Go Sportsters

That is the KEY to finding good deals on Craigslist. Cash in hand, and the ability and willingness to JUMP on the good deals quickly. Those who hesitate lose...

Being diligent in your search and lucky enough to find an ad soon after it's posted helps too....

Well finally bit the bullet and bought a bike from a dealership. Got a great deal though. 09 xl883l with only 2700 miles on it in incredible shape.. loaded just like the "T" model new for this year.

Now it's time to start putting my own touches on it (well maybe I should pick it up first..lol thats tmm)

Congratulations!

Nice! And I know the feeling about putting your own touches on it. Due to our extended winter season, I've only put maybe 5 miles on my 883R since I got it in January. But I've already spent about $150 and planned another couple hundred on it, making it mine.

$150???........Spending money on a bike, any bike, is done in the minimum increment of $500........

Thats $30 of farkles for every mile ridden! We're gonna need you to work on that ratio.

My sportster is as about as far from an investment as you can get but my cost so far has been about 45 cents/mile, minus gas, including the cost of the bike and all I've put into it. And its still worth roughly what I paid for it.

The blast I get out of riding it = priceless.

Yeah, well those are under-the-radar dollars.

Thursday night GP8 are back! More fun than a hot woman, a gallon of moonshine, and a barrel of Wesson oil!







Well, all most as much fun.

<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/90412248" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" width="500"></iframe>

The XR did not do to bad......the old fart riding it is another story.

Alkay191,

I saw your post about the extended-length shocks on your Sportster.
Questions:
- Any modifications needed to fit 14.5" shocks to a rubber-mount Sportster?
- Are you using stock 883R/1200R forks?
- Any fork-wiggle issues with the reduced rake?

Thanks,

jzink0883
jzink0883@me.com

First ride was a couple weeks ago it was only 31 degrees but I couldn't wait any longer. Did a 36 mile loop out and back chasing a tag for the GLMC photo tag game looking for an Irish pub. Someone else beat me to the tag but it was good to get out riding for the first time this year.



Might not sound like much but I put 130 miles on my 1200 today. This is Minnesota in the end of March. Temperture ranged from 38-42 degrees.

Nice 1974 XLH. I have a '74 XLCH. I bought a '74 XLH when I was in High School in 1975.

I took my MC license test on it when South Carolina started with the motorcycle endorsement about seven years before it was mandatory. I had many good memories on that bike.

My Sporty is rigid mounted and I didn't have any isuues. Not sure if rubber-mounted are any different. I doubt it.

Stock 883R forks are not adjustable like 1200r or 1200S. Mine have Race Tech springs and Emulators.

You would not notice any difference from reduced rake by installing taller shocks. It is not that radical that wou;ld cause any ill effects. MAYBE you will notice slight improvement in "turn-in".
I always use fork braces and steering dampers on any bike I put on the track. I don't know if they need it, but its just something I know that helps me go faster. Even if only in my head.

^^
That's good to know, I'm looking to pick up a Sporty this summer to wrench on and was going to use some Burly Brand 15" Stiletto shocks on the rear. I was concerned about the fork rake changes. I'm going for a Café Racer and Scrambler mix. Kind of a home made XR1200 type bike I guess, I haven't fully nailed down the plan.

About the longest shocks you can get away with, on a stock rubber mount is around 13.5". Any longer and you'll run into interference problems with the belt hitting the rear master cylinder linkage and the rear exhaust bracket. You can run a different exhaust that does away with the stock mounting bracket, but you'll still need to do something about the master cylinder bell crank issue. It's been done. Just be aware of the need to address these areas.

Reduced rake will depend on what fork length your bike has. It shouldn't present a problem with the longer fork models like the Roadster or Custom. It MAY be an issue on the factory lowered models with the shorter forks. But, if your bike does have the lowered forks, it isn't too difficult to modify them so that they'll have the same travel as the longer forks. I've posted how to go about this earlier in this thread.

The Sportster has fairly relaxed geometry so I wouldn't think it will present a problem, but any time you make a significant geometry change it pays to start out slow and test for stability issues before just accepting that all will be ok. You don't want to discover a handling quirk while leaned way over in a bumpy corner. :eek1

I believe that the Custom model Sportsters came with the longer fork tubes, but had shorter shocks. I'm not talking about the model they now call the Custom. I'm talking these:

https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/c/cowboy4443_P1010542.jpg

They came with a 4.5 gallon tank, forward controls, 21" front spoke wheel, different headlight, kind of a flat handlebar, etc. Has a solid rear wheel. I rode one that had rear mounted pegs and brake, and shifter, and liked it a lot. I think this model really started with the rubber mount and new frame. But They had a Custom model before that, but they used the peanut tanks. This would be another model that a guy could buy, put on longer shocks, maybe mid controls, and have a decent cornering Sportster. I like the bigger tank all right, and would appreciate the longer range.

If I'm wrong on the dates of this model, Bueller will know, and please correct me.

Yep the Custom had the same longer fork damper rods as used on the Roadster. I discovered that when I was researching the part numbers for increasing the fork length/travel of my factory lowered 48 forks. Of course you can get that length out of any of them with just a change of damper rods. The Custom did come with the largest Sportster tank, but it also came with a sorta funky bar riser set-up. Not a huge deal if you like it, but it does add to the cost of changing things if you don't. And then there's the 21" front/16" rear wheels. Again, just depends on what you like and want to do with the bike...

If you put rear shocks greater than 13.5" on a rubber mount sportster; you'll have to put a REAL belt tensioner on the swing arm or mounted low on the frame. The Burly scrambler has a tensioner along with their 15" Stilleto shocks. Probably can give Burly a call and they should be able to step you through the modification.

Rod

OR, relocate the exhaust and rear master cylinder....


Also, if you go too long you may run into issues with the upper run of the belt/chain rubbing on the top of the swingarm pivot.

Here's a pic showing how one builder addressed both issues....

Is there a build thread for that? Its very much along the lines of what I have in mind.