Speedmaster vs 883 Low

[snuffcityrider]

chushman

I would go with the Cushman

 

[TxRIIIRider]

Hey... You could probably sell that to someone for enough to pay cash for a Speedmaster!..

Wish one of us had one that Vespa last year at Harvest Classic.. lol

 

[Sidecar Flip]

'03 and prior shake like a paint shaker. Think of all those idiots who bought Anniversary Sportsters.. lol. Then, in '04 the Sportster was drastically improved and made in to a usuable bike, with a rubber mounted engine and with the Custom, you get a 4.5 gallon tank that will give you a good 200 mile range. After reading Flip's post, I would have to agree that the 883 is not the best bike. She will out grow the 883 so fast that it will become boring to her.

My wife's first bike was a Honda NightHawk 750, which will smoke the Speedmaster, the Sportster, and many other bikes. It's severely under rated. At first, I tried to talk her into something smaller, but she physically fit the bike so well. So, I agreed. She turned out to be right, and she REALLY loved that bike!

Like Flip said, The Speedmaster (and most any other bike) will smoke the 883 Sportster in any performance area and is more comparable to the 1200 Sportster. As much as I have praised the Sportster, Triumph is in my blood, and I really like the Speedmaster. If it has been just a tad larger bike, I would be owning it instead of the Rocket! (I'm sure glad the 1600 wasn't avaialble then!)

and yes Flip, I'd love to have a KLR as well!.. Have you taken it out and played out in the fields with it yet?

Absolutely. every chance I get. You know how the Rocket hates loose gravel (remember, I dropped mine) and it feel squirrely on anything loose....The KLR loves gravel and dirt roads. At my advanced age, I can powerslide that little sucker sideways on our dirt road...and feel in complete control. I've had the bike over 80 on gravel roads and there isn't a hint of ill haqndling, I've been across streams and through the woods. It putts along, very quietly...sounds like a lawnmower. Nuth'in like 80 on gravel, looking in the mirror and seeing a roostertail of dust....

The road manners are good too. It's faired so it cuts the wind around your body. It could stand a bit more power but the engine is as reliable as a rock...Kawasaki has been building the 650 twin cam single in the KLR for over 20 years now with minimal refinements. It's basically bulletproof. Uses 15-40 Rotella motor oil and regular gas, is carbureted and chain drive, all simple and reliable. I personally know of 2 guys that rode them to Alaska from here in Michigan and back again.

Given the choice of the Speedmaster or America vs. a 883 Sportster I would pick the Sportster.
I'm a big Triumph fan but in this case IMO HD has the upper hand.
Triumph took the same engine used in their classic Bonny and Scrambler and changed the firing interval from 360 degrees to 270, at a loss of 11 HP. The change gives it a little more distinctive idle and may remove some handle bar buzz and higher rpm's. IMHO thats not a very good trade.
The sporty shakes like a dog ****ting razor blades just like the bigger Harley's. But the smooth out at cruise.It's just how they're built and the rubber mounting helps to isolate the vibration. A good friend of mine has a 94' 883 and it's not a bad bike. Pretty reliable for a 14 year old and it still looks good. And while it won't keep with the Rocket it runs pretty good. As far as the fuel capacity goes its not a long distance tourer, but for the $1000 difference you could get a bigger tank and and some chrome as well.
In either case I wouldn't buy with out a test ride. The specs are too close to make the decision on paper.
BTW Flip I've followed my friend's 883 at 90 mph thats probably all he had but it's a lot better than 65.

I'll have to correct you on a couple of statements. The engine is detuned for the scrambler but not the Bonnie......I haved one. There is no vibration. The engine has counter rotating balancer shafts and finally, the sporty might go 90 but over 65, if you hit a speck of fly **** in the road, you are going on your ass, plain and simple. Besides, the 883 and the 1200 are uncomfortable bikes with ancient engineering and marginal brakes.

Mine is the one in the front. Blue is faster........

well, yes.
but which one is faster, being that they're both blue?


greg

I'd say Daves. His is the other one. He wears out tires faster than I do, so it must be faster. You guys think the Metz is bad....KLR's eat tires, all of them. 4K on a rear and maybe 8 on a front if you ride like an old fart, all the time.

I would go with the Cushman

Loose that Tecumseh or is it a Kohler.....and drop in a 2300 inline 3...Rocket motor. There is room.

My Cushman had a Kohler and it was all enclosed, kind of like a Rokon but quicker and only RWD.

 

[Molinoman]

Forget the Harley, I am surprised that no one has mentioned the difference in warranties yet, Triumph's two year/unlimited mileage versus (correct me if I am wrong) Harley's one year/12,000 mile. If the warranties were reversed the Harley might be worth a tiny bit of consideration, since they are not....fuggadaboutit.

My two cents from Afghanistan,
Dennis

 

[Lester532]

Forget the Harley, I am surprised that no one has mentioned the difference in warranties yet, Triumph's two year/unlimited mileage versus (correct me if I am wrong) Harley's one year/12,000 mile. If the warranties were reversed the Harley might be worth a tiny bit of consideration, since they are not....fuggadaboutit.

My two cents from Afghanistan,
Dennis

From rocky mountain HD's website.
What type of warranty is offered on Harley-Davidson® and Buell® mototcycles?

All new Harley-Davidson and Buell motorcycles come with a 2 year, unlimited miles warranty.
An additional extended warranty can be bought at the time of purchase (see the sales department for prices).

 

[wilbur-t]

TD, how tall is your wife? Lisa wanted an America last year until she rode one. The kickstand is so far forward she could hardly reach it with her foot. Lisa is pretty short, though.

 

[tdragger]

She's deficient in the stature department as well. Only 5'4" with short legs. I'll have to look at the sidestand location on the Speedy.

 

[Molinoman]

If the info on the HD warranty is true (and since I do not have access to a HD brochure, I have no reason to doubt it...that is a big change for HD) then I stand corrected.

I would still go for the Triumph however, other than good paint jobs, I just don't feel that the 883 is a good value for the money, just ingrained in me especially after a test ride on an 883 about 12 years ago, I just was not impressed...it takes more than a sound.

To me, however, it sounds like you have talked yourself into the HD, good luck, you (or I should say your wife) is the one riding it, that is who you will have to satisfy, not me.
Good luck.

Dennis

 

[tdragger]

Not so fast Mo...

First, keep your head down and thank you for serving.

Second, she really likes the Speedy and I'd prefer her to have it too. Just checking things out and getting opinions.

 

[boogerdave]

Debby is about the same size and she ended up on a Speedmaster BUT . . . I ended up having to change out the handlebars because she felt like she was always stretching to reach them. I told her we should have bought the America then and her comment was "she didnt like cleaning all that chrome" . . .

As for the Sporty . . she never even looked twice at it when I had suggested it. "If you wont ride a Harley . . . what makes you think I will" . . was her comment.