New to me motorcycle..maybe..

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ddrumman2004

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Hey folks!
I may be getting a new to me motorcycle this coming week...a 2000 HD Sportster 1200 Sport. I'm at a time in my life that I want to drive a Harley Davidson motorcycle and I can get this one in a trade...for my 07 Honda Rubicon ATV that has 430 miles and 93.3 hours on the unit. It has never seen any mud.
The bike has just over 14k miles and has the Screamin Eagle kit installed.
I'm going to see the bike Tuesday at his job and he wants me to bring my atv so the trade may take place then. My oldest son, who rides a 92 Softail with a jockey shift and ape hangers will meet me there to help assess the bike.

Any thing I should look out for or are there any quirks with this year of production?
With three atvs and we not riding them much, I am willing to trade mine for this bike. The bike looks good in pictures and the owner told me he rides it to work but feels he's pushing his luck in Memphis traffic, what having two close calls recently. Plus he wants an atv so he can take his son hunting. My Rubicon and his Sportster are roughly worth the same according to KBB.

Any opinions?
 
How many hours/summers do you have riding any other type of motorcycle on or off road?

That is too much bike for your first motorcycle.

And IF it would be your first motorcycle, I would suggest you park it or pass on it for now, and get something much smaller around 250 CC street or trail and ride that for two summers before getting on the road with that much bike. If you have to ride highway speeds get something around 400 CC for your first bike.

Either way get something with less power and weight for a learner, and use it for two summers, and then if you still want something over 800 CC in a Harley, go for it. You will be much better off sitting on a big bike with a couple of summers of riding something smaller as your background.
 
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Go for it! Lots of beginners,both male and female start out on Sporsters-very easy to ride,hold their value,very reliable with fantastic parts and accessory availability. Ride it for a while and then,if you are into it, move up to a Big Twin or,for a few bucks put on the H-D 1200cc big bore kit. Ask your son,he knows.....
 
Well the 1200 is a bit peppy, but the size and weight of the bike are okay for a starter. Id rather see someone start on an 883 if you want to start with a HD product.

Personally I say just make sure you ride it very very conservatively at first. The 1200 is not a horsepower monster like a liter sportbike, but they do make good amounts of torque.
 
I have been riding motorcycles since the early 70s. I own a 2006 Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic now, and owned a 91 Goldwing just 3 years ago.
The Wing was too much bike for me so I sold it and then I bought this Yamaha from my daughter. Don't get me wrong, the Star is a great motorcycle...but I want a Harley.

Maybe it's a late, mid-life crisis? I don't know. But I have owned a Goldwing and I guess I feel I need to own a HD.

Also, I helped my son jet his Softail last year and I was astonished at how easy it was to access the carb! No removing the tank and then unhooking a lot of cables and wires, removing duct work...etc...
HDs just seem to be easy to work on...am I wrong?

I appreciate your concern but I didn't just start riding motorcycles. I was just curious as to what "problems", if any, I could expect from the bike itself.
 
Originally Posted By: Robenstein
Well the 1200 is a bit peppy, but the size and weight of the bike are okay for a starter. Id rather see someone start on an 883 if you want to start with a HD product.


Isn't the 1200 Sportster the 2nd quickest HD after the VRod?
 
Yeah as long as you do not count any of the Buell products as HD products.

Yes, Harleys are very easy to work on. It will run circles around a 650 V star. And the Sportster Evo engine is pretty darn good about not giving you problems.
 
A 2000 XL will have a rigid mounted motor, so you'll get mor vibrations that new XLs and the bigger HDs. It's carbureted, so you'll have to get use to finding the sweet spot with the choke on a cold engine. I can usually keep mine idling on the 2nd try. When you say Screamin Eagle, do you know what was added, ie carb kit, pipes, heads, etc?
 
dd, take it for a good long test ride. See if the vibration and noise levels are OK for you at speed and for a long day of riding. You can improve the seat, mufflers, and other bothersome points, but see if the NVH, noise, vibration, and harshness, are a deal breaker for you. Look for oil leaks and see if the brakes are adequate, also. Screamin' Eagle is Harley's line of parts for a somewhat custom look and sometimes more noise. Parts like the fork brace and upgraded clutch are functional, and other parts are just chrome bling.
 
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
How many hours/summers do you have riding any other type of motorcycle on or off road?

That is too much bike for your first motorcycle.

And IF it would be your first motorcycle, I would suggest you park it or pass on it for now, and get something much smaller around 250 CC street or trail and ride that for two summers before getting on the road with that much bike. If you have to ride highway speeds get something around 400 CC for your first bike.

Either way get something with less power and weight for a learner, and use it for two summers, and then if you still want something over 800 CC in a Harley, go for it. You will be much better off sitting on a big bike with a couple of summers of riding something smaller as your background.



Do NOT listen to this advice. Too much motorcycle is ridiculous. Get the bike you want! Why by a little 250 only to have to try to sell it for what you could have gotten the first time around. I made that mistake with my wife. Her first bike was an 883 SPortster and what a mistake. We finally took a loss and got her the Dyna Lowrider she really wanted. New rider, bike bike was no trouble.
 
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The stock bike weighs about the same...dry...as my V-Star so that shouldn't be a problem.

One thing about the Star...I have been averaging 58 mpg driving it the 56 mile round trip to cardio rehab three days a week. Not bad.
 
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Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
How many hours/summers do you have riding any other type of motorcycle on or off road?

That is too much bike for your first motorcycle.

And IF it would be your first motorcycle, I would suggest you park it or pass on it for now, and get something much smaller around 250 CC street or trail and ride that for two summers before getting on the road with that much bike. If you have to ride highway speeds get something around 400 CC for your first bike.

Either way get something with less power and weight for a learner, and use it for two summers, and then if you still want something over 800 CC in a Harley, go for it. You will be much better off sitting on a big bike with a couple of summers of riding something smaller as your background.



Do NOT listen to this advice. Too much motorcycle is ridiculous. Get the bike you want! Why by a little 250 only to have to try to sell it for what you could have gotten the first time around. I made that mistake with my wife. Her first bike was an 883 SPortster and what a mistake. We finally took a loss and got her the Dyna Lowrider she really wanted. New rider, bike bike was no trouble.


YES, and NO.. i dont recomend anyone climb on a 1000cc Yamaha R1 to "Learn" motorcycling.. to much bike can get you hurt fast.. but on the flip side.. we learn and adapt quickly, buying a smaller cc bike is ok too.. hopefully most people getting into motorcycling have someone around that can help guide them.

Its funny, i own a 1000cc and a 250cc guess wich one goes to work with me daily ? hard to beat $12 a week for gas !

to the op: sounds like you want a hog... you have a chance to get one here.. probably wont be a smooth as your star as was mentioned before the hog is rigid mount.. that said, you could always get the hog and trade up to a newer hog.
 
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I still have my 1st Harley, 97 Sporty. It's in getting new tires - 880s.
Screamin Eagle carb, exhaust, re-cam etc..
Although it's solid mount, I enjoy riding it. Of course the gel/foam seat made a difference on the 16 hour 2-up run. ISO grips & boards too.
The power > weight ratio is a boost before any mods. Lot more lean than the Ultra.
Amsoil 20-50 in it.
 
Sportsters DO vibrate and generally feel a bit raw. I have had several and now have a Road King and Night Train softail. I gotta say that the Road King vibrates at idle but is super smooth on the highway. The newer (2001 and up) softails have the Twin Cam "B" motor which is counterbalanced and is very smooth at idle and lower RPM's. It does not rev as freely and is unhappy at higher RPM's. Mine,a 5 speed likes to run 65 mph or less and really just loves to poke around at low revs. You can always try the Sporty and if you are not happy...well.....there are always other options! Harleys are breeze to tinker with and parts are very reasonably priced. I bought my first one back in 1975,a used 883 XLCH iron head that was kickstart only. I still remember cold mornings kicking through that thick 60 weight oil we used way back then. You just have to ask yourself what type of guy are you-Camry comfort ,convenience,economy,blah,blah,blah, kinda guy or a '57 Chevy kinda guy?
 
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Yes...I want to own a "Hog"....not sure why other than for the reasons I mentioned..plus it's American made.
Also,this is my opportunity to own a HD without any money payout other than buying state registration and insurance.

I figure that if I get the ownership of HD out of my system, I can sell or trade it for another atv. But from what I have read and have been told, once you own one, it's hard to own anything else.

Anyway, I go see the bike today and he wants me to bring my Rubicon....so I may come home with it.
 
Harleys are assembled in America, but do not be under the impression they are truly "made in the USA". In order to get that stamped on it it must be 51% made of American parts, and its been a long long time since that was reality. Tons of Mexican, Chinese, and Japanese parts in these.

But they work, and employ Americans on assembly lines putting them together, but so did Honda with the Goldwing for many years, as does Victory up here in Iowa at their Spirit Lake facility.

But it is the third oldest surviving brand in the motorcycle world (Triumph 1902, Norton 1898), so its a tradition.
 
Originally Posted By: Robenstein
Harleys are assembled in America, but do not be under the impression they are truly "made in the USA". In order to get that stamped on it it must be 51% made of American parts, and its been a long long time since that was reality. Tons of Mexican, Chinese, and Japanese parts in these.

But they work, and employ Americans on assembly lines putting them together, but so did Honda with the Goldwing for many years, as does Victory up here in Iowa at their Spirit Lake facility.

But it is the third oldest surviving brand in the motorcycle world (Triumph 1902, Norton 1898), so its a tradition.

BMW started making bike engines in 1921.
 
Sportsters are fine for a starter bike. Not too much power, but enough to get you seasoned....don't waste your money on a 250, or even an 883....you will quickly be bored with their lack of power and it will end up being a waste of money....then as you become more confident, you can move up to bigger, heavier, and more powerful machines should you so choose...
 
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