RideFast March 2022

SA
N
T stands for “Torque”.
Therefore the outright power has been
softened to 121hp with 127Nm of torque for
good measure. That figure might be less than
the Pan, but it is a veritable powerhouse in a
Sportster. And what they’ve knocked off the
top end, they’ve more than made up for with
midrange. This Sportster S moves!
Of course, most capable sports bikes will
leave it for dead, especially above 200km/h,
when the rider of the Sportster discovers that
our subtle atmosphere can quickly turn to
concrete while they are sitting like a parachute
in the absence of any wind protection. But
the way it goes from a low speed to a high
speed is this motorcycle’s forte. More so, the
people at ROC Harley-Davidson, from whom we
borrowed the bike, have gutted the otherwise
emphysemic exhausts slightly, making them
bark gloriously every time the throttle is
opened. It’s intoxicating and leaves the rider
wanting to find an excuse to slow down just to
speed up again.
All this is supported by the usual host of
electronic gadgetry, including a small, round
TFT dash that I rather like. Harleys should
still be about charisma and feeling, not a
technological showcase. You still want the
technology there but without shouting about it,
which is what the Sportster S does.
The dash doesn’t splash itself in a full
cinematic experience but just winks at you to
let you know that bits of electronics are there,
secretly making your day better.
The chassis is also new, with the Sportster
S adopting Showa inverted forks and a
piggyback single rear shock with just 51mm
of travel, a figure that makes the rider acutely
aware of every little bump on the road.
The frame is new in that there is hardly any.
Like modern Ducatis, the motor is most of the
frame with a steel trellis section holding on
the front end, a steel swing-arm holding on the
rear wheel and a sub-frame holding the fleshy
bit on top.
This design, among other innovations, has
lowered the weight of this motorcycle from
what would have been somewhere close to
300kg to just 228kg. That’s not bad at all.