"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
06/04/2020 at 13:53 • Filed to: two wheels good, Harley-Davidson, Buell
5
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"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
06/04/2020 at 13:53 • Filed to: two wheels good, Harley-Davidson, Buell | 5
| 20 |
When I decided to send the Goldwing to a new home, I was supposed to get a Triumph Speed Triple, a Buell Ulysses, or a Royal Enfield. Sadly, all those deals fell through super hard. Interestingly, I did get an offer for the Goldwing that was more than I paid for it and a decent bit more than similar GL1100s with lower miles in better condition. I won’t say no to an offer like that!
In its place * for now* is a 2002 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883. It was a deceptively low price, like a double your money on resale price.
It seemingly just needs a bunch of bolts tightened, a new fuel filler cap (the current one is a cheap aftermarket unit that’s SO LOUD), a couple dents pulled, and touch up paint. I’ve already tightened the bolts, next is removing the dents.
While I’ve long wanted to ride a Sportster, I wouldn’t call it a bucket list bike. So it’ll be around just long enough for me to find a good deal on one of the aforementioned rides.
This one has a “Stage 1" kit with Screamin Eagle parts. It also came with a windscreen, sissy bar, and bags. I like my bikes more naked, so off they went. I kept the sissy bar because my girlfriend super wants to be a passenger, so why not.
How does it ride? Slowly. Despite the same base engine as my Buell, it’s pretty gutless. I had a shootout against my own bikes and the bikes of my neighbours and the end result was a little amusing. The only bikes that couldn’t beat the Sportster were a Grom and an old Honda Rebel 450. In fact, the Rebel 450 was more or less a perfect match to the Sportster in terms of performance despite having half the engine displacement.
This bike made 48 horsepower stock. That is half the power my Buell Lightning makes and only a few ponies more than a Buell Blast, which uses *half* of a Sportster motor.
So it’s almost mind boggling slow this thing is. And handling isn’t much better. On the stock tires it gets wobbly in turns. The grip is there but you get the sense that the bike prefers if you didn’t try leaning it over.
But thus far, I don’t hate it, nor does it excite me. It’s actually just a *little* enjoyable riding this thing balls out. Whereas you’ll be on your way to a reckless driving charge in only second gear on the Buell, you can basically redline a Sportster and still be in the speed limit. But it doesn’t quite feel “slow bike fast” like a low displacement Japanese bike does. Perhaps it’s the weight and its handling behind that.
What it does seem to do well is cruise down country roads. Keep it locked around 60 mph, stretch out onto the highway pegs, and relax. I imagine this is what HD intends for a lot of their bikes. Just hop on and eat up some miles.
Problem is, there are a lot of bikes out there that can effortlessly eat up miles. The two decade older Goldwing was happy to cruise at 75 all day long and it wasn’t afraid of curves.
So I feel it kinda goes back to the image Harley pushes for. You’re not just a motorcyclist enjoying a ride. No, you’re a biker, a rebel out on the open road. The bike is slow, uncompetitive, and expensive... so sell an experience?
A S porty of this age is worth about $3k in good condition in my area. Would I pay $3k for this Harley? Not at all. The “Harley Tax” puts these bikes in the crosshairs of many far better machines.
In the end, I got to try my third Harley and one I’ve been curious about for a while. I can see why people love the Freewheeler and even why the Sportster even has a following, but I wish HD made their machines perform better for the price you’d be paying for them.
Ot her news: I finally got all of the Autobots stickers and decals off the Buell and cleaned off the left behind residue. It’s almost perfect now.
farscythe - makin da cawfee!
> Mercedes Streeter
06/04/2020 at 13:56 |
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oh hey you’re still alive :)
felt like youve been awefully quiet for a while
anyhoo...dont mind me...
strange day
MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
> Mercedes Streeter
06/04/2020 at 14:01 |
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my Buell Lightning
How did I miss that? I always liked those and wouldn’t mind owning one someday.
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Mercedes Streeter
> MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
06/04/2020 at 14:05 |
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I haven't been around much during COVID-19. But in the background I've been ridding myself of my old dinosaurs for stuff with model years beginning with a 2. xD
jminer
> Mercedes Streeter
06/04/2020 at 14:07 |
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I thought you said you would never again own a carbureted bike ;)
Nice work putting it back together though!
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Mercedes Streeter
> farscythe - makin da cawfee!
06/04/2020 at 14:07 |
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I have! I don’t know, something about COVID-19 has somewhat reduced my online presence. I’ve been trying to change things up in my life and I guess perhaps disconnect from the constant drama of the always online world. Feels kinda refreshing.
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farscythe - makin da cawfee!
> Mercedes Streeter
06/04/2020 at 14:10 |
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good to hear your ok :)
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Mercedes Streeter
> jminer
06/04/2020 at 14:12 |
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I figured I could make an exception for a flip. xD
Snuze: Needs another Swede
> Mercedes Streeter
06/04/2020 at 14:18 |
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Harley Davidson - Converting Gasoline into Noise since 1903!
Years ago, when I was riding the CBR1000RR, I went to an open house at the dealer I got the bike from. They had a mobile dyno unit on the premise so I decided to throw the CBR on. I think it was an eddy current dyno, which typically read ~10% low, but the CBR made 146 HP (factory rated at 165), so it checks. The guy on the rollers after me had a full dresser Road King with a 96 cubic inch engine, with with cams, pipes, the whole works . It put down 50 HP. Add in the dyno correction factor and it was making something like 57 HP.
All that motor, all that work, and all that bike to haul around, with 57 HP.
Pickup_man
> Mercedes Streeter
06/04/2020 at 14:32 |
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This makes me miss my old Sporty. Mine was an ‘08 883L, so fuel injected (68 hp), rubber mounted (soooo much smoother) and factory lowered. Now that I’ve ridden newer and better bikes I know that everything they say about the Sportster is true, but back then, coming off of a clapped out ‘82 XJ750 that little pigglet was the greatest bike in the world. I liked the way it rode, the noises it made, and especially the way it made me feel. I have/had better, faster bikes, but I’ve yet to find a bike that makes me as happy as that old Sportster did.
I’ve got too many bikes at the moment and some need to go, but someday I’ll put another Sportster in the stable.
Side note, Harley’s blinker system with the separate buttons, yea or nay? Personally after having gotten used to them I never want to go back.
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Mercedes Streeter
> Pickup_man
06/04/2020 at 14:38 |
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There is something to be said about the experience of riding this bike. That’s why I don’t hate it. I know a Ninja 250 could probably smoke me but on those country roads, v-twin roaring away, it feels good.
Big yay on the controls! Mine seem overly sensitive so they'll cancel before my turn is complete, but I really wish the Buell had this setup. I especially liked it on the LiveWire.
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Mercedes Streeter
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
06/04/2020 at 14:47 |
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That sounds hilariously right lol . The weird thing is that these Evolution engines are definitely capable of far more power, so why HD rolls them out of the factory with so little continues to baffle me.
I mean, I get going fast isn’t part of the experience, but at least offer a trim with the extra power. I magine a Sportster that puts out a hundred ponies, that would be a riot!
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MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
> Mercedes Streeter
06/04/2020 at 15:35 |
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I’ll actually be doing a bit of riding again this year. This weekend I’ll be helping my dad refresh fluids on his ‘96 Vulcan and then taking it for the summer. His knees are shot and until he gets them replaced and/or retires he just won’t be riding it, so he told me to put some miles on this year so it’s not just sitting.
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jminer
> Mercedes Streeter
06/04/2020 at 16:07 |
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Just giving you grief - I’ve sworn off carb’d bikes before too, but haven’t even held to it...
cmill189 - sans Volvo
> Pickup_man
06/04/2020 at 17:04 |
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You sure about those power numbers? A 1 200 makes less than 60.
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Pickup_man
> cmill189 - sans Volvo
06/04/2020 at 17:22 |
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https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/h-d/harley_davidson_xl883l_sportste%2009.htm
I’ve generally found this site pretty reliable and they’ve got that 68 hp number on several of the newer fuel injected 883's, and the 48 hp number on the older carbureted ones, but I’m also seeing a lot of other places report 49 hp on the 2020 883's so it’s totally possible my numbers are off.
AdverseMartyr
> Mercedes Streeter
06/05/2020 at 06:08 |
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Now imagine one of those old guys who is the typical Harley rider ( who only climbs on it a few weekends every summer to make the trip out to Sturgis) coping with double the hp.
Wait don’t... no one should be imagining that sort of carnage.
shop-teacher
> Mercedes Streeter
06/05/2020 at 09:13 |
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I know they're objectively terrible, but I have a soft spot in my heart specifically for Sportsters. Sounds like a great flip.
PyramidHat
> Mercedes Streeter
06/05/2020 at 09:51 |
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My buddy had an XB12 some years ago that he let me ride ...it m ade me want to do bad things . It was the only HD product that I ever had inter est in. I’m almost at the point of openly hating HD after they killed Buell...
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Mercedes Streeter
> AdverseMartyr
06/05/2020 at 10:07 |
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Sturgis would be an apocalypse xD
Dirty biker
> Mercedes Streeter
06/05/2020 at 13:25 |
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I love my 08 nightster sporty! She does what she needs to do....145mph? No....but she has gone from fl to New York state no problem. She's my bar hopping hippy glide and I get many compliments. But do get a 1200 not an 883...mines 1200 and does fine...but don't be one of those."I'll get a 1250 kit for my 883" not worth it. Also....I thought buells were the 1200 not the 883?
