Who knows about Sporty's???
Contemplating a used sporty for a hot rod / throw a leg over and go bike.
Is there a best year?
Is there years to stay away from? I probably wouldn't go older than a 2000.
How are the carb'd model compared to the fuel injected?
Any insight would be appreciated.
Rick
Rick, I've had the pleasure? of owning 4 sportsters over the years. A '79, '01, '09 and a '13. None were a first bike for me but the '09 1200 was a first road bike for my wife. She fell for the '13 883 Superlow so the 1200 went by the wayside.
I loved my '79 but it was a bit of a bear to maintain. The '01 was a 1200 I bought on a whim. Was a fun bike to piddle with but, like the '79, it would vibrate the fillings out of your teeth. The '01 had a sweet spot at 52 and another at 64....otherwise it was vibration city. Again, it was a carb bike so tuning was fun for me as I like to tinker and tweak.
Both the '09 and '13 were in another zip code when it came to comfort for a sportster. No or very little vibration, smooth running and the addition of fuel injection was a god-send for the sporty's evolution. They both needed another gear, however. Not so much the 883 as it was more of a putter (my wife loved that bike) but if that '09 1200 had another gear/OD, I would be very comfortable taking it on a long tour...it was that comfortable compared to the others I've ridden.
I personally love the sporty. It's evolved from the starter bike status to more of a longer term "keeper" IMO. If you don't mind the vibration and want the carburetor experience, stick with the mid-late 90's/early 2000's models.
Good luck in whatever you choose and keep us posted
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Topic: Sporty's (Read 2882 times)