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sportsters top heavy?
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I am in the market for a bike. I would prefer a bigger harley, but I can't
afford it and can't really find good used ones in my price range (obviously,
people keep their Harleys!). I keep looking at the sportsters, but I have
heard that they are top heavy and unstable on highways. Is this true or is
this a myth? what about the new ones? I could probably afford a new
sportster, but don't want to bother if its not worth it. Thanks in advance.
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got a friend that just bought a 2007 XL-50 1200. he also has
a 05 1200.
he says with the new rubber mount and the changes for 07
that the bike rides very nice and has plenty of power.
to me, the bike looks a little shorter in the rear and has a
wide back tire.
that in itself should make some difference in the
"top heavy and unstable" department..
go to your dealer and rent one for the day and see first
hand.
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I came up behind a new sporty the other day and it looked
like a Dyna from behind with the wider tire. I looked at it
closely as the drive belt was on the right side and I don't
remember reading or hearing anything about the Dyna changing
to right-side so I was curious. It looked good, had bags,
luggage rack, a sport shield and a few other add-ons.
Dave
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Are they top-heavy? No......
But quite a few chicks that ride them are :) It's a VERY nice sight.
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they made their ass end look good too :-)
the bike that is....
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They're not really top heavy like the old 4 cylinder japs were. But more
than a bigtwin. I find a bigtwin easier to handle and ride, more stable
on highway's. I ride a Sportster daily through every type of weather and
heavy traffic. I handles great and it's a real workhorse to me. But it's
not a bike for the long distance higway touring. It can of course, but
it's not comfortable. I don't know about the newer models or the
'custom'versions. I'm talking '03 and previous models here.
Other points: They're cheap to maintain, faster than bigtwins, great
handling in corners and have superior technology compared to bigtwins.
So the first question you should ask yourself is: For what purpose am I
going to use this bike for?
The second thing you should do: Take a test ride or better, like Key
said, rent one for a day.
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I think I will someday. Didn't take a testride yet but I heard/read
some positive things about them. But my '03 XL883R is still running
strong and perfect for the purpose I use it mostly; daily commuting.
I think I'll wait a little longer with that testride. I'm afraid there's
a chance I like the '07 that much that I want one immediately... :)
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I'm not taking a testride, so I won't be tempted heheh!
The restoration of my former bike, an '83 XLX ironhead, took a serious
bite in my 'cash-flow'. I'm still recovering from it :)
Besides, the one I really like, the XL 50 50th Anniversary isn't coming
to Europe :(
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Some of the most successful touring and light touring bikes ever were much
more top heavy than the Sportster. Concours being the main one that comes
to my mind. 20+ years of success there and they just recently announced a
re-design for 2007 or 2008 I think...
If you like the Sporty and it fits you (test ride one if you can!) then go
for it. Otherwise, consider whatever works for you - even if it isn't a
Harley (blasphemy here, I know... But happy non-HD riders are better than
unhappy non-riders.)
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Been riding Sportys since 1971 own 2 now, 03 1200XLC and an 07 XL50 1200.
Not top heavy at all if you are seriously looking go to a Dealer and see if
they have one you can test ride. Get the 07 if you can they are really
sweet. I have over 800 miles now on my XL50 in a month it is hard to get on
my 03 because there is such a big difference. The 3000 RPM sporty shake is
all but gone, EFI is wonderful, throttle response is out standing, a 3000
RPM in 5th gear you cruise at 68 MPH. So go for the 07 model even if it
hurts you will be better off.
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Sportsters aren't top heavy, just the girls that ride them are!
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The Sportsters are not especially top heavy, they are a popular choice
for commuting or short trips. Many smaller riders like them because
they are lighter but if those people tried a low Dyna or a regular Dyna
with a low saddle they would probably find them more comfortable and
like them better for longer distance riding.
If your looking for something that is good for commuting, day-to-day
riding, and also an occasional trip, you might look at the Dynas. A
good Dyna, maybe a year or two older, is about the same price as a newer
used Sportster.
I bought a '97 Dyna FXD in July for about $9,000 +/- and am really happy
with it. It had about 49,000 miles, fresh rings and valves, and was
real clean and well maintained.
The seating position on the Dyna is lower than a Sportster and the
center of gravity is lower too. It handles easy around town and in
tighter parking lots but is also very comfortable on the road. Mine has
standard controls and forward mounted highway pegs so I can change
position and move my feet around a little to get the kinks out from time
to time.
My transition to the FXD was from a Buell M2 which would be something
like a Sportster on steroids and with better brakes and handling. But
I'm in my "golden years" and have outgrown sports bikes, I'm starting to
ease my way over to "geezerdom". The Dyna was a great choice for me,
maybe a bagger will be next.
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I thought about getting a Dyna but I just dont want to sacrifice the
quickness of my Sportster, so I feel for now the 04 1200 custom is a pretty
good compromise.
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