I like the new 883 "Iron". HD should sell a bunch.But for myself, I don't care for the lowered models. I was a fan of the XL883R,XL1200R,and the XL883 (standard). I also don't like forward controls. I test rode a 2007 XL883C that the previous owner had removed the forward controls and put mids on, and it felt great. I ended up buying a nice, low mileage 2006 XL883 and like it to death. By the way, the new 883 Iron is also available in the pewter pearl/silver, which I like a lot too. jon
yeah, then take the mid-controls & move em back a couple inches, raise the suspension up to where you can set one foot down, put a long kickstand on, and it'd be ready to ride.
Sorry if I digress: Birdmove I see you're in the Seattle area and riding all air cooled . Wondering if you've ever considered a Guzzi. I'm saying this because Seattle is Guzzi heaven. That's where I got my Guzzi--Moto Interational--and I'm totally hooked. Had never rode one before, but talked with them over the phone, flew there, tested two bikes and rode mine back home almost 700 miles. One of the guys there used to be into Harleys, he even wrote a well-known book on H-D. Anyway, I found out about the Iron 883 and saw the video on a Guzzi site, and so I ended up back in Adv to check out what's the scoop. It's a super cool looking bike, prolly the only HD I'd consider, except for the XR maybe. But the low seat and poor suspension... oh well. Still, it's one of the best looking bikes I've seen.
I'm trying not to like this bike, but it ain't workin'. I place a high priority on performance and handling, and this bike doesn't fill my particular needs. But damn, it's good looking, and reasonably priced Owning this bike is like dating a Playboy bunny. You know she's kinda dumb, but she's so hot, you overlook it. And just like the bunny, the ride might be a little bumpy, but a lot of fun. I could justify owning one.
Well, I'm into fucking my wife, not my bike. Since my wife has all the attributes for a great ride, I expect my bike to pull its weight, too. Which is why, I don't have a Sportster at the moment. But, it does make a very good urban commuter. How a bike looks is important, but it's got to be reasonably modern.
Not just paint. It has many performance oriented upgrades, like fork gaitors . I still like it, though. It couldn't be my only bike. But it could share the garage with the others.
Why can't they make a bike that looks as cool as the 883 iron, but has a decent seat and rear suspension? Is there a strategy to have the owners accessorize the bike to make it ridable for any longer than 50 miles? Also, I was looking at the review of the XR in MC News, which was very positive. And yet, the gas tank is only 3.5 gal, and the alternator was listed as only 305 Watt. That means nada heated gear. Yes, most of the time it's not needed, but if you ride for hundreds of miles in temps in the 20s and 30s, you'll freeze your ass off. Does Harley really want to perpetuate the bar-to-bar, fair-weather-rider syndrome? (well, looking at the 883 video--which is pretty cool in some ways--looks like it does).
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Duh...I should have known better. Unless they're buying all from aftermarket suppliers, which isn't going to make Hardly rich...
It's the lower seat low proportions that make this bike look cool Put a "seat" and "suspension" on this bike and you have A sportster. yawn... And yes there is a strategy to get the owners to make their bike custom. It's not rocket science it's what harley has been doing for the last or 100 plus years. It's why harley sells a massive phone book sized book of chrome crap to put on their bikes.
I checked out the 883 Iron today at my local HD dealer. It looks fantastic, especially in the black denim. The sales guy and I both agreed it looks better than the Nightster (especially the motor). I described the look as "bad ass" and the sales guy agreed 100%. He thought it would look even better with black pipes and he may be right. It sits a lot like a Nightster. The Iron's bars are narrower and the seat seems to have a bit more padding up front. Other than that, it's a wash on the ergos between thbe 2 bikes. Good job, HD!