QuestionI am going to buy a 2004 Harley Sportster 1200 within the next couple months but I am having a hard time choosing which model I should get. The 1200 Roadster has dual front disc brakes (the only Sportster model that does) a tachometer (Custom does not), greater ground clearance (and hence greater lean angle to the right) and more travel in the rear suspension. It does not have all the Chrome or the 4.5 gal tank that the Custom has(3.3 on Roadster). The Custom sits lower to the ground by about 2 inches (hence less rear suspension and potentially rougher ride but really looks cool), has lots of chrome and forward foot controls. It probably has more accessories on it for the $$ spent than the Roadster but more on style than funtionality. It is a far better looking bike but I have never ridden a bike with forward controls and I'm not sure I would like them. My questions are:
1. First and foremost, are forward controls safe? It looks like it would be more difficult to transfer your weight when going into an unexpected tight curve. Where does a safety instructor weigh in on forward controls?
2. Are they comfortable? They are designed for comfort but it looks like they would put your back in an awkward position and you would not be able to stand up on the pegs to relieve butt pressure periodically.
3. Are the dual disc brakes on the Roadster necessary? Are they really superior to a single disc brake? Are they enough better to make it a safety and functionality issue?
4. Which durn bike should I buy? The Custom costs a little more but it is not really that significant.
AnswerKeith,
You ask some very good questions and are also requesting a judgement. I'll do what I can on the questions and probably cop out on the judgement. Hopefully, though, I'll give you the ammunition that you need to make that judgement yourself...
1. Forward Controls. I can't stand them, but I ride sportbikes and dual-sport bikes. In our MSF courses, we have several 250cc bikes with forward controls, and they work just fine. I think beginning riders have more trouble with them since the feet have to move under the rider before they're of any use at preventing a low-speed (or stopped) tipover. You don't strike me as a new rider, but on the whole, forward controls turn me off for multiple reasons. The only plus side I see is that putting your legs forward transfers weight forward. This could, potentially, improve handling. On the other hand, foot rests are designed for the rider to REST his foot on. The forward controls I've ridden with require me to either press my feet into them or hold my feet on them, just to keep them where they need to be, covering the gear and brake levers. Additionally, I believe that pushing forward or pulling back on the levers just isn't as effective as pressing down or raising up the levers is. If you're reading this e-mail while sitting down, where are your feet right now? As I write this, mine are comfortably underneath my chair, almost directly below my knees. Sticking them out in front of me (even if I rest them on something) is just distracting, and I don't need any distractions when riding a motorcycle. Additionally, while sitting on the edge of a chair with feet down, stick your legs out as if you were reaching for forward mounted controls. Did you have to lean back to compensate? I know I do. This natural rolling serves to counter balance the rider's center of gravity (generally near the solar plexus for men), prevents stretching of the hamstring muscles, and relieves pressure from...errm...any spare weight I might be carrying around my middle. As you mention, standing on the pegs while riding is no longer an option, something I do A LOT on longer rides. Other riders have complained that leaning back on the tailbone results in a burning pain 'downtown' after a lengthy ride.
Weight transfer in a curve doesn't really come into play as much as being able to apply pressure to the handlebars to initiate countersteering. Ape-hanger handlebars are another hot topic with me, but that's another e-mail entirely.... Suffice to say, forward controls aren't hazardous by definition, but I don't like them very much from a personal comfort and control perspective.
2. Brake Disks. Dual brake systems are, by definition, more efficient than single disk systems. The heavier the vehicle, the more the second brake comes in handy. On our little 175's and 250's in training, most of them have single disk systems which work very well. (Even the front drum brakes work pretty well on the Nighthawk 250's) Those little bikes weigh in around 250-300 pounds. At 554 pounds, mounting a single disk on the Custom (when two are possible and available) doesn't seem very smart, other than as a cost-saving measure. Naturally, the size of the rotor comes into play in calculating the efficacy of any disk braking system, but the rotors are of the same size on both models. Braking, according to the MSF, God, and everyone else, is a key element in accident avoidance and prevention. Buy a bike with good brakes and learn to use them, particularly if stop & go city traffic is in your plans.
3. Which bike? Ultimately, you should buy the bike you'll love and ride the most. To buy something other than that based on anything but your own passion, reasoning and logic puts a capital 'R' in buyers remorse. If you like the looks of the forward controls better, if you like the lowered looks of the Custom better, if you just plain like the Custom better, you should buy that one. For city traffic, short rides, and posing (which is not a slam, I love posing now and then...) I'd go with the Custom, a bike that I consider to be much less comfortable and less suitable to lots of riding. For longer tours, commuting, and "everyday" riding, I'd go with the Roadster as being a much better bike to "do it all" with. I'm a daily rider during our season (in MN, that's April/May through October/November) and ride to work, for groceries, on tour, and everywhere else any day that I wake up and it's not below freezing. I need bikes that can do it all, be comfortable doing it, and not skimp on safety for the sake of cost or appearance.
A number of my friends, though, ride only to a monthly gathering of bike fans and do so on finnicky, beautiful, artsy machines which they only rely on to get them to the gathering and back, in other words, the complete opposite of me. Their priorities on buying motorcycles are very different from mine, so keep that in mind when you're making your decision and base it on what you'll REALLY be using it for.
Best of luck picking it out,
Dirk
