[nickstaib]

Hi everyone,

I can barely wait till I get to test drive a Sporty on Saturday. After 20 years of driving Hondas, Beemers, and latterly (cringe with embarrasment) little Italian 100cc scooters, I allowed myself to wander into London's H-D dealer Warr's. OMG - kids in candy stores - not sure how I managed to remain cool and not run around and jump on everything all at once!

Unlike in the USA the Harley is still a niche big bike in the UK - so I guess the Dealers here are a little hungrier than Stateside - anyway I felt very well looked after.

This forum is a fantastic resource and I have enjoyed reading all the support and advice that you guys and ladies offer each other - certainly don't see much of that in the small Italian scooter community!

Well, that's it - just wanted to say hello - as my wife is American, I think it's time to fly the flag - and wake the neighbours!

Take care,

Nick

 

[pasadenajim]

Enjoy your ride, nickstaid.

 

[Staib]

Well thank you PasadenaJim - I certainly intend to do that!

 

[Kags]

- certainly don't see much of that in the small Italian scooter community!

LOL


Keep in mind once you get the Harley bug its very hard to get rid of!

My guess: You'll like the Sporty better than the scooter...

 

[Staib]

Hey Kags - I'm sure you are right! It's been quite hard to concentrate all day today... (only 10 hours to go now)... Meanwhle I was looking on the net for people's impressions of driving Sportsters - and I found this gem:

"I'm currently unable to obtain a drivers license, but with my Sportster I'm still able to get around town. It gets me to the market, enables me to visit my friends, the cemetery and the farmers market, about 10 to 15 miles away. It's very handy!"

This Sporty was an electric wheelchair! Not exactly what I had in mind for a test drive!

 

[Staib]

Feedback Report!

Got to the dealers at 8.45am. Cloudy but dry. I was looking to drive a stock 883 Sporty, but was offered the choice of the 53C or the 883R - they readily agreed that I could borrow one, then the other - for an hour each... cool.

Took out the 53C first - it had the SE pipes. Love at first sight - self consciously adjust dark glasses, then open her up, bags of torque from the "Harley tax" paid engine. Wow, this is loud - thanks to those SE pipes!

So what's this about vibration? It was brilliant below 65 and, OK, a bit tingly above, but hell, at that speed my jeans were giving my legs a whipping, and my helmet was going weightless!

That first hour flew by - loved those forward pegs - loved the noise and thrust - this is FUN!

Then the orange 883R - well what a difference - the stock exhaust note was, er, disappointing. The low-end grunt was gone, and for my 6'2" frame the riding position with the stock peg positions felt just cramped. This time I swung past our home and picked up my son (15) and rode back.

Please can we take out that first one again? Yes. So back out we go - yes, this really is it. We go for a gentle blast around Richmond Park - and the sun came out at last. On the way back passed a father and son on a Honda Shadow. Hate to admit it but I felt just a little smug, seing as I was on a REAL Harley!

Well there we go - hope that brought back a few happy memories of your first rides! See you all soon. Nick