Go Sportsters

I've got about 15k miles on my 1200r now - with the stock shocks and seat. :) (Guess I don't know any better - maybe it helps that I only weigh 150 lbs.)
Was thinking of getting a set of Progressives - what are the RK shocks you guys are putting on? Is there specific years to get and are they a straight bolt-on?

Thanks - Mike

My Sportster:



And my first bike was an HD - A HD Shortster! Couldn't believe a dealership nearby has the exact bike I had as a kid... a powerful 65cc... It had a massive kludge of a shift lever and linkage for its 3 sp gearbox, full size grips and brake/clutch handles, etc. Quite a handful for a little kid, but I still had a blast on it. Notice the forward moving kick start in front of the shift lever...

I'm light too, about 155lbs. To me, the stock rear shocks seem like they were designed for someone heavier as it feels almost as if I have no rear shocks. Almost. I've read that RK shocks won't really help people like us, as even with 0 (zero) psi, they'd still be too harsh (at least riding solo w/out luggage).

I didn't find the seat all that horrible on my one long ride - 6 hours or so, mostly backroads. More uncomfortable as opposed to painful.

But the seating position caused very sharp pains in the area behind my shoulder blades. I had similar issues with my 1200GS, which was also had a pretty upright position. But the Sporty even more so. I never had such pain on my 1200 Bandit, so I can only guess the upright position doesn't agree with my shoulders.

I went the progressive shock route, as I like to be able to make quick adjustments of the shock preload without the need of an air compressor.
2 up, sporty riding, long trip soft, I am always changing the preload.

I also went longer, my 2009 1200 low had stupid low ground clearance, and going 1.5 inches longer in the rear shocks makes it ride like a normal motorcycle and I can go around turns without scraping stuff as fast as most cars now.
I also put in progressive fork springs with more preload, and pushed the forks down in the clamps, plus run thicker oil.
It rides ok, but the peg/seat/bar locations don't add up to all day comfort.

The fuel injection is great if you don't modify the engine, its been 100% reliable, plenty of power, top speed is limited in the ecu to 110 mph.

I got the low as I like the mid peg location, the black and chrome motor, and the dark red metallic paint, plus mag wheels.
I was sick of wobbly spoke rims, and I am a sucker for dark red metallic paint!

Wonderful bike if they would loose 50 pounds and get the ergonomics right.
They do not make a standard style sportster that fits 6 foot people, they dropped the roadster a while ago I think, and even that was low.

Maint is very low, change the lubes, check the belt and tires from time to time, thats it.

is that the lick's bag? What do you think? Can you run passenger pegs with it?

I hear you, not wanting saddlebags and all; something about saddlebags on a sportster that doesn't work for me.
I keep eyeing the wolfman beta for extended trips.
Does anybody make a sissybar/luggage rack that IS NOT quick detatch?! That stuff looks plain horrible. I want a nice one piece deal that can support more than 10lbs!

The stock bars almost work, but still I ordered a set of superbike bars that should be arriving any day now.



go sportsters!

I've heard that too. Same thing with most of the affordable progressives. I haven't heard much good from any shocks under $500 - which makes me think I'll have the stockers for quite awhile. Though I've read up on whittlebeast's custom/roadster hybrid shocks (xlforum) that are supposed to be the tits. Take a custom spring and put it on the roadster damper with a little pvc spacer and apparently you'll get a great performing shock for $50 or so.

I know fuckall about Sportsters and almost as little about suspension, but have you guys looked at IKON shocks? The Bonneville guys love them. I just got a pair for Christmas for my Honda Magna, but I haven't been able to install them or try them out yet. When my dad ordered them he ordered the specified shock, but when the engineer heard how fat my ass is he spec'd a different shock and spring. I'm sure they can do the same for smaller guys, and the price really ain't too bad as well.

Nope, it's a Don's Cycle Wear bag. It's a little larger than a Licks, and was a bit less expensive too. My dad and I fabbed up a mount that bolts to where the left passenger peg bolts to and it holds the bag away from the swingarm and battery cover.







I was surprised by how much it can hold. On that ride, it held a jacket liner, a second pair of gloves (insulated), a SIGG bottle (of water), and a dSLR with two lenses.

that pain in your shoulder blades can be caused by the constant pull from leaning back while holding on to drag bars. i used to have it and went to a bar with some rise to it and it went away. i'm not telling you to get ape hangers but a set of bars from a heritage (about 8" to 10") will help that alot

Now, that's interesting. I've been debating between going with risers (~3") or mini-apes, or going with drag bars. At first I was thinking that having a bit more bend in my elbows, and less forward rotation of my shoulders, would be just the ticket. I even saw a real nice way to raise my speedo/tach to match the 3" risers using sockets (from a socket wrench) on xlforum.

But then I remembered I had the same pain, just less of it, with my 1200GS, and no pain at all with my Suzuki Bandit - each of those offering progressively more forward lean (but not extreme). And so I figured that leaning forward a bit more would do the trick - especially if I can block the wind from my chest with a small screen. (To tell the truth, I think the Bandit was the most comfy long-distance bike I've owned.)

I've also been a bit torn - although I like the leaning-forward position when the roads get twisty, I'd much prefer the straight-up or slight leaning-back position for the other 80% of my riding (around town, highway, country roads, etc.)

Jon, if you go over to Old's Cool and the thread titled "an Airhead here ain't an Airhead there" you can see pix of my new (to me) ride in Japan. You'll probably end up being part of my supply chain for parts, anyway.

My shit is in!

Mids, seat, bars, forkbrace & intiminators. I'm ready.

Almost. First I'm making one of these $20 lifts out of junk I have laying around:
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link: http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/bikelift.htm
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For the first time in my life. My bike is in a garage that's attached to MY house! It's been almost 10 years of borrowed garages, across or in another town - or just on the side of the house. Finally my landlord reached a place where he's letting me use a bay of the garage.

I AM SO HAPPY

What does this mean? Well, I get to put my toys on whenever I feel like, without having to coordinate schedules with anybody else.



I'm growing up, really am. You all should be proud.
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Here's a question for you all that know Sportys far better than I.

I'm thinking of picking up a used R Sporty to use as a commuter. I want the mid pegs. I like the belt drive, no valve adjustments, read low maintence here. I do want a rubber mounted motor to quell the vibes and I'll need a decent shield and I need a way to carry stuff and I'd prefer a hard lockable case. I've seen a couple at a great price, just don't want to pull the trigger and find I can't outfit the way I need.

I'm looking for simple here, I put a lot of miles on a motorcycle real fast. 30,000 miles in a year is a light year for me.

So can I outfit a Sporty for the mission?

And, it IS a rider... This is me and some buds camping out on the beach in early December, did the 450 mile ride back home that day, solo...



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Kirk, Tell us about your tires, please. Cool bike !

Murf2

great looking bike.camping on san luis pass?

That's so damned obvious; which explains why it never dawned on me to try it.

Front is a Continental TKC80, Rear is a Duro 904 something or other... one of the only 2 dual sport tires I could find in a 16"... Now that I just picked up an old Honda XL600, though, I might be switching to road tires... This bike is my all-purpose bike...

That was on Mustang Island, SE of Corpus...

Check out XLforums.net, they have a touring sub-forum.
http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=203

Here's my XR1200 Scrambler

Kirk - that is one AWESOME looking bike you have!