Sportster 883 to 1200 kit.

Question

do they just bore it out or do they also put in piston sleeves for longevity?

Answer 1

dont have to bore it out you can just buy a big bore kit the stroke is the same. the kit will include the pistons rings and barrels. I have a 1200 top end for sale for 450 dollars Email me at [e-mail] if interested.I have the pistons, barrels and cylinder heads.

Answer 2

I did a 1200 kit on my 883 along with intake, exhaust, and ignition. It was a really fun bike and it can walk all over most big twins including the superglide you want.

If you can get an entire top end for $450 bucks, then go for it. Send those heads down to NHRS racing or someplace like that to get ported and polished. You could be making 100HP with no trouble at all. http://www.nrhsperformance.com/ Then sell the 1200 kit your friends bike has for $450.00.

My little 883/1200 really impressed my rice-rocket friends. When we would swap bikes, they would always come away with a smile. It couldn't keep the pace when they were pushing top speed, but around town it felt faster than a 600. It rumbled like a dragster and pulled like a freight train.

By 6,000 PM it was done though, and most of the other bikes had another 6,000 to go.

It was a fun bike.

To answer your question though, the liners are thick enough to bore to 1200 specs without relining them.

Edit: To the last guy who thinks I must be high:

When you actually RIDE the bikes next to one another instead of just TALKING about it, you can give an answer worth listening to. A 600 is weak off the bottom and comes on HARD in the midrange and HARDER at the top end. A well tuned 1200/883 launches HARD off the bottom, stays pretty hard in the midrange and DIES on the top end. I never said the Sportster was the faster bike, but is FEELS a lot faster around town and between stoplights. Also, with the totally average skills most riders have, it can hold on in most group rides with sportbikes if the Sportster rider can handle the bike.  

It's pretty easy to spot a guy who is just running his mouth and not speaking from experience. I just spotted one.

Answer 3

Chopper is right, but he missed one point, the 883 is geared lower and will out accelerate a 1200 because of this.  I know a guy who did this and is very happy with his bike.

As for the guy saying he could out accelerate a 600, keep smoking the left handed cigs.  By 60 feet the race is over, j*p bike wins.

Answer 4

just go to ebay and get the 1200 decal.  I assure you it will fulfill your intended purpose, and you won't sacrifice reliability.

Answer 5

It really depends what you are trying to acheive regarless of what you do to the 883 it is never going to pull hard the like the newer bikes I have an 07 vcra v rod to be honest its one of the best bikes iv'e ever owned its not like the old slugish harleys we are all use to they are really very quick and super reliable    

Answer 6

You should put a stroker kit in. Then you can go from an underpowered wanna be bike to a big wanna be bike. You should sell that thing and buy a nice big well engineered new Harley. I guarantee you you will not be happy with a stroked Sportster.  

Answer 7

All they need to do is bore out the 883 cylinders to 1200 specs. Since the 1200 cylinder is made of the same material as the 883 cylinder no sleeve is needed.

Added: You asked "dont the factory 1200's have a piston sleeve type of material though"

No they don't. They are not made like a lot of metric bikes are where the cooling fins are cast from a light alloy with a steel sleeve in the center for the piston. On the Sportster cylinders the 883 and 1200 use the same casting made with a strong enough material to handle the wear from a piston. This makes for a heavier casting and is part of the reason why Harleys weigh more then most other bikes. The only difference between the two castings is the hole down the middle for the piston. No sleeves are used at all.

Also, if you do deside to buy your friend's Sportster check out http://www.sportster.org/. They have a lot of good info in regards to modifying Sportsters.