[JettaTDI]

I'm saving for a new Harley, and more importantly, have convinced the wife that "we" want a Harley... ;-)

I'm partial to the Wide Glides, but my $$$ is more partial to the Sportsters.

I'm 6'3", and about 240 lbs. My wife is about 5'10" and 140 lbs (Best guess. No idea, really, but she ain't fat). She likes the Wide Glides, but hasn't seen a price tag yet...

So the Sporty has 1200cc, and the Wide Glide has what, 1450cc? Is that a huge difference in performance, given the price difference?

Sporty is a lot cheaper up front, but the Wide Glide would have better resale. I also expect the WG would be more comfortable, but would it handle as good? And would there be a big difference in the cost of insurance? How about ongoing maintenance costs?

You tall guys out there who have experience with both Sporty's and WG's: what's your take on this?

 

[fourhour]

If she is planning on riding with you, go for the WideGlide. My Bride finally rode with me the other night and my Sportster's abilities were much different than when I'm alone. Good luck!

 

[JFScheck]

Go for the Wide Glide and here are my reasons (drum roll please)...

1. Better Resale Value
2. Better performance, the torque difference between the two engines is “Grande”, and torque is your friend when you are riding double, jumping off the line, etc.
3. More comfortable ride, for both yourself and when you choose to have that second rider on the back.
4. Many, many people start with a Sportster and end up having to sell their Sportster to upgrade to one of the other bikes in the Harley stable.
5. As for insurance, no difference if you use State Farm, (my carrier)...

As for you size, I have a Super Glide (awaiting my FatBoy 03) and I am 6'1 and 250 lbs. I have no problems and am comfortable.

So, go for the Wide Glide! You will thank me latterz

 

[guido]

Jetta,I have no experience with either bike,but Mr.Scheck's advice is wise indeed.

Good luck with your decision & let us know how you make out.
guido

 

[wyodude]

Forget the Sporty or you'll regret it later.

Are you and the missus just crusin' around town or going for road trips?
If you're just crusin' and ride 2 up occasionally, then the wide glide may be the right choice. If you're gonna do any significant distance or you're gonna ride 2 up most of the time you should consider a bagger.

Just my $0.02

wyo

 

[JettaTDI]

Yes, this is good info from people.

We visited a local Harley shop, and my wife pointed to one of the new FXDWG's and said "I like that one". I sure like it too...

So I'm leaning towards the Wide Glide. This sounds like a good example of "spend the money now" ,and "do it right the first time". Better to start out with what I really want, rather than to buy something less, and then have to later buy what I really want anyways.

Thanks

 

[98rk]

Jetta, Go with the wide glide. You will lose the difference in the initial$$, when you trade the sporty for the wide glide next year anyway. And you won't have to put up with all the girly bike crap. Blahahahah.

 

[LowFlyer]

I agree..........Wide Glide.

Most of my riding is single (75%+). When the wife sits on the back, the WG still has the right stuff (combined weight <400 lbs.).

She wanted a bagger, I wanted a Wide Glide. The compromise was buying H-D's Touring Seat for Dyna Wide Glide. After about 4 hours total riding (round trip w/3 hours shopping in between rides), her butt was sore, mine felt fine.

For peace in the marriage, and to have her ride w/me for that length of time again, I just ordered Mustang's Wide Vintage Solo seat w/backrest and their 12.5" pad. (hope it works)

The Wide Glide also comes with a lot of chromed extras as standard, saves you from buying some later on (thus saving you SOME money in the long run).

Good Luck!

 

[wyodude]

This sounds like a good example of "spend the money now" ,and "do it right the first time". Better to start out with what I really want, rather than to buy something less, and then have to later buy what I really want anyways.

Please proceed to the head of the class.

 

[cox9000]

FXDWG

I just ordered my bike. Like you, I've been saving / waiting, but I've been waiting 15 years to buy my dream bike. I was beginning to think I'd never get my Harley. I saved enough to buy a 1200 Sporty and was ready to order. Then when the wife and I got to the dealer she started picking out bikes she liked that were a lot more money. Maybe like your wife, she didn't know the costs, so I explained. After some discussion we both agreed to get a higher priced bike. I had a hard time picking which one to get and then a salesman at the dealer took his time with me and helped me make my final decision. I'm 6' 3" The only bike that felt good to me was the Dyna Wide Glide. I never got to test ride any bikes but sat on them all. The wide glide was screaming at me, "I'm the one". The whole experience so far has been a dream come true. I lucked out with the timing. I'm not only getting my dream bike but an anniversary edition as well. I feel like I just won the jackpot. They're telling me I'll get my 2003 Dyna Wide Glide in October. It's going to be hard waiting. I didn't have enough money saved to get extras. To tell you how dumb I was -- I didn't even know that stock Harley's coming out of the factory had bogus pipes. The whole reason for having a Harley (to me) was hearing that wonderful sound. So I had to get new pipes, Vance & Hines "longshots". I wanted a shorter pipe but didn't want to blast my wife and kids when I give them rides. The salesman told me that these pipes would take the blast behind my rider. Then when I thought I was all set they told me about the breather, air filter and carburetor. I had to get educated again on the Stage I kit -- so I got that too. I'm so geared up that I can hardly sleep. Just to make myself feel better I go to the dealers website (many times per day) and listen to their sound files of Harleys revving their engines.
I'm guessing that if you sit on the wide glide you'll love it, but if you don't have enough for the wide glide try sitting on the softail standard, it felt 2nd best but didn't have enough chrome.
When I get my dream bike I'll be posting pictures of it all over the web, HA!
Good luck and I hope you get what you want.

 

[James]

Forget the Sporty or you'll regret it later.


wyo

Man you aren't joking. I just bought an 883 Sportster and regret it so bad. Definately get the Wide Glide.

 

[wyodude]

Re: FXDWG

To tell you how dumb I was -- I didn't even know that stock Harley's coming out of the factory had bogus pipes. ........ Then when I thought I was all set they told me about the breather, air filter and carburetor. I had to get educated again on the Stage I kit -- so I got that too.

cox9000,

Congratulations on ordering your new Harley! Welcome aboard. You'll find lots of great info here.

If your strapped for cash (who isn't?? )
you could delay getting new pipes and hold off on going to stage one immediately. I waited until my 2500 mile service (4 weeks after delivery).

The stock pipes aren't bogus, that is, they do the job, their just not loud. While V&H long shots look good, you may be. sacrificing some of your powerband.

The biggest reason to wait is that if you ride her stock for awhile, then go to stage 1, you will be able to appreciate the increased performance.


Just my $0.02

wyo

 

[wyodude]

Man you aren't joking. I just bought an 883 Sportster and regret it so bad.

I'm sorry to hear that, Smokey. Tuition at the school of Experience can be expensive.

As you may know, I actually ordered a Fatboy. While I waited, I found this site and others, and read as much as I could. I learned that many folks start with Sportsters only to move up to Big Twins within a year or two. Similarly, I also found that many folks started with cruisers and within the same 12-24 month time frame, ended up switching to a bagger. I ended up buying a RoadKing and I have no regrets whatsoever.

$0.02 more

wyo

 

[pasadenajim]

Lots of good advice in this thread.

While many riders are very happy with Sportsters, they are not known for being comfortable bikes for 2 riders. IMHO, Sporsters are good, fun bikes for shorter trips. I would not recommend a Sportster (883 or 1200) for a couple planning a lot of riding.

Keep in mind that many Harleys are kept stock and there's NOTHING WRONG with keeping a bike stock. By not modifying a bike, you can save thousands of dollars. And when, and if you are ready to customize the bike, you can at any time. Indeed, by investing the time in finding out what type of accessories or customizing you'd most enjoy, you may do yourself a service in the long run.

 

[cox9000]

Thanks wyodude!
I appreciate you jumping in there and giving me that advise and I'll take it. Could you tell me what you meant by , " sacrificing some of your powerband"?

 

[wyodude]

Could you tell me what you meant by " sacrificing some of your powerband"?

Please see -

http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/exhaust.htm

wyo

 

[cox9000]

pipes

Thanks a lot for the link, wyodude. I just finished reading the article but it's going to take me a little bit to figure it out.
What pipes would you suggest for my 2003 wide glide?

 

[bugeater]

Tell you what, at 6'3" and 240 lbs just park that Sporty in front of something to give you a reflection- mirror, window- and see if you like what you see. Now try the same on any other of the models. I know that as a long-legged 6'2" I look positively ridiculous on the Sportster. We went with the Electra Glide Standard, so the wife can decide on which trips she wants to ride her own and which she would rather passenger, but it would not be my choice for an in-town or Saturday afternoon ride bike.

 

[cox9000]

Street Pipes

Wyodude,
Thanks again for the info on the pipes by hookin me up with that link. I've been reading the article on & off most of the day (several times) and even went to the website. I've been waiting a long time for this dream bike and want everything to be right, so I'm open to all tips & advise.

What I'm reading here (in this article you sent me) pertains to drag pipes. As you know I'm another one of the new guys to Harley. I wasn't told that I purchased drag pipes because I don't need drag pipes. I was going on dealer advise / input that the Vance & Hines pipes I bought were going to improve performance but most of all allow me to hear the "Harley sound".
I'm starting to thin that maybe I misundertood you, Did I?

To take a quote from the article you sent me, "serious street power requires a serious exhaust system. Exhaust systems like Vance & Hines". I'm confused and could sure use your help.
Thanks!

 

[wyodude]

cox9000,

Please let me clarify that I'm relatively new to HDs as well. The info I stated was based on reading posts here and elsewhere.

I believe you mentioned that you were going to swap out your stock pipes with V&H longshots. I am under the impression that longshots are dragpipes. It is entirely possible that I am the one that does not understand

I do however understand your desire to get that deep Harley rumble. I have Screaming Eagle slip-ons on my RoadKing, they sound great, not too loud but the will roar when I get on it.

Here's more on the subject :

Question 3. What exhaust should I run on my S & S engine and are drag pipes ok?

Exhaust selection is critical for optimal performance. S & S achieves 1 - 1.1 horsepower per cubic inch in completed V2- Style Long Blocks using stock header pipes with crossover tube and low restriction Cycle Shack or Screamin' Eagle slip-on mufflers. Special low restriction Cycle Shack XP baffle is available through most retail suppliers. Also working well is the Revtech staggered dual and the Python 3 system. Performance designed 2-into-1 systems offer approximately the same peak power potential as above, but usually are more powerful at low speed and midrange.

Open drag pipes work reasonably well for peak horsepower numbers on some engines but limit low speed performance and can be nearly impossible to carburet. S & S has not had good results with baffled drag pipes due to the increase of exhaust gas restriction (back pressure).

Drag pipes offer nothing to break up the reversion wave pulse. This wave goes down the pipe and then the wave returns back up the pipes. When this wave is in proper time sync to hit the exhaust valve when it is open (pipe length affects the rpm that this happens) it allows the wave to enter the cylinder and when the intake is open during cam overlap it travels across the top of the piston (it is near top of the cylinder at this time) and out the intake valve. This wave continues out the intake through the carb where the next intake stroke draws it all in again. Each time this wave passes through the carburetor the venturi adds gas and makes the next incoming charge richer creating a flat spot or stumble or worse a blubber at this rpm. The longer the duration cam the worse this situation is. Also larger diameter drag pipes and fishtails seem to make this situation worse.

This is why on stock cams the drag pipes are not normally a problem as they have little or no valve overlap.

For maximum power at high rpm's we would like as little back pressure as possible.

http://www.sscycle.com/technical/techtips3.asp


:I hope this helps. Sorry for any confusion.

wyo