OK, I get the excuse why the air cleaner, exhaust system and carb tuning are very conservative. You have to meet the emission standards and such of every country you sell to.

What I don't get is why the suspension is crap too.

From factory the fork springs are like they have 100K miles on them and the rear shocks feel like a pair of cheap bed springs.

In fact not only are they cheap and nasty they are also dangerous. Cornering is compromised and every bump in the road on even the slowest bend can risk throwing you.

So what's the excuse for this, other than cheapness? Just more 'Harley Tax'?

Fox

So what's the excuse for this, other than cheapness? Fox

I think you answered your own question.

i have the same question... the suspension is awful. The front drops too much under the bikes own weight... and why isn't it progressive?? The rear is no better, i had to harden it to the MAX just to make it "rideable". Actually i am not surprised, just like any other automotive product from the US of A it needs a lot of improvement work to meet the standards of other modern bikes out there (in the same price range!)

Made in USA

Hang in there :tour

I honestly think that Harley gets away with as much as they can.
I was watching V-Twin TV or something a couple of week ends ago and they were at the HD factory and they had this room that was about 10,000 square feet with a 40 foot ceiling. Right in the center is a bike strapped down to a floating platform.
Some PR man explains that the bike is covered with sensors and the floating floor minics a rough road and they are measuring this and that with their giant computer to TUNE THE PERFECT RIDE... The next scene is an equilly large room lined with accoustic foam cones where they create the perfect exhast note......

I thought, "That's alot of trouble to go knowing that the suspension and the mufflers are going to be in a garbage bin within the first month of ownership.

I love my sporty, but I have come to beleive that HD actually engineers them to have 10% of the parts thrown away

like any other company there trying to make money

Actually if you look closely at your suspension, you will find they are not "Made in USA" but (if mem serves) Japanese! When I bought my Harley's, I knew exactly what I was buying: if you want "comfort", buy a Gold Wing!

If they made a Sportster that was perfect and nothing needed changing, people would not buy them. :p:p:p

like any other company there trying to make money

That's not the way to make money in the long run. But for aftermarkets manufacturers, they are happy to see HD produces cheap bikes.

HD is still here because of their legendary V2 engine and powerful marketing.

well, not long ago i had a chance to test drive a HD XR1200 (for the european market) ... and basically that's the way all XL should be from the factory ! Inverted fork (showa?) - nice comfy and safe ride, double front nissin brakes (excellent stopping power), and overall much better ride than the XL, but still retaining the Harley feel (in the positive sense) - just the price tag, a little too steep for my liking , especially since it's only a muscle bike - not very practical for everyday use. So if HD wants they can make good products... too bad they can't implement that quality for the sportster line.

The XR1200 is now available in US from what I've heard: nice bike. Wish they'd come out with something resembling the VR1000 (that the right one I'm thinking of?). Now this will sound funny but HD "cuts corners" on certain models (XL's for one) to keep the cost from being prohibitive! Would you spend $14-16,000 for a Sporty? Like I said, a Sporty is what it is. If you ride other models you will see that the ride is a lot smoother (my 97 FLSTC is night & day compared to 01 Sporty)!

...Wish they'd come out with something resembling the VR1000 (that the right one I'm thinking of?)...

They did build a street VR1000, but it was a little pricey....

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c237/rotcorp52/HD-VR1000-1994.jpg

If they made a Sportster that was perfect and nothing needed changing, people would not buy them. :p:p:p

The couldn't because it would cost 60K ....LOL

That's not the way to make money in the long run. But for aftermarkets manufacturers, they are happy to see HD produces cheap bikes.

HD is still here because of their legendary V2 engine and powerful marketing.

Does no one else see the irony there !!!

P.S. This is also the reason we get so attached to our Sporty's ! Because we end up having $50K in a $10K bike !.....LOL

What I don't get is why the suspension is crap too.

Because it is setup as a girls bike. No more Roadsters in the USA, I ain't buying a V-Rod or a XR. Harley's engineers have created a world class after market industry.

Harley's design engineers all ride Hondas and drive Toyotas! :smoke

Why should they care about anyone that rides an American motorcycle! :wonderlan

This is a phenomenon no one on the outside will ever understand. Parts that are SOOOO important to the qualities of a motorcycle are cheaped-out on and totally pathetic.
A Dyna Low Rider I used for a weekend had the same malady, no noticeable dampning, just lots of spring.
Funny thing is, "real" suspension isn't even one of the things H-D sell through their accessory marketing. We're all going to outside vendors.
This is not exclusively an H-D problem either, as many (less expensive) Jap bikes have pathetic suspension too.
The amazing thing to me is how something simple like RaceTech's cartridge emulators can transform a dampner rod fork to work so much better. If you can make a fork like the XR's work well for so many, you can probably make a less expensive version work well for most. I don't know what their goals are when they develop suspension for a bike or if they are just limited to a "standard" product that fits within their budget, but for the price of a H-D product these day, it should be lots better.
But...... when they see public demand to lower everything until there is no travel left to work with (or cornering clearance), and that's what sells, why bother with suspension that works.
Hopefully we will see more bikes the likes of the XR1200 with modern performance being a main selling point as apposed to just profiling style.

I hate the suspension on my 08 XL1200N. The front forks are a joke! They can't even handle the weight of the bike.
Hopefully i'll be able to make them a lttle better.

Sorry guys but you an buy a crotch rocket that will blow your ass off the seat and have all the performance goodies that you want. Everything can be upgraded i know, but they have 600cc bikes with over 100hp. Cheaper too!

I hate the suspension on my 08 XL1200N. The front forks are a joke! They can't even handle the weight of the bike.
Hopefully i'll be able to make them a lttle better.

Fortunately, aftermarket fork springs are fairly inexpensive and easy to put in.
My front isn't lowered so I'm fine with the stock fork springs but if it was factory lowered you can bet I'd have new springs in there.
As for the back, I love my $50 Road King shocks.

I like the quote by Eric Buell in this months Roadracing world magazine

"Showa makes good stuff.You just have to ask for it ."

See this is were I get confuzzeled... I've talked to some people about after market shocks and I get a lot of wild answers.... I'd like to upgrade the rear suspension at least because with my wife and I both on my Roadster the bike is pretty solid... I hit a bump hard and my wife was not amused.

I'm getting a better seat and that will help...

But the question is, what is a good aftermarket shock and suspension to consider?

C

I just put a pair of FXDX shocks on mine, $100 from eBay. So far, they seem like great shocks, and would be very good for two-up riding.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c237/rotcorp52/P1000357.jpg

See this is were I get confuzzeled... I've talked to some people about after market shocks and I get a lot of wild answers.... I'd like to upgrade the rear suspension at least because with my wife and I both on my Roadster the bike is pretty solid... I hit a bump hard and my wife was not amused.

I'm getting a better seat and that will help...

But the question is, what is a good aftermarket shock and suspension to consider?

CI have bought Hagon shocks and springs for years. They are made by people with many years experience and they just are as good as you can get. Check their site, there is a US distributor for them now.

Fox

I just put a pair of FXDX shocks on mine, $100 from eBay.

this the thing that gets me, in the US you guys can access s/h parts very cheap. Here in Europe they cost a bomb....I saw a s/h pair of RK shocks, the asking price 300Euros! Even used stock shocks are 150-200, fricken ridiculous. I'm looking for a pair of Custom shocks to do the WB mod on mine or a pair of those FXDX shocks as a staright replacement and there's nothing available here. I checked out the Hagon site and their prices are cheaper than Progressives so that may be an option.

If you look at the HD web site on the sportster models it shows "up graded suspension on certain models I bet its the XR