On thing about the old Sportster, its was cheap, parts cheap and available, you could rip the thing apart in your garage and toss all kinds of mods on it over a weekend, and, yes, its a through back to the 50's. This new Sportster is exactly what Harley wants with its new Rewire Strategy; premium, expensive, exclusive, and high tech for the gentry class.
@@e.l.9589 Does Harley Davidson buy reviews and reviewers? If a reviewer said a bike is basically unrideable would Harley provide them with any more demo bikes for review? Are the reviewers just influencers and puppets of the manufacturers?
I bought my first new Harley Davidson 44 years ago, still riding Harleys in my 60s, the new sportster and the Pan Am are for the newer, younger rider demographic, it's an opportunity to move forward into current times, perhaps develop a new type of H.D. rider, I think that's good!
I feel like the people whining about this new bike modernizing should just go buy a used Sportser from the past 50 years, since they’ve barely changed.
Test rode this at the MCN Festival this weekend. My first ride on a Harley as a bucket list thing. Loved the look of the bike. Kept reaching for mid pegs for the first mile but soon got used to it. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience but my skinny boney meat free a**e didn’t like the rear suspension much. Like I said I’m not a Harley guy but it was a fun experience and made me feel cool, which I certainly ain’t. 😎
Excellent review, It will be interesting to see what other iterations the Company spawns from this platform. I've seen somewhere that Bronx is on the way as well as a Cafe racer & dirt track style too.👍
Have a 2020 Rocket 3R 😎 💪 and ridden the Diavel 1260S. Can confirm the Diavel is no cruiser, nice bike BUT it’s tiny and the ride basically kills you after a couple of hours in saddle. Diavel seriously lacks the mid range torque and mile munching ability of the Rocket. Diavel a Hooligan in lower gears and high rpm but you have to Rev its nuts more in Sport to feel faster than Rocket 🚀 for me sets the standard for muscle cruisers. Will be interesting how the Sportster S compares, looks tiny. Still hoping for the Kawasaki Vulcan H2 🤞
@@roadkingkong1146 sure, I like BIL, it’s theoretical, I expect Sporster S will do okay on drag strip, as fairly light weight but real world won’t keep up with the grunt of Rocket 3R mid range or Diavel top end. It may be almost as agile as the Diavel but that does superb in S trim. However they are way more expensive so I think HD have done a great job, it’s a bit small for my liking but still going to try. They’ve already been doing mid 10s on Rocket stock and should go low 10s, despite its weight. I can ride my 3R with other sport nakeds on the 3R all day long, a great roadster 😎 I used to have an Octane and Sporster S for me is what an Octane S could have been 😊
@@78Outlaw the physical size of the Sportster S is my main concern as a taller person. But definitely giving it some thought as a second bike, something for those short sharp blasts when you only have a couple of hours spare
@@roadkingkong1146 yeah, I think as it has limited tank range and its proportions well suited to that 😊 I love getting into the twisties on the rocket, easily outhandles my old Octane (which was no slouch) but she’s a big bus, Diavel handles like a dream but found uncomfortable and buzzy for anything more than 1-2 hours.
Harley Davidson had to go high tech or go home. While every motorcycle manufacturer was leaping forward HD stood back keeping it simple and clinging onto 1950’s/1960’s technology that won’t cut it anymore with the huge primary chain rotating in oil, pushrods, rocker arms, bottom end cams, pushrod lifters and a hot ass air cooled engine. The Milwaukee 8 should be the last engine of this type unless they get rid of the pushrods. The revolution max engine in the Sportster & Pan America are fully liquid cooled & fully counter balanced engines with engine sensors, light weight but strong components, injection lubrication of parts instead of oil baths in a format that can be slightly modified based on the bike it’s in.
What a rip off for $15k. This bike puts out 111hp on the dyno. MT-09 is 110hp on dyno for $9399. Z900 is 115hp on dyno $8999. HD claims this is a "sport motorcycle". What a joke. I am the target market and I’m taking a hard pass.
Looks pretty heavy. In this day in age where pretty much every other bike manufacturer is looking to shed weight, make their bikes more nimble and manageable, Harley doesn't seem to want to learn the lesson! They're still stuck with the outdated dogma of creating big burly heavy old style cruisers which I believe is declining in popularity even in America lest other places in the world. Even though this has a name "sportster" I don't see anything sporty about it. Rather buy a Kawasaki or a Honda or Suzuki or Ducati or even a Triumph than this heavy old truck! Oh... And I do own a Harley....
Every UA-cam has arms straight out to reach handlebars, so no hope to hang on in a turn? Ok if sitting forward but my pegs are forward. Looks-- not comfy in all I've seen unless the hbars come back at least 6-8". This UA-cam, the same. Reaching gir the bars ,!
I’m just not seeming anything that excites me about this bike. How about a fresh VR 1000 super-bike that weighs less than 400 lbs with exotic metals and composites, Brembo’s, Ohlins 200+ hp? I’d be the first in line regardless of price
HD going after diavel or other electric bikes with livewire and on and on... its just embarrassing for them... but they're shameless because they know the stupidity of the average HD t-shirt/sticker buyer.
On thing about the old Sportster, its was cheap, parts cheap and available, you could rip the thing apart in your garage and toss all kinds of mods on it over a weekend, and, yes, its a through back to the 50's. This new Sportster is exactly what Harley wants with its new Rewire Strategy; premium, expensive, exclusive, and high tech for the gentry class.
Don't be so poor, it's gross.
@@e.l.9589 Does Harley Davidson buy reviews and reviewers? If a reviewer said a bike is basically unrideable would Harley provide them with any more demo bikes for review? Are the reviewers just influencers and puppets of the manufacturers?
@@geneclarke2205 I have never owned anything with the name Harley Davidson, so therefore I have no idea how their marketing department operates.
@@e.l.9589 No idea sums it up.
@@geneclarke2205 It is actually a positive thing to not be familiar with the brand. Invest your money, don't waste it on brand loyalty. 💰💸
I bought my first new Harley Davidson 44 years ago, still riding Harleys in my 60s, the new sportster and the Pan Am are for the newer, younger rider demographic, it's an opportunity to move forward into current times, perhaps develop a new type of H.D. rider, I think that's good!
37mm rear suspension travel? Dang, that is even less than previously reported and inadequate 2". Engine seems appealing, however.
Don't know why they didn't make a modern version of the Sportster as Triumph have done with the Bonneville.
Love it. Looks mean, modern bits. I'd actually test ride that unlike any other HD product.
I feel like the people whining about this new bike modernizing should just go buy a used Sportser from the past 50 years, since they’ve barely changed.
The lack of suspension travel will be this bike's downfall, perhaps, although it looks amazing.
With a tiny seat and forward controls will be a harsh ride, heavy wheels, single disc brake up front. The bike is a dud
@@johnengland8619 The seat is big enough, and my Buell only has a single disc. It's the rear shock travel for me. It will sell, though.
Idea! Take out the engine and the software and put it in the 48! That'll be great!
A bike for the "modern world" i.e. one to ramble on a specs and gizmos rather than ride. Safer that way I suspect.
I'll stick with my push rods 1200 XL Special for now.
Test rode this at the MCN Festival this weekend.
My first ride on a Harley as a bucket list thing.
Loved the look of the bike.
Kept reaching for mid pegs for the first mile but soon got used to it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience but my skinny boney meat free a**e didn’t like the rear suspension much.
Like I said I’m not a Harley guy but it was a fun experience and made me feel cool, which I certainly ain’t. 😎
That suspension travel is not for the roads in my area...
Not for the Russian engineered roads in my area either.
Being poor is so gross.
@@e.l.9589 My Урал can take the roads just fine. “Blessed are the poor….”
@@harrisodell8081 Sounds mediocre, strive for more than just fine.
@@e.l.9589 I reckon you are right, it is indeed mediocre. So that I will know what is better than just fine, what do you ride?
Excellent review, It will be interesting to see what other iterations the Company spawns from this platform. I've seen somewhere that Bronx is on the way as well as a Cafe racer & dirt track style too.👍
Everyone is leaning forward vs. up rite comfort. Perhaps the dedign to be adventure? So why not get an adv bike?
Mmm, not enough footage? I have seen that one corner at least 6 times...!
We have to go with what we get given.
All the Billy Joe Jim Bobs and Kooters out there are going to hate this bike because it's not there same old Harleys and it's about time .
Have a 2020 Rocket 3R 😎 💪 and ridden the Diavel 1260S. Can confirm the Diavel is no cruiser, nice bike BUT it’s tiny and the ride basically kills you after a couple of hours in saddle. Diavel seriously lacks the mid range torque and mile munching ability of the Rocket. Diavel a Hooligan in lower gears and high rpm but you have to Rev its nuts more in Sport to feel faster than Rocket 🚀 for me sets the standard for muscle cruisers. Will be interesting how the Sportster S compares, looks tiny. Still hoping for the Kawasaki Vulcan H2 🤞
Go watch Bikes I Like, he pits the Sportster S against lots of bikes and it does surprisingly well against the Rocket III and the Diavel
@@roadkingkong1146 sure, I like BIL, it’s theoretical, I expect Sporster S will do okay on drag strip, as fairly light weight but real world won’t keep up with the grunt of Rocket 3R mid range or Diavel top end. It may be almost as agile as the Diavel but that does superb in S trim. However they are way more expensive so I think HD have done a great job, it’s a bit small for my liking but still going to try. They’ve already been doing mid 10s on Rocket stock and should go low 10s, despite its weight. I can ride my 3R with other sport nakeds on the 3R all day long, a great roadster 😎 I used to have an Octane and Sporster S for me is what an Octane S could have been 😊
@@78Outlaw the physical size of the Sportster S is my main concern as a taller person. But definitely giving it some thought as a second bike, something for those short sharp blasts when you only have a couple of hours spare
@@roadkingkong1146 yeah, I think as it has limited tank range and its proportions well suited to that 😊 I love getting into the twisties on the rocket, easily outhandles my old Octane (which was no slouch) but she’s a big bus, Diavel handles like a dream but found uncomfortable and buzzy for anything more than 1-2 hours.
For the love of god put that motor in a Roadster
Still wondering if at 6'1" I'll be ok with mid controls , thoughts ??
Harley Davidson had to go high tech or go home. While every motorcycle manufacturer was leaping forward HD stood back keeping it simple and clinging onto 1950’s/1960’s technology that won’t cut it anymore with the huge primary chain rotating in oil, pushrods, rocker arms, bottom end cams, pushrod lifters and a hot ass air cooled engine.
The Milwaukee 8 should be the last engine of this type unless they get rid of the pushrods. The revolution max engine in the Sportster & Pan America are fully liquid cooled & fully counter balanced engines with engine sensors, light weight but strong components, injection lubrication of parts instead of oil baths in a format that can be slightly modified based on the bike it’s in.
It has a loose rear.
So near yet so far.
What a rip off for $15k. This bike puts out 111hp on the dyno. MT-09 is 110hp on dyno for $9399. Z900 is 115hp on dyno $8999. HD claims this is a "sport motorcycle". What a joke. I am the target market and I’m taking a hard pass.
Looks pretty heavy. In this day in age where pretty much every other bike manufacturer is looking to shed weight, make their bikes more nimble and manageable, Harley doesn't seem to want to learn the lesson! They're still stuck with the outdated dogma of creating big burly heavy old style cruisers which I believe is declining in popularity even in America lest other places in the world. Even though this has a name "sportster" I don't see anything sporty about it. Rather buy a Kawasaki or a Honda or Suzuki or Ducati or even a Triumph than this heavy old truck! Oh... And I do own a Harley....
It is actually very light and nimble, especially at lower speeds. Did you test rode it? It does not feel like a traditional harley at all
@@moska47 No I haven't done that yet. Maybe I will but honestly I'm done with Harleys.
Every UA-cam has arms straight out to reach handlebars, so no hope to hang on in a turn? Ok if sitting forward but my pegs are forward. Looks-- not comfy in all I've seen unless the hbars come back at least 6-8". This UA-cam, the same. Reaching gir the bars ,!
With that rear guard your going to get wet in the rain
I’m just not seeming anything that excites me about this bike. How about a fresh VR 1000 super-bike that weighs less than 400 lbs with exotic metals and composites, Brembo’s, Ohlins 200+ hp? I’d be the first in line regardless of price
Gentrified sportster lol
Nice engine, completely stupid chassis.
HD going after diavel or other electric bikes with livewire and on and on... its just embarrassing for them... but they're shameless because they know the stupidity of the average HD t-shirt/sticker buyer.
깜박이가 바꼈네
yeah, but it looks so ugly
I cant believe how people would waste their money on these monstrosities of a bike. JAPAN RULES!
Superior Japanese engineering
Japanese are utilitarian bikes. Good bikes, but utilitarian after all.