Harley Sportster 48

I like them too but apparently Sportsters dont have much "cred" with the typical HD crowd.
Screw em.
$8000 is a great price IMO. I'd spend a little more to find one with the mods you want. Mods loose >50% out the door so you can pick them up cheaply and installed.
Still fairly heavy for a Cafe style bike.
HD gives free test rides at most dealers and corporate has a traveling semi that visits dealers from time to time and you can ride them all.

 

I'm a Sportster guy - owned quite a few. They are plenty cool, just not with the RUBbies.

New Sportys are rubber mounted and ride great, and a real bargain...go for it!

 

I think a Sportster would make a great urban bike. think Ducati Monster with more attitude

never ridden one though so can't comment on ergonomics, etc.

 

A couple weeks back I had a mildly bobbed out 2011 Nightster in stock for a hawt minute. It was a lot of fun.
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The fact that it doesn't have "cred" with the HD crowd and the RUBs alone makes it appealing to me.

 

I just looked at the website. They are a 1200 so start at $10,500 and with the gold flake paint (IMO the only cool color) it's mid $11k. Not worth it for me to be part of the "lifestyle" crowd.

 

Get one used. I forget the exact number, but something like 70% of all Sporty owners upgrade to a Big Twin. Translation: Lots of used Sportys looking for a home...they hold their value ok, but not as well as the bigger bikes.

Can find quality Sportsters under $6K all day long...

 

I have a 48 with green metalflake tank and the bicycle seat. Converted it to mid controls. i have no idea how one safetly rides forward control esp with such limited suspension travel.

There are two types of exhaust for harleys, those that make noise and those that make power. 90% of hareley have the noise kind. The other upgrades are to a K&N intake and a retune. Between the returne intake and power exhaust the bike really wakes up has e a great sound without being painfulyy noisy.

It will outdrag my freind on his Fj1300 to about 50. Never went over an indicated 115 as over 90 its really susceptibale to a weave. You really need to set these up fpr a bend and l to r or r to l transitions are slow so its pretty easy to overshoot a bend without going too fast and leaning in on the right scarpes the exhaust pretty soon.. Its def a slow in fast out machine. The brakes suck, you can upgrade to asingle xr caliper which improved things.

In essence this is in looks and dynamics an antiquue bike which is relaibe. Tuned there is far more motor than chassis and brakes which means you need to think ahead, all of which makes it super entertaining to ride, and challenging at relatively low speeds. Compared to a sprtbike mostly youre not going that fast. The tiny tank means the reserve light come on somwhere between 65 to 70 milrs and I would not try push range too far past 80 mi.'

Unlike most moderns these things are keepers thye dont get old or superceded. I think the 48 is a sweetspot, sort of vincent cafe style bike, the anti harley harley. Lots of fun for a quick few hour ride and really reliable without antique temprament. The Morgan +8 of bikes.

 

Probably not what you meant by "a LOT" but the Star Bolt/Bolt R-Spec appear to be compelling options, 2014 Star Motorcycles Bolt R-Spec Home, information.

2013 Sportster Iron 883 vs Star Bolt vs Bonneville comparison
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I have really enjoyed my 48 for the time I have had it. Unfortunately, bad drivers (cough...Californians-lol) have been moving to Austin at such a frightening rate I have determined that I'm gonna sell mine. It's a perfect condition 2010 with only 3300 miles on it, and I feel that the mods I have made have been tasteful while really adding to the bike without hacking it up. The stock exhaust sucks, so I installed black Samson Slashers which sound great but aren't obnoxious. The lame factory air box has been replaced with a full custom, one off CNC machined piece from Figure Engineering utilizing the number font from an old locomotive. I also added an oem sissy bar, passenger pegs and have both the stock one up HD seat and an OEM Harley 2 up seat so the old lady could ride along as well. Bike is immaculate and I wouldn't be selling it if it weren't so crazy on the roads out here now. It really turns heads everywhere it goes and has been a joy to own. I'm lookin for $9500 out of it... I spent a couple grand on the mods and installation alone. It's done and you don't need to invest another buck. Keep in mind that 'starting price' of $10,500 for a new one is typically plus a bunch of extra dealer fees- figure $12k +/- from what I've seen at a few H-D Dealers.

Sorry for the hijack and good luck with your search. It's a badass bike.

Chris
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Not a Harley fan but I do like the older Sportsters, buddy had a 78 I believe and man that was one quick bike.

 

Can get a 1200 for $6K definitely. all the other accessories, maybe - maybe not...but I would always do my own thing with the bikes anyway.

 

I'm down to $9k with next to no miles and a bunch of tasteful adds...

 

And a Road King is only a little more..

and a Street Glide is only a little more than that

and new one just seems to make sense...

And mods really arent that expensive...

and..

 

Maybe we can get together I'm in town this weekend, we saw one in Clute it was nice