What the 2007 Sportster 1200C Actually Is
The 2007 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200C is the last year of the carbureted, belt-driven Custom variant before Harley shifted everything to EFI. It uses the Evolution 1200cc V-twin, which is a pushrod OHV design with a dry sump lubrication system. The "C" stands for Custom. It came with detachable sissy bar, a peashooter-style exhaust, lower clip-on style handlebars, and a solo seat. The engine makes roughly 55 horsepower at the crank and about 59 lb-ft of torque. That's not fast by modern standards, but the power delivery is fairly linear thanks to the long stroke and low RPM focus. I bought my first 1200C in 2014 with 18,000 miles on it. The previous owner had barely broken it in properly and the primary drive was already showing wear. Here's what you need to know if you're dealing with one, from actual experience rather than a brochure.
The 2007 Harleydavidson Sportster 1200c An Enduring Classic Dissected
Starting and idling issues are the most common complaints. The 2007 model still uses Mikuni VM34 carburetors, which are decent but finicky when they get old. The idle mixture screws are factory-set to a specific position and they drift over time. If your bike won't idle below 1,400 RPM or surges at warm idle, clean the carbs completely and reset the idle mixture screws to 1.75 turns out from lightly seated, then adjust the throttle cable free play to exactly 2-3mm of slack before the cable engages the throttle arm. That's the spec and most people skip it. The cam chain tensioner is a known weak point on Evolution engines from this era. The factory tensioner uses a rubber/plastic guide that degrades and the chain tensioner foot can collapse, causing chain slap and eventual timing jump. I replaced mine with an aftermarket aluminum guide kit (the cycleology or Arlen Ness versions work fine) and a hydraulic tensioner upgrade. Cost about $60 in parts and took two hours with basic tools. If you hear a rattling noise from the right side of the engine at idle that goes away when you give it a little throttle, check the tensioner before you assume it's rod knock. It's almost never rod knock on these engines. The ignition system uses a CDIC module that sits under the seat. These things fail periodically and the symptoms mimic a bad spark plug wire or coil. If you're getting intermittent misfires that come and go, check the connector pins on the CDIC first. They corrode from moisture ingress under the seat. Clean them with electrical contact cleaner and dielectric grease. I've seen three bikes brought in for "bad ignition coils" where the actual problem was corroded pins on the CDIC harness.
Belt maintenance is simpler than chain but costs more when it fails. The 1200C uses a Gates belt. Check tension monthly. Proper tension is about 10-12mm of deflection at the midpoint between the sprockets with moderate thumb pressure. Too tight and you'll kill your rear wheel bearings. Too loose and it skips teeth under hard acceleration. Replace the belt every 30,000-40,000 miles or when you see cracking on the inner ribs. Don't use belt dressing. It doesn't help and it attracts debris that accelerates wear on the sprocket teeth. The peashooter exhaust is loud for its size but thin on torque. The restrictive design creates backpressure that actually hurts low-end pull. If you want more mid-range without spending much, a smaller bore megaphone or even a stock-style silencer on the peashooter will make a bigger difference than a full aftermarket system. I tried a Full Bastard pipe on my bike and it sounded great but lost about 3 lb-ft of torque at the wheel. Stock or close-to-stock exhaust gives you the best real-world rideability on this platform. Primary drive chain rattle is normal but manageable. The 1200C has a dry primary with a 3-plate clutch pack and a pump-driven oil system. You should hear some chain slap at idle. If it's excessive, add primary chain lube through the filler cap (about 3 ounces of Harley primary fluid or equivalent) and check the tension. The primary chain should have about 1/4 inch of play. If the tensioner arm is worn, replace it. These are cheap parts, $15-20.
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The fuel tank sends signals to the gauge through a sender unit that fails frequently. If your gauge reads empty when there's clearly fuel in the tank, or jumps erratically, replace the sender. It's accessible from underneath the tank without removing it in most cases. The factory sender uses a float arm that wears out the resistive track. Aftermarket senders with Hall effect sensors last longer. I switched to a Cyclemax unit and haven't had issues in five years. Hard points to deal with. The left side of the engine case has a notorious oil leak between the primary and the transmission. It's the primary chaincase gasket or the output shaft seal. Also check the oil filter sandwich plate gasket on the right side of the engine. These leaks are annoying but not catastrophic. The real concern is the water pump seal on the left front of the engine. If you see coolant weeping from between the primary and the radiator, the water pump seal is failing. This requires removing the primary cover and the water pump housing. It's a four-hour job with basic tools. If you're looking at buying one, check the rear wheel bearings. The belt tension will destroy them if it's been wrong for any length of time. Spin the rear wheel and listen for grinding or roughness. Also check the front fork seals. These Sportsters leak from the forks quite often, especially in humid climates. Replacing fork seals is straightforward but time-consuming.
The 1200C isn't a refined machine. The vibrations at highway speeds are noticeable, the ergonomics favor a tall rider with short legs, and the fuel economy is about 45-50 MPG which is fine but not impressive. But for the price you pay, the parts availability is excellent and the mechanical simplicity means you can do most maintenance yourself with basic tools. The Evolution engine is bulletproof if you keep up with the cam chain and oil changes. I've seen 80,000+ mile examples that run perfectly. I've also seen 20,000 mile bikes falling apart from neglect. The difference is always maintenance, not inherent flaws. If you want something faster and more modern, look at the 2008+ EFI models or the XR series. But if you want a straightforward, simple cruiser that you can work on yourself and that holds value reasonably well, the 2007 1200C is still a solid choice. Just buy it with a compression test and a carb cleaning already done if you can find one.
