Harley-Davidson Sportster XL 883 Custom reviews

I have not been on a bike for two years or so and just got one again. I seem to like to be back on a bike again which is always missed when you have and are not. I would say I don't know yet on the overall but it is not a Honda so by association it is a better bike. Show less

Nice bike to start out on. Rides great for around town and short trips, but being 5'11" the bike felt kind of small for any long highway riding. Has nice quality and finish to it, but could use a much better seat. After riding one season I moved up to a Dyna Super Glide. Show less

You have all read the reviews regarding handling, comfort, performance and so on, so I will mostly skip those. One of the best things about a Harley is this; if it does not fit, you can change it. Seat too hard? Change it. Handlebars too close or too low? Change them. Not fast enough? Pay the "Harley tax", on the 883 it is worth 25% more HP. The 883 may be top heavy, but if I had not read that somewhere I'd never know it. It does understear at slow speed but after 10 minutes in a parking lot I got used to it. I'm not dragging the pegs or going 80MPH on the freeway anyway so this is a good size bike for me. Show less

Love this little bike. My first road bike. Has been 28 years since I had ridden. Plenty quick. Friends Kawasaki 1800 vulcan couldn't lose me. Handles great. The wife and I ride together just fine. Logged 450 miles in yellowstone this summer. Could be a little bigger for double but pleanty of power. With better rear shocks it will be just fine for us. Other than the macho bull of having a bigger bike it's one of the best decisions I've made. Show less

I recently decided to drive a motorcycle so I purchased an HD Sportster. I simply love it. My only complaint is when I travel with my buddies who own bigger Harleys, I sometimes wish I had purchased a larger bike. But then again, I did not want to re-mortgage the house to pay for it. Again I have to say it, it's a great looking bike for the money. Show less

I have had my '04 883C for a week and have already passed the magic 500 mile mark. It has been somewhere around 15 years since I have owned a motorcycle and this is my first Harley. I have owned 4 different Hondas in the past (a 305 Scrambler and 3 450s) and I have always had a dream of "someday" owning a Harley. The day is here! A week is not a long relationship with a bike but I am extremely satisfied with the look and feel of my Sportster. Several of my "metric" friends have already felt pressured into trading in for larger more accessorized models in order to not feel threatened by the Harley image. I find my 883C very comfortable and satisfying although I may trade out the seat if my wife needs a more comfortable passenger's saddle. Some riders seem to fault the Sportster because you are able to feel the bike and the road. This is why I love riding a motorcycle in the first place. If I didn't want to feel the bike between me and the road I would drive a car. Show less

I stayed away from Harley's because of their reliablity and comfort problems over the years. But now with the rubber mount engine on the new '04 sportsters, I took a look. Well I love the style of the bike, it looks real sharp so I bought one. Had it for 3 months now and have no complaints other then it's carb. You must add a jet kit for this bike to shine, it is very cold blooded without it. This bike is very fun to ride and has plenty of power for around town or blasting down back roads. Good handling and brakes and yes it still has that harley sound. Show less

I have heard nightmares about vibration but the rubber mouting must really be working becuase I can cruise for hours at 55-75 mph and have no problem. The seat is uncomfortable after a few hours of riding but I think any seat will cause you to get stiff after being in the same position for that long. The stock pipes got louder as I approached the 1000 mile mark. I am waiting for Vance and Hines to put out pipes that fit the 04 883. Currently Screaming Eagle has 2 slip on mufflers but that is the only choice for this model as far as exhaust goes. Drawbacks? I think I should have saved up a little more cash and gotten the 1200. The reason I say this is the 1200 engine is a bit more powerful (duh) and the engine comes fully chromed already. Other than that, I can chrome out most of my 883 engine but it will cost me close to a grand. Not worth it, Ill get a bigger bike in a few years. Overall, this bike is great. At 6' 195lbs it rides great even with my 130lb girlfriend on the back (although you will need a sissy bar for your passenger - if not they will be hanging on for dear life). Ride safe! Show less

Been 20 years since I owned a Sportster and now that the kids are older wanted to ride again. Heard good reviews about the new 2004 and bought one about 3 weeks ago and have not been disapointed. Vibration has been cut in half, can now ride for hours without feeling numb. Great low torque, and love the forward controls. Will ride this bike until the two year warranty is up then think about getting the 1200. Show less