I  stand corected !

70 Hp.


http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/harley_davidson_xl_1200s/index.html

Both 1200s have the same engine, which makes about 15 percent more power than last year's standard 1200 mill. The new 1203cc engine gets hotter cams taken from the Buell XB engine, though, at 70 horsepower, the Sportster engine makes less power than the Buell's similar engine, largely because the Buell sucks through a much larger airbox (which the sportbike can use because styling convention isn't such an issue). Unlike the '03 Sportster 1200 Sport engine,

There was another site that was comparing HP I was looking at some time back (shortly after I got the Sportster about 1 year ago),  it had the Honda V-65 @ 83 Hp and the Sportster @ 80.   I was comparing becouse one of my brother has a V-65 and I wondered  ??? how will our first ride turn out ????

We have yet to get together with our bikes .    Last summer at the Dragon run he was there but I was on the Savage.   That weekend turned out with him Smoking me on the straigts and the Savage Smoking him in the turns ---- on the dragon they were fairly even ..... but either of us couldn't catch OldFeller.

LostArtist wrote on 05/02/11 at 07:42:15:



My '86 1100cc EVO weighs 455 lbs and has approx 70 HP (un-EPA'd, it said 62 in the FSM but when I rejetted the bike really really came to life (sort of like rejetting a LS650).

JRM,
   Don't get a 883.  The LS650 can toast it up to about 55 mph.    The 1200's are much more powerful (65-80HP depending on year and engine  option)

You can get an IRON Head (70's to 1985) cheap now (approx $2K USD) but the EVO engines are easier to get parts for.

--------------------------Advantages---------------
It's the oldest production (longest continuously manufactured) sport bike in America (not sure about the world).  1957 to 1984 = Iron Head Sportster's, 1986 to present = Evolution Sportster's

It's longer and if you are 5'10" plus, you will feel better on it than on the LS650.

You can get parts fairly easily.  That also includes customizing parts.

Hydraulic Lifters, so no valve lash adjustments.

You're Better half will fit better on it than a LS650.  (still tight though.....)

The engine oil is separate from the tranny oil.  That means you can put good low friction oil in the engine and not worry about the clutch plates.

You can check the spark plug in approx 45-60 seconds. Since they are out in the open, it's as fast as you can get the boots off and turn the wrench.

The woman walking around the Harley dealers, even though they are a bit stuck up, are hotter.....  

-----------------------Disadvantages-------------------
They cost more

They are top heavy

They have slight design changes every 4 years (approx).  So a 1986 can only share a limited number of parts with a 2011.

The LS650 & Sporty's both can be danced, but the LS650 does the "twist", the Sporty does the Tango (not quite as quick to turn).

Insurance is higher.

It is stolen more often than the LS650.

A lot of "Harley" riders ( & want-a-be's too) don't thing Sportster's are true Harley's.  

Harley dealers are worse than Suzuki Dealers.  

LostArtist wrote on 05/03/11 at 16:30:36:


Yea, got that from the Sportster Forum, but......  compared to Harley's it is sort of....

Another funny from the Sportster forum,  the hot shots there say it's a high reving engine.....  My thought is "compared to what, my Rupp mini-bike" ????

Question ?

Savages red-line at 6500 rpm ?

My Sportster has a tack that hits red at 6000, it always get better than 50mpg.  I have got 58mpg befor (Thats for a 1200)

The other day I was at Barnes and Noble and came across a book on how to be a biker or something like that. Anyhow as I was flipping through it I came to the Sportster part and read the beginning of it. The book says most sportsters are only owned for about one year and then sold to trade up to bigger bike. Effectively it is a beginners bike and the book strongly recommends to stay away from them since the odds are you will be selling in the not too distant future also. I was told years ago that the sportster was actually designed to be a womans bike because you sit on the bike unlike say a heritage softail that you sit in sort of speak. The same person sat on my savage and says he likes it because you sit in it not on it. There are plenty of them available used probably more than any other model bike so finding one should be easy though.

One of the fuel mileage kings for sure. I used to commute on mine, consistently got high 70s and low 80s mpg (2 lane country backroads, 25-45 mph speeds).

My VN800A (805cc) was 45-55 mpg. 800B was 35-40 mpg (fat front tire). 74 inch (1200cc) Panheads and Shovelheads same as VN800B, even with skinny 19 or 21 inch front tires.

If you have more than a 32" inseam, reconsider getting a Sporty, they are small. Smaller than a Savage small. Funny, my 98 Savage was the same overall length as my last HD (57 FL Panhead, rigid frame, springer, 21" front wheel, 12" rise bars on 4.5" dogbone risers) but the Savage felt smaller.  

Tailbone will tell you if it is a good fit.