Normally I never argue with a Texan, especially a Texan who has horses, a beautiful blue Rocket and especially a Rocket that don't have a bad TDU bearing.......but....
The 883 HD Sportster is a piece of dung. I've had some personal experience with the bike in as much as my friend owns one and I have ridden it. It's a dog, it shakes and it rides like a Schwinn pedal bike. It might be fine for a 2 lane road, but it's winded at 65 and it's downright dangerous at 75. He also has a 1200 and it has leaked repeatedly from the valve covers despite numerous trips to the dealer and copious amounts of blue-glue.
The Speedy has the same engine as my T100 Bonnie and it will out drag, out corner and outlast the Miluakee vibrator/leaker. As a case in point, my Bonnie, without the sidecar, will outrun light-to-light any stock HD except a V-Rod.
If you want to get her an easy to handle, simple to maintain and really cheap bike, get her a Kawasaki KLR, put on the 2" lowering links and the bike will outlast your Rocket and you'll probably end up riding it...you'll ride it once and like it so much, you might park the Rocket and do the short trips on the KLR. I do. $8299---$7299------nope.
Try $5600 out the door, tax, title and prep for an '09. That's almost 1700 bucks less than the Miluakee vibrator/leaker and the KLR stock will run a low 13 second quarter mile....That will smoke any stock sporty and even the big HD's that are stock plus it has real suspension and real brakes...same brakes as on the Ninja, just a single disc up front instead of dual discs.
You are going to say the 883 and 1200 is American made...It's not. It's assembled in America from predominately foreign parts. The Speedmaster isn't made in England either. It's made in Taiwan, ROC. Matter of fact, it's made right next door to where the KLR is assembled. The KLR is made in Japan and
assembled in Taiwan.
Now that I've blown my mouth off, I'll take any and all comments.....Of course I'll have the chance to rebutt........
I may just bring the KLR to the next RAA so you guys can appreciate what 60 mpg is.
I added a picture of my '08. You aren't seeing double, there are 2 identical bikes. I just happen to have a riding friend that has one...yep, that's my ugly mug. 'Course you know that already.
Mine is the one in the front. Blue is faster........