I'm looking to buy a sportster 1200 in the UK. This is the most informative video I have watched. I now know exactly what to look for and what to expect. So thanks for a great video.
I like it a lot. I bought a 2004 xl883 standard and made it my own with a ton of changes. She turns 20 next month. Now that the weather is improving I’ll be uploading more and am taking a long distance trip on it this July. Subscribing because I’m a sportster lover! Edit: interesting, my sporty has no vibration and is so comfy to ride but I had to change seat, bars, suspension, etc to make it work for all day riding but I knew it would be worth it because I loved the bike and knew I was keeping it forever. I had a 1971 Kawa H1-500 so we have some things in common. ✌️ Xena from the XL Forum
I have a 2006 Sportster 1200L I bought about 7 years ago, with just over 3,000 miles on it. I paid $4200 for it. It's my fourth Sportster. Basically brand new. It now has 17,000 miles on it, and would have a lot more, but I also have two other bikes that I ride a lot. The carbureted rubbermount was only made for 3 years, '06 being the last year. I have owned around 40 bikes in my life, a little bit of everything (no crotch rockets) but mostly cruiser style bikes. All of them have been carbureted. I have no desire to get into the computer on wheels thing. Plus most newer bikes all seem to be mostly flat black, and I like bright shiny paint, bright aluminum, and LOTS of chrome. I also like tubeless tires. I have owned several bikes with tube type tires, and will never own another one. They have almost killed me, they have left me stranded for days, and cost me a fortune in towing charges and repair bills. I started riding at age 8 on an old Bultaco 100cc dirt bike, got my license and first street bike at age 16, and have ridden about a million miles since then. All EVO Sportsters can be converted to a carburetor. The carburetor was always just a matter of removing the throttle body and bolting the carburetor on. The problem was, H-D combined the ignition with the EFI system. Now you can get a stand alone ignition system, so you don't need any of the computer parts and a lot of the wiring of the EFI models to convert them to a carburetor. Most of the 2004-2006 Sportster 1200s sold were the 1200C, or "custom" model, which had a tubeless rear tire, and a wire spoked 21" front wheel with a tube type tire. They also have forward controls, which because of bad knees, don't work well for me. They do look the best to me, they had the nicest paint, and the most chrome. And that chrome wire spoked front wheel does look good, at least to me. But I was not willing to deal with the forward controls and especially the tube type front tire just for the looks. My 1200L has a 19" cast front wheel with a tubeless tire, and mid controls. Both the 1200C and the 1200L have 4.5 gallon tanks, which don't really look like a Sportster tank, but hold enough gas to go over 200 miles, and are big enough to put a full sized tank bag on. The Roadster and XR1200 models were the least common of the 2004-2006 models. Everything that is gray on that engine is chrome on my engine. I have louder slip on mufflers that look almost stock, a retuned carburetor, but still have the stock air cleaner. I want an S&S teardrop air cleaner, but they cost over $300. I have NEVER ridden with a windshield, other than trying it once and absolutely hating it. The two main things I love about older Harleys are the sound and the vibration. I call it the Harley "shake". Very low frequency vibration, not the "buzz" you get from an inline four. On my Sportster, when it is idling in the garage, you can see the engine moving around in the frame, and the front wheel is just a blur. They sound and feel like a V8 drag race motor with a hot cam. I weigh 240, and the 2" of travel on my rear shocks works fine for me. I still have the stock suspension and super thin stock seat that came on it. I have no problem with it. I don't want a thicker seat, or higher suspension, because that would make the seat taller, and I can barely get my leg over the stock seat. Supposedly it is 25.2" high.
really great channel, glad to have found it! I really love the styling on the roadster, the heads are great aswell. im partial to the feel of my rigid mount sporty, its weight and ground clearance also make it feel fun around town but it is definitely punishing long distance. i bought it at the end of last season and Im excited to make it my own as this riding season. its great to listen to someone who’s work on their bike is to make it run well and be comfortable not just to make their garage look nicer.
When pulling the oil stick out;;;It may be oil that drips off the stick and gets behind the tank cover and settles on your hoses. My bike has wet hoses in that area as well, but I just bought it so basically, I'm thinking out loud so to speak
2005 XL1200R. Battery negative cable I found loosens when you slide the battery back inti position. The cable gets squashed between the battery & the main frame down tube & slightly loosens as you push the battery in. I moved the negative from the back of the engine to under the seat on right side of the frame near the battery negative post. Job done it’s never come loose again. I put it under the bolt that holds some of the wiring loom in place..above & forward of oil tank No problems at all with vibes on mine. Standard bars original rubber mounts..smooth as silk in motion. All bikes vary ofc
That exact bike was my first Harley. Had it for 15 years and 60k miles until the trans broke and couldn't be fixed. Favorite bike ever and the most beautiful by far.
Subbed...my bike is 2004 so I'll be waiting to see your motormount swap out. I put all 3 in an FLH and it was not a pleasant job. Hopefully the Sporty mounts may be easier to swap
Have an 05 1200c. V&H Longshots, Hyper Charger,grips,and Pegs. Easy too dump coin into them. Have 14k on mine and counting. Zip tied shifter side battery cover,the notoriously fall off or come unhinged. 😊
Well I just purchased a 2006 883 and like you it needs work. It does not run well and while cleaning the carb I found the the slide had melted the diaphragm. I bought a new carb from Amazon $50, changed the spark plugs and no change. I will not give up.
2019 Roadster. Stage One. Bigger forks. Weird size rear wheel that needs a special sized tire. I have to order ahead of time. HONDA 80 Elite! Me also! Why because it was a safer than a "real" motorcycle (parents)? As mine is taller than most Sportys it fits me as a bigger guy myself. Had to forward controls and apes for comfort. Could not ride the flying taco style or with my knees above my hips. So it is a cruiser not a cafe bike. Of course mine has tons of mods. I made it mine. It can go 80mph on the highway with no problems in handling. Yamaha Warrior was my last bike and parts were a pain. Accessories was a pain. Modifying was a pain. It was an evolutionary dead end. Replaced my OEM seat with a Sully's Cobra style seat for a retro look and I can move forward or back as needed. OEM seat locked me in position. Yes, the Sully's is comfortable. Shinkos are Thai I believe. The Kawasaki Death Machine. I know of it by reputation. Yeah. I have to pull on the bars to survive bumps and chug holes. Cavitating Oil - degrades the oil and can damage parts. 39mm? Mine are 41mm. V&H pipes all sound the same. Mine are not loud but are just meh. Roland Sands Tracker. My mistake because I can't throw bags on. 13.36 on my rear shocks OEM. My fronts have never dived with the Upside Down 41mm's and I am 250+. With OEM bars I leaned on the bars or death gripped. Numb hands for sure. Mini Apes improved the hand vibration. I rest my hands on the bars now. Hands are at elbow level. ISO Grips. I tried lead weights on my Warrior and it helped. My W650 I had a full giant screen. In high wind I would duck below the plexiglass so my helmet would not get the tap. I do not have any screen on my CX. I am looking at the Viking convertible rack Sissy with a military duffel. 35-40mph City and 45-85mph Hwy are my sweet spots. Nothing wrong with puttering around. I buy Synth Kit for my Sporty. Amsoil. Probably Crankcase Oil Dripping for the engine coating. It happens. Wax for the Chrome. Flitz Gun and Knife Wax. Bad connections on battery somewhere down the cables. Oooo! I have the same problem with water. I might wrap the fuse case with electrical tape! Mine is still young enough not to worry about rubber going bad; mounts and hoses. Larger tank, the 4.5 for touring? Vanity mods? Raising Tank if you keep the Peanut? Lighting? I went with LED Headlight and Tail Lights. I ride mine daily in all conditions.
You can feel the bike as you ride it. Nothing falls off or cracks or breaks. Rubber mounting adds more maintenance and 80 lbs of weight. I have had my Sportster for 25 years and 400,000 miles on the original engine. 37 back tires and 18 front tires and 3 belts in 25 years. Has out lásted all of my Hondas put together.@@David_loves_foods
I'm looking to buy a sportster 1200 in the UK. This is the most informative video I have watched. I now know exactly what to look for and what to expect. So thanks for a great video.
I like it a lot. I bought a 2004 xl883 standard and made it my own with a ton of changes. She turns 20 next month. Now that the weather is improving I’ll be uploading more and am taking a long distance trip on it this July. Subscribing because I’m a sportster lover!
Edit: interesting, my sporty has no vibration and is so comfy to ride but I had to change seat, bars, suspension, etc to make it work for all day riding but I knew it would be worth it because I loved the bike and knew I was keeping it forever. I had a 1971 Kawa H1-500 so we have some things in common. ✌️ Xena from the XL Forum
I'll check em out.
Thank God I've just bought the 1990 883 Sportster Screaming Eagle (Maintenance and Simplicity wise) 😮!!!
I have a 2006 Sportster 1200L I bought about 7 years ago, with just over 3,000 miles on it. I paid $4200 for it. It's my fourth Sportster. Basically brand new. It now has 17,000 miles on it, and would have a lot more, but I also have two other bikes that I ride a lot. The carbureted rubbermount was only made for 3 years, '06 being the last year. I have owned around 40 bikes in my life, a little bit of everything (no crotch rockets) but mostly cruiser style bikes. All of them have been carbureted. I have no desire to get into the computer on wheels thing. Plus most newer bikes all seem to be mostly flat black, and I like bright shiny paint, bright aluminum, and LOTS of chrome. I also like tubeless tires. I have owned several bikes with tube type tires, and will never own another one. They have almost killed me, they have left me stranded for days, and cost me a fortune in towing charges and repair bills. I started riding at age 8 on an old Bultaco 100cc dirt bike, got my license and first street bike at age 16, and have ridden about a million miles since then.
All EVO Sportsters can be converted to a carburetor. The carburetor was always just a matter of removing the throttle body and bolting the carburetor on. The problem was, H-D combined the ignition with the EFI system. Now you can get a stand alone ignition system, so you don't need any of the computer parts and a lot of the wiring of the EFI models to convert them to a carburetor.
Most of the 2004-2006 Sportster 1200s sold were the 1200C, or "custom" model, which had a tubeless rear tire, and a wire spoked 21" front wheel with a tube type tire. They also have forward controls, which because of bad knees, don't work well for me. They do look the best to me, they had the nicest paint, and the most chrome. And that chrome wire spoked front wheel does look good, at least to me. But I was not willing to deal with the forward controls and especially the tube type front tire just for the looks. My 1200L has a 19" cast front wheel with a tubeless tire, and mid controls. Both the 1200C and the 1200L have 4.5 gallon tanks, which don't really look like a Sportster tank, but hold enough gas to go over 200 miles, and are big enough to put a full sized tank bag on. The Roadster and XR1200 models were the least common of the 2004-2006 models. Everything that is gray on that engine is chrome on my engine.
I have louder slip on mufflers that look almost stock, a retuned carburetor, but still have the stock air cleaner. I want an S&S teardrop air cleaner, but they cost over $300. I have NEVER ridden with a windshield, other than trying it once and absolutely hating it. The two main things I love about older Harleys are the sound and the vibration. I call it the Harley "shake". Very low frequency vibration, not the "buzz" you get from an inline four. On my Sportster, when it is idling in the garage, you can see the engine moving around in the frame, and the front wheel is just a blur. They sound and feel like a V8 drag race motor with a hot cam.
I weigh 240, and the 2" of travel on my rear shocks works fine for me. I still have the stock suspension and super thin stock seat that came on it. I have no problem with it. I don't want a thicker seat, or higher suspension, because that would make the seat taller, and I can barely get my leg over the stock seat. Supposedly it is 25.2" high.
really great channel, glad to have found it! I really love the styling on the roadster, the heads are great aswell. im partial to the feel of my rigid mount sporty, its weight and ground clearance also make it feel fun around town but it is definitely punishing long distance. i bought it at the end of last season and Im excited to make it my own as this riding season. its great to listen to someone
who’s work on their bike is to make it run well and be comfortable not just to make their garage look nicer.
Just bought my first hd Sportster 2006. Your video is very useful for a novice like me. Thanks and happy riding
All the best from the UK
When pulling the oil stick out;;;It may be oil that drips off the stick and gets behind the tank cover and settles on your hoses. My bike has wet hoses in that area as well, but I just bought it so basically, I'm thinking out loud so to speak
2005 XL1200R. Battery negative cable I found loosens when you slide the battery back inti position. The cable gets squashed between the battery & the main frame down tube & slightly loosens as you push the battery in. I moved the negative from the back of the engine to under the seat on right side of the frame near the battery negative post. Job done it’s never come loose again. I put it under the bolt that holds some of the wiring loom in place..above & forward of oil tank
No problems at all with vibes on mine. Standard bars original rubber mounts..smooth as silk in motion. All bikes vary ofc
That exact bike was my first Harley. Had it for 15 years and 60k miles until the trans broke and couldn't be fixed. Favorite bike ever and the most beautiful by far.
Why couldn’t it be fixed?
@keithstone6411 when the Tranny broke, it scored the case. A used motor was $2500 at least, so yeah it could have been fixed, just didn't make sense.
Subbed...my bike is 2004 so I'll be waiting to see your motormount swap out. I put all 3 in an FLH and it was not a pleasant job. Hopefully the Sporty mounts may be easier to swap
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole video!
Have an 05 1200c. V&H Longshots, Hyper Charger,grips,and Pegs. Easy too dump coin into them. Have 14k on mine and counting. Zip tied shifter side battery cover,the notoriously fall off or come unhinged. 😊
Well I just purchased a 2006 883 and like you it needs work. It does not run well and while cleaning the carb I found the the slide had melted the diaphragm. I bought a new carb from Amazon $50, changed the spark plugs and no change. I will not give up.
Does it have the riveted clutch plates? I don't know when they started using them. Or when they stopped the trap door in the transmission.
2019 Roadster. Stage One. Bigger forks. Weird size rear wheel that needs a special sized tire. I have to order ahead of time. HONDA 80 Elite! Me also! Why because it was a safer than a "real" motorcycle (parents)? As mine is taller than most Sportys it fits me as a bigger guy myself. Had to forward controls and apes for comfort. Could not ride the flying taco style or with my knees above my hips. So it is a cruiser not a cafe bike. Of course mine has tons of mods. I made it mine. It can go 80mph on the highway with no problems in handling. Yamaha Warrior was my last bike and parts were a pain. Accessories was a pain. Modifying was a pain. It was an evolutionary dead end. Replaced my OEM seat with a Sully's Cobra style seat for a retro look and I can move forward or back as needed. OEM seat locked me in position. Yes, the Sully's is comfortable. Shinkos are Thai I believe. The Kawasaki Death Machine. I know of it by reputation. Yeah. I have to pull on the bars to survive bumps and chug holes. Cavitating Oil - degrades the oil and can damage parts. 39mm? Mine are 41mm. V&H pipes all sound the same. Mine are not loud but are just meh. Roland Sands Tracker. My mistake because I can't throw bags on. 13.36 on my rear shocks OEM. My fronts have never dived with the Upside Down 41mm's and I am 250+. With OEM bars I leaned on the bars or death gripped. Numb hands for sure. Mini Apes improved the hand vibration. I rest my hands on the bars now. Hands are at elbow level. ISO Grips. I tried lead weights on my Warrior and it helped. My W650 I had a full giant screen. In high wind I would duck below the plexiglass so my helmet would not get the tap. I do not have any screen on my CX. I am looking at the Viking convertible rack Sissy with a military duffel. 35-40mph City and 45-85mph Hwy are my sweet spots. Nothing wrong with puttering around. I buy Synth Kit for my Sporty. Amsoil. Probably Crankcase Oil Dripping for the engine coating. It happens. Wax for the Chrome. Flitz Gun and Knife Wax. Bad connections on battery somewhere down the cables. Oooo! I have the same problem with water. I might wrap the fuse case with electrical tape! Mine is still young enough not to worry about rubber going bad; mounts and hoses. Larger tank, the 4.5 for touring? Vanity mods? Raising Tank if you keep the Peanut? Lighting? I went with LED Headlight and Tail Lights. I ride mine daily in all conditions.
I got a 09 iv done my own diagnostic my self with no soft wear or computer the spedo will tell you the trouble codes got manuel not hard
Perfect video.
Check the front engine stabilizer. If they loosen, the engine shakes more.
Discussed and replaced in Build series.
I have to get mine checked out shakes like a mfker
Thanks for sharing, new sub here
The pre 2004 hard mounted were better bikes
why?
You can feel the bike as you ride it. Nothing falls off or cracks or breaks. Rubber mounting adds more maintenance and 80 lbs of weight. I have had my Sportster for 25 years and 400,000 miles on the original engine. 37 back tires and 18 front tires and 3 belts in 25 years. Has out lásted all of my Hondas put together.@@David_loves_foods
THANK YOU HOO HOO!!!
I have a 2006 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Roadster. I love it.
All l do to my Sportster is change the fluids and filter in my driveway in 30 minutes.