Royal Enfield vs Harley-Davidson Iron 883. Is The Shotgun 650 The New King Of Low Capacity Cruisers? 

It’s a shame Harley couldn’t bring the newer models under £10k like the iron was.

0:47 "That's what she said"

As a potential new buyer. I prefer the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650. If they make a Classic 650, I'm gonna be sold. I really love the RE Classic 500, but it and the 350 really can't maintain hwy speeds in Maryland. Everyone goes 75-80mph or faster on the hwy. You're gonna be on back roads mostly. Not bad, but we have deer year round, raccoons, possums, foxes, squirrels, etc. that think the road way is a dining room. Not to mention the big ass turtles on the other side of the bay bridge. A Royal Enfield Classic 650 is completely perfect, but a 1000cc Royal Enfield Classic 😍 that would be the lifetime bike for me.

That Iron 883 is a good looking Bike.

I honestly don't think the Shotgun fills the gap left by the HD Iron 883, and don't think it was meant to. I think it's its own thing, hard to categorize, and I absolutely love mine. It handles fantastic, much better than the average cruiser, is very comfortable to ride with the mid pegs and seating position, and contrary to your opinions, I think they look great - with the blacked out motors and vivid paint and decal schemes. They are like a modern-retro-sport-cruiser, or something like that. I've never cared for HD's, but not going to bash them, it's just my opinion. But I've owned lots of other midsized cruisers, and my Shotgun is my favorite of them all. It has plenty of character enough for me, but not so much that it's uncomfortable or unrealistic to commute on or make quick runs to the store. Great video guys - keep up the great work!

As an American, I encounter more sportsters, and HD bikes on the road in particular than any other motorcycle, and so it’s quite a familiar sight and sound that we all grew up with here. It’s hard to imitate the “potato potato potato” and customization of a HD, which is honestly still very attractive to a lot of people, but the character and value for money of a RE is pretty hard to beat, and checks the old school boxes for a lot of people, including myself. I think RE has more in common with the original concept of a HD than current HD does in the sense of it being a basic motorcycle for people who aren’t looking for complications, can work on their own bikes, and ride around in style without breaking the bank, but also one ups them in one category in particular, and that’s you get to ride them on the weekend rather than work on them, and if they do have to go in the shop for repairs that is beyond the average owners skill set, it’s going to be a literal fraction of what it will require from a HD dealership.

The Iron 883 is one of the all-time best looking bikes in my opinion. I've test ridden them and was determined to buy one, but never talked myself into it. Conversely, after riding the Shotgun once I ordered one and picked it up a month ago, the controversial stencil white. Everyone rides Harleys here in Utah, USA, very few RE bikes, and even fewer Shotguns, so it's kind of nice having something different than everyone else. I still prefer the look and sound of the Harley, but far prefer the ride of the Shotgun. The power is fine (especially compared to my other bike, a G310GS), and the pillion seat on the Shotgun is far better than any Iron 883 option. The 883 always felt small, and I'm not a tall guy, but I like that the Shotgun is more substantial. I've got a great canyon with awesome twisties two miles up the road from my house, and the Shotgun handles the twisties far better, it's a lot more fun to ride in the canyon. I will always want an 883, and I could go get one, but I'm sure I never will. The Shotgun is its own breed and look, and with a 3-year warranty it's hard to beat. Anyway, fantastic show gentlemen, always well done. Take care! Oh, and your new bike, my guess would be some sort of Guzzi or BMW r9t, you won't be buying a bike without an engine that pops in looks, power, feel, and sound. Could totally see you on an Indian as well. Looking forward to finding out.

‘Plasticated’ - great term to describe a motorbike!

MD - My guess for your new machine is a Moto Guzzi Stone…..great chat today OM and MD!

I think Indian is beating Harley big time in the US. I also don’t see the younger generation going for Harley much. RE is marketing based on value/price point and doing a fabulous job IMO.

Loving seeing you both back together. Your doing a fantastic job.

I have a Evo Fatboy and a Road King and have had a Dyna and a Sportster and the most fun bike to ride was definitely the Sporty. It was a 1996 model 1200 so a rigid mounted engine and carburatored. Extremely crude, shakes your teeth loose and sneezed oil on your knee from the air filter but damn it was fun to ride. Gotta get another Sporty!

I own 2 Royal Enfields, the Shotgun and Super Meteor, i love the lines of the bikes. Harley-davidson and Triumph have beautiful lines, their fuel tanks are a work of Art, but i find Royal Enfields fuel tanks on both my bike's unfinished at the bottom of their tanks. It's the fold at the bottom of the Triumph Speedmaster has a stunning fuel tank, the shape is beautiful, i just wish Enfields tanks looked the same.

I just got back from a ride on my 1976 Yamaha XS650 frame up restoration, aftermarket pipes, it sounds ,and vibrates like an old Harley. Don't see many on the rode these days. I live in the desert Southwest, so if you go out early enough or late enough, it's really nice. Love the channel !

The Iron was the last Harley I found aesthetically gorgeous. It's just proportioned so nicely, and it's exactly how I feel about the Shotgun. The perfect size for the city and both capable of cruising across a country. Damned nice machines both.

I've been waiting for a video like this for years! At last someone made it.

5:31 I have an 883 and an sm650 and also an int650 as well enjoy them all

There’s’ Moto Guzzi V7, Indians, Triumph T100 & T120, Bobber, Speedmaster, Kawasaki W800, BMW R9, R18, BSA Goldstar & I’m sure there’s more. The RE is good value for the money but not in the same league as most. Great channel good to see you both

I find it amazing that an 883 can be regarded as low capacity! It wasn't that many years ago that a 750 was a superbike!

Good discussion gentlemen. I have a HD 883C model year 2007. Everything you said about the Iron 883 applies to it as well. The bike is old-fashioned, compared to the new ones, it drives rather poorly, vibrates and makes noise. All of that makes it endearing. Greetings from Finland. You guys have the best motorcycle channel.

Great content, Guys. Your channel is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

I have a 1982 Sportster in my "fleet". It is in every measurable way an absolutely terrible bike, even compared with its contemporaries. Brutally uncomfortably, slow, very heavy (weighs more than my Africa twin) somewhat wayward handling, hopeless brakes, unreliable. I love it. Sounds great, and like no other bike, gives you a sense of occasion when riding it. No way would I replace it with a Shotgun, it would feel like a cop out somehow

Great comparison choice. Apologies if you have already, but a review of both the CFMoto 700CL-X Heritage and the Sport would be interesting as down the south of Eng, they seem to be very popular. The price tag may have something to do with that as they are selling as new for just under £5,000 & you do seem to get a lot for that price. They look great to surprisingly. I spoke to a few owners & they are raving about them.

I swapped my old Superglide for a RE 411 Scram. Then I could not resist buying a 5 yr old Sportster 1200 as my second bike. The Sporty has got very much character and looks but the Scram is the real "Easy Rider" in the sense of the word. Hope to be able to try the Shotgun within a few weeks. To me the green or the gray are the only colour options for this model.

Great comparison video, your passion for Harley comes through ( in a good way ) keep doing what you love 👍👍

I'm 6'2" so I'd go for a RE Super Meteor as it's got forward controls. Great to see they all have mag wheels. I would never buy a bike with spokes.

I recently subscribed to watch all of your continental GT videos (I’m saving to get one in BR Green) and I love all of your videos. It’s like a motorcycle Top Gear, minus the competition/challenge type segments. I love to unwind and relax to your show at the end of my day with a drink. Thanks guys.

Great VDO as usually, lads 👍 You are absolutely correct, to pick in-between these two is rather difficult, I suppose. Back in the early '90s I rode one of those 883 (next to the Z900/GPZ 900R). It belonged previously to one of the local 1%ers, was a little bit chopped already when I bought it. I put forward controls and T-handles, nothing more was required. Financially it was good value, soled it after 2 years for more than I paid for 😁 Because of the low rev torques it was fabulous in the Alps, because of the brakes it was horrible in the Alps 😢. That's why I bought a Vulcan 650S (for keeping my Z900RS in the garage during the Monsoon season) a few moments ago 😂

When it comes to sound I can remember the sound of open pipes on a 1965 BSA 650 Spitfire Hornet and a Triumph 650 TT Special and the 360 degree vertical twin was more than characterful, they were fast for the time.

I'd go with the Shotgun, myself. The Sportster is raw, has no centre stand, and a small fuel tank giving a range of 100 miles or so. It is a real classic which has not been replaced directly either by HD or anyone else. They have a certain appeal and will retain values well. I agree with you about the graphics on the Shotgun, they are gimmicky, and it would look better in a more traditional paint scheme. I prefer the neutral foot peg position of the Shotgun compared to the FF position on the Super Meteor. Congratulations on the new bike, Darcy, whatever it is!

Another great video gents. Love the description on the yobo inducing part of the Harley 😂 I would go for the HD all day long.

I’m a Sportster fan my 1200 roadster is very smooth from 2700 rpm up the torque and pipes are addictive simple upgrade to a 1275 cc kit makes it really pull like a freight train I like Royal Enfield but it’s not even close to the Sportster experience I just bought a 350 classic and really do hope they bring out a 650 classic Good video as always enjoyable The used harley market in the USA is fantastic right now Sportsters are also easy to maintain no valve adjustment no chain to oil

Thank you for this video, what a great way to to start up on a saturday morning!

Another excellent conversation. Comparing bikes gives a better overview of each. Highs and lows not just positives.

Great comparison vid guys! Hello from the States:)

Moto Guzzi v9 Roamer, with Mistral pipes would be a fine alternative to either the Royal Enfield or Harley.

I still remember an early Sportster reviewer saying: “I’d buy one, and then hire somebody to ride it back and forth in front of me all day” 😂 (I put 100,000 miles on a ‘94 883)

Thank you Guys. Great review! Getting the 83!!

I love it when you two get sidetracked, and off you go on a tangent.

I have the Iron 883. A great bike for people my height 177cm, 89 kg, for plodding about locally and on day trips on the back roads. I love the clunky gearbox and the low down torque. Certainly not fast by any means but it always makes me happy when I ride it. I still turn around and look at it after 10 years ownership. That must say something.

Thank you for your video! From these two I would choose Iron883. I owned one few years ago, but traded it in for a Electra glide standard. But missing the Iron every day! Greetings from Finland, Europe.

Totally agree with you both about wishing moto manufacturers would center the dials. Love symmetry and hate offsets

I'm 6' 200lbs and have an 883 with wider and raised bars with forward controls. Those upgrades cost me about $700 US. I absolutely love it.

I've had my 2012 H-D Nightster 1200 since 2013, its my first bike since passing my test in 2013. I Love It! It was from Lakeside H-D in Essex, it was their entry bike for The Battle of the Kings Dealership competition. Its fully Willie-G logoed, it has 48 rear springs, Forward controls with Gun silencer foot peg kit, 14 inch Apes, Sissy Bar, Buckshot exhaust shields with Straight through long V&H pipes, & painted in Red and Black.

Cars today are just appliances and digital entertainment centres. I drove EV for nearly 10 years, never again, back in petrol manual and I love it, can't beat the sound of an engine or changing gears and not having all the tech, touchscreens etc, a lot to be said for simplicity, cars are too expensive due to all the tech and all they make are crossovers and SUV because they can sell at much higher prices and I think they are awful to drive and they are too big for most of our roads and parking spaces. This is why I love classic bikes or modern classics, they have character unlike modern cars. That Harley does sound amazing !

There are many vtwins on the market but none are rough like a 883 mostly they are to polished

Regarding the design of the shotgun, I would add two things: the lower line of the fuel tank should accompany the upper line of the twin engine (also on its engine sisters) and I would definitely like to see it with wire-spoke wheels. The Harley is perfect like that. It is its essence. Thanks for the video!

Thanks for helping me to better understand the appeal of the Harley. It has epic sound and I can sort of get my head round the ‘tractor appeal’… but that 7 year old bike costs more than my mint 2014 BMW R9T which (seems to me) has retro appeal + incredible engineering. Nice video gents and great to see a dad and son team working so well together 😊

Personally, I prefer smooth and quiet, but I do like the color of the Sportster. To me it looks like red oxide primer with a clearcoat. And yes, Royal Enfield’s website is ridiculous.

Personally I like quiet bikes. I like cruisers too. So, I prefer to keep the standard factory exhaust pipe. Factories go to a lot of care to match engine to pipe, and power curve to gearbox. Too often aftermarket exhausts screw up that relationship.

I've owned a Stencil white Shotgun since the end of April and i love it. It is more than powerful enough for anything im gonna want to do and it handles way better than it really should. As far as Harley's are concerned, i cant pretend that i don't like them, but in the UK at least, they are too expensive for what they are. It's all about buying into a brand which either does or doesn't matter to you. All i would say is that i paid £6,900 for my Shotgun and as far as i can tell, that's about half the price of the cheapest Harley. When you put that into context and even allowing for Harleys heritage, id say the Harley is abouty £4k-£5k too expensive. Or in simpler terms, its not twice the bike that my Shotgun is. Interestingly, i live about 20 miles away from a town called Littleport where William Harley Senior was born.

I got a RE Interceptor 650 before the Shotgun was available and use it as my primary transportation. So I would go for the Sportster for it's agriculture character as a fun pleasure bike. I was looking at the Sportster too and have been since I started riding in 2006. Other bikes always win due to dealer fees in the States (cost) and the same character I like would make a worse daily then others 😂. If I didn't have the Interceptor, I'd go for the Shotgun. I'm guessing the new bike you're getting is the Moto Guzzi V7. I would love one of those, but the dealer network around here is limited. One of my bucket list bikes is a early 70's Californian or Eldorado. The side comment about the Harley being American (crued or rough) made me chuckle out loud as an American.

Nice video as always! What brand are the pants the Ol' man is wearing?

Another great, well presented video 👍 My middle-weight is a rare in the UK 1982 Kawasaki KZ750 CSR Twin. Chrome mudguards, exhausts, bars, etc. Lovely metallic burgundy paint. The parallel air cooled twin puts out 55HP @ 7000RPM, with max torque of 60.8Nm @ 3000RPM, which is great as once I'm in top gear I can cruise happily without gear changing (5 speed). Like the HD and RE in your video my Kawasaki is a little cramped for me being 6' 3", especially as the bike has buckhorn handlebars. What I've done is changed the bars, a couple of weeks ago, to 10" rise mini apes, and now feels much more roomy. Also I've just fitted highway pegs for the forward foot position when cruising. The Kawasaki has a great sound, character and feel. Out of the HD and RE I would go for the HD as I do like the more old school design and engine. Keep up the great work....

Harley-Davidson brand loyalty is very strong in America. You'd be hard pressed to find a fan of HD agree that any other make has "filled a hole in their market." That said, I love the new Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 and I've never been too keen on Harley-Davidsons. Can't wait to try the Shotgun 650.

Hello, I had a 2017 Iron as my first and only HD. I got rid of it for safety reasons riding around Miami. And because there was almost no rear suspension! I hurt my neck and spine hitting hidden potholes. The shock was so severe that I would often need to recover my awareness after the shock. No safety equipment, such as ABS. Very raw, solid as "iron," and zero performance. Very "characterful"!

Harleys like that sell for about 1/2 the price in the USA as they do in the UK

Considering the Sportster has a rather tall seat height for a cruiser, and the Royal Enfield has all even taller seat height -- they alone, I feel, disqualifies it from being the best in this particular category. I would argue the Super Meteor 650 should be a better contender.

That’s what she said 😂 I bought a used Iron 883 (2019) with 2k on it last year from Sycamore Uppingham. Love it. Knowing they hold their value too. Is a plus.

Personally, I started riding in my late 20s whith the dream of riding a harley. My first bike was a Benelli Imperiale 400, much similar, at least in the looks, to a RE classic 350. After some time I grew tired of it, it really just looked like a modern toy (as the ol man says) with retro looks, that I had bought because the 883 prices had gone sky high after the interruption (I've seen 2nd hand 2017-18 harleys being sold for 10k euros, here in southern Italy, where summer riding is a must). Anyway, I purchased my 1998 883 just a month ago for a "reasonable" price (still much more than the american prices) and I think I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. It seems to me (and this is something you often spoke about on the channel) that harley went the wrong way with the new models, paving the way for REs - which are pretty nice, especially the GT for me, but lack that "bad biker" kind of factor - and the chinese market. I think if they could manage to find a way around the euro 5 limitation and re-boot the 883, armies of people would start buying them again!

I strongly feel they (RE)should have increased the capacity ti 800 cc in this 😊

Another great chat guys. What about an Indian scout , pretty similar. Don't know about price though in uk.

I have the same little rear rack on my Sportster - anyone got any stylish solutions for appropriate luggage to attach?

The old man's fit always is on point. Seem like a nice pair of lads that make good content.

Harley stopped selling the air cooled Sportsters in the US in 2022. The water cooled replacement that they call a Sportster is not a legit replacement. Yes, it has more power, but it does not have the history or character. If they are going for performance they should drop the cruiser look with forward pegs and plastic styled engine and take advantage of the greater power. I have ridden the Royal Enfield and I like it and appreciate what they are doing. I'm in the US, and fortunate enough to be able to own more than one bike including a 900 Tiger and a SuperDuke. I have a 2005 Sportster 1200 that has suspension mods to make it more compliant and better cornering at speed and I really enjoy it. The feel and sound and looks are hard to beat.

I sold my HD Iron 883 a week ago (27.06.2024), a 2020 model. I rode it for twelve hours straight from Narvik to Alta (Norway), and had approximately twelve hours left to drive after spending the night in Alta. I had pain in my back and butt after driving for hours. The bike is stylish and makes a good sound, but it is heavy (255 kg). In Alta, I found that I need something more practical, and went to a dealer to sell the HD. The dealer bought it and I got a new vehicle, a Polaris Sportsman 570 ATV 2024. I sold the HD Iron 883 with mixed feelings. HD 883 Iron is a classy bike.

There are many bikes that did not make the cut to Euro 5 and have been discontinued that I think your viewers would be interested in seeing reviews of. The Triumph Thunderbird Storm comes to mind as a machine that seems absolutely a fit for your audience and your likes, as well as being very cheap on the used market.

Who farted at12:18🎺? Excellent and informative content as usual. Darcy, I'll bet you're going to buy a Guzzi Stelvio.

I had a 1988 883/1200 that was a blank canvas which allowed me to build a cafe racer that snapped necks and gave me a grin like a split watermelon . It was however far from stock xr 750 road race tank and seat ,Koni,racetec ,twin reverse megaphone kerker pipe ,clip ons ,Stortz rear sets ,mags off a 99 dyna ,sticky tyres,steering damper,se ignition module etc.They can be addictive and I miss that bike ! It echoed off the cliffs of the great ocean road like nothing else and blurred my vision at 6000 rpm.. visceral !!

I would much rather have an 883 than the RE. The Sportster will always be a classic. I like crude and raw. Nick

Bought a Sportster Forty Eight a few months back and it has character by the bucketload. The agricultural feel and sound of the bike is inimitable, and every ride is an experience. I rode an Interceptor a while back, and enjoyed its toy-like feel (you nailed it with that description btw:) as it felt simple and super easy to handle. But the feeling of the bike and the feedback you get from it was nothing compared to the Harley. If you're just looking for practical and decent value, get a Royal Enfield. If you're looking for something special that feels like nothing else however, it's got to be the Harley. Or a Moto Guzzi V7 by the sounds of it Darcy;)

been waiting for the Shotgun to come out, seen the pre production pics last year and thought that RA would be on to a winner with that style of bike.

Guzzi would be my choice over them. Great there is such variety.

BMW and motoguzzi both have offerings in this class

My mate had one of those, I rode it back when he bought it as he didn’t have a full licence at the point of purchase. Those handlebars are standard and the bike is totally made for shorter riders; at 6”1 I got off of it feeling slightly crippled as I was too cramped up riding it.

I agree with others about the Moto Guzzi V9. It has a displacement that is between the Sportster and the Royal Enfield and in the US sells at a discount and can be had for less than any HD but more than the Royal Enfield. I have a V9 Bobber and a 1200 Sportster and love them both. Also agree very much with y'all regarding the Enfield's graphics. The bodywork and seat are spot on, and are very much undermined by the graphics.

This is why I won't get rid of my kawa vn900 custom. V twin, fwd controls, drag bars low down torque , good suspension and reliability.

Cracking video. But how the bloody hell can 2 relatively small bikes be so heavy. 🤯

I love my Sporty, but it is not much good for distance or motocamping. RE is a better all-rounder. Which is why I have another bike as well as the Harley😂

Being an owner of a GoldStar i love bikes with character but I've never got Harleys but also I've never tried one out so it's unfair to make a comparison. Perhaps i should try one and see for myself but i doubt it.

you only have to see the amount of videos on youtube of the 883 iron to know its a good bike. not perfect but good. so easy to work on, customize and improve. mine has progressive suspension front and rear, stage 2 engine up to 1275cc and it is a fantastic bike to ride. not built for comfort but it looks and sound really good.

I wish they brought back the Iron with the 1200's engine, the 883's looks and better stock suspension. It would fly off the shelves!

I really like the bobber style of bike, and the Shotgun does a better job at that than the Harley does stock. It's a hard call, but I think I'd lean Royal Enfield because it's more practical, affordable, and unique with how many Harley's there are out there. I went to a classic car/bike event recently and nearly all of the motorcycles were Harleys! It made my Yamaha feel exotic in comparison.

I'd love to see a comparison between the Harley 883 and a RE 865 with S&S big bore kit.

I’ve had a HD Sportster 883 with Big bore SE 1200 kit and SE exhaustpipes for 19 years. I wanted a new Sportster, air cooled and completely as I knew it, but it wasn’t possible (Euro 5 norm in Denmark). I loved my Sportster apart from the brakes, but the look, the sound, the feel - an amazing bike. However I sold it in 2022 and bought a brand new Kawasaki W800, air cooled and with a 360 degree crank. The look, the sound and the feel are different, but just as amazing. It’s a real classic bike, I think, and maybe as close as you get?

I went for the Shotgun 650 in Green Drill. The most classic color. Also, its only the tank and side panels that's green drill. Så if want to go for other colors i can paint the tank and side covers (open for idees). I have a Classic 350. I had a Harley Road King for about 10 years. But when it comes to sens an smiles pr miles. It's now Royal Enfield for me.

Do they sell the Yamaha Bolt in the UK? That’s one I’m currently looking at in the states myself at the moment.

The 883 with gear driven cams is also reliable but the shorter wheel base & higher center of gravity made it harder to roll outta my garage & down the drive way as it was a 2007 w/ fi XLC with a 5 gallon tank,so when i tried a used 2002 fi heritage softail classic despite being 300+ pounds heavier than the Sporty as my Heritage has a longer wheelbase & lower center seat position makes it easier to maneuver. With all the mods on that Sporty i did the Heritage as used which included extra goodies was cheaper.Go used guys & gals! Dinkum from NY State,its a sweet summer saturday ride going down today here so its the 3 B's for my buddies & I later...the 3 B's are BIKES,BEER & BBQ!!! C H E E R S !!!!THATS WHY WE CALL OUR HD'S THE MEAT WAGON!!!

I find the stock grey color the best one for the RE shotgun. The other ones feel weird, like plastic. Perhaps RE should being some warm desaturated colors , would fit the theme much more

The Harley makes more sense financially but I just can’t get past the badge and that’s on me. I like the Shotgun, not that colour mind, but the physical weight to manoeuvre it is too much. I took the Old Man’s advice and bought a 350 Classic and I couldn’t be happier ☺️. Great video in this new format 👍

Thanks for this video gents. I agree 100 % with your observations. May I add one component? We're, the citizens of this planet entering a new paradigm...... all around. I appreciate you.

Can't wait for you guys to review the new moto morini calibro

Shotgun gets my vote but totally agree about the graphics looking out of place. The standard grey ones look good tho. Regards, Mo 😊 👍

Funny how your likes change over time, yes the HD sounds nice but tbh, living in the countryside there’s nothing more annoying than some really noisy bike going past. You can hear them coming miles away and the same into the distance. The RE on the other hand has a pleasant sound and I would deffo choose that.

if you put the sheet metal grey next to the sportster it would be harder to decide. price point and features make RE the winner, but damn, that harley looks great.

If I had to choose between the two, I'd go for the shotgun. I'll also customise it to be more like the Meteor Minor, or 500 Twin of old. It'll make a fantastic roadster for everyday use! It'll also make a great sidecar lugger!

harley its losing market space needs to makes more affordable bikes, 2 years ago the ceo was like "harley needs to be a luxury brand" yeah its not working, even in america sales are downfalling

Are parts still available for the iron 883 over in the uk?

Darcy, if you don't buy the Triumph Bonneville Bobber I'd be very surprised. Definitely one of my favourite classic/cruiser/cafe racer/retro style bikes out there right now.

New guzzi special it is then lol!!.