The Absolute WORST Part on the Harley Sportster Iron 1200!

[@keith5065]

The stock clutch spring plate. Can break with no warning and leave you stranded . Best bet is to change the clutch out to a extra plate kit and get rid of the clutch spring .

[@fernvarela]

Video starts at 3:46

[@geraldscott4302]

I have owned and ridden an '06 Sportster for over 5 years now. Performance wise, it is completely stock, and it definitely has more performance than I need. Single front disc is fine (if your brakes are capable of locking the wheels, then they are fine. you just need to learn how to modulate them properly) Suspension is fine, and I have a bad back. Seat is fine, it is the stock seat that came on the 2006 1200L. It doesn't LOOK comfortable, but I have no complaints after a 300 mile day. It still has the stock air cleaner. Most aftermarket ones are cheap Chinese JUNK. It does have aftermarket slip ons (in chrome) just to make it sound like a Harley. It has a short chrome backrest with no pad, and gold H-D emblems on it. And it has saddlebags attached with Easy Brackets, they lock to the bike, but can be removed with the turn of a key. Other than those items, it is 100% stock and I love it. It is everything I want from a bike. Well, actually, I would like to convert it to chain drive, but have been unable to find a conversion kit for my model. It has a 4.5 gallon tank, which gives me good range. Now, as far as garbage parts, I have found two so far. They work just fine, but tend to explode around the 15K mile mark. The clutch has a "spring plate" in it, which is 2 plates riveted together with brass rivets. It is commonly known as a "grenade plate" The rivets fail, things come apart, and can do serious damage to your transmission. Barnett makes a kit to fix this problem. The other problem is also in the clutch. It is the clutch release bearing. It is poorly made and prone to failure. There is a German made bearing that fixes that problem permanently. It's more expensive than stock, but well worth it. As you can see, none of these things have anything to do with engine performance, brakes, or handling. Those things are just fine. I ride a Sportster for the "Harley experience" meaning the sound and the shake. Even though it is called a Sportster, it is NOT a sport bike. It is a cruiser. It also makes a great solo touring bike. If you want a crotch rocket, then buy a crotch rocket. All 4 Japanese manufacturers make great ones. Along with a couple of European manufacturers. If you want a high performance bike, just buy one to begin with. The Sportster is not for you. It is for long leisurely rides, where you can just kick back and enjoy the bike and the road, mile after mile, hour after hour. I would NEVER put LED lights on a bike or car. If you can't see with the stock halogens, there is something wrong with your eyes. I have had to wear sunglasses and a tinted face shield at night to avoid being blinded by those LED lights. If you blind oncoming drivers, they are likely to drive head on into you. And it would be your fault.

[@bullitt79]

The front tire has more grip before breaking loose, than most riders realize. You were pumping the brake at that yellow light as you understandably didn't want to lock it up, but how close were you really, to locking? You may have had a lot more to go, thus making the error yours and not the bikes (I've had this happen myself...and with a passenger on board no less!) which would be unfair to the bike. Maybe our riding skill is the part that needs upgrading, dunno just sayin.

[@TheMotoJawn]

The rear was definitely locked up. Might have had more to go on the front.

[@spaceflight1019]

I've read stories written by cycle cops who say that most street riders grossly underestimate how hard they can squeeze the lever. They recommend practicing panic stops to build muscle memory, some of them do it at the beginning of every shift. But on the road, you have to factor in things like lean angle and pavement conditions.

[@cadummoraes]

Does your harley have ABS? i thought that, if your moto has ABS, you could squeeze the lever as strong as you can and the wheels won't lock. But I'm not sure. Does it right?

[@ragimundvonwallat8961]

the brakes already have enough power if you lock up the wheel...dosage is the problem, that is polite way to say that the pilot is the problem. ABS train people to be terrible riders... happy i started on dirt as a kid

[@Roadridedotnet]

I was taught that the No. 1 rule is that you must always travel at a speed where you can stop within the distance seen to be clear on your own side of the road. To know that distance means practising your emergency stops on a clear stretch of road and varying the roads when you can.

[@anamericanbulldogpupnamedt5642]

I carry a portable jumper I got from Amazon. I wasn’t a believer because it’s not as big as the old school jumpers but I was able to jump start a GMC Terrain with it. But first I replaced on my sportster are all the halogen bulbs.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Yeah the bulbs are terrible

[@flyinggyros9745]

I’m a new subscriber to your channel. I like the format and of course Philadelphia. Your audio and video are top notch. Originally from Havertown. Started riding at age 15 and then on the streets at 16. That was 1968. My third bike was a mid 60’s XLCH sportster. I bought that at Hannums Harley in the Media area. Moved to Clearwater, Florida when I was 22. That’s a long bike ride on a Yamaha Maxim 650. Took me two days. Now I’m on the east coast just north of Daytona Beach. It’s a great area to ride. I do Bike Week and Biketoberfest every year. I still ride but after going up the Harley line to an ultra classic I’m now on a Honda Silverwing scooter. Age catches up to us. Your channel brings back so many good memories. Thanks for the ride. Alan

[@TheMotoJawn]

That's awesome great references there I love Havertown. Hannums is a good spot. Thanks for tuning in.

[@Imsaved777]

Harley Davidson headquarters aren’t stupid. They put that 💩 crap on your motorcycles so that you will upgrade to better parts, thus more profit for them. Yes sir, Harley Davidson screws you coming in and going out!

[@OldSkoolBiker62]

When you buy a bike you usually change the seat, bars, exhaust and even the brakes.. If you are already locked up and skidding then having more brake power is only going to multiple the problem.. if you are locked up it's riders fault for not reading the road enough in front of you and also applying the brakes to aggressively..

[@MILI-RAK-16]

I’m glad I’m not the only one that things the suspension and seat are terrible stock. Feel like I need a spine replacement

[@TheMotoJawn]

So true lol

[@spaceflight1019]

Ok, you covered a lot of ground here. Definitely the seat! The seat on my 2005 1200 Roadster was good for 30 minutes before my hips started aching. The suspension was OK until I started riding my son to football practice. The Roadster came with dual front disc brakes, just like my GS850G did, and I've never had an issue with them. You'll have to investigate what's required to retrofit your bike. I did replace the front brake line with a stainless steel braided line and that really improved the feel.

[@mmytacist]

Nothing about the dude standing in traffic at 3:42? 🤣 That a Philly-thing?

[@TheMotoJawn]

Lol what was he doing begging for money?

[@kitsvn]

2021 883: Lights were awful. I threw on a hogworkz halo LED front lamp and kuryakyn tracer diffused halo signals. Love them. Stock seat was actually not too bad, but I put on a LePera kickflip and love that a lot.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Agreed those bulbs are terrible

[@2wheelLunatic]

The braking power is more on the front brake not the rear. I rarely used the rear breaks when I had more sport bike but with the iron better to use both but the front still does most of the braking over the rear.

[@peterswales3774]

Are they gardening gloves..?

[@jaredmcquiniff5362]

💯 definitely rebuild the forks with a progressive spring kit and shim it a little more. It makes a huge difference! And I didn’t like the stock tires either, they seemed to start wearing funny. At 2500 miles I put Michelin Commander III on front and rear and it’s like riding a comfortable street bike now!

[@TheMotoJawn]

All good stuff

[@ricknelson9774]

Not true on all Harley Sportsters. Try one like I have a 2020 Roadster. Pipes yes replaced, lights yes replaced, but the stock seat for me has been comfortable even for 300 miles rides. It Comes with dual floating discs with great calipers, inverted front forks and 3.3 inch rear shocks so it rides better than other Sportsters. 19" front and 18" rear rims so it give more ground clearance and better lean angles. Try one!

[@IronBornRider]

The worst "part" on the sportster is the lackluster performance. It sucks to be on such a cool looking bike but then get beat by some kid on a rebel 500.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Nah I love mashing the throttle and still feeling like I'm standing still

[@jmearley4872]

If you bought a Sporty to beat anyone, that's on you. I didn't buy a motorcycle, I bought a frame mounted with the finest canvas anyone can buy.

[@IronBornRider]

@@jmearley4872 Sounds like you got ripped off to me

[@jmearley4872]

@@IronBornRider you may be correct. Then again, since 17 years old I have traded different stages of painting for parts or internal work. 47 years worth of canvas.

[@TheZom1965]

For as much as Harley’s cost you would think they would be good quality and you wouldn’t have to buy a bunch of sh*t to put on a new bike.

[@NevermoreMoto]

The guy riding it?!

[@TheMotoJawn]

Wow why you gotta cut so deep.....but yeah probably

[@NevermoreMoto]

@@TheMotoJawn 😂😂😂

[@IronBornRider]

@@NevermoreMoto wow lol

[@NevermoreMoto]

@@IronBornRider #savage

[@lovingmylifeasIage6741]

Get some goooood rear shocks. Don't go cheap. I went with 3 inch over stock Legend 110 with a 1 inch lowering blocks. I love the ride now. I also changed out the seat, tall sissy bar with a sissy bar bag. I can strap on my camping gear. The sportster is a cruiser not a sports bike. The front brake will stop you a lot faster then the rear. I've had to do an emergency stop and grabbed the front brake and stopped just fine. The rubber on on the back tire has to stop you and the back will be lighter in a an emergency stop. Practice you emergency stops with the front brakes.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Gotta use them both but just sometimes feels like it needs a little more grab to it

[@dixee6498]

@@TheMotoJawn have you ever bled the brakes? A possible air bubble in the line? Just a thought.

[@armandoosorio2590]

I had an accident due to the brakes. I was approaching an intersection we had the green light then an ambulance decided to run there siren at the intersection only. car in front of me braked abruptly so I gradually braked with increasing force as well not realizing how easily the brake would lock up . Is there any great brakes recommend?

[@TheMotoJawn]

Sorry to hear that

[@rifflenut1484]

Glad I made sure to get mine with abs 😎

[@clintwoodruff1187]

Yes Armando, on your car. You're probably not meant for motorcycles. You should get off them before you get hurt.

[@13at42z]

Hey where did ya get your seat? What's the best seat for a sporster?

[@TheMotoJawn]

It's a saddlemen step up. Got it on revzilla

[@jmearley4872]

The worst part(s) for me? Anything used as a fastener! I have a 2020 bone stock 1200 Iron and couldn't believe the screws, bolts and nuts, and the damn muffler clamps had degraded as much as they have.

[@TheMotoJawn]

I have had a few of those things snap and break too actually

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

My Sportster is all stock except for the exhaust pipes.25yrs old and has 400,000 miles on her. I did wear the front end out at 250,000 miles.

[@ChopperFett]

That’s a bit scary about the brakes man. I’ve skidded a few times as well (no abs on my bikes) and question how good they really are. Been looking into some dual disc setups now like my vrod has, it has some incredible stopping power.

[@TheMotoJawn]

I'm curious to see how abs would perform I've never had a bike with it

[@ozarkwheels4158]

@@TheMotoJawn You’d absolutely love it!

[@ozarkwheels4158]

If you can cause your front wheel to skid, then adding more stopping power with an extra disc would make a skid even more likely, wouldn’t it?

[@ChopperFett]

@@ozarkwheels4158 I’m not a smart man my theory was dual disc meaning less pressure and less chance of locking up the brake but I could be way off base haha.

[@ozarkwheels4158]

@@ChopperFett You may be right. I’m no expert either, ha!

[@MotorcyclingwithCarl]

The battery. Can’t go anywhere if it doesn’t start lol. Go with the Antigravity lithium ion restart.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Agreed very weak stock battery!

[@spaceflight1019]

The battery, in my experience, usually will flip you off on the first try but start on the second when they start dying. They'll give you fair warning before slipping you the knife. My bike came with a battery tender and I use it. Even so it seems like 3 or 4 seasons is all you can get.

[@freddempster4085]

Harley is a global firm using many suppliers. My feeling about the brakes, especially, the rear, is that the brakes picked up moisture in shipping somewhere in transit. Even a teeny bit stops effective braking ‘cause they can’t heat up to work right. Once any moisture is gone, they should work fine. IMO the brakes are superior to the old style Bendix single puck jobbers. Shocks are indeed too stiff and too slammed down. I did put a set of 412’s on mine, although a 13” shock would be better. And handling…those stock tires really suck. I put new tires on @ 15000mi . No wonder why the new sportsters are wearing Dunlops again. I put a set of K591’s on my iron and it was like a new bike. I never realized how much I was sliding around. Fork springs seem to be adequate but a better fork oil could help. Ifsthat doesn’t help, move to a state with better roads.

[@markeppinger6275]

I have a 1200 custom, love the bike but dont loke how low it idles. Tough for slower movement, turning exc. I like smaller bikes even though im a bigger guy. Thinking about trying the dyna next

[@LayDown951]

What fairing is this? Can you post the link

[@TheMotoJawn]

Memphis shades cafe fairing

[@bongishere818]

I changed everything on mine. From fairing to the suspension.

[@firebirdjohnfiveseven315]

What seat is that

[@TheMotoJawn]

Saddlemen step up

[@QTIP95]

I didn’t realize what a piece of shit my Stage 1 2019 Iron 883 was until I bought my 2021 Sport Glide. Just spend the same amount of money you would to mod a sportster and buy a softail. Sportsters suck but softails are absolutely amazing!

[@rugershooter5268]

I put on the hd sundowner and went for a ride, my road has a lot of bumps, new seat handles them just fine You could spend a lot on shocks and never fix the ride Corbin, mustang, LePera or hd sundowner(15inches wide).......you want at least 12 inches wide Iron is not going to have the best ride of Sportsters......you want to look for 1200 or 883 C.........or you could spend a lot and get 13.5 inch shocks, probably have to get longer fork tubes, and maybe beef up the fork springs

[@rogerbrahmsteadt7763]

The belt gard has to be the worst part

[@TheMotoJawn]

That could be. Mine actually snapped off.

[@brownboy6844]

for my 2021 48 I thought the worst was the headlight I changed that. The mufflers absolutely had to go and went with cobra 3" rpt's and love the low growl...I am with u on the brakes on a "gotta stop now" it requires all the skill I can muster and a bit of luck...they are ok even on a quick stop but on the oh s@#t moments they leave u locked up and sliding. As for the seat I liked it I did however go with a super reach seat so I could plant them forward controls better and I like it to I went 230 miles last week and my tush thanked me for it.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Haha i hear you man I agree 100%

[@clintwoodruff1187]

Hey brownboy, try different brake pads. There's an assortment available, made out of a variety of materials. That will help. However if you just want to keep pissing on yourself about how imperfect a Sportster is, don't do anything ! Duel disc's would completely solve your brake problem, but again, then you couldn't repeat over and over and over again how terrible the bike is. Tell you what, the REAL answer for you is to go to the nearest YAKADUKI dealer and buy their street legal 'race bike'. Get all the usual 'race type leathers' , boots, and multi colored full coverage helmet. Then you could go to the nearest mountain top, and pretend you're a 'racer' with your new perfect bike that doesn't have any junk parts on it... until you go off a cliff. In which case, we won't hear you pissing all over yourself over, and over, and over again about one of the most iconic motorcycles ever built ! That was fairly mean... OK, just go trade in your bike for a car, so you don't hurt yourself. I seriously doubt if you really have what it takes to be much of a long standing motorcyclist. OH NO !!! DID I SAY THAT OUT LOUD??!!!!

[@brownboy6844]

@@clintwoodruff1187 I did all that then went back to the stupid fu@kin harley with bad brakes..thanks anyway🤙🏼

[@usmcson3]

The rear suspension is garbage, lol. i have an iron 1200, and that's the worst thing about it. I would actually say it's straight dog 💩

[@TheMotoJawn]

Definitely bad

[@nackskywalkerify]

The introduction is long and I have no idea what you want to say. get annoyed.

[@BikesBeardsAndBrews]

the seat, totally the seat

[@TheMotoJawn]

Definitely near the top of terrible parts

[@RogerBankerFishmiser]

Seat and rear shocks

[@TheMotoJawn]

You got that right

[@rugershooter5268]

I don't know about my irons stock seat, I bought it used, but 04 883c stock seat sucked, 13 1200c stock seat was much better......I rode a 48 with stock seat and it sucked bad after about 15 min, guess that's why it has 2.2gal tank......my iron came with the saddlemen stepup that you see on 1200 irons everywhere......that seat sucks. I ordered from hd solo Sundowner......I know 2up sundowner for 883c is great, and sundowner for 13 1200c sucks.....so I gave my brother my 883 seat for his 1200 and traded mine in for 900 Kawasaki.......which had a sucky stock seat I don't know yet about my new sundowner, waiting for it to warm up......ordered Thursday received Saturday, I was able to find some solo seats cheaper "shipping calculated later", but hd was free shipping returns, so I went with hd BTW my Versys 1000 stock seat sucked bad, touring bike and after 5hrs I could barely walk, put Corbin seat on it and after same trip I was ready to go another 5hrs I might look into rear shocks Exhaust stays, I can't sit on top of loud, my brother and cousin have found just how bad loud is to sit on.......keep you stock for when you learn

[@AbdulsCycles]

After watching this video I know the worst part about the harley sportster iron 1200... Watching here for support my friend, everything goes well... 👍

[@rubo1964]

Dont get the logic pay 10k for a bike with terrible seat suspension exhaust? add 2k to the price! I suggest getting Yamaha Vstar 1300 lot more powerful full size bike used (Yamaha stopped making 1300) for less then 4k. The only thing you bought was HD label

[@chrisyln8808]

I thought the bike has ABS

[@TheMotoJawn]

I think its an option mine doesn't.

[@trekkintexan5160]

Dude repeats himself alot. Just get to the topic.

[@RideWithJanex]

The aound of the bike with an earphone on is awesome sir ..fullport you ..see U

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

Lack of a Kickstarter.

[@topherdalrymple6535]

I think if you dont think they dont handle or arnt fast you have the wrong bike.

[@teriwildey9885]

Sounds to me like you really hate the sportster. There are other, but more expensive options from harley. I'm not sure if you really knew what you were getting when you decided to purchase a sportster. As for the sound, all motorcycles are that way because of emissions.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

I bought my Sportster for every day transportation.I don't drive a car.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

I have had my Sportster for 25 years and four hundred thousand miles on her.The brakes on the front end are good.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

I got the twin pistons caliper with the new front end, don't feel any difference in braking power over the single piston caliper.

[@donniebraham6156]

Rear brakes, horrible

[@jameswilkie2392]

Oil cap

[@freddiehoward-nq2nt]

Seat

[@rugershooter5268]

You need lessons in braking

[@thurstonhowelliii9501]

You should squeeze your front brake, progressively squeezing harder. This allows your front suspension to load the front tire providing maximum braking without locking up the front tire. Pumping the brakes no doubt lost you a fair bit of real estate. That said I have no doubts you need to upgrade the stock set up. Remember, always practice emergency stops in a parking lot or somewhere away from traffic. Be safe.