Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Harley Comparison

I am looking at a 2002 TBA and went to Bikez.com for some tech specs. I did their user comparison with a Harley Sportster, and these are the results. Higher numbers are better, and the ratings are done by the bike users themselves. This is for a 2002 TBA and 2002 Sportster.

Overall rating:
TBA 74.2
Sportster 60.6
All bikes in this class 66.3

Engine performance:
TBA 82.6
Sportster 73.0
All bikes in this class 69.9

Reliability and problem-free driving:
TBA 93.5
Sportster 78.1
All bikes in this class 70.0

Fun-factor:
TBA 95.3
Sportster 80.6
All bikes in this class 77.3

Value for money:
TBA 84.6
Sportster 68.0
All bikes in this class 73.5

Repair and maintenance costs:
TBA 69.1
Sportster 20.1
All bikes in this class 64.1

Design and look:
TBA 91.0
Sportster 63.0
All bikes in this class 74.5

Offroad capabilities:
TBA 26.3
Sportster 45.3
All bikes in this class 47.3

Racing track capabilities:
TBA 35.4
Sportster 31.5
All bikes in this class 53.8

Touring capabilities:
TBA 78.3
Sportster 57.9
All bikes in this class 65.3

Accident risk:(excellent=low risk)
TBA 85.8
Sportster 88.1
All bikes in this class 67.2

It's probably ok to ignore the offroad capabilities rating. lol

Race-track capabilities:

TBA 35.4
Sportster 31.5
All bikes in this class 53.8

WTF are they comparing it to? I would have thought that "All bikes in this class" means other cruisers?

And here's me thinking the TBA/SM handled well.

Doh!

Has any one else actually taken an America/SM round a track......

As a complete noob on a track...I was impressed with how she went round the corners and she didn't hang around.

But what else is in the class??? And they are not well known frequenters of tracks....

I wonder if the SM would rate higher just on the dual front brakes?

I looked up the 06 SM and it rates 55.7- but loses to the HD in most other categories!!!!

So the TBA wins 9-2. Pretty darn good. However, the TBA could win at 100%. The dirt capabilities... Maybe they rated that higher because Sporty's have a tougher time stayng on the road? Accident risk... The TBA has a higher risk of accident because people actually ride them.

Soren

Not that our bikes are made for off-road, but the one thing that does more that anything else to prohibit that is the 33.3 degree rake angle. I very much wish that they had reduced it to about 31 or 32 degrees or even less: that would have made a major improvement on or off-road. The regular Bonneville is only 28 degrees, and the Thruxton is advertised at 27 degrees (but maybe really the same as the Bonneville).

thats why you have the options of either the regular bonnie, the thrux, or ours

Frank

I like the 33 rake. Never been on the track but have drug the heat shield clamps on my SM going around Oklahoma highway on ramps.