/r/sportster

Photograph via snooOG

This is a technical subreddit!

Please only post technical data, DIYs, maintenance procedures, etc. Anything else, such as 'here's my bike' posts, should be posted to /r/Harley, /r/motorcycles, or /r/bikesgonewild.

The wiki provides manuals, recommended maintenance guidelines, schematics, and advice.

This is a technical subreddit!

Please only post technical data, DIYs, maintenance procedures, etc. Anything else, such as 'here's my bike' posts, should be posted to /r/Harley, /r/motorcycles, or /r/bikesgonewild.

Technical Subreddits

/r/bikebuilders

/r/Harley

/r/Dyna

/r/VROD

/r/FLH

/r/Softail

/r/HDStreet

/r/HDSwap

/r/sportster

24,835 Subscribers

1

Paging Ruby Rocket

Will a sissy bar and side plates from an 83-03 fit 04 and up? Thx

2 Comments
2025/02/03
00:23 UTC

0

Caliper extension

I installed the track or die 39mm damper kit and now my caliper doesn’t reach. What are my options?

17 Comments
2025/02/02
23:26 UTC

1

Struggle bus

I am struggling so hard with my front brake and need advice. Ive been bleeding my front brake and whenever I think I'm done and put my cap back on I have absolute no front brake. Any help is appreciated before I burn my bike down

3 Comments
2025/02/02
22:34 UTC

21

Here we go!

S

0 Comments
2025/02/02
22:20 UTC

1

Nut loose

Just got my first motorcycle( 2020 iron 1200) delivered turned it on to check the oil and noticed the front fork axle nut is loosening with the engine rumble. I can’t find anything in the operator manual if it needs to be torqued to a specific amount or if I can just tighten it with a regular box and open wrench. Anyone have the answer?

1 Comment
2025/02/02
22:14 UTC

1

Harley Davidson Sportster 2002 XLH 883 No spark, Turns but wont fire HELP A BIKER OUT!

Lads and Lasses, i am a broken man, riding one evening and without warning or prior indications, engine just stopped as i was on the motorway, after failed attempts at restarting i got her home and started my long journy at finding out im not as handy as first i thought, so checked fuel, checked carb, checked battery, All seem fine, moved onto spark, no spark from plugs, i thought maybe faulty ht cable? but unlikely both ht cables would go man down at the same time, it was firing off both cylinders prior to break down, so moved to coil, multimeter showing just under 3 ohm for the coil plugs and just under 11k for the ht conections (see Attatched pics), is this sufficient, could my coil be bad? im at a lsoss and need some direction before i start throwing money at this with no fix, thanks for any advise in advance you guys are legends!!!

https://preview.redd.it/h6pnlpj02tge1.png?width=1079&format=png&auto=webp&s=4a31494cd92c8961b3ee00e13c3646237c17f7d8

4 Comments
2025/02/02
22:10 UTC

3

Bogus odometer reading?

Dealer online has a decent 2003 xl883 custom and says it has 4100 miles for $3,500. I wanted to check it out but the picture if the odometer shows 41819. Claims it has a big bore kit also. Seems sketchy to me.

3 Comments
2025/02/02
20:20 UTC

1

Exhaust smoking

9 Comments
2025/02/02
19:43 UTC

1

Anyone got the SnS superstreet pipe?

I was thinking of the short stealth 2-1 pipe originally.

But short 2-1s have a torque dip at low RPMs that I don't want to risk.

The superstreet seems to show decent dynos, but these dynos are from SnS themselves.

Any firsthand experience

0 Comments
2025/02/02
19:34 UTC

7

Anybody got any tips on where to start with this throttling issue?

2008 883 fuel injected sportster. Trying to seek this thing cause it just sits in the garage next to my other two bikes. It’s pretty much always done this but it starts great then when you give it throttle it tries to die and backfires smells really rich.

Any ideas where to look first?

17 Comments
2025/02/02
18:51 UTC

3

Backfiring out the intake

1989 sportster 883

As you can see the bikes struggling to fire when I barely pull the throttle and it occasionally backfires through the intake. Any suggestions?

9 Comments
2025/02/02
17:51 UTC

2

Newest video in my series of taking a sportster from the salvage yard to back on the street!

It’s been a fun project. Highly recommend buying up that wrecked sportster of marketplace and getting it roadworthy again!

0 Comments
2025/02/02
16:51 UTC

23

04 hardtail

A little more progress

0 Comments
2025/02/02
16:34 UTC

6

The things you do before a tire change! 💪🏽

0 Comments
2025/02/02
13:17 UTC

123

First Harley

11 Comments
2025/02/02
06:40 UTC

9

I've made several posts here lately. I'm new. So thank you. I do have one more question tho.

Im ordering some 13" progressive 412's. They sounded like a great part from the searching I've done around here. I just have one more question before I push my order through. I'm about 250lbs and 6ft. Should I do the HD springs? My wife will ride with me sometimes. She is average build. Not a twig. I figured I could crank the preload up some when she is with me. Im not talkin touring trips. Im talkin a hour. Maybe run to dinner together. Bop around town kinda thing. I just ordered a le pera tailwhip for her butt to ride on. So, HD or standard springs? Thanks for all the help!

22 Comments
2025/02/02
04:09 UTC

3

Tran oil primary oil r they the same

I have a 2004 harley sportster 1200 xl I'm trying to service it this year myself..I know the engine oil plug is on botton it a hose like thing then the bike holds 3.8 quarts 20 50 oil.now here is were I'm lost it says to change the tranns oil too at 32 or I also hear there's a primary oil that u fill trew the derby cover is the trann oil the same as the oil I put in my derby cover area r they the same place tranns fluid and primary oil is there 3 oil changes i do or just two ? The motor i fill trew oil cap putting 1/8 oil in filter first ? And I'm lost with the a primary oil. Is it primary oil/training oil? Or is there 3 different oils? I have to deal with? Can somebody help me out please

7 Comments
2025/02/01
23:47 UTC

1

Anyone have the HD Empire Mirrors?

Does anyone have the HD Empire mirrors? Can you comment on how the compare size-wise and placement to the stock mirrors? They look like they would be pretty similar but have only see pics of them on larger bikes.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/shop/empire-mirrors/p/56000294A

0 Comments
2025/02/01
22:42 UTC

2

Ecu relocation

I relocated my ECU to the side of my battery so I could put a sully seat on. Does anybody know of a smaller battery that will work? So my ECU does not make my side panel stick out..

3 Comments
2025/02/01
21:29 UTC

1

ECM relocation.

I have a 2004 Harley sportster 1200 xl I had to relocate the ecm to put a sully seat on so I put my ecm on the side of my battery but the side panel for the battery is sticking out some cause of the ecu . Does anybody know of a smaller battery that may benefit this for me

0 Comments
2025/02/01
21:02 UTC

3

Help?

I started taking my bike apart a little over a week ago to put some new clutch plates in. I broke something in the process, so it’s been sitting while I wait on the new part to come in. I can’t for the life of me remember where this came from?

15 Comments
2025/02/01
20:59 UTC

Back To Top