Not a Beginner Bike
Written: Sep 21 '04 (Updated Sep 25 '04)
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Pros: Nimble, fun, strong
Cons: Tall
The Bottom Line: Like gnarly roads and adventure? Then this is the Harley for you!
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| hularider's Full Review: 2002 Harley Davidson XLH Sportster 883 |
Well, first-off, I'm going to venture to say that I think the bike in this pic is an XL, not an XLH. I believe the XLH is the Hugger, and this just doesn't look like a Hugger to me.
I'm not a big fan of the Hugger - sure, I can flat-foot it just fine, but I like my bikes to lean over and play in the twisties, and the Hugger just seems to leave too much chrome on the asphalt in those tight turns.
MY favorite Sporty is the standard tall, skinny XL 883. To my eye, the bike defines "motorcycle." Clean, lean, and a little raw.
Despite all the guys who claim the Sporty is a little tiny entry-level "girls' bike," it is actually a somewhat challenging ride. Once mastered, I think it is the most FUN Harley, though I am anxious to get my hands on a Dyna Sport. After my own three years and somewhere around 90K miles on several different bikes, I would say the Sporty is NOT a beginner bike.
The Sporty reminds me of a little Quarterhorse stallion I once had - Faster off the line than the bigger horses, not real comfy running flat out (his short legs made for a pounding ride), unique sense of humor and a mind of his own. Tendency to lay down and roll over if he didn't like how you were riding him.
BUT, he was strong as a bull, could run all day, was easy to take care of, and cleaned up and dressed, he was a fine looking animal.
He just wasn't a horse for the beginner rider.
If you stick with that small tank, you'll have to keep a close eye on your mileage. But, hey, you need to stop and take some time out to reflect on the joy of the previous hour's ride, anyway, right?
Twist the throttle, and those 53 horses can leave you behind, leaping from the line with a claimed 49 ft pounds of torque.
Flop it, lean it, bend it, if you have some decent rubber on that bike, it can go anywhere. Of course, that very ability means it is top-heavy and a challenge to handle in slow bumper-to-bumper traffic and in parking lots full of Day-after-Thanksgiving shoppers. If you can do a creditable job in the slow race on a Sporty, you are, IMO, a very skillful rider!
If you are short like me (29 inch inseam with my TALL boots on!) the 28.3 inch seat height will rapidly teach you to be aware of where you stop - if you are faced with uneven parking, put the WHEELS, not your FEET in the low spots! This bike carries its weight high, and at around 530 pounds fueled and ready to go, once it decides to go over it's probably going to do so.
Sporties seem to be somewhat variable in the gear ratios - but I really can't say if they come that way from the factory (but you won't be getting a factory-new 2002 XL at this point, anyway, so don't worry about it) or if the owners just don't want to cop to messing with the gearing.
Anyway, stock, this bike is a basic one-down, four-up. First is a bit high for my tastes and riding style - putting through parking lots - but I can see how winding it up to come off the line it might be about right - I'm no racer, though, so don't take my word for that. A taller fifth gear or an overdrive would be nice for the highway, but the newest Sporties have taken care of the vibration by rubber-mounting the engine.
The belt drive is pretty trouble-free unless abused. Just keep an eye on it and make sure it is clean. Small bits of gravel trapped in the teeth can do nasties to it.
I've heard some people say that the Sporty breaks down a lot. Well, they are the same people who don't bother to winterize it, just leave the poor bike in a garage for six months, then jump on it without any kid of preparation. The way to keep a Sporty running is to RUN it!
I know a gal who uses her Sporty for touring, and recently turned over 100,000 miles.
If you like adventure, gnarly roads, and really experiencing the basics of motorcycling, then I would highly recommend you consider an XL 883 Sportster.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 9000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2002
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Epinions.com ID:
hularider
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Member: Leilehua Yuen
Location: Hilo, Hawaii, USA
Reviews written: 70
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
HulaRider is an author, artist, and educator who specializes in Hawaiian culture and arts.
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