Hey there, I'm looking at this bike and we are similarly sized (height and weight) and I am wondering (1) how long was the test ride and (2) would an after market seat have swayed you or were there other things not to like? thx.
sqd8r the test drove was about 30 to 40 minutes. I would highly recommend another seat as your butt/balls would go numb after long rides. If you are okay with the crampness I would say test drive before buying to ensure you make the best choice.
Those radial engines rumble like hell, and the clutch is extremely tough and will last usually a lifetime. Newcomers will stall out a lot but experienced riders will like it. One rule to the sportsters and usually all harleys is to Not lean on the bike, YOU lean the bike and not yourself. Sportsters are so low gravity the work is done for you. If you want to enjoy the Sportster class ride style, then you NEED a solo spring seat, just be selective with the springs to adjust the hight. Mirrors are flipped if you have straight bars or slammed otherwise you will only see elbow. Sportsters are designed to be stripped down and customized which doesn't appeal to the plug and go riders. I wouldn't buy one if you don't eat to spend more money on customization though Harley Davidson has caught on to the new culture of riders who just want to ride straight of the showroom and have created the S series as well as the Roadster. A solo spring seat and performance pipes give you an entirely new bike which only cost me $1,000 on my 48. I dig your test ride videos and will search for your Triumph Bobber video which is another bike trying to compete with Sportsters by creating a Pre Custom bike!
@@parkeslife4323 I grabbed a pair of Short Shots and the performance did change. the bike is less tame, the low end is still there but the top end + acceleration did increase. Sounds amazing too!
DurdenTyler21 thanks for the reply. I've just bought a 72 and take delivery in 4 days. Can't wait. Some of the customisation parts will arrive before the bike. I went with a Biltwell Speedway seat. Looking at the Short Shots for pipes. Yes they're a bit overdone on Sportsters, but still give decent lean clearance. What air cleaner and tuner did you end up with?
@@parkeslife4323 Be careful when installing the short shots, the gaskets are not easy to align and seating them won't be immediately perfect. The pipes are assembled and welded together on a Jig, so the first batch of pipes from the factory are great while the latter begin to lose alignment. For Air Cleaners, I've had Screamin Eagle and Vance And Hines. Those two companies have high quality control. Though I soon will purchase some Rough Crafts. Probably a Seat and Pipes just to make a change. Builtwell is decent, but cheap for a reason. Theirs seats develop a set very quickly. The 72 is a beautiful bike btw! Nice choice.
@@DurdenTyler21 Cheers mate. Thanks for the advice on the pipe alignment. I do have some Screamin' Eagle slip ones from another bike I can use in the meantime. The seat I bought cheap for a reason as the stock seat is torn and will not pass an Inspection to transfer Title. A temporary good looking cheap fix (equates to about $65 US). I'm looking forward to playing with the new little bike. 😊
