It redefines the well-liked Sportster series with the new Revolution Max 1250T engine and a bevy of latest techs
Harley-Davidson’s Sportster lineup has been further expanded with the addition of the new Sportster S, which actually made its debut in concept form three years ago as the 1250 Custom.
Design-wise, the Sportster S appears crouched and powerful, thanks to its beautifully sculpted fuel tank and tail section that combine to encase the engine, thick inverted forks and wide-profile tyres. Meanwhile, the high-mount 2-1-2 exhaust and slim solo seat pay homage to the XR750 flat tracker.
There are three colours to choose from, namely Vivid Black, Stone Washed White Pearl and Midnight Crimson. All three come with a Chocolate Satin finish on the lightweight magnesium engine covers. Like many other Harleys, the bike is available with a wide range of accessories, which include a mid-control conversion kit, a sundowner solo seat, a detachable windshield, as well as tailbag.
Designed to thrill, the Sportster S is the latest motorcycle from Milwaukee to feature the new Revolution Max 1250T liquid-cooled V-twin engine after the Pan America. With a large displacement of 1,250 cc and a compression ratio of 12:1, the engine churns out 121 hp and 125 Nm of torque at 9,500 rpm.
Harley claims that the usage of smaller valves and port dimension on the cylinder heads and a different combustion chamber shape increase torque output by 10 percent at low and midrange rpm compared to the Pan America.
For suspension, the Sportster S gets a 43mm inverted cartridge forks and a Piggyback reservoir rear shock, both from Showa and are fully adjustable. It also comes with staggered cast aluminium wheels wrapped in Dunlop GT503 rubbers. Helping the 228-kg bike to come to a quick halt are 320-mm front and 260-mm rear discs, which are paired with four- and two-piston calipers from Brembo.
The electronics system doesn’t disappoint either, with Sport, Road, Rain and two custom modes for “special situations”, a suite of technologies called Cornering Rider Safety Enhancements that include a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a host of other riding aids, as well as a 4.0-inch round TFT display that supports Bluetooth.
