The new Harley-Davidson Roadster is the newest addition to the Dark Custom lineup, and the newest version of the Harley Sportster which dates all the way back to 1957. The Roadster is intended to attract fans of both modern stripped-down customs, and the minimalist approach of Harley race bikes from the 1950s and 1960s.
The racing Sportsters featured cut back mudguards, smaller fuel tanks and as little weight as possible, which is carried over to the modern Harley-Davidson Roadster. But the idea isn’t to make it unusable on the road. You do get cut-down fenders, and the slotted belt guard and exhaust shield look as if they’ve been drilled to reduce weight.
The Harley-Davidson Roadster is based around the modern 1200cc Evolution engine. Front suspension is provided by new 43mm inverted single-cartridge forks with tri-rate springs. At the rear are gas-charged emulsion coil-over shocks and tri-rate springs with adjustable pre-load. The new suspension gives more travel than any Sportster, with 4.5 inches at the front and 3.2 inches at the rear. The steering geometry has also been adapted to be more responsive.
ABS brakes are standard on the Harley-Davidson Roadster, with dual floating discs at the front. They’re grabbing the lightweight, offset-split five-spoke cast aluminium wheels, with a 19 inch front and 18 inch rear.
Check the Harley-Davidson Roadster Wheels
“The wheels were inspired by classic laced wheels, and are the most intricate cast wheel we’ve ever created,” says Harley-Davidson Industrial Designer Ben McGinley. “The interlacing spokes shoot outward toward opposite sides of the wheel, creating a dramatic visual effect. These wheels are also very light for their size, which contributes to the Roadster’s handling performance.
The bike has a racier position for riders with new low-rise handlebars, and mid-mount foot controls to give more central weight distribution over the 12.5 litre Sportster tank, rather than sitting further back in cruiser style. And you should have a clear view of the road ahead, as there is just a single 4 inch diameter analogue tachometer with digital speedo set into it.
The uncluttered approach extends to the rear indicators being mounted directly to the fender struts, a new license plate and rear lighting set-up, plus the fast back seat. With a padded cover inspired by an armoured leather jacket and a profile that tries to flow into the rear bodywork, the back of the seat is designed for pillion passengers impressed by your choice of Harley.
After all, who can resist a finned cast timer cover and custom tank graphics?
The Harley-Davidson Sportster arrives in UK dealerships in June 2016. You get the choice of Vivid Black with Charcoal Denim pinstripe, Black Denim with Red Pinstripe, Velocity Red Sunglo with Red Pinstripe or two-tone Billet Silver/Vivid Black with Burgundy Pinstripe.
If you choose Vivid Black, the Harley-Davidson Roadster could be yours for £9,695. Going for Black Denim or Velocity Red Sunglo raises the price to £9,895. And finally the two-tone option comes in at £10,145.
The Sportster tweaks won’t have you worrying sportsbikes unless they’re ridden spectacularly badly. But they do give another option if you like the Harley-Davidson look and sound without wanting to sit back quite yet. We’ll expect to see more modified versions coming out of Harley dealers and builders in the near future which will cater for those wanting to go a bit further, and obviously a minimalist machine will still command a sizeable part of the bungalow-sized Harley parts catalogue as most Sportster elements should fit without any issues.
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