2009 Harley-Davidson Iron 883 Review

Harley-Davison recently added another
shortie to its lineup. No, Willie G didn’t have another daughter,
instead the Milwaukee motor company amended its Dark Custom line with a
modified Sportster 883 Low. Following the Nightster as
the second Sportster-based Dark Custom in Harley’s catalog, the Iron
883 becomes the sixth addition to the dark-themed club.

Some
riders want simplicity in their escape mounts, while others prefer to
be surrounded by computer technology like that found on the space
shuttle flight deck. If you’re not into GPS, radar detectors and video
cameras mounted to your handlebars, you might be into the short-pipe
minimalism the Iron 883 delivers with its low-rise drag-style handlebar,
bare-bones dashboard and overall lo-brow color scheme. Toss in the
reliability of a warranted OEM motorcycle and you’ll be pleased as
rum-spiked-punch to get your hands on the latest in Harley-Davidson’s
Dark Custom line.

Sharing the
same Evolution 883cc V-Twin found on the 883 Low, this blackened
Sportster is called the Iron 883 and hides a low price under all that
attitude. MSRP: $7,899.


Our pal Pete Brissette reported from the artistically lo-brow model
unveiling held at a Santa Monica California art gallery last month.
Mingling with artwork from Shepard Fairey and Frank Kozik, suit-clad
connoisseurs and tattoo-sleeved artists got a peek at the Iron 883
alongside the attending member of the press. Standing out like a black
diamond in the crowd, the Iron 883 is a shining example of the power of a
little paint.

Standing out like a black diamond in the
crowd, the Iron 883 is a shining example of a Dark Custom.
When the wallet opens, Harley-Davidson is there to deliver just what
the market wants. While Harley’s CVO line appeals to a buyer that wants a
bike that can blind every person within 50 feet of their
exceptionally-chromed scoots, H-D now makes a bike that’s ready to blend
in with the authentic nitty-gritty world of biker-dom, perfectly
camouflaging to the greasy underbelly of society where ‘real bikers’
come from – if you ask an outsider. That’s what Harley calls the “raw
side of the road.”

Bling with sting!

Harley’s blacked-out and matte-finished “Dark Custom” line has proven
to be attractive to younger buyers, appealing in both style and price.
H-D sold 29,000 bikes to people under the age of 35 in 2008, and the
Dark Custom line holds particular interest for the younger demographic.
Sales of DCs were up 24% in ’08, aided by the addition of the
bobber-like Cross Bones.

With just one operating unit and 10 journalists at the gallery
opening, Motorcycle.com didn’t get a crack at looking cool that
night. So Kevin Duke and myself hopped on a jet and met up with H-D
Press manager Paul James in Daytona Beach earlier this month to get us a
few miles in the saddle.

The Iron
883 is basically a 1203cc Nightster but with the 883cc motor. It has the
same chassis and suspension with short rear shocks, and also the
side-mount license plate and the brake/tail lights incorporated into the
rear turnsignals.


Spry and steeped in style, the newest member of the Dark Custom line
hasn’t changed too much from it’s more commonly known iteration, the
Sportster 883 Low. They share the same narrow steel frame and lowered
dual-shock rear suspension setups. Up front, the Iron sports rubber fork
boots to give it that retro-cool look.


Where the bike’s geometry lacks in legroom for riders over 5’10”, the
Iron makes up with attitude. It’s delivered with a menacing matte-black
paint scheme, Sportster-standard dual exhaust pipes, a 26.3” high solo
saddle (unladen; same as the Nightster and 883 Low) and a lighter
overall weight. The three-inch shorter total length makes for a light
turning machine, limited however by its lock-to-lock steering radius. I
think the Victory choppers we also rode that week made a tighter circle.
Luckily, Harley also shaved 18 pounds off the Low, which helps when
pushing the Iron around parking lots.

The Iron’s tighter and tougher design compromise is a riding position
too cramped for large riders however. “Even at my modest
five-foot-eight height,” says EIC Kevin Duke, “the position of the
footpegs caused my knees to ride oddly high. The Iron’s reduced-travel
rear shocks and thin seat are best suited for short riders.”

And if you’ve never ridden a Sportster before, expect the air cleaner
cover to feel “in the way” of your thigh. The otherwise very narrow
feeling bike is asymmetrically unbalanced by the protrusion of the air
cleaner. In an effort to provide adequate cornering clearance, the
slammed Iron has mid-mount footpegs that felt unnaturally high to Kevin.

“Power from the 883 motor can most diplomatically be described as modest. A broad torque band gives it decent around-town grunt, but experienced riders with a penchant for speed will be disappointed.” -KD

When we got the Iron into the sunny skies and straight roads of
Florida’s coastline, we can see the 883 really shine, despite Harley’s
best effort to keep the Iron dark and cool. Pete thought the staggered
dual pipes should have been given the black treatment instead of shiny
chrome, but I personally think a black pipe set would have ratted-out
the bike too much. Pipes are the soul of a Harley; I favor them shining
both day and night. In my opinion, Harley struck the perfect balance
between blackened bits and chrome tips on the Iron 883. Dark enough to
run with the sinister sister Dynas and Softtails in the DC line, yet
still a machine with its own character.

Like a
phoenix rising from the south, Fonzie trades in the KLR for a Dark
Custom and hits the strand looking for babes. (Sorry, Fonz, I don’t see
any girls in this picture. – Ed)


“Stylistically, the Iron is a great success,” remarks Mr. Duke. “The
matte finishes give it some rat-bike cool, and subtle touches like the
fork gaiters give in a nice tinge of nostalgia. I also love the
integration of the brake light into the turnsignals and the side-mount
license-plate holder I expect to see on other bikes in the future.”

Every rider is unique. But when you’re in Florida for Bike Week, it’s
hard as hell to stand out in the crowd. You can dress up like a
leather-dipped Santa Claus, ride a four-wheeled “motorcycle” down Main
Street or show up on the world’s longest bike and you still get
swallowed up by the magnitude of the event.


Make the event work for you alone and ride what fits your body and
your wallet. Over-chromed beasts and minimalist mounts alike are welcome
in Daytona, and Harley can deliver both of those experiences. For the
economically minded buyer and newbie alike, the sub-$8K Iron 883 strikes
black gold.


“The Iron 883 truly delivers an authentic Harley experience for less
than $8,000,” Duke concludes. “It provides a deep, soulful soundtrack so
familiar to us all, and it looks like a much pricier item than it is.”
The Perfect Bike For

Inseam-challenged riders and minimalist bikers alike will appreciate
the 2009 Iron 883’s lighter weight (compared to the 883 Low), it’s low
saddle height and comparably low price point.

Yeah, so what if I live in a pink house, I gots a Harley now. Yah!

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