Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Roadster reviews

I have ridden a Road King for seven years and wanted a lighter sportier bike without traditional sportster issues. The rubber mount helps with the vibes. It has 3 disc brakes, tach and midmount controls, not to mention the bigger tank. I had to switch out the seat for a Mustang. Also, I added a Supertrapp 2 into 1 to open up the top end. Now I ride it much more than the Roadking, that I use for 2 up and long rides. People comment it's not the traditional sports look but I think its one of the best looking sporties I have seen. Also, it will be a rare classic only made 1 year. Show less

I have put 6400 miles on my Roadster and I still love it. Most people trade their Sportsters in on a big bike but not me. I ride every day to work and am proud to be on it. I don't consider it a girl bike but a sleek, fast, good looking Harley Sport Bike. I have riden the HD XR1200 and its a nice HD Sport Bike too, but I like my higher torque Sportster, which is quicker out of the hole, in my opinion, and more comfortable to ride. I'll be back with another updated picture when I add my Christmas presents to my Sporty. Show less

I just traded in my 96 Honda Magna V-4 powerhouse last month, with some trepidation, on a 06 Roadster (black on black). It's a beautiful machine. Why the trepidation? The Magna is an awesome cruiser for the package, but to be truthful, it was getting longer in the tooth and, though still a tight package, I was ready for more character. I'd always wanted a Harley and the 06 Roady had fixed all the shortcomings I had on my list. While the Magna had a burbly feel around town and a smooth open-highway feel, it lacked fat torque and a certain impossible to find character. Well the H-D has that in spades. I knew it; I just had to wait for the right Roady to come along. This beast burbles around town, burbles on the highway and burbles standing still. It 'feels' like it's alive and feeding back to you every second that it's there. that's what you get with a H-D. Despite all the good things the other manufacturers build into their bikes, they cannot imitate the H-D sound and fury. It's the original and the only one. Plus... my granddad had a JD Series in 1923 and I like the idea that some 85 years later I'm riding a bike that feels very much the same. Show less

Traded my 1200R on a Fatboy last fall. Ever since then I've been trying to raise the cash to buy another one. I love the big twins for two-up distance, but the Sportster's still a classic motorcycle for almost anything else. Desipte its iconic moniker, it's not a disposable sport bike. don't compare it to one. And don't complain about the heat, shaking, or noise! that's what they've brought to the asphalt for the last 50 years. If you buy one and are surprised by these characteristics, you should frankly stay away from anything dangerous. Yes, the newer Sporty's are more refined than their elder bretheren, but they are still not gentlemen. If you keep it classified within the air-cooled cruiser division, you really can't go wrong. H-D quality and versatility in a resonably priced package. If the Harley 'thing' is not what you're interested in, you can get bigger metric bikes for the money and may be happier for your application. For me, I can't wait to get another Sportster! Show less

This is my fifth motorcycle and my first H-D (other bikes were a 1970 Yamaha 350 R5B, a 1981 Yamaha 550 Vision, a 2000 Triumph Legend 900, and a 2004 Honda Sabre VT1100C2). My experience consists of 40,000+ miles logged, mostly local riding, year round. I bought my 2007 H-D XL 1200 Roadster two weeks ago, and have ridden it almost daily since then. So far, about 375 miles on it, all local. Nitpicking aside, the bike is about as close to perfect as a motorcycle may be and is just as advertised. I suspect that some of the negative comments may be attributable to dealer prep (or the lack thereof). Others simply may be an unavoidable consequence of an air cooled engine being operated in temperatures for which a liquid cooled engine may be better suited. My experience thus far? The engine starts with the press of a button and never stalls. Brisk accelleration. Minimal vibration at idle, none to speak of at normal highway speeds (e.g., under 4,000 RPM's). Impressive torque and the engine effortlessly cruises at 65 MPH and beyond. The single headlight is sufficiently bright as to make almost redundant the auxiliary driving lights that I ordered. Miles per gallon have varied from around 48 on the first to refuelings (about 75 miles each time) to the mid-30's (though I have some suspicions that a locking gas cap may be the cure for the latter mileage). The bike is lightweight, tossable and easy to handle. Engine performance and braking are properly balanced. Though small, side view mirrors aren't really that bad and actually are usable. And the looks of the bike get thumbs-up from all who see it. Negatives? Yeah the pipes do get a bit hot (but wearing leather boots/chaps helps). And it is difficult to engage the right turn signal lever switch with a normal sized finger (I've learned to finesse by closing the throttle before reaching, much as when one shifts gears). Above 65 miles per hour the seating position converts the rider into a sail, making it close to impossible to hold on (an accessory windshield likely will help that). There is no storage space (you have to keep your registration and owner's manual elsewhere). I don't think the negatives detract from the otherwise positive endorsement. These are not problems as such. All are discoverable following research and inspection. All are inherent in the vehicle's design and the purpose for which it was intended. I don't think one should buy a vehicle with a 3.3 gallon fuel tank and then complain that they ran out of fuel after only about 120 miles. Show less

Been itching for 7 yrs to get a bike. Couldn't decide between a 1200C and a 1200R, then the Nightster was released. For the money, the 1200R is hard to beat. Sure the 1200N looks cool, and the 1200C sits lower, but the R comes with a tach AND dual front discs!! The stock seat sucks, period. I replaced it with a Corbin Hollywood Solo and it's 10 times better! Swapped out the mid controls to forward controls (easier on my knees) and added the Screamin Eagle (new for 2007) 50 state legal slip-ons along with the SE air cleaner (full stg1 with a re-map) and this thing moves!!!! Hold on tight, or it'll toss you off! Even with my chubby butt on it, it moves out no problem! Also added the run/turn/brake controller with a Kisan Technologies tailblazer (if you can't see me from behind now, you're blind!!). Swapped out the stock headlight bulb for a Silvania Silverstar (waaaay better). Added the longer mirrors too (stock mirrors don't show anything behind you). After doing all this, it's perfect (for me anyways) and I plan on having it for a while. Worth a look and a demo ride if you can! Show less

I've been riding a 2004 1200R for a couple of years. I'm also a track day rider, where I typically ride the Kawasaki 6r. While the Roadster is no match on the corners for a modern sport bike, it is still a fun ride in the corners, and I ride it up on the tight windy roads of the coastal range of Northern California all the time. For long trips, taking the road less traveled, (typically with lots of corners) I love it. I ride to Montana and back each summer. This year my son, who owns a std 883, and I are going to head way north. Hopefully to Alaska. I did swap out the stock seat for a Corbin, which I advise for long trips. The stock seats I've tried (3) from HD aren't great on the long hauls. I can ride all day on a Corbin without problems. My Roadster is SE2'd with SE2 pipes. It is loud, maybe too loud, but has all the power I need. It rips of the line and in the mid range going from 60 to 90 takes no time at all. Great for passing semi trucks on the curves...hee hee. You can't miss with this bike. There are more options available for a Sporty than any bike made. I've done some custom on mine, including Ghost Flame Blue paint, plus added Hwy pegs for the long road. Get the bigger tank for the long trips. My trip last year to Montana with the peanut tank meant a few close calls on gas. Although I prefer the look of the old style peanut, for practicality on the long trips, I'm going to swap out and use my 4.5 gal. If you want a HD, you will feel the pressure to get a dyna or some fat hog bike, but on mountain roads I'll bet I can smoke any other HD, even the very fast VRod (which I LOVE!). I've been tempted to get a Dyna, they are really nice, fast and cool. I think the other big fat twins look cool, too, and most riders apparently feel more manly riding those. But, they suck on the corners (both rider and bike, typically). So, I've decided the old style racer is good enough for me, so I'm sticking with my Sporty Roadster. You get one, and you'll love it. Show less

My first Sportster was an '04 XL 883. I loved the bike, but wanted more horsepower, a little higher stance, wider handlebars and fuel injection. Enter my '07 Sportster. The acceleration on this bike with just stock pipes is hard to believe. The bike will easily out run any Harley Big Twin, except the V-Rod. It's got everything you've ever loved about the Sportster, now with fuel injection. No coughing and carb farts on start-up, just great power whether the engines is cold or not. The triple disc brakes are exceptional, the new security system is great but incomplete (you have to buy the siren for another $100). Show less

My 1200R never ceases to amaze. This bike is awesome and has provided me with tons of joy and happiness. I have almost 10k miles on the bike with only one issue. The cam sprocket nut came loose in the primary. Took the bike to local dealer, tightened it up and didn't cost me a dime, all covered under warranty. Other than putting gas in it, checking oil and tire pressure once a week, this bike has been flawless. I also average low 40mpg, but I'm usually doing 80-90 mph on the freeway. I've gotten as high as 56 mpg on open highway, going 75+ mph, for miles on end. I have made several modifications to it to make it more like a cafe racer and couldn't be happier with the results. Made the sportster much lighter in the corners and rides very smoothly now on all surfaces. I've taken this bike on 800+ mile weekend trips and never questioned it's reliability or dependibility. Harley's in the past have been known for having issues, but they have really turned around. The late model HD's are superb and the sportster is quite possibly one of the best bikes on the market. Torquey, very low-maintance, awesome network of riders, great gas mileage, 2-yr warranty plus extended option, largest after-market available, the list goes on... I'm quite happy that I paid what I did for this bike, it's been well worth it. If I hadn't got this one, I wouldn't have meet the friends I made with it. It's truely change my life. Show less

Traded a 1600 Vulcan for this bike. Much more fun to ride on the twisties and backroads. Just had 1000 mile service, went to synthetic oil and it shifts smoother now. Did stage 1, woke it right up. Love it. Show less