What is my 1200Nighster comparable too?

Question

I just bought a 2008 Harley Nightster and havent really driven it next to any other bikes so does this bike handle good next to bigger bike meaning in speed and long run highway ?

Answer 1

you've got a good all around bike. it will do anything you need a bike to do from running errands around town to traveling across the country & look good doing it.

it will be a little quicker than most of the bigger harleys  but slower than the foreign sport bikes.

sportsters are kind of like the swiss army knife of motorcycles.their not specialized for any one purpose but will do a lot of things reasonably well..

take a year or so getting used to it before you try any road racing.

Answer 2

All the answers pretty much covered it -EXCEPT you have an '08... means EFI ...means 2 grand to change pipes (pipes plus new ECU plus install plus mapping).

Answer 3

it's comparable to bikes half it's size and weight for power and torque...

comparable to an aircraft carrier in turning radius

comparable to a john deere in lean angle

comparable to an OBGYN in seating configuration

comparable to a pasta strainer in number of leaks

enough comparisons?

Answer 4

Bigger no, it is comperable in HP to a 250CC and on long highway runs it will be uncomfortable after about 50 miles. Expect parts (not covered under warranty) to begin to fall off soon due to vibration. (See other postings here for examples)

It will sound like a tractor no matter what exhaust you have on it. If you add the Screaming Eagle Stage 1 kit you will pick up 2-3 HP which will be the most expensive 2-3 HP you ever buy.

Answer 5

a honda rebel or as triumph scrambler.... my fav pipes are d&d and thunderheader..... u should also consider some hooker

Answer 6

comparable to a F150 going down Nurburgring

Answer 7

The Sportster 1200 is the fastest bike the company makes if you don't count Buells and the Vrod. That doesn't make it fast when you compare it to other bikes, but it makes it pretty fast when you compare it to other Harleys and to the average car.

I had a 1200 Sportster for a while. It wasn't going to beat anybody's sportbike, but it was a fun ride anyway. I have had everything from big touring bikes to 1100CC sportbikes. I have enjoyed all of them but one...

That was my '06 Roadking which may well have been the worst bike ever procuced as far as I'm concerned.

My current bike is a Buell M2 Cyclone which runs a 90HP Sportster mill. Again, it isn't much against a GSXR or a CBR like some of my friends ride, but when we aren't just screaming down the highway, I can hold my own just fine. Most performance is just theoretical on the street anyway.

I used to ride that 1200 Sportster with my squid buddies and even with that I could keep up on any group rides. When they wanted to open it up though? It really paid to know where we were meeting up later!

I'm already considering my next bike and I'm thinking of a ZX14 or 'Busa. Maybe even an old Blackbird or ZX11 or something like that.

I love the Buell, but I am feeling the need for more power.

Oh.. I had the SEII slash-cuts on my Sportster. They sounded nice, but they weren't obnoxious.

Answer 8

I feel bad that the only answers you received were from Harley hating squids.  

Your bike is just fine.  It will hold its own against bigger bikes on the highway, don't worry.

Cobra & Reinhart exhausts sound real nice.

Answer 9

You have a good all around bike, a little sporty and a little cruiser. With a little TLC that bike will last for ever. Those first 3 posts are from people that want HDs but don't have one. They can't actually answer a question but they're good for a laugh or two.

Answer 10

you have a fine bike, welcome to the HD family!!!