883 Sportster compared to new Yamaha Bolt | GTAMotorcycle.com

883 Sportster compared to new Yamaha Bolt

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dirtbag

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Always figured if I was ever to break down and buy a harley it would be a nice light 883 sporty.

Recently I demo'ed a Yamaha Bolt which reminds me a lot of the 883, however I was barely into the demo before I realized how much I disliked the both the power delivery and the seating position.

Are they in fact similar rides?
 
I like Yamaha. I haven't swung a leg over the Bolt but, it's too close in look like a Sportster....and not be one. For the price point and features, I'd rather get the real McCoy.

Also, I know the Bolt has a lot of accessories to make it your own but, the Sportster can't be matched in any way. They simply have more model lines with more features to suit almost anyone looking in the category.

The Yamaha cruisers that really look great and stand out on their own is the Stryker and Raider. Of course, they are bigger and priced higher.

The alternatives I would consider in the same price and category would be the Bonneville.
 
I have watched quite a few reviews and comparo vids of the two and the Bolt has won every time, I think it will just come down to the fact that you choose the sportster over the bolt because it's a Harley. The reviews state that the bolt beats the Harley in pretty much every category, faster, better handling and so on. It comes in a R version with superior suspension and a few other do dads. Search on Youtube for comparisons and watch a couple I know I was surprised.
 
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Perhaps I didn't make the point clearly, which is, if the 883 is comparable to the Bolt (and you both seam to suggest it is) then I wouldn't buy either.

As much as I like the style neither the power delivery or the seating position were appealing.
 
I think it really depends what you as an owner plan to do with the bike and what parts of bike ownership appeal to you. Harley has a large aftermarket supply, an internet chock full of images for customization ideas and a large dealership network. Fit and finish is top-notch as well. There's also the history and image branding associated with it. I have no idea on resell value vs the Bolt but I would expect slightly higher.

The Bolt appears to be technologically more advanced and may offer a more trouble-free ownership. If you would be happy with the bike as it is or settle for a smaller market for aftermarket items then that would be a reasonable choice.
 
I think the thing to keep in mind for either bike is, whatever you don't like about the bike itself, the aftermarket can address it.

Seat, bars, foot controls, suspension upgrades......then there are the engine mods for more power etc.

After that, does the bike do what you need it to? Look good? Ride back roads during the weekends? Pose at Burrito Boys or Timmies? Head out the Cabot Trail or PA? Drag a knee on during on and off ramps? Get you to work? Is it easy on the pocket book to own and maintain? Is it reliable? etc....
 
When HD did the latest Sportster engineering revamp they chose to hang the vibrating motor in the frame via rubber mounts and tie rods. Research showed smoothing out the motor would offend the core customer base. So now the latest rubber mount Sportster weighs something like 80lbs more than the previous gen rigid mount because the motor is no longer serving as a structural member. And because the swingarm pivot is mounted to the transmission you essentially have a rubber mounted swingarm. Fun to read up on the XR1200R racing series where the ticket to hot lap times included changing the rubber mounts to harder compound.
Based on that design philosophy, where the brand character has to be preserved to that extent over solid engineering should preclude any right thinking person from choosing a Sportster. And that's without addressing all the other naff styling influenced engineering compromises.
 
IMHO, the Sportster is terrible. In stock form, it's uncomfortable and rides like ****. Slow and cumbersome. Even that sporty-looking 1200 (XR1200FGHDXX4??) was terrible, and I really wanted to like it.

I wouldn't consider either the bolt or the sporty, but it's just not my riding style, and it doesn't sound like yours either. I've always assumed I'd hate the bolt, given that it's a direct copy of the sporty. I also assume that the same would be true if reversed.

Both bikes looks fantastic though!
 
Sportster looks good parked an graffiti laced Olde Towne industrial area.
 
OP, it sounds like you have not had a chance to ride the Sportster.
If you didn't like the power delivery and the seating position of the Bolt, you are going to hate the Harley.
 
inreb said:
Based on that design philosophy, where the brand character has to be preserved to that extent over solid engineering should preclude any right thinking person from choosing a Sportster. And that's without addressing all the other naff styling influenced engineering compromises.
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You really can't blame Hardley Movinson for giving their customers what they want.
There are motorcyclists, and there are Harley riders, the two have very little in common.

I rented a Harley a few years ago, an 883 sportster. What was eye-opening was the conversation with other Harley types (they come up and talk to you if they think you are in the "club").
Among the knowledge nuggets:
"Jap (or any other racists term) bikes are cheap junk"
" Those Jap bikes front brakes are too strong, they'll throw you over the bike"
" they are so quiet because Japanese hearing is sensitive to low sound frequencies"

(BTW, the sportster broke on day two, otherwise, worst bike I ever rode, so I now am definitively opinionated).

The reality is that Harley has more major safety recalls than all other brands combined. They are the General motors of bikes. They make more profit per bike than any other brand, including BMW, and they source hidden parts from Asia (which increased their reliability), and now rely on European and third parties for new bike development (which is good).

The good news about Harley is that it is run by a savvy CEO that realizes that the typical demographic of Harley sales is dying off, or is far too old for a sustainable business plan. This is why you are seeing the small, cheap Harleys and the LiveWire Project.

If I were to buy a big V-twin, I'd buy one done right: the Yamaha MT01.

yamaha-mt01-rear-cross-side-view.jpg
 
If your looking for smooth efficient power delivery and all day comfort keep looking, its not the reasoning behind either of these bikes.
 
Let's take a look at the horse power figures and delivery (bonus data in the graph - Triumph Bonneville):

Winner = Triumph Bonneville

HP_comparison_sporster_bolt.jpg
 
I wouldn't get too jazzed about 60hp @ 7100rpm Triumph. I test rode one (piped and remapped no less). you had to spin it up to get any urge. A de-restricted 50hp Vtwin with more torque than the Triumph would provide a more pleasing motoring experience, imho, ymmv.
 
CafeRay said:
You really can't blame Hardley Movinson for giving their customers what they want.
There are motorcyclists, and there are Harley riders, the two have very little in common.

The reality is that Harley has more major safety recalls than all other brands combined.
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Do you have a source for that claim? I did a quick Google search and didn't find anything that stated which manufacturer had the most recalls, but I did find this: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/530/Motorcycles/Motorcycle-Recalls.aspx
Seems most manufacturers have recalls, including Suzuki with 200,000 GSXRs recalled last year.
I always have to laugh at the hateon some folks have for Harleys. For something they say they'd never buy, they sure spend a lot of energy railing against it.:lmao:
It's just a bike, dude. You're going to give yourself a stroke getting that worked up over something that doesn't affect you at all.
 
dirtbag said:
Always figured if I was ever to break down and buy a harley it would be a nice light 883 sporty.


Are they in fact similar rides?
Click to expand...

I demo'd a bolt recently - competent, but typically bland Metric performance. Not great ergonomics for me, but those can be changed.

Personally, I consider Metric cruisers to be somewhat 'disposable' in that they don't retain much value or collectibility. Don't hate me for saying that.... I own one!

Harleys, love 'em or hate 'em, still have that caché.

I've owned a couple Sportsters, both new and old. Let me say that the newer FI, rubber mounted engines lost all the character of the original Sportsters; those are truly like riding an 'elemental' machine.; if that's what you like. I did.
Performance would be similar to a stock Bolt.

The thing about HD is that you can modify a Sportster to do almost anything, performance, ergonomics, comfort, etc. Just look at HD's giant catalogue and the immense aftermarket.
 
CanadianBiker said:
Do you have a source for that claim? I did a quick Google search and didn't find anything that stated which manufacturer had the most recalls, but I did find this: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/530/Motorcycles/Motorcycle-Recalls.aspx
Seems most manufacturers have recalls, including Suzuki with 200,000 GSXRs recalled last year.
I always have to laugh at the hateon some folks have for Harleys. For something they say they'd never buy, they sure spend a lot of energy railing against it.:lmao:
It's just a bike, dude. You're going to give yourself a stroke getting that worked up over something that doesn't affect you at all.
Click to expand...

They just recalled 66,000 Harleys for pinched front brake lines.

Harleys are definitely affecting all motocyclists with a negative image of self-centred a-holes with straight pipes, which will just lead to motorcycle bans.

There are good reasons why stuff like this exists:

[video=youtube;xGyKBFCd_u4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGyKBFCd_u4[/video]
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