The XL883C is The Motor Company’s top of the line 883 Sportster. With extra chrome, a 21” front wheel, and custom bars, it’s for a person looking for a little extra flash in the entry level Harley-Davidson. The Sportster’s been in the company’s line up for almost fifty years and was originally made to compete with the slim singles and twins produced by the British in the 50’s and 60’s. The transmission and engine are unit-construction, as opposed to the separate engine and gearbox in big twins, and make the bike lighter (100 to 150 pounds less compared to Harley’s big twins) and faster, hence the term Sportster. The only real difference between the 883 and 1200 is the size of the cylinder bore and installing a factory big-bore kit makes an 883 into a 1200. Having the kit installed before taking delivery of a new 883 does not affect the standard warranty and saves a nice chunk of money over buying a 1200. If you ride two up, load your bike for touring, or just want more horsepower, the 1200 kit is a good deal.

Two years ago, the Sportster received an extensive re-design which most importantly included rubber mounting the motor, just like the touring bikes in Harley-Davidson’s range. Sportster riders can now ride at higher speeds with greatly improved comfort. Our reporter Rodent just rode his XL1200C roundtrip to Laughlin from El Paso and didn’t have any complaints. The versatility of the bike since 2004 is much greater.

What type of rider buys a Sportster? Many first timers or people coming back to the sport after many years believe they will be safer and more secure on Harley’s smaller bike. Sportsters have a narrow midsection and beginners find it less intimidating and initially easier to handle (actually, no Harley is really difficult to ride). New riders who aren’t sure if they’ll really get into the sport appreciate the Sportster’s lower price, which is $5000 to $10,000 less expensive than the big bikes. Finally, city-only riders often find the Sportster is just quicker and easier to manage in a crowded environment. Whatever your reason, Harley-Davidson’s entry level bike is supported by a wide range of accessories and is made to the same degree of durability as their legendary big bikes. Any 1957 Sportster you can find can be brought back to life and be made ready for riding again. As with all models of Harley-Davidson, they can become heirlooms and be passed between generations.

Continuous refinement has been the factory’s strategy as of late. Besides the rubber-mount frame, they’ve made the transmission shift slicker, lightened the clutch pull, and added a wider rear tire to name just a few. Sportsters can also be modified like any big twin can. One interesting modification is done in France of all places, making small Fat Boys by changing the tanks and fenders. This just goes to show that the full range of customization and imagination can be applied to Harley-Davidson’s junior member of the motorcycle line up.

- Mark Barnett
Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson Photography & Imaging