My 2014 Harley Iron 883 - Life has just begun

Abhishekjp · 7th April 2014, 23:43

Ups -

* Gorgeous looking bike. Its a real head turner.
* A harley feel is beyond putting down in words.
* A very responsive engine.
* Milage of 23 km/l on highways.
* Easy to handle despite of being 255kg.

Downs -

* Suspensions could have been better. Riding it on rough roads can give rider a real hard time.
* Stock Seat could have been softer. The existing seat works fine only on good road conditions.
* The riding position might not suit all the riders on long rides.
* Riding through the traffic and excessive use of a clutch can cause a wrist pain.
* Accessories are too costly for my liking. 25K for a backrest is way too much but it is surely worth it.

My Iron finally arrived on 15th March and by now I know how does it feel to own this beauty of a machine. Even though I waited for just about a month to get the delivery, it was the longest month of my life and i could barely be at my best at work (Not the ideal time to focus off work given year end appraisal was closing in ). But the kind of excitement that you get few days before you get the delivery is something else.

The day -

It goes without saying that I could barely sleep for just 2-3 hours a night before.Went to the dealer with my Wife, brother and brother in law at 12.00. As I entered the showroom there was this iron 883 in Amber Whiskey standing right in the middle of the showroom with a banner "Sold" on it. I ran towards it and shouted "Is this mine ??????". My sales guy came to greet me and said "yes sir, This is yours". After few clicks inside the showroom I did the paperwork then selected the Jacket, helmet and a key chain. Then the sales guy briefed me about almost all the information about vehicle maintenance and then I was set to leave to showroom. I must say that the overall buying experience was pretty pleasing and adds up to the excitement of buying a Harley.Left the showroom around 2.30 pm and drove through the busy street of new Mumbai. I decided not to wear a jacket as it was going to be a city drive and it was burning hot. Initially i was very cautious but it dint take me much time to get adjusted to the sitting position, acceleration and breaking. Till now i have only done 1150 kms which included a 500 km ride across 2 days to my native place "Murud Janjira" and based on that i am putting down my ownership experience.

Looks - When it comes to looks it has to be a Harley. I have always admired how Iron looks due to its all black body and a lean profile which goes well with my body profile as well

."Amber Whiskey" shade is a game changer and makes it look unique.However the color looks better than what appears in the pictures. The amount of attention you get (She gets) is extra ordinary and every time i even go out even for a short ride, i have people asking me "Kitne me liya?" and "Kitna average deti hai ?". Moreover i think HD should make a statement on a front page of "Times of India" that our bikes have there headlights switched on all the time as I am fed up seeing people making those weird signals to me.The overall fit and finish of the bike is up there with the very best in the industry.

Dimensions - Before i test drove iron, i was very unsure about whether I will be able to handle the weight of the machine on the corners or on busy road's given i am 5.7" tall weighing 65kg. However once you are in a motion you don't feel the weight at all and i found it as easy as my classic 350. Turning radius isn't too bad either but you should avoid bending it on either of the sides. Ground clearance is on a lower side though and if you do not notice a speed breaker there is high possibility of bike touching the ground especially with a pillion rider.I felt that handlebars are little away from the seat which makes your hands little more stretched than any other bike I have driven. When I rode it for 300 km's in a day, I could feel the heaviness in my forearms after driving for about an hour. This meant I needed more frequent breaks as a journey progressed.

Performance - I had a lot of expectations from this bike and after a month of riding I feel that the bike exceeded my expectations. The acceleration is smooth and engine is very responsive which makes overtaking a cakewalk. I have not yet gone passed the speed of 100 km/h yet but once you reach that speed, you clearly feel that you can stretch it way beyond that. I am not much into riding fast though even on a highways so I prefer riding at a speed of 70-80 km/h.

Riding comfort -Well I always say that "If you are looking for a comfort, You shouldn't be riding a Motorbike". This does not mean that Iron is an uncomfortable ride but with the stock seat and a stock suspension setting you tend to feel the smallest of the potholes on the road. While I was on a ride to Murud, I had to go through few horribly rough roads and the stock seat dint do any favor to my back.I found the clutch to be little hard to operate and frequent use of it can you give you some wrist pain while driving through the traffic. Stock foot pegs are too narrow and don's offer much support to your feet.

Braking - Braking is something I feel is most important aspect of riding a bike. It is always advisable to understand how your brakes respond to the different road conditions. The braking system on iron works superbly even under urgent breaking. There have been quite a few occasions when i really braked hard as the car in front of me braked suddenly, but there were signs of a tire skidding on a surface.

Service - I did the first service with about 980 km on ODO. Changed the suspension setting and got the front bearing noise fixed. Bike certainly felt a lot smoother post the service but the damage worked out to 84k due to below accessories. -

Sundowner Seat - 19k - I think this is the most important change that my Iron needed and the new seat is worth every penny spent. It is extremely comfortable and clearly i don't have any discomfort even on rough roads. One noticeable thing about the new seat is that it does not get flushed into the tank like the stock seat so it lacks a thigh support.

Mini Footboard mounts (Front) - 8k - This one made my life a lot easy. My ankles use to pain a lot with the stock foot pegs.

Footpeg mounts for - 6.8k for pillion

Engine Guard - 13.3k - This is a must to have.

Digital speedo - 19.5 k - This one is a killer and looks awesome in the dark. It also displays the fuel bars and the range. (Will have to sell the old one on OLX). I am not able to set up the fuel bar display though as the instruction manual does not make any sense to me.Can someone please help me with getting it set ??

Ride safe.
Shek

ankitwanchoo · 8th April 2014, 00:04

Hey Abhishek, let me be the first to congratulate you on buying the Iron. Ride safe bro and welcome to spending atrocious amounts on accessories, this is just the beginning!

Sent from my iPhone using Team-BHP

GTO · 14th April 2014, 16:54

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle Section. Thanks for sharing!

the VTEC guy · 14th April 2014, 17:12

Abhishek, heartiest congratulations on the Iron. Amber Whiskey is really stunning color.

The accessories pricing is way through the roof. just did a sum and looks like 65 k of accessories. Shouldn't Harley be providing most of these as standard? Especially the digital speedo! Don't think of any other brand offering a different speedo as an accessory.
Congratulations again.

rishi.nandan · 14th April 2014, 17:45

Congratulations Abhishek! The bike looks splendid and the color is awesome! Happy riding..

Shubz · 14th April 2014, 18:19

Congrats Abhishek! Looks nice!

Not to spoil the euphoria - but please ensure you are with Gloves/Knee protection as well.

Ride safe and Welcome to the family!

sanketdesai82 · 14th April 2014, 22:06

Congrats abhishek on the beast. She looks beautiful and I simply love this new color on her. Ride safe and enjoy!

gthang · 14th April 2014, 23:59

@Abhishekjp,

Congrats on a great looking Harley. Welcome to the HOG.

Wishing you many years of happy ownership.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abhishekjp

Moreover i think HD should make a statement on a front page of "Times of India" that our bikes have there headlights switched on all the time as I am fed up seeing people making those weird signals to me.

I always reply with a "Thumbs Up". Breaks the monotony of the ride, and equally confuses the signaller.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abhishekjp

I felt that handlebars are little away from the seat which makes your hands little more stretched than any other bike I have driven. When I rode it for 300 km's in a day, I could feel the heaviness in my forearms after driving for about an hour. This meant I needed more frequent breaks as a journey progressed.

You should consider switching to a wider bar. A friend switched his Iron to a Nightster bar, and it changed his ride dramatically.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abhishekjp

Digital speedo - 19.5 k - This one is a killer and looks awesome in the dark. It also displays the fuel bars and the range. (Will have to sell the old one on OLX). I am not able to set up the fuel bar display though as the instruction manual does not make any sense to me.Can someone please help me with getting it set ??

Ride safe.
Shek

Am not sure about the new 2014 models, but the older ones had fuel guage as an additional accessory which included installation of a sensor in the fuel tank. Does yours come with one? Might have to install that as well for it to work.

Cheers

Ride Safe.

AC_genius · 15th April 2014, 12:01

Congratulations my friend!! Welcome to the Harley family and wishing you miles of safe and enjoyable riding. Get on the HOG rides they will make you start wishing of Sunday mornings...

Awesome Speedo...I am really tempted!

vcx · 15th April 2014, 15:01

Great machine from HD and killer looks, Wishing you happy miles and smiles!

sal · 15th April 2014, 15:07

Congrats on the acquisition mate, it indeed looks killer. Request you to please buy a better helmet than "Vega" which would suit the Harley (Vega neither has looks nor safety). Wishing you many happy miles ahead, ride hard, ride safe.

Shubz · 15th April 2014, 16:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by gthang

Am not sure about the new 2014 models, but the older ones had fuel guage as an additional accessory which included installation of a sensor in the fuel tank. Does yours come with one? Might have to install that as well for it to work.

Cheers

Ride Safe.

There is just the fuel gauge that is available for the 2014 models (I guess this should fit even the earlier ones)

Check this out --> Fuel gauge

gthang · 15th April 2014, 17:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shubz

There is just the fuel gauge that is available for the 2014 models (I guess this should fit even the earlier ones)

Check this out --> Fuel gauge

This has been around for a while now.

If you notice, there is a "Sending Unit" that needs to be mounted inside the tank.

Instructions:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US...ts/-J04833.pdf

I'm guessing OP will need the sending unit installed for the guage to work.

Cheers

Ride Safe.

Shubz · 15th April 2014, 17:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by gthang

This has been around for a while now.

If you notice, there is a "Sending Unit" that needs to be mounted inside the tank.

Instructions:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US...ts/-J04833.pdf

I'm guessing OP will need the sending unit installed for the guage to work.

Cheers

Ride Safe.

Yes of course. There will be a sending unit (at an additional cost indeed) to couple with this device.

Regarding accuracy - I don't think this is as accurate as it is supposed to be - I for one am happy with the "Low fuel Indicator" arrangement.

Abhishekjp · 15th April 2014, 20:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by sal

Congrats on the acquisition mate, it indeed looks killer. Request you to please buy a better helmet than "Vega" which would suit the Harley (Vega neither has looks nor safety). Wishing you many happy miles ahead, ride hard, ride safe.

I agree mate. I bought a HD branded 3/4th helmet on the same day i took the delivery, but it was too tight because of the fresh cushioning so i felt its better to wear my other helmet for a while.

7th April 2014, 23:43	#1
Abhishekjp BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 89 Thanked: 30 Times	My 2014 Harley Iron 883 - Life has just begun Ups - * Gorgeous looking bike. Its a real head turner. * A harley feel is beyond putting down in words. * A very responsive engine. * Milage of 23 km/l on highways. * Easy to handle despite of being 255kg. Downs - * Suspensions could have been better. Riding it on rough roads can give rider a real hard time. * Stock Seat could have been softer. The existing seat works fine only on good road conditions. * The riding position might not suit all the riders on long rides. * Riding through the traffic and excessive use of a clutch can cause a wrist pain. * Accessories are too costly for my liking. 25K for a backrest is way too much but it is surely worth it. My Iron finally arrived on 15th March and by now I know how does it feel to own this beauty of a machine. Even though I waited for just about a month to get the delivery, it was the longest month of my life and i could barely be at my best at work (Not the ideal time to focus off work given year end appraisal was closing in ). But the kind of excitement that you get few days before you get the delivery is something else. The day - It goes without saying that I could barely sleep for just 2-3 hours a night before.Went to the dealer with my Wife, brother and brother in law at 12.00. As I entered the showroom there was this iron 883 in Amber Whiskey standing right in the middle of the showroom with a banner "Sold" on it. I ran towards it and shouted "Is this mine ??????". My sales guy came to greet me and said "yes sir, This is yours". After few clicks inside the showroom I did the paperwork then selected the Jacket, helmet and a key chain. Then the sales guy briefed me about almost all the information about vehicle maintenance and then I was set to leave to showroom. I must say that the overall buying experience was pretty pleasing and adds up to the excitement of buying a Harley.Left the showroom around 2.30 pm and drove through the busy street of new Mumbai. I decided not to wear a jacket as it was going to be a city drive and it was burning hot. Initially i was very cautious but it dint take me much time to get adjusted to the sitting position, acceleration and breaking. Till now i have only done 1150 kms which included a 500 km ride across 2 days to my native place "Murud Janjira" and based on that i am putting down my ownership experience. Looks - When it comes to looks it has to be a Harley. I have always admired how Iron looks due to its all black body and a lean profile which goes well with my body profile as well ."Amber Whiskey" shade is a game changer and makes it look unique.However the color looks better than what appears in the pictures. The amount of attention you get (She gets) is extra ordinary and every time i even go out even for a short ride, i have people asking me "Kitne me liya?" and "Kitna average deti hai ?". Moreover i think HD should make a statement on a front page of "Times of India" that our bikes have there headlights switched on all the time as I am fed up seeing people making those weird signals to me.The overall fit and finish of the bike is up there with the very best in the industry. Dimensions - Before i test drove iron, i was very unsure about whether I will be able to handle the weight of the machine on the corners or on busy road's given i am 5.7" tall weighing 65kg. However once you are in a motion you don't feel the weight at all and i found it as easy as my classic 350. Turning radius isn't too bad either but you should avoid bending it on either of the sides. Ground clearance is on a lower side though and if you do not notice a speed breaker there is high possibility of bike touching the ground especially with a pillion rider.I felt that handlebars are little away from the seat which makes your hands little more stretched than any other bike I have driven. When I rode it for 300 km's in a day, I could feel the heaviness in my forearms after driving for about an hour. This meant I needed more frequent breaks as a journey progressed. Performance - I had a lot of expectations from this bike and after a month of riding I feel that the bike exceeded my expectations. The acceleration is smooth and engine is very responsive which makes overtaking a cakewalk. I have not yet gone passed the speed of 100 km/h yet but once you reach that speed, you clearly feel that you can stretch it way beyond that. I am not much into riding fast though even on a highways so I prefer riding at a speed of 70-80 km/h. Riding comfort -Well I always say that "If you are looking for a comfort, You shouldn't be riding a Motorbike". This does not mean that Iron is an uncomfortable ride but with the stock seat and a stock suspension setting you tend to feel the smallest of the potholes on the road. While I was on a ride to Murud, I had to go through few horribly rough roads and the stock seat dint do any favor to my back.I found the clutch to be little hard to operate and frequent use of it can you give you some wrist pain while driving through the traffic. Stock foot pegs are too narrow and don's offer much support to your feet. Braking - Braking is something I feel is most important aspect of riding a bike. It is always advisable to understand how your brakes respond to the different road conditions. The braking system on iron works superbly even under urgent breaking. There have been quite a few occasions when i really braked hard as the car in front of me braked suddenly, but there were signs of a tire skidding on a surface. Service - I did the first service with about 980 km on ODO. Changed the suspension setting and got the front bearing noise fixed. Bike certainly felt a lot smoother post the service but the damage worked out to 84k due to below accessories. - Sundowner Seat - 19k - I think this is the most important change that my Iron needed and the new seat is worth every penny spent. It is extremely comfortable and clearly i don't have any discomfort even on rough roads. One noticeable thing about the new seat is that it does not get flushed into the tank like the stock seat so it lacks a thigh support. Mini Footboard mounts (Front) - 8k - This one made my life a lot easy. My ankles use to pain a lot with the stock foot pegs. Footpeg mounts for - 6.8k for pillion Engine Guard - 13.3k - This is a must to have. Digital speedo - 19.5 k - This one is a killer and looks awesome in the dark. It also displays the fuel bars and the range. (Will have to sell the old one on OLX). I am not able to set up the fuel bar display though as the instruction manual does not make any sense to me.Can someone please help me with getting it set ?? Ride safe. Shek Attached Thumbnails Last edited by GTO : 14th April 2014 at 16:52. Reason: Edited as advised by the administrators
	(5) Thanks

8th April 2014, 00:04	#2
ankitwanchoo BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 79 Thanked: 86 Times	Hey Abhishek, let me be the first to congratulate you on buying the Iron. Ride safe bro and welcome to spending atrocious amounts on accessories, this is just the beginning! Sent from my iPhone using Team-BHP
	(1) Thanks

14th April 2014, 16:54	#3
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 71,815 Thanked: 321,352 Times View My Garage	Re: My 2014 Harley Iron 883 - Life has just begun Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle Section. Thanks for sharing!
	(1) Thanks

14th April 2014, 17:12	#4
the VTEC guy BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 564 Thanked: 140 Times View My Garage	Re: My 2014 Harley Iron 883 - Life has just begun Abhishek, heartiest congratulations on the Iron. Amber Whiskey is really stunning color. The accessories pricing is way through the roof. just did a sum and looks like 65 k of accessories. Shouldn't Harley be providing most of these as standard? Especially the digital speedo! Don't think of any other brand offering a different speedo as an accessory. Congratulations again. Last edited by the VTEC guy : 14th April 2014 at 17:14.
	(1) Thanks

14th April 2014, 17:45	#5
rishi.nandan Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New York Posts: 13 Thanked: 6 Times	Re: My 2014 Harley Iron 883 - Life has just begun Congratulations Abhishek! The bike looks splendid and the color is awesome! Happy riding..
	(1) Thanks

14th April 2014, 18:19	#6
Shubz Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,927 Thanked: 1,189 Times	Re: My 2014 Harley Iron 883 - Life has just begun Congrats Abhishek! Looks nice! Not to spoil the euphoria - but please ensure you are with Gloves/Knee protection as well. Ride safe and Welcome to the family!
	(1) Thanks

14th April 2014, 22:06	#7
sanketdesai82 BHPian Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 116 Thanked: 94 Times	Congrats abhishek on the beast. She looks beautiful and I simply love this new color on her. Ride safe and enjoy!
	(1) Thanks

15th April 2014, 12:01	#9
AC_genius BHPian Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 59 Thanked: 122 Times	Re: My 2014 Harley Iron 883 - Life has just begun Congratulations my friend!! Welcome to the Harley family and wishing you miles of safe and enjoyable riding. Get on the HOG rides they will make you start wishing of Sunday mornings... Awesome Speedo...I am really tempted!
	(1) Thanks

15th April 2014, 15:01	#10
vcx BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 192 Thanked: 41 Times View My Garage	Re: My 2014 Harley Iron 883 - Life has just begun Great machine from HD and killer looks, Wishing you happy miles and smiles!
	(1) Thanks

15th April 2014, 15:07	#11
sal BANNED Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Bangalore Posts: 13 Thanked: 2 Times	Congrats on the acquisition mate, it indeed looks killer. Request you to please buy a better helmet than "Vega" which would suit the Harley (Vega neither has looks nor safety). Wishing you many happy miles ahead, ride hard, ride safe.
	() Thanks