Go Sportsters

Mid controls - You could probably do an even swap or even make money because a lot of people don't want mids...but the Roadster really calls for them.

Shocks - You can buy used or takeoff FLH air shocks (13") from ebay for around $50. For another $5-10 in parts(Schrader valves and washers) and a half hour you can shitcan those stockers and bolt up an air system.

Seat - as already has been said - the stocker sucks BAD. I had a mustang couch on mine and it was super comfy, but looked like shit. Fuck it...I sat on it more than I looked at it.


if you haven't already, check out
http://xlforum.net/

Chances are, if it's been done to a sportster, some guy there has it documented. Great resource.

oh, and this was mine before i traded it for a road sofa. (I don't have any pics with the black Road King air shocks, but they looked great.)

shopping on ebay around this time of year is the damn shit!

I just won a set of mids today for $26!!
Also, just saw a set of forwards (just like mine) go for $217. I think I might make a little cash on the swap...

Also have coming a nelson rigg tank bag, a stock seat, a set of superbike bars and a screaming eagle fork brace all for under $150. Man!

I've been on xlforum like a sonofabitch. Lots of great info there, but you guys are my #1.

After lots of research and talking to guys on xlforum I decided go with ricor intiminators for my forks, which from the very get go I knew I had to make the front end priority.

I'm going to wait on the rears, I've heard that once the front end gets set up it gets the rear to behave a bunch better. Plus, I dont have much complaints on the stock shocks except for being a bit stiff - they're fantastic compared to the forks.

yes! silver is definitely the rare color.
I'm still young, hopefully I can make it a bit further on the stocker than 1 tank of gas.

Seriously. Plenty happy with that.

awesome.

does that fairing do anything for ya?

Damn, I want that seat on my XR1200....

Good luck on the Sportie. I think you'll like it, once you personalize it.
I picked this up last Christmas, '96 xl1200s.





I couldn't get over how bad it handled and rode. Those mid controls just felt awful to me. It's a work in progress, so here's where I am today.





Changing the rear 16 for a 18 and adding the fairing made a big difference, along with fine tuning the front end. I think it's where I want it to be, so now I'm thinking about what color to paint it. Orange, maybe?
Great day for a ride today in north Fl. on the back roads.




George

SWEET ASS S .


How much work is involved in putting on an 18"?

Finally a 1200R Roadster thread.
Love mine,its the best sportster, and the sportster is the best bike.
50mpg, no chain,no valve adjust,torque, and its made here. That counts for me. I have a teal one, and its not a girls bike fer kris-saiks

Gadsden county.



Runs off this road.




George

Everything bolts right up, just need to turn down the sprocket side spacer down ~1/4". It's a 18x3.5 tubeless from DNA with a BT45 140/70/18.

George

This is so!
The sundown seat looks ugly, but you can sit in it for a few hours without screaming...

I never found a good replacement, the sundown seat I had to modify and it still sucks and looks ugly.
Everything about the bike sucks except the motor and brakes.
The bar and peg locations look cool but don't work for normal humans, the stock shocks are trash, as are the forks, the bike is 75 pounds overweight at least, it has little ground clearance.

Mine is for sale in the spring, shortest bike ownership ever, under 1/2 a year to get very tired of it.
It looks real nice, sounds real nice, which is all that matters to some people I guess...

I'll play.

1993 1200 up'd to 1250 (NRHS), FLHT rear shocks (awesome at stock height) w/3" lower brackets (liked the looks, road like crap), Progressive springs up front.
Lots of other stuff over the years (bought at 9000kms, sold at 55,000kms).
Painted the rear fender black to match the rest and sold it this fall. I'll probably get another in a few years to play with.

For a fun, easy to ride, LOW Maintenance around town bike I really like my HD, and I'll even admit to being a 'hater' for many years, and seeing all the deals out there on these bikes made me decide to grab on for fun one day,--well, that and the fact that HD aftermarket parts are CHEAP! Try pricing BMW aftermarket parts....doh! What I really enjoy now is that pretty much all dealers stock a reasonable amount of parts/accessories at reasonable prices. It's a great V Twin engine for 50miles or under- anything farthter than that (or when riding with pals) it's the Super Duke!

There's some nice looking Sportsters in thisn thread. I have a 2006 XL883.I bought it used a couple years ago.ait had "grandpa" (sundowner) seat on it. To me (and I am a 57 year old grandpa) that sundowner just looks way out of place on the bike. I ended up getting rid of it and got a seat from a Custom model and put it on. It leaves a little gap between the seat and tank.No biggie. Other than the seat and the passenger footpegs the original owner put on it's stock. And I like it just fine.I didn 't want the fuel injected 2007 and newer XL.

I lament they have dropped all the standard models (XL883,XL883R,XL1200R) in favor of the short suspended ones. The only bright spot is the XR1200/XR1200X.Yeah, I know it's got FI, but that bike gets my blood boiling.

jon

Add the RICORS to the front and air shocks on the rear, makes the brick almost ridable with the stock seat.





Here is my 1200C

How did it change the ride? I think the stock 16" looks like bull - would love to get a 18" but there's not too many options so far as I could find. Lots for the 3/4 axles, but not so much for the 1"

You're opinion, and that's cool but I think the bike is great on a lot more levels than that. Come off a 3 years stint with a 40 year old guzzi and you'll appreciate a fuck of a lot more.

Ground clearance is 5.6" - why would I need more?

People love to complain about weights, how many are overweight themselves? I don't park this thing laying down.

This bike is a terrific standard. I love when these fuely guys rave about all they have to do is push a button and off they go. What's wrong with these guys that they'd add all those extra gizmos so they don't have to pull a choke plunger?!

So RK air shocks.

How much do you guys weigh and how many PSI do you pack in there?
just curious.

I'm 210 and I ran about 20psi solo, up to 45psi when loaded for touring (saddle bags, pelican case top box and the 1.5 gallon Tour Tank hanging out back). I was using 2009 FLHT take-offs.

Once I lowered it I ran 40 to stop it from bottoming out (lowering brackets and dropped fender). Raked shocks and 40psi was stiff.