Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883 vs Sportster Forty Eight (48)

The first Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 883 was released in 1957 and remained in production until 1985. In 1986, an evolution engine was installed on the 883 cc Harley Davidson model. However, in 1991, the Iron 883’s four-speed transmission system was replaced with a five-speed transmission system. Moreover, the old chain drive was replaced with a belt drive that is still being used in all Harley Davidson Sportsters.

The Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight was first released in 1978 . It was fitted with a 1200 cc (48 cu) engine. In 1986, a new evolution engine was introduced for all Sportster models: an Evolution overhead-valve engine with alloy heads. Over the years, many slight changes were made to the original Sportster. In 2010, Harley launched the XL1200X or the Forty-Eight. This vehicle resembled the Harley Davidson Nightster but had lower suspension, new under-mounted side mirrors, wider tires, and a smaller fuel tank.

Major key differences:

The initial key differences anyone would notice between these models are:

• Harley Davidson Sportster 48 has a 16-inch fat tire at the front instead of a 19-inch slim front tire of Harley Sportster Iron 883.
• The fuel tank of the Harley Davidson Sportster 48 has a capacity of 2.08 gal and it is smaller in size than the 3.3 gals of fuel capacity of the Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 883’s fuel tank.
• The footrest position of the Harley Davidson Iron 883 is straight down while the footrest of the Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight is at the front.
• The side mirrors of the Iron 883 are above the handlebar while the Sportster Forty-Eight has the side mirrors below the handlebar.

The further differences between both of these models are given below in the table:

Major key similarities:

Despite of all the multiple difference between both of these models, they are both Sportster. Therefore they do have some similarities between them as well which are given below:

• Handlebar design: Both of these Sportster models have the same handlebar design and same identical meter gauge. With the same handlebar design, both share the same placing of the switches like kill switch, hazard button, right turn signal, and start button on the right-hand grip side, while on the left-hand grip they have a horn button, light beam button, left turn signal, and a trip button that helps to change the display on the digital screen.
• Rear tire: Both Sportsters have the same 150/80B16 77H rear tire with the same placement of license plate. With the same rear tire, both share the same rear pre-load adjustable suspensions as well.
• Braking system: Both have the same disc brake system, a single 11.5-inch rotor with a dual-piston caliper at the front and a signal 10.5-inch rotor with a dual-piston caliper at the rear.
• Features: Both have the same features like both have optional ABS, oil indicator, kill-switch, electric start, same headlight and backlight, and same side indicators.
• Fenders and mudguards: Both have the same short front and rear mudguards. However, all three colors of Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight have the same vivid black color mudguards. While the color of the mudguards of the Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 883 is the same as the color of the fuel tank.
• Transmission system: Both Sportsters have a belt drivetrain which requires low maintenance and has a long life as compared to other chain drivetrains. Both shares the same 5-speed transmission system.

The further differences between both of these models are given below in the table:

Both Harleys share the same Air-cooled evolution engine but both deliver different output power.

Both of these HARLEY DAVIDSON MODELS have a similar frame, but with a few external changes. The Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight has lower suspension, a smaller fuel tank, a solo seat, under-mounted side mirrors, low ground clearance, and wide front tires. Meanwhile, the IRON 883 has a greater length, a bigger seat, a bigger fuel tank, and standard upright side mirrors. Its front rim is bigger than the HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER FORTY-EIGHT .

Both of these models have three different colors, and black is the base color in both these motorcycles. The newer color variants cost a bit higher than the base black variant.

Although both motorcycles are made by Harley Davidson, they have different user reviews and offer different riding experiences. As both Harley models have different engine sizes, they also have different braking systems as well. Both of these Harley models have a similar type of engine and require the same amount of maintenance.

The HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER IRON 883 and SPORTSTER FORTY-EIGHT are smaller motorcycles which makes them ideal for beginners and riders of average height. However, the HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER 883 might not be the best option for TALL RIDERS and HEAVYWEIGHT RIDERS .

According to some Sportster riders, the Harley Davidson Sportster 883’s seat is not very comfortable for long rides.

The riding experience depends on the motorcycle’s riding position, braking system, HANDLEBARS position, floorboard/footrest position, and SEAT. All of these are discussed below:

For some riders, especially those who are used to riding cruisers, the HARLEY SPORTSTER FORTY-EIGHT’S riding position is more comfortable than the Harley Davidson Iron 883. This is because the Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight’s floorboards are positioned towards the front. The rider’s legs can be straight instead of bent. For a TALL RIDER , the Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight might be the best option.

On the other hand, beginners prefer the Harley Davidson Iron 883’s riding position more than the Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight because of its footrest position and manageable engine power. The HARLEY DAVIDSON IRON 883 has a smaller 883-cc engine that produces a lesser horsepower of 54 hp than the Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-eight’s 60 hp of horsepower, making this vehicle easier to handle for beginners.

Both of these Sportster models provide a comfortable riding experience but if the rider has plans for long-distance rides on any of these models, then the stock seat of these Harleys will feel stiff. Therefore, the traditional Sportster riders also prefer to have an aftermarket seat for their Harley Sportster.

Both Harley models have the same handlebar design and position but have different seat heights. The Harley Davidson Iron 883’s overall height is 44.1 inches which are higher than the 42 inches height of Sportster Forty-Eight. But the Iron 883’s 25.7 inches seat height is less than the Sportster Forty-Eight’s 26.2 inches seat height. The Iron 883’s handlebars position is ideal for riders of average height and for a taller rider, the HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER FORTY-EIGHT’S handlebars may feel a bit low, however, the legs will be in a relaxed position. Riders can also get aftermarket handlebars and long or short front suspensions in order to adjust the height of the handlebar.

Both Harley motorcycles are fitted with single-disc brakes at the front and single-disc brakes at the rear.

The HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER IRON 883 has an 11.5 inches rotor squeezed by a twin caliper and the same mechanism for the rear wheel but it has a 10.5 inches rotor. The overall brakes of HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER IRON 883 are not the very best but they totally commensurate with this motorcycle’s going power.

Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 883 has a 39 mm front fork shock which the Harley has been using for quite a long with this fork a 19 inches slim tire is attached. This slim tire makes the handling of the Sportster Iron 883 very precise and comfortable. However, on the rear, the Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 883 has used pre-load adjustable shocks which provides a very nice experience. However, for many heavyweight riders, the HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER 883’s suspensions are not ideal, the heavyweight riders may need to replace the stock shocks of the Sportster Iron 883 with aftermarket shocks. Although the Sportster Iron 883 has a ground clearance of 5.5 inches with stock rear shocks it can be very stiff and bumpy for a heavyweight rider.

The HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER FORTY-EIGHT requires very minimal maintenance. The Sportster 883’s overall handling experience is better than the HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER FORTY-EIGHT because of its skinny tires.

Many Sportster riders like to make modifications to their HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER 883, to enhance the performance of the 883-cc engine simply by changing out the air cleaner, full system exhaust, and adding the fuel controller. All of these modifications improve the motorcycle’s overall performance. After 120 to 130 miles, the Sportster Iron 883 and Sportster Forty-Eight seats become uncomfortable and cause fatigue. Many riders also prefer to change their seats so that their rides are better suited for traveling over long distances.

Both HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER 883 and HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER FORTY-EIGHT only have solo seats installed. Yet their engines are powerful enough that two people can easily ride on them. Riders would need to buy a separate passenger seat and peg mounts to be able to carry a second person.

In terms of aftermarket PARTS , both the Harley Iron 883 and Sportster Forty-Eight have plenty of customizable options available on the market. Even the Harley Davidson Sportster models are considered to be the most customizable Harleys in the world. There are many aftermarket parts manufacturing companies that make accessories for the Harley Sportster. The majority of Harley Davidson models have good parts availability worldwide. If any part is not available at a dealership, it should be easily available at the local manufacturers. 

The HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER FORTY-EIGHT is faster than the Harley Davidson Iron 883 due to its bigger engine and extra horsepower.

The HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER 883 is the better option for beginners. Its powerful engine, less horsepower, low seat height, bigger fuel tank, and better mileage makes it ideal for beginners.

The Harley Davidson Iron 883 has a bigger fuel tank, better fuel mileage, and is cheaper than the Sportster Forty-Eight, but has lower horsepower than its counterpart

The Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight has a bigger engine, more horsepower, and a higher top speed than the Iron 883. It has more storage capacity and a handlebars position better suited for taller riders than the Iron 883. However, the Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight is not as fuel-efficient.

Both of these models have comfortable riding experience for long distances. However, there are some key points that a rider should keep in mind before taking any of these motorcycles for a long trip. The Harley Davidson Iron 883 has a bigger fuel tank of 3.3 gals (12.5 L) and 51 MPG (21.6 km/l) of better fuel mileage than the Sportster Forty-eight. While the Sportster Forty-eight has a 1,200-cc engine that can produce 60 hp of horsepower, more than Iron 883.

Both of these have their own up and downsides, however, to conclude the answer if the rider is willing to use aftermarket parts then the Sportster Forty-eight is a good option because of its satisfying power but the rider should have saddlebags to carry extra gallons of fuel and if the rider prefers the stock parts than the Iron 883 is a good option.

Both of these HARLEY DAVIDSON MODELS have their pros and cons. The HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER 883 is a small motorcycle with a mid-sized engine that is easy to handle for newer riders. On the other hand, the Harley Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight has a bigger engine and more horsepower but has a smaller fuel tank and less, making it not ideal for long-distance trips. Both of these motorcycles have low rear suspensions, forcing many riders to change them out. Despite their differences, both Harley motorbikes provide a similar riding experience.

However, to be able to take the HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER out for a long ride, it is recommended it be fitted with SADDLEBAGS , TANK BAGS, HANDLEBARS BAGS , etc.