Harley-Davidson XL 883C Sportster Custom reviews

I have a 1996 Harley-Davidson 1203 Sportster for sale. This bike is very fast and beautiful 8000 miles on rebuilt engine. It has 10.1 compression ratio pistons 536. lift cam Hyper charger Vance and Hines short shot pipes. Custom paint ghost flames and skulls on tank 3.2 gallon. Red flames sewn into seat. Buck horn . Handle bars. 21" front wheel 19" rear wheel. Garage kept trophy winner. Dyno's at 100 hp. Highway bar with foot pegs, forward controls. Kyrakin pistons. asking 7500.00 Reason for selling is I bought a Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide. Can't ride two bikes at the same time. Want to cut down on tag and insurance expense. Show less

It is a good start to ride a HD bike but after a while you feel it is small, although it is not, but compared to the other HDs it is. Very unique bike and durable good for crusing not for touring, max drive is 1 hour after that you will feel tired good for an early cruse on the sea side etc... Seats one person beautifully but for sure not for two, the extra rider on the back saddle will feel uncomfortable in the back saddle seat. Color of the bike and finish are awesome and it is a bike to keep for life since it is the first bike to own and has a serial number only 1500 units were produced world wide. Show less

The bike is great! I traded up to a Super Glide is the only reason you see her here. It's a great entry level bike for first time Harley owners. It's speedy and agile and there's the great feeling of knowing that you own a Harley. A lot of heads turn as you pass by. Who knows...maybe you will be trading up in a few months as well. Kudos to Russ and the whole staff for taking such good care of me. Show less

This was my first Harley. I kept her for a little over a year and over 5,000 miles. I really enjoyed the time we had, but the more I rode the further I wanted to go and the more my wife wanted to ride with me. The sporty was great for me (at 245 pounds). Then you add my wife (at 105) and it was time for a Street Glide. Show less

This was my motorcycle from the time it was new. The looks, power and sound of this bike are awesome. It cruises very well and is a solid and very dependable bike. The sissy bar is a removable unit that comes off in less than 20 seconds and leaves very little to show it was ever on the bike. The rear seat also comes off very easily and leaves the bike with a solo seat and smooth tail that is clean and bobbed. Show less

I have not been on a bike for two years or so and just got one again. I seem to like to be back on a bike again which is always missed when you have and are not. I would say I don't know yet on the overall but it is not a Honda so by association it is a better bike. Show less

This is a good motorcycle that you will want to keep. It handles narrow country roads excellent, but will do just fine on a major highway. The Fatboy is my favorite, but the Sportster is great for country roads. In other words, do not trade it in if you get a large road bike! Show less

This is my first Harley having only owned Japanese bikes in the past, and I can honestly say I'm starting to "get" the Harley mystique at this point. The 883 Iron is a wonderful combination of looks and performance that really spoke to me. Power is generous for its displacement and is delivered fairly evenly across the power band; the engine genuinely seems to like running at high RPMs. Maneuverability is extremely good compared to some of its siblings in the Sportster range because of its better lean angles both right and left. Low-speed maneuverability is absolutely amazing. The only drawback I see at this point is the fact that some compromises were made in the area of ride comfort. The "slammed" appearance of the bike comes at the expense of a very short rear suspension, which can be a bit jarring on bumpy roads. However, much like a Jeep, a great Harley is frequently built, not bought. At this point I've replaced the stock mirrors with different ones from the Harley line - this give me, and my wide shoulders, much better rear visibility. If you don't like the ride comfort, longer rear shocks are available. If you don't think it has quite enough power, Harley even sells an engine upgrade to turn the 883 into a 1200. I see this first 1,000 miles as the beginning of a much longer journey, and will likely continue to tinker with this bike for years to come. Show less

Well the ride is rough so I can see me upgrading the shocks and seat. Other than that I love the bike. I can't stay off it. I just make up any reason to go for a ride, short rides though (rough). I love the looks and the ride at low or high speed is great. You'd never know the bike's 545 lbs. It feels more like 200 lbs., like a dirt bike I had 30 years ago. Oh yeah, I should have mentioned I retired and thought I had to have a Nightster. I love the old time look, forward controls. Show less

I have owned this bike three full years, and purchased it new. I use it for commuting and transportation, riding about 3k-4k miles per year March - November. In Maine, that means I ride in temperatures ranging from 20 deg. F to 90 deg. F (20 deg. F is only bearable because my commute is 15-20 minutes). The Sportster is my third bike. It handles well for a cruiser/standard, and has good power for a 1200 cc V-twin. Gas mileage varies from the low 40s in mixed city/highway riding to nearly 50 mpg. on extended rides on secondary roads. Most maintenance is simple enough to do at home with basic tools and a repair manual. The main weaknesses of the bike are the suspension and seat. Personally, I would also prefer a cast 19 inch front wheel. My only issue so far has been a loose ground cable connection at the battery, which left me stranded beside the road a few weeks ago. My wife came with my truck and tools, and I fixed it in about 15 minutes. This is the price you pay for riding a non-counterbalanced V-twin. Show less