The Sportster turns 50 in 2007, making it the longest continuously produced motorcycle in the Harley-Davidson contingency. We shared some fond memories related to the anchor of the Harley line while reviewing the 2007 Harley-Davidson XL 883 Sportster. We'd like to hear your take on the article here in the MCUSA Forum.

i have tried on several sportsters at dealers and when i set my 200 lbs on the bike the front forks lose 2/3 of

their travel to about 1 inch left.  i love their paint jobs.  i once rode a 1100 sportster a short distance and liked its engine, it had about 20,000 on the clock.

I have had both extremes and a few in between.  My first sportster was the original 1957.  I currently have a 2006 custom and I love it,  Through the years I had a 74 and 75, both were great machines.

The "57" I bought off the used machine row in Wilsons Harley Davidson in Cedar Rapids Iowa in 1965 for $545.00.  I had owned a 53 Triumph prior and the Sportster was a new beginning.  All my friends from Deep River Ia rode Triumphs or BSA.  The Harley Hog laughter immediately sounded until we took them off the line and my 57 Sportster wiped off more smiles than any marine corp drill sergeant could have wiped off.  My 57 sportster was a wonderful machine, when someone needed to go two up it was always my sportster who took the added load.  When my buddies' english bikes began to leak oil and shake apart the sportster with two up never leaked a drop except for the chain oiler. 

My 57 was well known throughout Iowa, Keokuk and poweshiek counties as a wonderful machine.  There were no oil leaks and vibration was fractional compared to the english bikes. The straight pipes had the rumble that caused many people to step out on their porch for an ear full and I could get the town cop out of bed any hour of the night.  The one problem was the generator and I think I put three of them on in the twenty five years I owned the 57.

I am amazed at the retorick which suggests that the clutch pulled too hard.  My dad had a 57- 74"  and the clutch was rather challenging.  I never considered the sportster as having a clutch that was too tough. I think this difficult pull is some girly-guy trying to create something that really isn't. I prefer to imagine it is those girly-men trying to set the standard with their girly-bikes.

The 57 sportster never left me on the side of the road.  Both my sons rode the 57 to high school,  I regret that I sold the 57 in 1989 to a museum in Wisc.  I didn't think about it at the time, but I sold a piece of me and one of my best friends.  Today I'm 63 yrs old but if I could get on my old 57, I'd go straight to Deep River, Ia and wake the town cop up as I rode through his yard.

As I said, today I ride a 06 883 custom and I love it.  My history includes a 37 Indian, 47 Indian, 53 Triumph, 57 Harley 74, 57 Sportster, 65 Electra glide, 74 Sportster, 75 Sportster, 79 Gold Wing.  Nothing had the guts, balls, stamina, charisma, or sound that belonged to my 57 Sportster.  It was the John Wayne of motorcycles. 

Long live the Sportster,

Wildfire

Post Edited (HogWild) : 7/13/2007 3:59:45 AM GMT