Harley Davidson Sportster S 2021
As a model, the Harley Davidson Sportster has been around for over 60 years, but the iconic Sportsters come in only two series - Ironhead and Evo. The 45-degree V-twin with bars has been the heart of these bikes since 1957, with all its vibrations, duplex frame, conservative styling and spartan ergonomics. All of this, however, changes in 2022 with the introduction of the Sportster S.
Harley Davidson Sportster S
For the first time in history, the Sportster has Brembo brakes, a six-speed transmission, and all-LED lights. Once an entry-level motorcycle, today's Sportster is equipped with a rich array of on-board electronics and high-quality components, and can easily be considered a premium model. The bold new design complements the quickly acclaimed Revolution Max engine and matches the ambitions of the updated model. Of course, the modern 1252 cc 60-degree V-twin does not give the usual vibration, but it produces 121 horsepower. The Sportster may have a 60-year history, but the modern Sportster S looks fresher and more modern than ever.
To confirm this, the Harley Davidson company has launched a fairly large-scale promotion - so much so that questions involuntarily arise, what is all this connected with - high technology, high quality components, modern suspension configuration? Is it the HD audience that is getting younger, or are they trying to attract new users? And most importantly, is this really a Sportster?
The answer, as always with Harley, revolves around its big, hot heart: the V-twin.
Owner reviews
Motorcyclists speak of the Harley-Davidson 1200 not just well, but with real love. Rest assured, if you bought this bike, you won’t be able to get away with easy sympathy. This is a motorcycle for the soul. If you're a fan of sportbikes rather than choppers, then this won't appeal to you. But if you are a fan of a leisurely and “soulful” ride, then you will like the smooth rumble of the engine and the classic appearance.
The raised steering wheel keeps your hands from getting tired, and the ease of control makes the Sportster 1200 ideal for urban conditions. Among the disadvantages, owners note the stiffness of the suspension, which almost does not soften the unevenness of the road. Motorcycle parts are of high quality. The virtually indestructible gearbox and excellent brakes will not soon require replacement after purchase. The only things that upset the owners are the too stiff clutch, which you have to get used to, and the forced loneliness on the road due to the small seat. Otherwise, if the Harley is looked after and faults are corrected in a timely manner, it will serve its owner for many years.
Engine Harley Davidson Sportster S 2022
Since 1986, the Sportster has carried the Evolution engine. Long after the big HD models switched to Twin Cam and then Milwaukee-Eight, Sportsters continued to be equipped with the bulletproof Evo. Long-stroke, airy, noisy, the Evo's charisma overshadowed its crudeness and archaism, and rather than improve the platform, Harley rightly decided not to fix what wasn't broken.
And when the time came, they reinvented the platform around the well-tailored, well-named (and well-run) Revolution Max engine. Recently debuted in Pan America, the twin-overhead 1252cc V-twin was retuned for the Sportster S, becoming the 1250T version, losing 29 top-end horses in the process, but gaining a cruiser character . By the way, you can’t really feel the difference from the saddle.
Harley Davidson Sportster S 2021
What is the essence of the cruiser character? The fact is that while the engine on the Pan America is frankly torquey, the Sportster S pulls at any speed. At least in Sports mode: Road is obviously softer, and Rain is very courteous and neat. Two additional riding modes allow you to customize the traction pattern, traction control and ABS settings, and even the degree of engine braking. So the new Sportster is capable of changing personality and temperament at the touch of a button.
In Sport mode, engine performance is very noticeable: from the very opening of the gas, thrust increases evenly, reaching a peak of 127.5 Nm at 6000 rpm. The 1250T is incredibly good in the mid-range, but continues to pull quite decently up to the 9500 redline. However, the e-throttle in Sport mode operates in stages, in an On/Off mode.
But when opening the gas, hold on - there is a good chance of sliding onto the edge of the flat saddle. When closing, hold on, too, the bike bites noticeably - in a word, if the Sports mode lacks grace, it more than makes up for it in enthusiasm, so it is best suited for dynamic rides on winding roads. Around town, Road mode smoothes out the V-twin's powerful thrust ripples without sacrificing much acceleration. True, the high exhaust, and the Revolution Max itself, emit quite a lot of heat, which is not very pleasant in hot weather at a city pace.
And although the Harley Davidson Sportster S deactivates the rear cylinder at idle, the tracker exhaust not only turns up the heat, but also keeps it under the seat. The right leg suffers first, but then the exhaust ports give in a couple. While driving, the heat doesn’t bother me much, but at traffic lights you have to keep your right foot on the step - there it gets less heat than if you put it on the asphalt.
However, despite this feature, Revolution Max is the real star of this show. Of course, like any star, he is packaged to the highest standard.
Harley Davidson Sportster S 2021
conclusions
As for taking a ride “through the village for a beer” – no complaints. A real Harley, even unlike the younger model, not just a paint inscription on the tank, but a whole emblem. But from the point of view of serious driving somewhere a couple of hundred kilometers away, the pleasure is dubious. Except very slowly. After just under an hour of driving, my arms began to tingle. Not as bad as on the Ducati - my hands didn’t go numb, but it was still noticeable. In general, spending about 14 thousand (including pre-sale preparation) knowing that you will inevitably want to spend more on customizing “trinkets” is not particularly tempting. For this money you can get a much more versatile and “solid” motorcycle from other manufacturers.
Harley-Davidson XL1200C Power : 67 hp / 96 Nm Volume : 1202 cm3 Weight : 255 (265) kg Price : from 13,500 euros
After listening to my “complaints” about the motorcycle, the local manager made a thoughtful face and continued the conversation with the phrases “well, since you’re here, I would advise you...” :). And 10 minutes later I had a Dyna Street Bob keychain in my pocket.
Continue reading. Impressions of the Harley-Davidson Dyna Street Bob.
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2022 Harley Davidson Sportster S chassis
The Harley Davidson Sportster S chassis consists of three separate frame parts, completely different from anything in the HD line of cruisers. The front, middle and rear cages mount directly to the motor, reducing weight and increasing rigidity. This in turn has significantly improved handling compared to the Evo era, plus increased the available lean angles from 28 to 34 degrees. He bends willingly and holds his trajectory quite decently.
This is all the more curious because the 17th front wheel is shod with a rather impressive 160/70 tire, and the rear, 16th, is shod with 180/70. And the same goes for the braking system: visually, the single 320 disc up front seems a bit small for a 121bhp bike, but the Brembo master cylinder provides excellent initial bite and subtle modulation and feedback. Of course, it would be very interesting to put the Sportster on narrower tires and equip it with two discs at the front, but the stock equipment exceeds all expectations.
And the same goes for the rear suspension of the Harley Davidson Sportster S: the backpack-style shock absorber travel barely reaches 4 centimeters, and it seems not much different from a dry frame, but the linkage in its composition allows it to perform much better than the numbers suggest. However, it also has obvious limitations: the shock absorber handles slow bumps quite easily, but on fast ones everything is much worse. Several blows in a row knock you out of the saddle or send the accumulated energy of the blow directly to the spine.
Of course, the aggressive low stance of the Harley Davidson Sportster S looks really sporty, but it also limits suspension travel. I would like the sportiest Sportster to have a longer-travel monoshock, but for now all that remains is to use the stock one, taking into account its limitations. Luckily, the fully adjustable inverted fork doesn't have these shortcomings. Its stroke is a little over 9 centimeters, but properly tuned, it never folds under braking and does not break through on large bumps. When cornering, the Sportster S maintains its trajectory smoothly and confidently, the standard tires - Dunlop GT503 specially designed for it - perfectly match its weight distribution and character , give good feedback and confidently hold the road. Of course, preloading the single-piston rear caliper on the 260mm disc does a good job of stabilizing the bike on corner entry.
Harley Davidson Sportster S 2021
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Separate control of right and left turn signals is a constant feature of all Harley Davidsons.
In their desire to preserve them at all costs, the Americans are reminiscent of Mercedes and their “holy grail” - a single steering column switch. Separate control of right and left turn signals is a constant feature of all Harley Davidsons. In their desire to preserve them at all costs, the Americans are reminiscent of Mercedes and their “holy grail” - a single steering column switch.
Ergonomics of Harley Davidson Sportster S
With a seat height of 75 centimeters, the Harley Davidson Sportster S accommodates a wide range of heights. Even short riders can reach the ground with both feet, despite the large heat shield on the right that presses against the leg. The steering wheel is perhaps a little far away; you have to reach for it with straight arms or even bend over slightly. The footpegs are moved forward, but not as impressively as on touring models - the landing is more like a scooter, with a 90-degree bend in the joints, but the feet point slightly upward.
Moving the footpegs forward makes long-distance riding more comfortable, but also transfers the load from the footpegs to the rear of the rider. Fortunately, there is an option with mid-mounted pegs, which is even more comfortable in the city, despite the sharper bend in the knees, and the handling and feel of the motorcycle with mid-pegs is better. True, this option is available as a paid option in the form of a conversion kit, but with its purchase both options will be available, and you can rearrange them according to your mood.
It must be said that the front footrests are quite comfortable, and they do not affect the angles of inclination, but with medium ones it better reveals its potential. This also applies to handling and the ability to stand up on uneven surfaces, because with the front footrests after a couple of hours you begin to feel that all the weight (and all the bumps) is on the pelvic bones, and the seat is frankly a bit thin.
The front footpegs are equipped with a long gearbox lever (the middle ones are shorter) - so sometimes you accidentally don’t engage the second one with the first one and end up in neutral. This is not the case with medium-sized pegs, but with high ones it will be uncomfortable.
One of the most interesting features of the 2022 Harley Davidson Sportster S is the new round four-inch TFT display. Its interface is convenient and intuitive, the remote controls are designed quite well, and the display is capable of displaying many different parameters, from engine and ambient temperature to tire pressure and battery voltage.
When connecting a smartphone via Bluetooth, the display can display navigation tips, the name of the caller and the audio player control interface. The Sportster S itself is not equipped with a GPS receiver, so navigation works through a smartphone, and music will be played through the helmet intercom - there is no sound system on the Sportster S.
The display is laid out quite well, but in diagnostic or navigation mode, part of the area is not used for displaying parameters, and when a lot of things are displayed on a small screen, it becomes difficult to read, especially on the go. In this sense, its stock layout is convenient - with a large speedometer, a dial tachometer, a gear indicator and a tripmeter.
2021 Harley Davidson Sportster S Dashboard
Absolutely wonderful characters appeared in the comments to the previous post, I even screenshotted this brilliant comment. So, under the cut of the wonders of Photoshop, a short story about a small solo ride across Europe on a charged 2003 Ridged (remember, 1250 cc, the motor without balancers is rigidly fixed in the frame).
The purpose of the trip was simple and banal. Prague, July 5-8, 2022, 115 years of Harley Davidson, the next event will be only in five years - you have to go, be it a carcass or a scarecrow.
I sketched out a route (Russia - Finland - Sweden - Denmark - Germany - the Netherlands - Belgium - Luxembourg - France - Germany again - Czech Republic - Slovakia - Hungary - Slovakia again - Czech Republic again - Germany again - Finland again - hello, swamp St. Petersburg!) . I came to the personnel at work and said, “give me three weeks of vacation, please,” the personnel did not raise an eyebrow, they said, “Yes, please!”
Preparing the motorcycle did not take much time. Plywood for the trunk so that the central trunk does not fall off, change the oil and filter in Finland with friends - and you’re good to go.
I took a ferry to Stockholm, hung out there for a bit and headed to the southwest of Sweden, to Gothenburg. In the process, I visited Västerås and Örebro, looked at traditional Scandinavian architecture, and marveled at the price tags for everything.
Looking ahead, the price tag in the Scandinavian countries for everything is a continuation of the Viking traditions of robbing the peoples of Europe. It’s just more convenient and you don’t have to swim anywhere.
Somewhere on the road to Westeros.
Castle in Örebro. This is the only photo, since I couldn’t find parking for a moped, plus I was still extremely scrupulous with traffic rules back then.
Gothenburg canals. Peter is Peter, only dirtier and more expensive.
Yes, I didn’t like Gothenburg - motherfuckers. At 8 pm there are no people in the city center, just gypsies and Turks. They yell at each other, honk their horns, there is “Fuck the police” graffiti everywhere, it’s hellishly dirty and I’m such a snowflake in the middle of this crazy place. I bought a magnet and almost ran out of there, otherwise I felt just like Willis in the photo below.
In the morning I also stopped by the Haga quarter, which is also in Gothenburg. I wasn’t impressed, alas, I’m still more drawn to medieval Europe, Scandinavia is like Ikea. Everyone has been to Ikea and seen this style - clean, spacious, no frills - and so, their whole country is like this. Boring.
With these thoughts I went to Malmo/Copenhagen. The Swedes, just so you know, drive along highways at least +15 to signs, and absolutely everything. At first I didn’t understand this and thought “damn, how can this be, I’m following the signs, why are they all like that,” then I spat and came up with the main rule of the whole trip, “drive like local,” which I still found useful later.
Malmo is a strange little town, absolutely not remembered for anything, except that I met Drogan from Serbia there, who listened to my moped, said that everything was ok (Drogan works for the officials) and gave me an Authorized Service badge and sticker.
Me and Drogan.
Crooked photoshop against the background of the Oresund Bridge.
My mega-satisfied face in Newhavn, in Copenhagen.
Copenhagen is awesome. The old town doesn’t let you go, plus the abundance of free motorcycle parking right there leads to addiction! I'll be back again.
One day route around Denmark. Denmark is small, you can drive through it really quickly, but the price tag there is fierce. To find at least something adequate to my budget, I had to go to some village and settle there.
The walls of Kronborg, the castle-with-Hamlet. It makes a very depressing impression, at a time when there was only this castle and the forest around, it was possible to go there like a cuckoo. Well, that’s exactly what happened.
In the evening, a message from a friend from Germany popped up on WhatsApp: “Come on, you forgot there with those junkies, schnapps, sausages and our hospitality are waiting for you.” Nuoc, in the morning, wandered across Denmark, took the ferry and by six in the evening was in Kiel, in Germany, visiting a couple more castles and chalk cliffs listed in UNESCO. A divine thing, a must visit.
Chalk cliffs.
Evening in Kiel.
In the morning at two o'clock we went to dump on local roads to Lübeck and Ratzeborg. Lübeck is a fairy tale frozen in time, the Queen of the Hansa. There are more than a hundred photos, so I’ll post one or two.
Entrance to the old city.
Lübeck Town Hall.
I spent the next day in Laboe, near Lubeck. Beach, yachts, kites, in general, sealing.
EVERYWHERE VRETINASPORTINISYA GO FAR FROM BLOKHIRSKOZAL Laboe embankment.
Yachts, palm trees somewhere, sun, +30, perfect.
The morning of the last day in Kiel began cheerfully.
Horley is a piece of shit. The drive belt broke, on which I only drove about 20 thousand miles; how many people drove it before me is unknown.
Highly artistic (not) photo showing the belt replacement process.
We spent three hours looking for a belt, and in the end Zhenya dismantled his sportster and gave me his belt. Truly, a horley player is not only a friend to a horley player, but also a spare part. Five hours late, I drove to Amsterdam along the autobahn; there was no time to spin around the regional races.
Night Amsterdam. The camera on the phone is not great, so I almost didn’t take pictures of the old city (oh my God, the red light district, who am I kidding). I was busy, you know.
By the way, about price tags. Given: Amsterdam, hostel 10 km from the center, room for 4 people, no parking, no breakfast. Find: Why the hell does this eatery cost 85 euros a night? And this was the cheapest option!
Having returned and slept (not), I went to the museum. We all go to Amsterdam for museums, oh. In general, the maritime museum is awesome, but don’t take a tour. A boring waste of time.
There is a museum and a ship nearby, on which you can climb, well, everywhere, and look into all the hard-to-reach places. Very cool.
Enough of the museum addiction, it's time to move on, Belgium is ahead.
Somewhere in Belgium.
What do we have in Belgium? French language, mercenaries in Africa, chocolate and finally the mountains with serpentines have begun! After the Scandinavian-German billiard table, the trip became much more fun, the price tag became MUCH lower (a hostel for one with parking and breakfast was 20 euros!), in general, my mood was lifted.
Somewhere near the border. It’s extremely conditional here, you understand.
Didn't notice Luxembourg passed by, lol. But here's a photo of some castle from there.
Hello, mirror France.
France is built up with churches like this according to a single project. I saw one, I saw everything.
Well, photoshop, of course, but on YouTube they said it was bad.
France, too, for some reason quickly ended, and again came to Germany, where he moved into an active convent, hell e.
A lot of greenery and no internet. But the breakfast is divine.
In Germany I drove through Stuttgart-Munich-Ingolstadt, to say that there was crazy traffic on the autobahns is an understatement. I felt like I was at the testing ground of factory teams. But that was in the next two days, and for now I was driving in the Baden-Baden area along gorgeous mountain roads.
Beauty once.
Beauty two.
Beauty three.
Munich, Biergarten, me and Danya, who went there five years ago.
The next morning I went to Dachau. There will be no photographs from there; the pain and horror of those who were imprisoned in this camp can still be felt there. Branch of hell on earth. Be that as it may, on the evening of July 4, on my birthday, I arrived in Prague.
This is where I got a parking ticket. When I arrive, there’s a coupon on the moped: “Come, dear, to the commissariat around the corner, we want to see you, but we can’t even eat.” Well, I washed myself, put on clean clothes, made my face simpler and went. He inspiredly performed three arias: “I’m not a local myself,” “it’s possible all over Europe, I thought it’s the same with you,” “wow, the locals do the same,” and the encore was the hit “Please understand and forgive me, newar egein!” , the officer was imbued with emotion, wiped away a tear and issued a fine of 4 euros. Parking there would be more expensive according to the rules, lol.
The 115th anniversary event was photographed in detail by Dee Troy, so I won’t post any photos from there and will generally skip these five days (from July 4 to July 8). It was good, overall.
I'll still post one though.
Another target was the dyno. It’s interesting how much is rushing! Blue is cool, red is herd. 71 horses, almost 100 Nm of torque per 75 cubic inches. A good result, considering that we forgot to wash the air vents. There would be more.
After looking at the weather forecast in Brno, I realized that I had to go to Cesky Krumlov, where I headed. The whole city center is on the UNESCO list, I have to see it.
The road there. Of course, Leningrad region, gg.
The peaceful town of Krumlov. Great place, calm, fabulous and quiet.
Where to go? Well, of course, Austria, Vienna, that’s all. Said - drawn in paint, visited.
Yes, I rode in this half all these days, fortunately the weather allowed.
Vienna is an ideal city for a motorcycle tourist. Not only is parking free everywhere, but there is also plenty of free Wi-Fi. I parked three meters from Innerstadt and was crazy about the architecture. Graceful tall buildings, white marble everywhere, in general, one day is criminally not enough.
Not very white, not very marble, but impressive all the same.
Vienna-Bratislava. 50 km of traffic jams and sadness, because... the toad strangled the vignette.
The guy-at-work with whom everyone takes pictures.
Old town of Bratislava. The price tag is higher than in Vienna, omg.
After walking around Bratislava in the evening, I left my clothes at the hostel and started heading to Budapest in the morning. It’s a big mistake to budget half a day for this beautiful city; you need at least three days there.
No comments, just beautiful.
Hungarian Parliament. Gothic, everything up, hugeness, everything I love.
Returning to Bratislava in the rain, I lay in bed all night and went to Brno in the morning (big mistake, bwahaha - I should have gone somewhere else to meet friends). Brno is good, the price tag is the same as in Bratislava, but instead of a room without breakfast - a 4-star hotel. The Czech Republic is gorgeous.
There will be no photos from Brno, the artistic value there is negative.
And on the third week of riding, I arrived near Brno to a very beautiful place, the name of which I don’t remember and where I was supposed to be yesterday.
I sighed, took a photo, and drove on to the north of the Czech Republic. Traveled across the whole country in a day.
It’s already north, the border with Germany is not far.
The next day is coverage in Germany. Miloslavice - Hamburg - Lubeck - ferry to Finka.
Evening Lubeck - time.
Evening Lubeck - two.
Queue for the ferry.
Well, the rest is no longer interesting. Terrible Scandinavia, populated by deer who are glued to their phones, who can’t drive, who stall while driving - and I’m home.
It took 150k rubles, half a liter of oil, a rear tire, a drive belt, I need to change the oil again. Next year I want to ride around Africa.
Target audience for the 2022 Sportster S
The 2022 Sportster S marks a turning point for one of the longest-produced models in history, going from side valves to four overhead valves per cylinder. Yes, the new Sportster is quite different from the ones we have become accustomed to over the years. But it is not addressed to those who saw the first Sportsters. Its target audience is young riders, both those already familiar with Harley motorcycles and those who have doubts. And he will fully cope with the task of bringing them into the family.
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The original oil cap, introduced in 2004 across the entire Sportster line, is a practical and elegant solution.
When closed, it is flush and opens by pressing. The original oil cap, introduced in 2004 across the entire Sportster line, is a practical and elegant solution. When closed, it is flush and opens by pressing.
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.Stinger, deputy
editor-in-chief of Moto. .Stinger, deputy editor-in-chief of Moto.
SPECIAL OPINION. For me, who at that time was heavily using Nightster, the most important point was: how much smaller and worse is the “883” than the “1200”? It turned out - much less. The dynamics of a good maxi-scooter (or a single-barrel crossover of the “half-Goose” type - whichever is closer), nothing more, and the maximum speed is 160-165. And the Knight rolled quite cheerfully even at 180 instrumentation. It’s just that at the “1200” maximum speed you were chilled with horror, but here the motor is completely adequate to the chassis. Well, maybe, except for the brakes, and even then the complaints about them are more in terms of “transparency” than in the dynamics of deceleration. Excellent balanced motorcycle! The only disappointment is that the force on the clutch lever is just as great...
And he’s not a chopper, not a chopper at all! If in the “1200” the engine was happy, not bad in the “middle” - and sagged helplessly “on top”, then here everything is smooth - like on the classics of the European school or the ever-memorable “88th twin-cam”. Yes, you can’t get going with the gas off (but this is unrealistic even on the 1200), and you have to click through the gears a little more often. But - a little, due to the wider operating range of the motor.
Two more differences from the XL1200 N are alloy wheels and a lower handlebar. I was neutral about the first one (they are quite appropriate here, especially since their design is traditionally sportster), but I was pleased with the steering wheel. On the Knight it was ungodly overpriced, but here the ergonomics are just what the doctor ordered. As a result, during the three weeks that Iron was in the editorial office, I used it more often than the long-test Nightster.
The distinctive “classless” silhouette, the old-school feel on the move (“aeroplane” sound and characteristic engine pulsations, weapon-like clang of the shifter, etc.) – this is a Sportster, a real Sportster. I recommend it, I highly recommend it. The only question is - in what quality? If we take it as a motorcycle “for all occasions”, perhaps not. The short-travel suspension and not the most outstanding dynamics limit its use to the suburban city or as a favorite toy for evening walks of a non-motorcyclist (although the latter option, as practice shows, does not lose its popularity among compatriots). I rather see the 883 as a utilitarian-urban addition to a large long-range motorcycle (and not necessarily an electric train).
Just don’t buy it for your girlfriend - this is not a woman’s topic! Tight grip, rude manners... Better pay extra for a soft, easier to drive and full of positivity Dyna.
Harley Davidson XL883N Sportster Iron 883 motorcycle provided by .
Rev'It!, Gaerne and Marushin equipment was provided by PRO Moto, Knox equipment was provided by the Mobileline store
Biplane: Harley Davidson XL883N Sportster Iron 883
