06. Feb, 2010 
14 Comments
will the power difference be real noticeable
will i be able to buy an aftermarket windshield and saddle bag for the Harley
i won’t be in heavy traffic much at all if any so i don’t think the liquid verse air cooling will make much difference
will they both cruise good on the highway
will they get around around the same MPG
thanks
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You’ll be happier with the Kaw. Liquid vs air cooled is always an issue, Liquid is more dependable and loner lived.
The 883 attracts mechanical trouble, has too short a wheel base and too tall a seat and too heavy to handle well.
sportsters SUCK on the highway,damb things are great light to light but vibrate to much at sustaighned freeway speeds. and the Vulcan will flat walk away from the sporty in any gear. The sporty might have more bottom end grunt but not more horsepower. You can get aftermarket goodies for both bikes no problem. Both are pretty good on gas.
Most people consider the Sportster 883 as underpowered and slow, but you can buy engine mod kits to upgrade it to 1200cc and more power. Other than that, both bikes will provide adequate highway speeds, and good fuel economy. There are plenty of aftermarket accessories available for both bikes. The main difference is the price you would pay, as anything with the Harley-Davidson brand comes with a premium price tag…
A big difference, in regards to power, is that the Harley makes a ton of torque at a very low rpm. There are far more accessories available for the Harley than any other make. The Harley will probably feel better on the highway due to the lower center of gravity. MPG can probably be looked up on the websites, but is most likely similar. Resale on a Harley will be markedly higher plus there are far more dealerships available for service and you can become a member of the Harley Owners Group. The 883 can easily be upgraded to a 1200 while still pay a lower insurance premiums of the 883. Although I have a friend who has toured all over the country on an 883. And although there is nothing wrong with Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson quality is second to none. If they did not build a good motorcycle they would not be so popular. Best thing to do is take each for a test ride.
I have a Vulcan 900 Custom. Get around 55mpg. Plenty of power. Handles the Interstate well. Very confortable. I stay with bigger bikes quite easily. I think you would be happy with one
I had an ’05 883 standard Sportster. As an 883 it was a fun bike. It had plenty of power around town, and wasn’t working too hard at highway speeds either. ’04 and later Sportsters have an engine isolating system that lets the engine vibrate all it wants at idle, but it really smooths out at highway speeds. I found the bike more comfortable than my Roadking, but that is just because I like the pegs under me like on a standard style bike. The custom has forward controls, so that isn’t going to be the same for you.
When I first got my 883, it got around 55 or more MPG. After a year, I upgraded power with a 1200 kit, SE air cleaner, ignition, Dynojet, and SE exhaust. It was everything I liked about the 883, but with a lot more power.
As far as handling goes, it isn’t a sport bike by any stretch of the imagination, but it could keep up with my sport bike riding friends when the roads were tight and twisty. When things opened up, they just left me in the dust though. As far as Big Twins go, there wasn’t a stock one that could keep up with the 1200.
I love the way the standard Sportster looks. It traces its roots directly back to 1957. Plus, there are TONS of aftermarket parts for them. Bags and windshield are just the start. (Though I hate riding behind a shield.)
I am not going to say anything bad about the Kawasaki. My friend rides a Vucan Nomad and it is an outstanding machine. My first ride was a Kawasaki LTD440. It was a great first bike.
I just hought I would share my positive experience with my Sportster. Most people who trash talk them haven’t ridden a modern one. They are so different than my old ironhead, it isn’t even funny.
The 883 Custom is a nice looking bike, but to me the most outstanding deal is an ’04 or later 1200 Roadster.
Be a man and buy a Harley! Dont listen to the wannabe pansies that cant afford it! The time has come for you to stand on your own and act like an American man, not a japcrapper on a plastic pony.
There are some here that claim Harley is slow and prone to problems. BS! Fine by me if they want to support a foreign country, probably love wal-mart too. But only AMERICAN bikes will ever ride with me and mine. The poserwanabees dont respect this country and I dont respect them.
It depends do you want an american made icon or a foreign harley wannabe.
Being an icon, the Harley have higher resale value, other than that the K-Vulcan have the advantages, it is cheaper, handles better in tight places, opens up well on the highways, lower vibration,low noise, cooler engine and is eco-friendlier.
Both are excellent bikes. The HD will handle better, but the Kaw will have better power. The HD will resale better but the Kaw will cost less. The best thing to do is go to a HD dealer and a Kaw dealer and see if they will let you test ride their bikes, if not at least sit on each one and see which feels better. It’s about the ride, not what you are riding.
The bikes are pretty comparable. The Kaw is a bit bigger with a longer wheelbase and forward controls so you will be able to stretch out on it better. Sportsters have had rubber mounted engines for a few years now so the vibration thing is vastly reduced.
MSRP is pretty close, with the Sportster being less if you go with the bare bones model. Expect to pay MSRP for a Harley. You can probably get the Kaw for under sticker.
Best bet is to see if you can get a test ride on both. That will be the real decider. Comparing bikes specs on paper is one thing but you really need to get some seat time and see how it feels to know for sure.
Get a used 900 Kaw, it will do 70 comfortably on the highway, its a liquid, fuel injected, and any kaw is much less likely than a Sportster to have any problems.
HD live the legend
you look cooler on a hd even if it is a sportster