Pricing for a new Harley

[Wampahoofus]

Thanks for all the feedback folks, much appreciated. I'll see what I can get out of the dealers, but (as I figured) I expect it won't be much.

I've owned about a half dozen bikes over the years, mostly Japanese, some English, and loved...most of them anyway. I haven't yet owned anything American and since Harley is the home team (the engine plant isn't far from where I work), I'd like to give them a shot. Like many others I've laughed at the 'Louder, Shinier, Bigger' stereotype since I've started riding, and I generally haven't cared much for the Harley flavor. Which brings me to this bike...I want to see what I can make out of the 'small' Sporty. Put it on a diet, give it a proper suspension, keep it tasteful and relatively understated. Instead of ripping off all of the 'EPA garbage' and putting on open pipes to wake the dead, keep it CA legal and tastefully muted. In a way, I want to build the anti-Harley.

I've checked out the new Triumph Bobber (super cool BTW) as well as a V7 Stone III and RnineT. All are awesome in their own way and, objectively, offer more than a Sportster. The Sporty has a distinctly different personality though, which is really appealing. You buy an Alfa Romeo (or a Harley) with your heart, not your head.

For those claiming the 883 is a real dog, I think we have different frames of reference. The bike I've ridden the most, and to which my butt dyno is still calibrated, is a 76 CB360. It did everything I asked with 32 horses...the 883 will be fine.


Aaaaand if it all goes to [censored], I'm a 1250 kit and stage 4 away from serious shenanigans.

 

[David_g]

For what it's worth the guy I do most of my moto touring with has a Sportster as his only motor vehicle. It's a 1200, but close enough. He's ridden it across the US & Canada. Ill handling or no, he's plenty fast on it, and he enjoys riding it. Suspension isn't stock.

When we've toured together over the years, I've brought 4 different bikes with me, but he's always on the same one. If my bikes are better why do I change so often?

I think the only difference between the California model Sportster and the others is a charcoal evap canister. Do you want to limit evaporative emissions? Do you just want it as clean as possible? If you don't care about the actual CA emissions sticker, you could probably buy the bits to convert a regular one cheap from someone who removed them from a CA model. You talked about building an anti-Harley, and that might be a good start.

Hope you enjoy the ride. Speaking of which, have you test ridden Sportsters or any other Harley? Many dealers would love for you to try one out.

 

[DuckRyder]

Sportsters got a suspension upgrade in 16 (IIRC).

Also the Roadster starts out with more ground clearance and better forks.

 

[EvanD]

I have to agree 883 gets boring fast.

Start with a 1200 it's cheaper in the long run than a bunch of mods or a trade in on a bigger bike.

The only deals at my local harley is dyna's Could pick up a deal on one of those.

 

[tomcat27]

Try a few different dealers. I found that the one in Sheboygan and Racine were willing to deal - much more so than anything just over the border to the south. and look at the total price: most/many dealers add freight, setup, and documentation fees to MSRP - and those fees vary a lot.

 

[bike]

Dealer cost info.

http://seedealercost.com/products/manufacturer-models/index/id/877/productCategorySlug/powersports