Go Sportsters

If you plan on riding the bike for distance you'll want the 1200 gearing over the 883 after about an hour. The 1250 conversion will make you quick of the light but super buzzy at 80mph... I know my 1200 got buzzy and it had the better touring gearing. The price is usually cheaper to just get the 1200 off the rip unless you get a screaming deal or if you are handy with a wrench. One other note the 1200c' S 4.5GAL tank is also nice for longer rides. The 3.3 isn't bad but the extra gas does come in handy.

Sarah, can you advise me? I now have a smugmug account and have loaded that snake image into a gallery which I call "bikers"
But then I click on the little "insert image" icon, as above, and which then opens into a box which starts "http://".
To which I add:
theKite.smugmug.com/ROB3910m1. Giving me:
https://thekite.smugmug.com/ROB3910m1

But when I enter it, all I get is a little "box of boxes" with a cross in the middle! AAAAGH I'm going crazy!
Rob

Well, obviously I'm not Sarah, and I don't even use smugmug, so I can't say for sure how it differs from photobucket. On photobucket you just click on the image code and it automatically copies to your clipboard so that you just paste it directly into the text of your post. No Image button required. But, did you try the tutorial on snugmug? If you didn't find it, it can be found HERE.

Just send me the pic. I wanna see the snake. I will post it using tapatalk from my phone. slowoldguyxr@yahoo.com

Then you can work on the photo thing at your leisure.

Jeez.

Yikes, now you've done it, I'll be high-steppin' half the morning!

Sarah

This time of year you can do better than $4K for an arsed over 883. I've looked at a few different bikes for 2-3K very recently.

Skulls are kool!

Randy mentioned the 883 dish-top piston conversion, and you can do this easily, plus if you have a good HD mechanic in the area or take time and send the cylinders off they can be bored to 1200 for less than the factory 1200cc cylinders.. Cheap, and very effective. Slap a Mikuni 42 on that thing and go terrorize the big twin riders...

are the ports or valves sized differently for 883 & 1200 heads?
if so, the 883 conversion could build better low end torque

Yes, the 883 heads have smaller ports and vakves. To get the best performance from a converted 883 you really need new heads or at least head work. Not required of course, but if you want a 1200 either buy one or do the full conversion. Thats why I decided it was just easier, cheaper, and better all around to just get a stock 1200. IMO, low end torque isn't something a standard 1200 lacks. if building a true hotrod anyway... well, then it may be cost effective to start with an 883, depending on price.
And then there's the gearing diference to consider too...

Of course that's just my take on it...

Check out a book called Sportster Performance Handbook. Lots of good info there on building sportsters. 883s had some really great performance heads that varied from year to year. If you just want a cheap motor that runs great from stoplight to stoplight and in tight canyons 883's or 883 conversions with decent carb and exhaust modifications work very well. As Randy notes the gearing on the 883's is lower and they really run pretty well as is, bump them up to 1200 with 10-1 compression and they're very quick. And cheap.

Persoanlly, I don't care about getting best performance. Reusing the 883 heads saves you money and you are still gaining 317 ccs of displacement. But, again, I find the 883 engine just fine for me. And cruising at 80 isn't going to happen where I live. 50-55 is the highest speed limit.

thanks for the info.

Thanks, SOG, I am told that it is only a python and cannot sting me anyway - which I believe, because I gave him a nudge with a (long) piece of aluminium, and all he did was give me the stinkeye!
We have temperatures around 40 deg C (about 110 F?) and the snakes are very active.
But I'm just as happy without him!
Rob
(But I still cannot post using Smugmug!)

Keep yer silly skulls - Rob got snakes!

Lord, that snake's killing me.

Rob-- On the picture posting-- if it's like photobucket, copy the IMG code from the smugmug page and then just paste it straight into your post here, skip the little postcard icon at the top of the reply box. It won't show up right away, you'll have to preview the post to let it load. Try that and see how it goes.

Sarah

My lust for another Sportster is growing exponentially lately. Driven partially by cabin fever. Way to early in yhe winter to even think about cabin fever.

So I reflect on my Sportie. Chasing and placing some tags for the Catskill TOR.

Port-a-Sportie

Or Sport-a-Potty

Sharp eyes will see that I screwed this up! That's a homebuilt flattracker with a Shovel Head engine!

You screwed up the description, too...that's an XR1000 with a tracker seat and tank...