By AZLAN RAMLI
IN 1997, a dear friend bought himself a new Harley-Davidson Sportster XLH883 “Hugger”. It was one of three 883 models introduced the year before; a Base model with a solo saddle and no tachometer but with shorter rear shock absorbers and a “buckhorn” handlebar.
He frequently asked me to use it, usually for only a day or two but once, he let me keep it for a couple of months straight. For that, I love him long time! That was when I really got to know the Sportster. It was a lot of fun; the simplicity of its design went so well with the generous torque from its carburetted, air-cooled, 45-degree tandem V-twin engine and relaxed, cruiser gearing, made even more fun with a pair of “turnout” mufflers my friend had chosen from H-D’s super-long list of genuine accessories.
There were no liquid-cooling, fake fins or overhead camshafts, either. It was not made for speed or anywhere near “high-performance”, as all production H-Ds were, back then. Its modest 48hp (at 6,000rpm) but impressive 61Nm of torque from just 2,500rpm were just about right.
There were things I didn’t like about the bike too, such as the arm-numbing vibration, small 12.5-litre fuel tank, lardy 225kg wet weight, zero storage space and those damn brakes – the front had weak bite and the rear locked up so easily. But despite all those, I enjoyed myself each time I was on it, I accepted it for what it was and would’ve been silly to expect it to look, feel and go like Japanese and European bikes.
To many H-D enthusiasts, the Sportster (883 and its 1200 brother) is the company’s true “sport bike” and it’s not just because of its name. No motorcycle in H-D’s product line-up has ever been as successful and versatile as the Sportster, being its best and preferred base bike for hillclimbs, drag races, ice racers, road racers, flat track racers, land speed-record racers, all-around road bike or whatever other bikes that H-D ever made; it definitely has very broad capabilities, making its mark in nearly every niche in motorcycling.
Continuously developed and improved for more than 60 years since it was first launched, it is one of the longest, continuously produced motorcycle models in the world. However, its (slow) evolution was interrupted by the Euro 5 regulations, introduced for motorcycles in 2020 and would definitely kill the Sportster unless a major, drastic change is done for it to stay in the market. H-D simply had to keep its best-selling model alive – mere tweaks to the old engine, no matter how clever, won’t be near enough, as the next Sportster cannot be air-cooled anymore. H-D had to write a very large cheque for the new one.
One letter, a thousand tech
Enter the Sportster S, an addition to H-D’s 2021 line, which was unveiled on July 14 last year via a global virtual launch. A brand-new bike that has eschewed everything a H-D bike its users and fans alike have always expected it to be, only the nameplate remains and everything else was flung out the factory window. H-D stated that the S ushers in a new era of Sportster performance; designed with a taut, lightweight chassis and premium suspension, for a responsive, intuitive handling on a stylish and powerful ride.
A technological leap from the 883/1200, the S is powered by a liquid-cooled, eight-valve, 121hp, 1,252cc “Revolution Max 1250T” V-twin engine and is equipped with a host of tech designed to enhance the riding experience. Three pre-programmed, selectable ride modes (Sport, Road and Rain) electronically control the bike’s performance characteristics – plus two custom modes for the rider to create a set of performance characteristics to meet personal preferences or for special situations.
ABS/cornering ABS, traction control and other collection of technologies intended to enhance rider confidence during unexpected situations or adverse road conditions, are designed to match the bike’s performance to available traction during acceleration, deceleration and braking, in a straight line or while in a turn.
All those technology intervention are presented on a round, 4.0-inch-diameter round thin-film-transistor LCD screen, which also displays all instrumentation and supports infotainment generated by the rider’s Bluetooth-equipped mobile device and helmet headset, including music, incoming and outgoing calls.
The powertrain is a stressed member of its chassis, eliminating the traditional frame, a design that significantly reduces motorcycle weight and results in a very stiff chassis that contributes to precise handling. A welded tubular steel trellis swingarm features a braced design and stamped X-member to further stiffen the chassis.
The bike is pre-wired for accessory heated hand grips for added comfort in wet-and-cold weather and is equipped with two dedicated power points for heated riding gear (heated hand grips and heated riding gear/apparel each sold separately), plus a USB-C port for charging a phone or other device.
Other standard features include variable valve timing, fully adjustable, premium Showa inverted front fork and rear suspension, Brembo brake system, lightweight cast aluminium rims, cruise control, proximity-based security system, all-LED lighting system, high-mount 2-into-1-into-2 exhaust, slim solo seat inspired by the legendary XR-750 racer, wide-profile tyres and lightweight magnesium engine covers.
After a few days ...
The bike looks good; my salutes to the designers. Its fat 160/70 x 17in front and 180/70 x 16in rear wheels, high-mount pair of stainless steel exhausts inspired by the glory days of H-D flat-track racing, very good build quality and finishing; and that beautiful engine. It looks good static and I feel it also makes YOU look cool just standing next to it!
Immediately after sitting on it, I was reminded of the 1,130cc VRSC “V-Rod” I tried back in 2004. That bike uses a liquid-cooled, eight-valve, overhead camshaft, 60-degree V-twin engine designed by Porsche and was the first water-cooled engine in H-D history. It originated from the VR1000 race bike. Producing 115hp at 8,500rpm, the most of any H-D, it immediately became the quickest and fastest production model the company has ever built, capable of reaching 60mph (96.6km/h) in 3.5 seconds and 100mph (161km/h) in a little over 8.0 seconds. Its top speed was just under 225km/h. I enjoyed it thoroughly and couldn’t complaint much about it.
While the V-Rod’s and also that old Hugger’s power, handling and all-around “feel” were somehow just right for me back in 2004 and 1997, respectively, I felt the Sportster S was a bit too powerful and handful. It is just a few kilos heavier than the old 883 but with 2.5 times the horsepower, I felt so much of its power was underutilised and there was nowhere for me to hide from the frontal windblast. H-D did announce the Revolution Max engine will eventually come in sizes smaller than 1,252cc, all the way down to 500cc. I’d like to try that little one.
The forward foot controls make for an awkward riding position, at both urban-slow and highway speeds. The handlebar-end mirrors add more width and are troublesome in urban traffic. I couldn’t see much in them, too.
Taking on a pillion rider, which means adding a pillion seat (sold separately, of course), is not what any Sportster is about, although it can easily accommodate them.
Sixth gear is very pleasantly Harley-cruiser relaxed, but only when the roads are quiet and long. Fourth or fifth are the top gears for city traffic.
The display on the small, single clock is too small and not clear enough during a very bright day, especially when I was wearing sunglasses or a helmet with dark sun visor.
The bike changes directions a lot better than most other H-Ds but I had to constantly fight with its big front tyre, requiring me to give the handlebars some extra push, when I wanted to lean a bit more than it allowed. Changing directions mid-corner was also a challenge and again, that front tyre is the culprit.
The Showa suspension is fully adjustable and work decently well. While the Brembo brakes – four-piston calliper with 320mm disc at the front and two-piston, 260mm disc at the rear – are as good as expected, another disc-and-calliper set in front would’ve been nice; it’s a 121hp, 228kg, 1,252cc sports(ish) bike, after all.
I wish the 37mm rear and 92mm front suspension have a bit more travel, for the sake of my spinal disks, despite the rear’s preload via its remote adjuster (located under the left hand-side of the seat) that has an amazing 40 clicks to experiment with.
Lastly, the 11.7-litre fuel tank is a bit too small.
So, how?
As a package, the Sportster S is very impressive, even when compared to its muscle bike rivals: the design, technology and future direction.
If I am to buy it, replacing the forward foot controls with mid controls (conversion kit for Sportster S, sold separately. H-D is the foremost expert in accessorising and merchandising, as we all know) would be the better way; the standard hands-ass-feet positioning is simply not nice, especially for long rides.
Also, I’d add a front cowl/fairing, for that high-speed comfort and only then I would gladly “embrace” the Sportster S, like I did the 883 Hugger and also the ground-breaking V-Rod.
The Sportster S sells for RM92,900 (excluding road tax, insurance and registration). Available in Vivid Black, Stone Washed White Pearl and Midnight Crimson, it is sold in Malaysia by Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya, Harley-Davidson of Penang, Route 77 Harley-Davidson of Kuala Lumpur, Harley-Davidson of Johor and Harley Davidson of Kota Kinabalu.
