but smoothed out if you picked up the idle to 1800 and riden between 2k and 3k rpm it was quite smooth and extremely torquey. Vibes went up quickly from 3k up.

If you could get a ride on a current XL1200C, I think you would be very favorably impressed. Sadly, the Sporty gained about 60# when they added the rubber mounts a couple years ago. The last few years I've hung out uptown evenings in front of a coffee shop with a bunch of bikers that ride mostly cruisers and most of them HDs and have ridden with many of them. When running on highways with these torque monsters I run my GS500s in 5th and drop frequently to 4th as required. That's why we have 6 gears on our small engine high revving bikes.

yeah the 1200 sporty is the sweetest ride ive been on so far.

and...

eric© wrote:I don't want it to sound like I'm bagging on Harleys at all, I'm really not. But in talking to people and dealers around here, I get the same impression that I did with people regarding Jeeps (Jeeps are the best off road, period...no discussion, etc).

it has nothing to do with the jeep logo...yes there are as many toolboxes in jeep hats waving from thier YJ as there are weekend warriors on their 2wheeled chrome wagons...however...due to the jeeps seperate tub and frame...solid axles...its one of the easiest things to maintain and reapair. which means they dont brake as easy. but if you ask me a jeeps not a jeep unless its a a CJ or a Willies.

eric© wrote: but if you ask me a jeeps not a jeep unless its a a CJ or a Willies.

Or maybe a Kaiser? The best off-roader I ever had was a '69 Jeepster Commando. That little Buick 225 V-6 was a screamer in the weeds.

yeah as long as there is not a Y or T in front or Liberty trailing the rear...its gonna be a tuff MF.

but the most fun offroad vehicle i was ever in was a Suzuki Samurai
so little you can go anywhere...and tuff for the same reason the Jeep is.




my buddy dropped a VW TDI engine is his...this thing will outperform any Jeep on any Trail in Pa.[/img]

It definitely is an individual thing. When I was doing a lot of longer distance traveling, I liked my K1100RS, in spite of the weight and tendency to wallow a bit at 80 with all the stuff I packed on it. It still had the best wind and weather protection of any bike I ever owned, and that is a very nice thing in a rainstorm.
Buying a Harley may or not be satisfying, so you really need to weigh what you want out of the bike. A friend of mine bought a gussied up Harley for $23k several months ago, and on our first ride together, he couldn't bring himself to get it past 70mph, or keep me and my old heap within sight in a mildly winding road. His purpose in owning the bike was the gentle cruise, no hurrying in the plan. I have a different view of things. I prefer a brisker pace, short of eluding imaginary police, but definitely not overly slow. Many Harley riders like those big slow-moving, relaxed-looking rolling road block rides that seem so popular. Different strokes for different folks, ya know.
Most of us go through a few different bikes, looking for that something that the last one didn't have. Now touring cruisers are a big thing, but be sure you get one with some horsepower, or it will always seem like a pig.

flynrider wrote:

eric© wrote: but if you ask me a jeeps not a jeep unless its a a CJ or a Willies.

Or maybe a Kaiser? The best off-roader I ever had was a '69 Jeepster Commando. That little Buick 225 V-6 was a screamer in the weeds.

Oh so many fond memories of my '75 CJ5. 258 inline six had more than enough torque to take you anywhere on any trail, or off it. But alas... I had to sell it in order to get a down payment for my first house... Just where the heck were my priorities???

oldnslo wrote:..... like those big slow-moving, relaxed-looking rolling road block rides that seem so popular.......

No bias there.

Well, I guess the answer is no. My biases are out of control.......

Im suprised nobody mentioned Victory? They have some sweet looking bikes if your into cruisers, and definately not short on power, and is also an american bike (higher american parts content than a harley by a long ways).

My wifes cousin had an 03 XL1200C that had the screaming eagle kit plus a cam swap. That thing pulled SERIOUSLY hard under acceleration. Shame she traded it in on a road king (she wanted a touring bike, not the sporster).

jmillheiser wrote:Im suprised nobody mentioned Victory?

I was going to, but Polaris is actually a Canadian company IIRC, so rather than open that can of worms, eh!