The Look for Less

There’s a show on the “Style Channel” (yes, I’m a woman of many interests!) called “The Look for Less.” This is the one where the host shows you stylish outfits direct from the fashion runway, and shows you how to shop for similar pieces and create the same look on a budget.

This theme occurred to me while reading my March ‘06 issue of Iron Works, because I came upon an article where they showed you how to outfit a Sportster for long distance or multi-day riding. As I tallied the cost of this project in my head, I realized that I could do them one better: I had outfitted my own Sporty just last year for this very same purpose, and knew I had done it for a lot less. Now granted, I didn’t achieve the exact same look – but I got the same functionality for a fraction of the price. And, my project was even cheaper because two of the items were already *on* my bike when I bought it used. I counted the cost of those two items in my tally anyway, knowing it would still be cheaper than the magazine’s version.

The magazine outfitted their Sporty using all “official” HD parts. Mine has a few of those, but frankly, you can save some serious bucks by shopping with aftermarket vendors like J&P Cycles. The total price for the magazine’s project, using all HD parts, was $1,985. This included using HD’s new fiberglass color-matched hard bags – which, by the way, look beautiful – which by themselves cost $955.

My project, completed last summer in time to go on my first overnight road trip, included the following accessories:

• Willie & Max “Wild Willie” saddlebags – $144
• Saddle bag supports – $43 (came on the bike)
• Turn signal relocation kit – $33
• Fender-mounted luggage rack & mounting kit – $69
• Sport windshield – $155 (HD brand, came on the bike)
• Leather travel bag, duffel style – $10

The total for my project was $454… If you take into account the fact that I didn’t have to purchase the windshield or the bag supports (because they were on the bike when I bought it), my total cash outlay was only $256. So take your pick… $454, or $256, versus $1,985. Now I’ll grant you, spending more gets you the official HD accessories and those cool color-matched hard bags – fine by me, if that’s the look you want. But to me, the “look” I wanted was less sleek and more casual, and it cost me a boatload less.

New bike! I bought a 2000 Sportster 883

We brought home my new bike on Friday the 18th – it’s a 2000 Harley Sportster 883! The weather hasn’t been terrific – it was only 40-some degrees all weekend – so it was a cold ride home, and then a cold parking lot practice session, and then a cold ten-mile ride on Sunday just for the heck of it… but what a great bike! I was very concerned that I would not like riding it – the Sportster has a higher center of gravity than what I am used to and I’d heard them called “top heavy” – but this bike has already been lowered and as it turned out the different center of gravity didn’t give me any problems except for a very short “getting used to it” period. 

We brought the bike home on Friday night (Steve rode it home for me in 40-degree post-rain dark!), and on Saturday I took it up to the high school for some even colder parking lot practice. On Sunday it was just a tad warmer (upper 40’s), so I took it out for a 10-mile trial ride which left me absolutely grinning from ear to ear! It’s quick off the start, and at 60 mph it doesn’t feel like it needs a 6th gear, which was a problem with the Honda. A couple of problems we’ll deal with in time: the clutch is very hard to pull in, and it needs different handlebars to bring them back closer to me. These things are easily fixed, and we’ll have them taken care of by the time the riding season sets in for good. For now, it was an awesome preview of a fun summer ahead!

« Previous Page