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The sportster is a good bike to start with. the 1200 has the better motor and later on you will regret settling for the 883. They can be modified and customized as much as or more than any other harley. They are not a long distance cruiser, but with a few mods they can be set up for it. but there are better models for long distance cruising. I know several people, men and women who own em. some are close to stock, some are so custom you would not recognize them. local riding on a sporty is what they are made for. pick the one you like best and enjoy. Just make sure you fit the bike.

ignore pinheads like magz who don't have the faintest idea what they are talking about, he has been here under several different names until he gets kicked off the site again.

ride safe

Lots of good answers here but if i was starting over I know i would get the 1200 ..There is no difference in the motors except for the bore size and the 883 head is different so it is no trick to convert a 883 to 1200 but why bother if you have a choice.. Now for the new riders i think the harley twins are the best to start out with because they have the pulling power to take off with and don't reqire the slipping of the clutch to get going and the 1200 is no more dangerous than the 883 that is alll throttle control ...Check any motorcycle over you buy for little things like scratched parts that wasn't replaced the last time it was down and look at things like the accessories ...Has somebody rode the hell out of it already or not ...I have seen a little 883 that was riden two up with over 100.000 miles on it without a rebuild but he was old and took really good care of it ..I have a 97 sporty that started out life as a 883 then went to a 1200 with lots of hot parts then made it a 1450 with a lot more parts so the sky is the limit and for those Metric riders please continue on riding them and someday maybe you can ride them to the unemployment office when you don't have a job because it was exported .......

The 883 is a "starter bike". It's meant to be the first bike you learn on. Not too much horsepower, not too much torque. It sits low, and had a neutral seating position. You get on a crotch rocket, the first thing you'll notice is that more of your weight is on your wrists. That in it's self makes for a uncomfortable riding experience. And even though the 883 is a "girl's bike"... it's still a Harley! You could buy a $23,000 Honda with chrome out the ying-yang.... It's not a Harley. Most Harley rider's start off on sportsters. They won't laugh..... what they will do is welcome any questions you might have about their "big bikes". And don't besurprisedd if they come up to YOU and start looking at YOUR bike. Kinda like going down memory lane.

Get the 883! It's cheap, parts are plentifull, and they are easy to work on. Remember.... there are two kind of riders. The ones who HAVE wrecked their bike, and theoness who WILL wreck their bike!

I have exactly that bike.I bought it new as an 883 for 3K less than the 1200.I rode it for a year then put a 1200 kit in it for $500 but there I did my own labor.The performance difference was more than I thought it would be.Thats not saying the 883 was a slouch despite what the detractors say.It has real world torque where you need it down low and in the mid-range.That is real world riding,not running at 10000 rpm.after you get experience you can always upgrade with a 1200 kit.I have ridden my bike from Illinois to oklahoma,kansas,missouri,arkansas,kentucky,tennesee(several times),mississippi,alabama,florida,north and south carolina so dont let anyone tell you cant do long distance cuz you can if you are prepared.Ive ridden the Dragon at Deals Gap several times and it will drag the pegs.Harleys are purpose built bikes just like crotch rockets are built for one thing.Different bikes..different flavors.if you want a Harley then by all means buy one.Dont let anyone talk you into something you dont want

I see nothing wrong with starting with one of these bikes. The 883 will cost less and is plenty powerful for "mostly local rides". I disagree that either the 883 or 1200 is heavy and awkward to handle. All the sportsters I've ridden (883L and Nightster) have terrific balance and maneuver extremely well. I love Sportsters for just that reason. I stick with the 3.3 tank even though it's inconvenient on a long trip to have to stop more often.The larger tanks offered do seem to make the bike a little more top heavy. The 883 is not a bad first bike if you know how to ride. Sportsters weigh about 562 lbs. (in riding order) which is light for a Harley.

If you're buying a used bike from a dealer and have a motorcycle endorsement on your license they may let you test ride. They may even let you test ride a new bike. Harley has a ride it before you buy it thing going on right now. Not sure if they require insurance, but they do require proper riding attire including helmet, boots, long sleeved shirt or jacket, etc.

If it were me, I'd do a test ride before I buy. That's the only way you'll know for sure.

I started my wife off on an 883 (2001) and she had never rode until she took her MSF class I think you should do the same before you buy.

One thing to think about is this after about 6 mo of riding she said the 883 was to small. A was ready for a bigger bike. it took a year over to before she got unhappy with the 1200.

I have seen some rider that I would not trust on a 50cc moped

Just a note about the total lack of responsibility of some of the answerers.

You state you're a FIRST time rider with VERY LITTLE RIDING EXPERIENCE, yet some people here are trying to steer you to one of these crotch rockets. You would probably have that get away from you in no time.

That said, I'd say go with the 1200. Otherwise, you'll want to upgrade the 883 after you get some time under your belt.

Anybody who says a Sportster is not a good learner doesn't know what he is talking about. Sportsters, like all Harleys, are good bikes for women and new riders. They have low seats, low center of gravity and modest, tractable performance. If you can start it and master the clutch to get it rolling (not too tough) you are already riding the bike about as well as it can be ridden.

My vote goes to the 1200. The Sportster will never have performance that tempts you in over your head; on the contrary, it mostly wants to putt down the road at moderate rpm. The 1200, with more torque, should be easier to ride.

you can buy a 883 dirt cheap to get your 'I owned a Harley" story out of the way. Then buy a bike with power. Can you say "WARRIOR". i will add that a harley (especially sportster) is a great beginer bike. It's what I started on on the street. They wouldn't let me get "over my head in speed around corners and they are easy to handle at low speeds where they are made for. You get to where you want to go faster than the speed limit or drag race on w/e's get the Star or a V-max. I modified my Sportster to the tune of 15K dollars (big-bore, cut gears nitrous and air shifter to name a few mods)and still was stomped by a stock V-max at the drags. Then I got smart. If you can't lick 'em join 'em.

man you got bashers and supporters, but i'm gonna have to go with randy , bonez, strech, doug, flipper and choppy. i rode a few bikes before i settled in on a 91 fxd super glide. if you gotta have a hd for your first ride then the 1200 is the way to go; you'll respect it more. you don't know; you might just fall head over heels with this bike and ride it for another 20 years. it'll do it. mine's 18 years old and going strong.

don't listen to a single thing mr green hat says. he don't know his butt from 3rd base. all the rest of the bashers are just stooges.