2020 Harley-Davidson Iron 883
- Andrew Shin
- Oct 8, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 1, 2020
My fellow riders, enthusiasts, and those curious about riding motorcycles, WELCOME! My goal is to share resources, inform readers of motorcycle-related content, and help new riders learn from my mistakes.
I fell in love with motorcycles at an early age, but my mom prohibited me from riding until I was in college. When I got to college, it was "until you graduate". After graduation, "until you are married and your wife is okay with it". Well, my dad sold my first car while I was in college and he ended up with three motorcycles... so I figured I'd pursue riding because "if dad can, so can I". Fast-forward to now. I'm 25, moved out, employed, and have a lot of time for new hobbies especially during this pandemic quarantine. It took me less than a month to complete motorcycle training, acquire a motorcycle license and purchase a bike -- 24 days to be exact. I'm excited to document all things motorcycle in here so that I could potentially bring value to anyone interested or curious to learn.
For context, I am a brand new rider. The closest to riding a motorcycle I've experienced was riding a standard bicycle as a kid. My first car was stick-shift manual car, so I had basic understanding of gear-shifting. With all that in mind, let me tell you WHY I got a 2020 Harley-Davidson Iron 883, WHAT I plan on modifying/customizing, and HOW I intend to use this bike.
The WHY
First off, have you seen the 2020 Harley-Davidson Iron 883 in denim black?! It's a thing of beauty. I purchased this bike on September 19, 2020. I did extensive research on all the bikes before making a purchase, and it came down to how I will ride and the aesthetics of the bike. Whether you like the way the bike runs or not, you have to admit it's a cool-looking bike. I then considered the size. I am 5'9", 155 lbs. A large motorcycle would be a ridiculous fit for me; I would be unable to flatfoot when idle on the bike, and the bike would be too heavy to pull back up in the unfortunate case I drop it. Aside from size, I intend to ride for local commuting (either to-and-from work, or visiting a nearby friend). I did not plan on riding long distance and travelling frequently on freeways so I didn't need a bike that goes 70+ mph. Although there are more practical bikes out there, I purchased the 2020 H-D Iron 883 because I will primarily be doing short, quick rides on a beautiful black bike. Simple as that.
The WHAT
For the time being, I plan to keep my motorcycle to its stock form. I understand many people perform modifications as soon as they buy a bike, like a Stage 1 upgrade, new seats, new grips, saddle bags, sissy bar, etc.
I want to keep the bike stock in the beginning to learn the ropes of riding before purchasing additional mods. I do plan on flipping the mirror upside-down and getting a new swingarm bag after 1,000 miles. I am also considering a phone mount and potentially "black out" the forks. As far as upgrading to a Stage 1 kit, I'll consider that after several months. I have an open mind to adding/modifying my bike, but I truly believe simple bikes can be better than a bike with baggage.
The HOW
The idea of beating LA traffic had always been desirable. Growing up where a few miles could mean 20+ minutes in traffic was appalling and I knew there had to be better solutions, like flying cars (unfortunately we're not there yet). I picked up this bike to mainly commute to-and-from work - thankfully that is just a 15 minute drive, in and of itself. I rarely plan to ride on the freeways going 70+ mph and just need a place to get me from Point A to Point B - short distances of course. As I become more comfortable as a rider, I hope to try out longer, scenic rides and share with you any new routes to check out.
I do hope you find my following motorcycle posts useful to your agenda. And as always, wear your helmet and keep the rubber side down.
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