Finally got a Big Twin

[delcrossv]

While have seen various references to sporty's over the years, none to my face. While not comfortable by any stretch of the imagination, my 73 XLCH could easily pick it's wheel off the ground shifting to second gear. Attributed this to it's light weight (almost 100 lbs lighter than current versions) and lower gearing. I was young, and it was fun (excepting hwy cruising).

It's all power to weight for tricks like that.

Some people may not be old enough to realize that 1200cc's was the size of the older "big twins". On the roads am preferring now a days, very rare to see any other motorcicles, let alone any larger ones or ones with a skinny front tire and high handlebars. Fortunately there are various options for varying purposes/styles. Then again, am not seeing many sportsters on the interstates up here.

Me neither, but HD had let design of Sportys pretty much languish while continuing development of big twins. Now with the liquid cooled Sportster S, Sporty development seems back on track.

2023 Sportster S Motorcycle | Harley-Davidson USA

More on the Revolution Max engine:
More Than You Probably Wanted to Know About the Harley-Davidson 1250 Revolution Max Engine | Motorcycle.com

In any event, once they went to pressed cranks and a reluctor for timing, hopping up Sportys is limited to cylinder swaps and head work/cams on the new (er) sporty platform. For large displacement you just can't get to there from here.

I remember when getting a big bore , stroker sportster required only a few calls - one to Andrews for cams, one to S&S for cranks, rods and pistons and one to Trock for cylinders. Now getting parts is like looking for hen's teeth

 

[G-Mac]

I've never heard of an XL series (Sportster) being called a "Porsche Boxster", but way back in the early 1970s, when I first got into the motorcycle business, I did hear hear "Big Twin" riders refer to Sportsters as "your sister's bike".

But it was good natured ribbing. John

John, when I first bought my Sportster, in 1988, after owning many Japanese motorcycles, a Harley "Big Twin" rider told me that I "took a step in the right direction".

 

[Bald1]

The girl bike moniker probably came about because woman riders usually choose an 883 Sportster. One they are light. Two they set pretty low with the right seat. And three they are the cheapest HD you could buy. Although now that 750 model is. I've seen it several times. A guys wife gets tired of being a passenger. She wants a bike. They buy smallest cheapest HD they can get. Two years later it's for sale and she's back to being a passenger…… if Sportsters are girls bikes, I'd hate to hear what my custom cafe Buell Blast was. Lmao.

 

[lihpster]

It's not limited to Sportsters or even HD. I rode a Suzuki cruiser with an 800cc engine. Guys used to give me **** about it being a "starter bike", a "mini bike" and yes even a girl's bike. They shut the hell up when they tried to ride with me, though. I had one guy on a HD big twin tell me, "I was right with you until I dragged a floorboard in a turn at 90 MPH. Then I backed off." If that didn't shut them up, a look at the 2 patches that said, "I rode mine to Sturgis" usually quieted them down.
Besides, it's not what you ride, it's that you ride.

 

[bdGreen]

My 1998 Road King (FLHPi)

Been a wonderful ride.

A handful of trips to Sturgis. Up there and back with no issues, ever.

All the trips made outfitted as you see in the pics.

Still have it. Am looking to let it go. It's for sale if anyone cares to ask about.

enjoy,
bdGreen

 

[chief38]

I sold my last Bike about 18 months ago. After riding for many decades I decided to stop while I had a 100% track record of keeping the shinny side up. I miss it less than I thought, but the best road trips I ever took were the 5 cross country trips out West! They were spectacular!!