Harley Davidson has given us a sportbike – and not just any sportbike.
World, meet the Sportster® S – a trick in HD’s hat that’s been blessed with the Revolution Max powertrain and, like the Pan America, boasts enough torque in the lower powerband to feed a small family for a week.
The reveal came at 10am CDT (11am EST) this morning, with a full run-through of the model via the Youtube video (see above) and relevant press releases.
“The Sportster S is the next all-new motorcycle built on the Revolution Max platform and sets a new performance standard for the Sportster line,” says Jochen Zeitz, the chairman and president/CEO of Harley-Davidson.
“This is a next-generation Sportster defined by power, performance, technology, and style. And it’s part of our commitment to introduce motorcycles that align with our strategy to increase desirability and to drive the legacy of Harley-Davidson.”
The Sportster® S is a 121hp, 1250 V-Twin on a light chassis – made all the more balanced by integrating the engine into the central part of the chassis.
Add premium front and rear adjustable suspension, and you’re in for a ride smoother than a snickers bar.
Of course, with the Revolution Max powertrain, you’re getting the crazy torque in the lower end, plus the promise of the torque curve staying flat through the powerband – contributing to power through the mid-range.
The Sportster® S also comes with a set of chunky inverted forks and wide profile tires that scream high-performance sportbike, a fenderless front (bobber inspo), and a tail section, high-mounted exhaust, and narrow seat reminiscent of Harley Davidson’s XR750 Flat Tracker.
The weight is a very nice 502 lbs., and the fuel efficiency is advertised as 49 miles to the gallon – a full two miles better than Harley Davidson’s 2021 FXBB Street Bob 114.
Outfitted with the rest of the jazz is a 4.0-inch-diameter TFT screen display capable of generating infotainment from rider’s Bluetooth®-equipped mobile devices and helmet headsets, along with the navigation on the Harley-Davidson® App.
The color schemes? We’ve got Stone-Washed White Pearl, Midnight Black, and my favorite, Crimson Red – alongside a chocolate-satin finish that shows off the ultra-light magnesium engine covers, with other finishes and details purported to give the Sportster® S a custom bike feel.
“Every visual design element of the Sportster S model is an expression of the motorcycle’s raw power,” said Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson vice president of styling and design. “This is a wolf in wolf’s clothing.”
The Sportster® S will be hitting dealerships by this fall at a neat base MSRP of $14,999.
For more information, visit www.harley-davidson.com.
That bike looks like crap.
What a horrible piece of poop! What is with these American bike companies and balloons for tires? Make a proper motorcycle with 17×120 front and 17x 180 rear. 120hp and a single disk up front? Harley is good at making a MAh bike. Maybe in person it will make more sense. I thought the Pan American was ugly until I saw it in person. Is this supposed to be a cruiser or a street bike? I am so confused. I keep hopeful that Harley will make something the non-cruise crowd will like. They try and make many people happy and miss the mark.
Looking forward to reading ride reviews on this bike, sounds like fun!
We live in an era where we all are to feel ashamed of ourselves ; I Guess even Harley -Appease the epa and young ones with time and money. Harley bragged on their beautiful engines and sound –
Hope they like the new crowd they are inviting.
Short stroke engines are boring : high rev’s where they sound like their coming apart –
I’ll stick with my slow turning potato- potato –
Cobbled up abomination-
New “keyboard “ engineers –
That is one ugly bike!
I would not call it a sport bike in the traditional sense. More like a muscle naked along the line of a V-Max. Either way, their new engine is great.
“scream high-performance sportbike” sorry it doesn’t even whisper high-performance sportbike. Nothing about this bike even resembles a sportbike, 121hp out of a 1250cc engine is sad.
FUGLY. The performance of this turkey may be great, but sooner or later you have to look at what you bought.
Cannot say the pictures show it in a good light. It looks like they put magnets on all the components, threw them at the bike and wherever they stuck they left where it landed. Definitely not on my radar.
Good try harley y don’t they just make the bike that the image is massive power what the he’ll is 121hp, BMW gsa has 160 in dynamic mode where is power gone where the wow i want one now lol all about what else can be done yeah sorry big miss for me
The air-cooled Sportsters are some of the most elegantly simple and timelessly beautiful motorcycles ever made. This new machine is neither.
Not sure what the goal was here?
Motorcycles used to be for transportation, and transport on rough terrain.
You do has cycles for fun… That means different things to different people. Speed for one, handling at speed another, meeting up with your mates at the PUB another, and lest not forget racing from Café to Café yet another.
HD for me was always a cruiser… This new iteration? I’m not sure guys.
I suggest you look back at the beginning, its a motorcycle for transport, and you want to scratch the ‘Fun’ itch…
Sorry, but the new bike is hard to look at, and no room, real room anyway for a Pillion.
I dig it. I own a Ducati Monster 1200R and a Diavel 1260, both of which have plenty of power and handling ability. This Sportster looks like it would be a hoot.
BMW’s have been refined into oblivion. No there, there, anymore. What they do best is go fast while putting you to sleep. When they switch over to electric, no one will notice.
Glad Harley finally realized it’s the 21st century. Can’t wait to see what they build next.
looking forward to seeing up close and personal/demo ride
Let’s reverse engineer the Indian Scout and throw a Harley badge on it.
Another total fail from HD. No wonder they are going under. They keep making bikes that consumers of 40 years ago wanted. RIP, or should I write, “Good riddance, Harley”!
Well, the Harley-haters are out in force as usual. I own a Harley so I am not a hater of the brand. But their market is aging out and they are trying to rebrand and they aren’t doing a very good job. The poor bike looks awkward and what is this with the peanut gas tank? Style, style, style, so what if you have to stop for gas every hundred or so miles?
They had the perfect sports bike and threw their chance away – the Buell. A beautiful piece of engineering that handled really well and was a race winner.
This one may be good but the exhaust seems the worst styling ever and the motor looks too “chunky” – the whole point of the air-cooled motors was they were slim, if not that light.
But we shall see how a new generation takes to them. This is the bit that counts.
What a total disappointment. Single front brake ain’t going to cut it with that much power. 2 inches of rear suspension travel is useless. HD spent extra money on this engine to de tune it from the full 150hp… it even has different heads, why? Way, way too much money for what this thing is, just another bar hopper.