Among the Harley community, the Sportster is generally and derogatorily called a “girl's bike” because it's the smallest of the three Harley engine families: Sportster; “Big Twin” and V-Rod. With its 900cc engine (actually 883) it is big enough and powerful and more than fast enough for me.
Top Speed. Motorcycle.com tested the 2011 model XR1200R Sportster, and the top speed attained by the bike was 122 mph. Older versions of the Sportster don't attain this speed. The 2001 Sportster 1200 Customs have a top speed of 106.9 mph.
How to Get 100 HP From a 1200 Sportster
- Establish a game plan and purchase necessary parts.
- Remove the engine from the frame and remove the old heads, cylinders and pistons.
- Install new pistons, ensuring that piston pin clips are installed properly and pistons are facing the correct direction.
- Install the new heads.
How to Make an ATV Have More Power
- Install an aftermarket air filter to replace the stock air filter. The engine takes in air and uses it to help burn fuel.
- Use smaller tires.
- Install a big bore kit.
- Replace the stock exhaust with a sport exhaust.
Here are our picks for the top 10 Harley Davidson Sportster models ever (in no particular order).
- 1969 Harley Sportster XLH.
- 1971 Harley Sportster.
- 1978 Harley Sportster.
- 1980-1981 Harley Sportster.
- 7. 1983 Harley Sportster XLX61.
- 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster.
- 2010 Harley CRD XR 1200.
- 2014 Harley XL 883N IRON 883.
The fastest street-legal (sit-on) Harley-Davidson is almost certainly Hiro Koiso's 2006 Dyna Super Glide FXD/I which is powered by a 135ci JIMS131 Twin Cam engine modified by T-Man Performance to produce around 400hp.
But overall, Iron 883 is better as it comes with better tyres, fit and finish is excellent. The Street Rod comes with MRF tyres, which aren't that great and it is made for markets like India. I would say go for the Iron 883.
2020 Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883 Prices:
Single color: $8999 MSRP. Two-Tone: $9899 MSRP.Doing the conversion allows me to stay at 883 Ins. IMO, no, it does not have enough power, but you can always upgrade to a NRHS 1250 Kit and then it will be MUCH better. I prefer the iron due to trans gearing compared to the 1200. The iron is a faster bike with the 1200 kit.
YES. An 883 is just fine for you. I weigh 235 and carried a passenger with me on my 883, and rode all day long at 65+ mph with no problems. Don't let anyone tell you an 883 is too small.
Sportster Iron 883 Looks & Styling
They are a unique looking, and unique sounding motorcycle. If you want an aggressive looking motorcycle, look no further than this bike. The engine of this monster is powered by a 53.9 cu inch engine, or 883 cc's. Hence the name.Harley-Davidson offers power-hungry street riders a new performance option with the introduction of the Screamin' Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Crate Engine for Touring model motorcycles. The new 131 cubic inch (2147cc) V-Twin delivers the biggest, most powerful street-compliant engine Harley-Davidson has ever created*.
The only difference between the 883 and 1200 Sportster is the displacement of the engine. Simply put, the 1200 Sportster engine has a bit more material and weighs slightly more than the 883 engine; the difference in weight is too small though to make a significant effect on performance.
It's a great bike if you ride calmly but can give you some fun when you ask for it. It gets the job done. In my opinion/experience if you are a beginner riding an Iron 883 do not underestimate the bike at all. That's my opinion and my experience as a beginner on an Iron 883.
Conclusion. To put it bluntly, the Harley 883 isn't an ideal beginner motorcycle, but it would work in a pinch if you are dead set on having a Harley. It would be great for touring longer distances or any time you need a bit more power than what a Ninja 300 might offer.
The basic 883/1200 conversion can be done for around 800 to 1000 bucks. The local H-D shop told me it would be about a grand for them to do it. IF you want to do it yourself, about 500 for parts. You can git by cheaper if you have your 883 jugs bored,instead of buying 1200 jugs.
With the exception of the V-Rod, the Sportster is the hot rod of the Harley line-up. I use mine for every type of riding there is including touring. However, I do ride solo. It's not a good bike (comfort wise) for two up riding.
Harley Davidsons are as reliable as most other brands if you leave them stock. The stock engines work quite well, get good mileage and are generally long lived. But, Harley riders don't care, even those who but lots of miles on their bikes.
For added braking performance in less-than-ideal conditions, the Sportsters are available with ABS as a factory-installed option for an extra $795. Also available as a factory-installed option is Harley-Davidson's keyless security system. Instead of a key, Sportster owners can use a wireless fob.
| Make Model | Harley Davidson XL 883 Sportster |
|---|
| Seat Height | 711.2 mm / 28 in |
| Ground Clearance | 112 mm / 4.4 om |
| Dry Weight | 222 kg / 489.0 lbs |
| Wet Weight | 263 kg / 579 lbs |
Middleweight Motorcycles: Harley-Davidson XL1200C Sportster 1200 Custom
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|
| 0-60 mph: | 4.2 sec. |
| 1/4-mile: | 12.93 sec. @ 102.22 mph |
| Top speed: | 118 mph |
| Horsepower: | 67.7 hp @ 5680 rpm |
Top Speed. Motorcycle.com tested the 2011 model XR1200R Sportster, and the top speed attained by the bike was 122 mph. Older versions of the Sportster don't attain this speed. The 2001 Sportster 1200 Customs have a top speed of 106.9 mph.
Middleweight Motorcycles: Harley-Davidson XL1200C Sportster 1200 Custom
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|
| 1/4-mile: | 12.93 sec. @ 102.22 mph |
| Top speed: | 118 mph |
| Horsepower: | 67.7 hp @ 5680 rpm |
| Torque: | 72.9 ft.-lb. @ 4300 rpm |
The 48 is about half an inch lower in the seat than the 1200 Custom, but there is barely any difference in ground clearance. The 48 has what is known as the “peanut” tank, which holds about a gallon less than the standard tank on the 1200 Custom. It may not seem like much, but another gallon is 45 more miles on a 1200.
cc or cu.cm metric conversions. Many people have asked for a relationship between horsepower and cc or how many cc in a hp. The short answer is about 14 to 17cc = 1 hp or about 1 cu.in. = 1 bhp for an ordinary, basic car.
Also available in the Sportster model beginning in 1986, it was made in the 1,100 cc (67 cu in) displacement until 1988 and is still made in the 883 cc (53.9 cu in) and 1,200 cc (73 cu in) displacements for the Harley-Davidson Sportster, replacing the ironhead Sportster engine.
RAW, BLACKED-OUT, STRIPPED-DOWN CUSTOM STYLE
| Dimensions | XL 883N Iron 883™ |
|---|
| Length (*Cert) | 2,185 mm (86 in.) |
| Overall Width (*Cert) | 815 mm (32.1 in.) |
| Overall Height (*Cert) | 1,140 mm (44.9 in.) |
| Seat Height, Laden | N/A |
The 88 represents the displacement in cubic inches of the standard engine. The bore is 3.75 in (95 mm) and the stroke is 4.00 in (102 mm), meaning the displacement is 88 cu in (1,450 cc). The Twin Cam 96 displaces 96.7 cu in (1,584 cc).
