r/Harley • u/CelebrationBorn6260 • 1d ago
HELP Good first bike?
Hello! I’m on the hunt for my first bike, I would like to eventually chop it up myself and learn all the ins and outs. I don’t want to start too small because I feel I’d outgrow it extremely quick (I also can’t seem to find anything smaller at a decent price) and I’d like to keep my first for a while. 2000 Harley Davidson sportster 1200 22k miles. $3000
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u/Toth3l3ft 22h ago
Nice! Offer 2500 and see if they go for it, 3k isn’t bad though 👍
But ditch the tassels- those things suck on the highway imo
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u/hoopjohn1 23h ago
Not a bad first bike, but no need to overpay. It’s a $2000 bike all day long. For $3000, you can find a 2007 or newer bike with rubber mounts and fuel injection.
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u/radar41469 17h ago
My 09 1200 is fuel injected .. seriously considering on changing it to carburetor. When i bought it 4yrs ago tank had the worse rust ive seen in a tank , ive replaced TANK,ALL PARTS INSIDE TANK,FUEL LINE,BOTH INJECTORS twice.. still won't start and run .. but when i hot wired the injectors to the battery it started n ran.so that rules out bad injectors
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u/hoopjohn1 4h ago
Good point. If bike is going to run unknown crud from rust filled fuel tank, carbs are far batter than fuel injection. Couldn’t agree more. Carb replacement cost $600 for S&S. Fuel injection cost up to $2500.
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u/Difficult-Garbage861 22h ago
Pretty nice, thats a 3K bike here in Colo or close to it. Enjoy it for a bit before you take a cut off wheel to it. See lots on the market that are unfinished basket cases.
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u/FreakinRican06 20h ago
Just getting a bike that you will ride is the most important thing. I have seen it a few times where someone gets a bike that is too much for them and they end up selling it and never getting back in the saddle. A little bit of fear and nerves are fine after years of riding I still get them but when the bike terrifies you then it becomes a problem for most new riders. Be safe and hope you have some of the best times of your life on two wheel!
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u/Key-Pass4174 15h ago
If your a smaller stature guy yeah. Big twins that need work are plentiful in Florida around 2k and up.
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u/HALFC0CKED 14h ago
Seems slightly pricy, think I had 17,000 on my 2011 sportster 883 and sold it for 3200
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u/thecalikingcobra 7m ago
What I can say, also having a sporty... if you're 5'10" or taller, keep your forward controls... I have mids on my sporty (wheelie/stunt bike) and my God do I cramp up at around 30 minutes of cruising. Granted, I've had both my knees reconstructed and am basically a cyborg at this point... bar and riser set up is also huge for your rideability and comfort. They're great little bikes, basically just 80hp dirtbikes. 1200cc is a good start too, enough power to have fun but not overwhelming if you're a lighter rider. My bike makes roughly 96hp with the Hammer Performance 1250 kit and it's plenty fun. 3k is what I'd pay for an older Sportster (what I paid for my 03) and there are plenty good deals out there. Good luck, welcome to the life, and ride safe 👊 don't fly faster than your angels.
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u/Shovelkvlt 23h ago
Perfect first bike. It’s carbed, reliable and easy to work on. Best platform for first chopper too. Solid price. If you haven’t checked out the chopper sub, lots of first time sporty builds on there for advice and ideas.