Gents,

Having started life on a '62 XLCH, I strayed from the base camp and now back on a modern-built hybrid Sportster, I have a few comments about the postings here about perceptions of a Sportster. Am interested in your comments about my observations.

Looking back, the MOCO has done a fine job of maintaining the Sportster in it's original conception.

For example, the early Sportsters left PLENTY of engineering room and hot-rod wiggle-waggle to soup-up/enhance to local, state and national speed records. They pioneered & maintained a platform to build on to this day. Much like the small-block Chevys of the era. They seem to be maintaining this well.

You buy it today and you buy into a legend, a heritage, and a large circle of friends and comradry. It always came off the showroom with tons of torque & HP for fun. More fun and adventures than a young pup is used to handling. And reasonably affordable, to boot.

Many of you bitch about 'rip-off' dealers. True enough. BUT I can jump on my Harley Sportster and go anywhere in this country, and even the world, and not be too far from a dealer to get me running again should I be in trouble.

The Sportster has a look and feel that the rice-cooker imitators have copied, but not been able to duplicate. Color that 'priceless'.

What, in your collective thinking would you do to improve the Sportster? From an engineering or marketing standpoint.

Regards,
Bob G

engineer a better set of shocks and springs front and rear that are adjustable over a fairly wide range of rider weights.That seams to be the most common somplaint.

Well said, Bob. Hmmm...I think I like it just fine as is. The shocks do ok for me, but I understand that not everyone is satisfied. I think the seat is the thing that needs changed, so I bought a Mustang...problem solved.

BW

I view the Sportster a lot like the small block Chevy automobile of the 60's. I'd liken the Sportster to the 283,327, 350 genre of Corvettes back then.

Some absolutely amazing things were done to those vehicles to earn the name 'muscle cars'. They are still highly competitve today with modern vehicles 40 years later.

I have an '88 that will challenge any new Sportster model in the 1/4 mile or a cross-country road race. Why? Because of the sound inherent strong design and the HUGE aftermarket of speed parts that fit our bikes. They can be built to be anything you can imagine.

Obviously, I love my Sportster. The rice-cookers, Ducattis and Beemers cannot compete with the Sportster for 'buildability'.

well said ! i like it just how it is rough around the edges & and a real bike feel !

Market it like the true bike it is. It's not a damn cruiser. It's kind of an oversized dirt-bike. lol. Personally, I think it's a great looking bike that you can do alot with. You can get on one pretty cheap and do whatever you want to it. I don't think anyone buys a Sporty because they want to be a badass. You can't really take yourself seriously on it because there will always be that guy that's like "HEY! NICE GIRLS BIKE!" I don't care. I like my bike, and with mods, it'll only get better.

...What, in your collective thinking would you do to improve the Sportster? From an engineering or marketing standpoint...

My main beef with the newer models is that they're getting to big, fat, & heavy. Sort of the way the auto makers do with smaller cars - every year they're a little longer, a little wider, with a few more gimmics. The new Honda Civic is bigger than the Accords used to be! Sportsters are also getting to be less user-friendly when you want to modify them - they're becoming too integrated, so changing one part requires a lot of other changes to make it work or look right. Low tech iron is fun :tour .

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c237/rotcorp52/P1000122.jpg

My main beef with the newer models is that they're getting to big, fat, & heavy. Sort of the way the auto makers do with smaller cars - every year they're a little longer, a little wider, with a few more gimmics. The new Honda Civic is bigger than the Accords used to be! Sportsters are also getting to be less user-friendly when you want to modify them - they're becoming too integrated, so changing one part requires a lot of other changes to make it work or look right. Low tech iron is fun :tour .

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c237/rotcorp52/P1000122.jpg

Sorry for straying but I gota know. Do you have a filter on the breather line located at 6:00?

Sorry for straying but I gota know. Do you have a filter on the breather line located at 6:00?
Sharp eye! No, there's just a long hose running back to a spot under the transmission. Given the length of the hose, I don't think a filter's necessary. It lets the motor rev a little more freely, and stops the oil in the air cleaner problem. An easy fix for older bikes that have a factory plug in that position - just replace it with a hose fitting and a hose and you're in business.

Thanks 83XLX! Mine is a 1988. I have been lucky so far. The air cleaner is rather expensive. It being air cooled I keep my oil filled to the top.