I was wondering what road racing classes allow a relativley stock '99 1200 sportster? I checked out the AHRMA website and saw that they had buells in a couple of the big races, but I don't think my bike would be able to compete. I think the most fair class would be vintage superbike, but of course my bike doesn't make the age cutoff (pre - 82 or similar design). My evo is of a similiar design ie. ohv pushrod, aircooled, v-twin, but they make it sound like the parts have to be interchangable with the bike of the cutoff year.

I seem to remember coming across 883s listed in one of the WERA Vintage classes. That was so the former AMA 883 roadrace bikes would still have a place to play. Think most of them have been parked or converted to the still active dirt track series. Used to have a good Hot XL issue that detailed how to prepare an 883 Sporty for the AMA roadrace series. Check WERA's website.

You can run them in modern twins classes, but it would be like hunting bears with a sling shot. Buells, Ducatis, and SVs would eat your lunch!

DLM32

Thats too bad. I was wanting to run my Sport too. Hell I would just like to take it out to a track just to see how it would do.

I'm not sure which class it would be, but there's always 3 or 4 Sportsters at the vintage races at Louden during Laconia's Bike Week.
I know 1200's run.
They handicap the bikes according to number of cylinders and how sophisticated the valve train is.
So a 1200 might run against a 550 four cylinder, or a 750 dohc vertical twin,
ducati's with desmodronic valves would give away some displacement too I believe.
They have a thundertwins class too as I recall.
It's confusing to try and figure it all out from the race program.
And they often run two classes at once half a lap apart!

It's my favorite part of Bike Week each year

Oh, and one guy has the same paint as my bike, so I'm guessing he's running a '95 1200.
I'm not sure how it qualifies as a vintage bike.
All the Sportsters are EVO's.
You see a lot of modern small two strokes too,
Aprilia and I think Honda production two strokes?

you could also do track days nesba and some other clubs..... roadracing world magazine has a section on clubs and race organizations

Not to be negative, but if you really want to get into track days or club racing, I'd get an SV or even an older Hawk (both available cheap) and start with track days, then progress to the 650 twins class (also legal to run 600ss and 750 ss and others). Way more fun, you won't believe what you can do on relatively stock bikes. You'll learn more and improve as a rider more. Yes they raced 883's. That doesn't mean they were good race bikes. And most were well modified for a "spec" class. Motor failures were a regular occurrence.
I started on a Hawk and was amazed by how much you can push an "entry level, commuter bike". That was before I ever did the suspension and put race slicks on it! If you want to take your Sporty to the track, hammer down. If you want to really have fun and learn a lot about control and riding fast (and safe) on the track (and street), get a used SV and go have some fun.

I don't know how popular the vintage races are around the country,
I've only been during Bike Week here.
But the most popular bikes seem to be old Honda 350's.
Cheap to buy and lots of parts, and most proven hop-up tips seem to be well known.
They run in multiple classes competitively and they sound pretty good too.
The vintage guys seem to have a lot of fun with a lot of good-natured competition and eccentric personalities!

I found my Louden Road Race Series 2008 rules book.
Sportsters are specifically mentioned in the Superbike class.

Ultra-lightweight superbike (novice amateur and expert divisions) as follows:

Single cylinder,unlimited diplacement,unlimited frame
Two stroke, liquid cooled, up to 375cc
Two stroke, air cooled, unlimited displacement
Twin cylinder, air cooled, non-desmodronic valves up to 900cc
Twin cylinder, air cooled, desmodronic valves up to 805cc
Twin cylinder, liquid cooled, up to 600cc
Twin cylinder,liquid cooled,pre-1999 model year, up to 800cc
Three cylinder, air cooled, non-fuel injected, up to 900cc
Four cylinder, liquid cooled, pre-1987 model year, up to 570cc
Four cylinder, liquid cooled, 1987 to 1992 model year, up to 500cc
Four cylinder, air cooled, up to 750cc
Harley-Davidson Sportsters of unlimited displacement

Lightweight superbike(novice amateur and expert divisions)

Single cylinder, unlimited displacement
Two stroke, liquid cooled, up to 450cc
Two stroke, air ooled, unlimited displacement
Twin cylinder, air cooled up to 1,210cc
Twin cylinder, liquid cooled, non-desmodronic valves, up to 800cc
Four cylinder, liquid cooled, up to 565cc
Four cylinder, air cooled, 2 valve, up to 750cc
Harley-Davidson Sportsters of unlimited displacement

These are the only classes I found mentioning the Sportster by name!
Maybe you will find this interesting as to what a Sportster might be matched up to.

I would think Sportsters might conceivably qualify for middleweight and some other classes, but probably wouldn't be considered competitive?
This was from the Louden Classic races which are the "big" races during bike week here, though no longer AMA sanctioned.
Vintage races may have different classes