Harley Sportster Question

[jojoa55]

Hey guys, need the input on those of you that have experience with Harleys and motorcycles in general. I'm looking into buying a 2008 1200 custom sportster. It has 8900 miles on it. From what I can tell the bike has been taken care of well and has been serviced on schedule per HD recommendations. I know both of the previous owners so it helps knowing its history. I have two questions.

1.) Is 8900 miles high for a bike of this year or low?

2.) The seller wants 6500 for the bike and helmet/dust cover. To my knowledge, the bike has Willie G HD emblems, grips, pegs, V&H short shots with a fuel programmer, red underglow, and all the chrome that can be put on them. Is this a good deal? Fair deal? Bad deal?

Thanks for your input in advance

 

[kawtech87]

Hey guys, need the input on those of you that have experience with Harleys and motorcycles in general. I'm looking into buying a 2008 1200 custom sportster. It has 8900 miles on it. From what I can tell the bike has been taken care of well and has been serviced on schedule per HD recommendations. I know both of the previous owners so it helps knowing its history. I have two questions.

1.) Is 8900 miles high for a bike of this year or low?

2.) The seller wants 6500 for the bike and helmet/dust cover. To my knowledge, the bike has Willie G HD emblems, grips, pegs, V&H short shots with a fuel programmer, and all the chrome that can be put on them. Is this a good deal? Fair deal? Bad deal?

Thanks for your input in advance

To Answer your first question, Its about average. 2-2.5k a year is what most weekend and sunny day riders will put on thier bikes.

As for your 2nd that totally depends on you but Ill give you this to help you out a little.

2008 Harley-Davidson XL1200C - 1200cc Values, 2008 Harley-Davidson XL1200C - 1200cc Prices, Specs & 2008 Harley-Davidson XL1200C - 1200cc Book Values | NADAguides

Just click this link and check all the extras that apply and then click continue.

NADA is what I use everyday to figure trade in values on used bikes. They tend to be more accurate on the bikes than KBB.

Hope this helps.

 

[jojoa55]

thanks for your help. anyone else wanna chime in?

 

[jojoa55]

I'm just wondering if there is a certain mileage that bikes get to when they start to get less mechanically sound? I didn't know if 8900 was something that should be passed over for a lower mileage bike or if this is low/average and good to go without needing much maintenance

 

[remauto1187]

I'm just wondering if there is a certain mileage that bikes get to when they start to get less mechanically sound? I didn't know if 8900 was something that should be passed over for lower mileage or if this is low/average and good to go without needing much maintenance

When it comes to a HD...there is a reason that an HD sounds like it does at idle. (It aint the cam) The engine is slowly self destructing itself(design "flaw" that was kept. They are out of balance internally. Ask any HD owner that has had their bike a fair amount of time...they have gone through atleast one bottom end rebuild...which is not cheap.

To each their own...its your $$$

 

[downzero]

I wouldn't pay that.

I also wouldn't want a rubber mount Sportster, either.

You can probably get a nice Dyna for $7-9k.

I loved my Sporty, but if I could only have one bike, it wouldn't be a sporty.

8900 miles is nothing.

 

[GlockRock]

Probably decent deal if you really want a Sportster. I bought one as my first motorcycle. It was miserable. It was too small for me and way uncomfortable. I'd ask to take it for a test drive at the least. Visit the local HD dealer too and sit on a few different bikes to get a true comparison.

 

[jojoa55]

thanks for the replies guys. Downzero, what do you think would be a decent price for it? On NADA it books for over 7500.

 

[sepe]

I've seen 2007s up here with less miles for less money. I saw one on Craigslist tonight that had 6500 miles for $5900. If I had the extra money, I'd probably be tempted to take it for a test ride as I want to get another bike. When I do get ready to buy another bike, I'll most likely shoot for a slightly older Dyna so I won't feel quite as cramped.

 

[downzero]

thanks for the replies guys. Downzero, what do you think would be a decent price for it? On NADA it books for over 7500.

I wouldn't pay a cent over $5000 for it, which is what I paid for my Sportster, of similar age and with 3,000 miles on it, when I bought it years ago.

But as I stated before, I wouldn't want a rubber mounted Sportster, as they are heavier than the rigid mount Sportsters to the point that you might as well just get a Dyna.

I actually very much liked my Sportster once I changed it to forwards and miniapes (the former of which that bike already should have). It was the perfect size for me and the 1200cc engine is excellent for the size of the bike.

That said, Sportsters are absolutely brutal on the highway, and so I'm not sure I'd want one unless it was for just getting around town (for which they are perfect). I'm also a smaller guy (5'5" and 150 pounds). If you're a bigger guy, you're going to look like a gorilla on a tricycle on a Sporty.

Maybe I'm biased, but for stock HDs, I also think they sound the best, since they have the most hp per cubic inch of any stock Harley, and the choppiest idle.

Are you a new rider? The larger bikes are actually easier to ride due to a lower COG, at least for me.

I also don't really care for the Custom tank, because the peanut tank is a distinctive Sportster feature, but to each his own on that one.

 

[sloughfoot]

I have almost 89,000 on my Classic. Those that say it is a self destructive design just don't know what they are talking about. I also owned a 2007 Sportster for a while. I loved it, even though it is too small for my fat old ass. I won it in a contest. I sold it to a dealer in Michigan for 5500.

I owned a 67 XLCH in the late 70's and it wrecked my right knee when it ratcheted through whle kick starting it. But that is not really part of this conversation.

6500 is a bit high, 4500 to 5000 is fair, but that is just my opinion.

Thing is, there are plenty of the bigger FL models on the market. The Sportster is great as a second bike if you can get it cheap enough but the FL models are far more versatile for the long range riding stuff.

I have owned 5 Harleys in my lifetime.. a 51 Panhead, 67 Sporty, 82 FL, 99 Classic, and 07 Sporty. I have loved them all. I also built dozens of custom motorcycles for customers while I worked at Drag Specialties for Tom Ruud in the 70's.

 

[kawtech87]

I'm just wondering if there is a certain mileage that bikes get to when they start to get less mechanically sound?

Yeah there is but its, alot more than 8900 miles.

Also HDs are not self destructive, atleast not anymore than any other bike. Ive seen plenty with 50-100k miles on them. Its normally not engine problems, Aside from gaskets and valve adjustments, that take them out, its electrical issues, or tranmissions that go out at that many miles.

 

[remauto1187]

I have almost 89,000 on my Classic. Those that say it is a self destructive design just don't know what they are talking about.

You were saying.......guess this guy doesnt know what he is talking about either....You are in denial.
Before You Buy Harley

Google is your friend.

 

[jojoa55]

I wouldn't pay a cent over $5000 for it, which is what I paid for my Sportster, of similar age and with 3,000 miles on it, when I bought it years ago.

But as I stated before, I wouldn't want a rubber mounted Sportster, as they are heavier than the rigid mount Sportsters to the point that you might as well just get a Dyna.

I actually very much liked my Sportster once I changed it to forwards and miniapes (the former of which that bike already should have). It was the perfect size for me and the 1200cc engine is excellent for the size of the bike.

That said, Sportsters are absolutely brutal on the highway, and so I'm not sure I'd want one unless it was for just getting around town (for which they are perfect). I'm also a smaller guy (5'5" and 150 pounds). If you're a bigger guy, you're going to look like a gorilla on a tricycle on a Sporty.

Maybe I'm biased, but for stock HDs, I also think they sound the best, since they have the most hp per cubic inch of any stock Harley, and the choppiest idle.

Are you a new rider? The larger bikes are actually easier to ride due to a lower COG, at least for me.

I also don't really care for the Custom tank, because the peanut tank is a distinctive Sportster feature, but to each his own on that one.

I am new to riding as far as street legal motorcycles are concerned, but I have several years experience on dirt bikes and atv's. I'm 5-9, 180lbs.

 

[downzero]

You were saying.......guess this guy doesnt know what he is talking about either....You are in denial.
Before You Buy Harley

Google is your friend.

Actually, he does, just not on this topic. If I recall correctly, the cams in a Sporty engine are gear driven. There is no chain, and so this supposed design defect doesn't apply to their engines.