My brother got an HD

Well I no this is a xj site which I have. But my brother just came home with a 2006 HD 883 sportster 4000 mls. He got it for 3800$. From "a friend" who has a shop.
Whatever. Well I'll try to make this short but if anyone has any knowledge about these bikes and wants to give me a heads up about anything please do so. Likes dislikes whatever pros cons...

He said the "friend" changed the oil... The one that has the shop... Well I made him open it up and check the oil it was black as night. He told me it was good. Sure thing bud. I made him check the ten year old lawn mower oil (that has never been changed) that someone gave me and it was the same color. Well oil change is needed.

Tires original. Pretty sure he needs new ones. (Mine are getting there and new ones next month)

Brake lines... Rear 2005 is stamped on it. Told him he need a new one. Front... He says the "friend" put a new SS on. But I think they were used because you can't even read the dates.

His throttle cables (there's 2) feel very loose. The "friend" said that's how they should be. It's when you turn so they don't bind. ????

The clutch cable... Is hanging from where from where it connect from the clutch to the lever. No support. Look like it's at least 6 inches to long. ???

I have no knowledge about these bike at all!!!! I told told him to buy a MANUAL first thing. And I get a "why"???!!!! from him.

O and the front brake sounds like it's dragging when he pulled it into the garage.

All in all it looks clean. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have to do anything.



Thank you everyone for your time.
Jim

 

the throttle cables are probably a pull-pull setup, pull it open and pull it closed (it's a safety thing) and those do need a little play in them

 

Harley guys usually take them to the dealership for service.

 

They are kinda plane jane especially being a 883 Best bang for the buck is to do the 1200 swap which is cheap or you can get a kit to make it 1426cc with the kit you can make about 100hp if you get the kit and head 125 that really livens up an 883. I helped with a build 883 in the early 90s ran 11.50. Bike was driven on the street av gas + octane booster.
As an everyday rider it will be ok Harley guys will call him a sissy they don't like sportys. If has has had 4 cyl jap bikes he will not have it long he will get bored with it. On the serious side when he does get bored 1200 kit gives much more punch and the extra torque makes it much more fun you can do it for about $300 bucks The cables are just like jap bikes loosen the push tighten the pull then adjust the slack out of them. I am not sure if it still has the Adjusters on the end by the grip or not

 

Harley's have a dry sump oil system. A standard oil change will leave some old oil in the system. The oil will look old and black even after an oil change. Some people use a scavenger puck to pump out all the old oil. Here's an article on the issue and a commercial solution:
The Scavenger Total Oil Change System

I made a scavenger puck for a friend from an old oil filter, a tube fitting and some plastic tubing. Total cost was only a couple of dollars, but his bike had the filter in an easily accessed location.

 

My Norton has a dry sump system too and some old oil gets left behind. But a little bit of old oil left from an oil change is not going to make the new oil immediately look old and bad.

The front brake is probably dragging because it may need the caliper(s?) rebuilt; or at the very least the 8-year old brake fluid flushed out and the system properly bled.

You are absolutely correct in that just because it looks good doesn't mean that there aren't things that will need to be attended to.

 

883 is the most boring bike they make...
Its priced for the "Guy whos always wanted a Harley but cant afford a real one"
I always see guys riding them and they always look like a guerrilla riding a credit card
Stupid
Just make sure the little things are attended to so its safe to ride
Thats all that matters

 

oh.........when you said your brother got a HD, I thought you meant it was for his computer...
dave