The 1997 Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster Hugger was produced as a more light weight and economical alternative to the Harley Roadster. The 883 Sportster line has remained a popular choice for motorcycle enthusiasts on a budget. With only a single disc front brake set, it can be a little dangerous to riders not used to downshifting when decelerating. Also, the 883 cubic centimeter engine produces only 48 horsepower with a top speed of 98 mph. Though comparable to the Roadster in engine size, the 5 speed manual transmission is geared toward producing high torque, meaning it has a low rate of acceleration and would be a poor choice for racing. But there are a few simple ways to improve performance.
Tune Up Frequently
With a top engine performance rate of 6,000 RPM, the 1997 Harley 883 runs harder than most in its weight class. Throw in the tricky cam linkages of having 2 cylinders per valve, and the engine can easily fall out of timing. To that end, if you aren't sure do it yourself, bring your bike in for a tune up after every 3,000 miles, right around the same time as your oil changes.
Brake Modifications
Though any bike presents the danger of stopping hard enough to tip over the handlebars, it's a far better option than rear-ending someone. With only a single disc, the '97 Harley 883 is underpowered in this department. Give serious thought to replacing your brake disc with a ceramic aftermarket counterpart. They heat up more slowly and ensure the brakes grip more evenly. Don't wait until the last minute to swap out your brake pads. Replace them whenever there's is no less than 2 mm of surface thickness left. Also, the original brake lines are probably not as efficient as they once were. Replacing them with aftermarket braided stainless steel lines will improve brake responsiveness. These lines are more durable and have a much longer working lifetime.
Tires
Worn tires can lead to a dangerous loss of traction at high speed. The '97 Harley 883's tires should be replaced whenever the depth of the tread wears away to less than 3 mm. Insufficiently inflated tires can cause a dramatic loss in acceleration and top speed, while overly inflated tires can cause the treads to wear unevenly. The front tire should be kept inflated at 36 PSI and the rear at 38 PSI, both to within half a PSI.
Suspension
Though the front and rear-end suspension of the '97 Harley 883 was well adjusted when it left the factory, chances are that time has weakened the springs. This is called "sag." Ideally, the bike's shock absorbers should be at full extension under its own weight and drop to half extension under the weight of a rider. Two people are needed to adjust the suspension, one to sit on the bike and the other to measure the distance change from the ground and both ends. With this done, the shock absorbers can be adjusted. The shock rebound, a dial at the bottom of the shock, can be twisted clockwise to increase the stiffness of the suspension until sag has been accounted for.
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