Just prior to that, we'd been playing with far more exotic kit, priced around 250 per cent of the Sporty - namely the Road King Custom and Wide Glide. And I have to say the Sportster, while having nothing like the visual ooh-aah factor of the big chaps, was a lot more fun to punt about.
Actually there's really no mystery to this. Stick a dirty great engine into a basic motorcycle frame, add a reasonable set of brakes, and you have a recipe for something that's gonna be a hoot. Assuming you're not dead from the toes up.
WHAT'S IN IT?
There really aren't any surprises in this one. The chassis is a traditional twin-loop steel affair with conventional suspension at both ends (including dual shocks) and the bare minimum of adjustment (preload on the rear).
We're running with cast alloy wheels and conservative tyre sizes, while there is a single disc brake at each end. I have to say I'm mystified why H-D would go to the trouble of developing specific Sportster calipers, which are much lower spec than the very good four-spotters available on the 1450cc series. Why not just use the good stuff?
The powerplant is a revamped Evolution V-twin, air-cooled of course, matched to a five-speed transmission with belt final drive. It runs a single CV carburetor and has hydraulic self-adjusting tappets.
H-D is coy about the power output, which is very mild - 50 horses at best. Not a lot for a 250 kilo motorcycle. However this can be bumped up substantially with some simple breathing mods.
IN THE SADDLE
Tall people are going to struggle with the footpeg position, which is very high, and will much prefer the set-up on the 1200. However one of our riders, at 5'5" (claimed) in old measure (about 162cm) thought it was just fine.
The handlebars are wide and have a nice bend, while controls are all pretty straight-forward. That is once you get your head around the quirky indicator switches.
You're wise to give the engine plenty of time to warm up - unusual in this day of touch-and-go motorcycles - as it really doesn't want to play until it's been running for a few minutes.
The power in stock form isn't exactly hair-raising, though it's enough to be entertaining and to lose your licence. Delivery is predictable. You'll get the occasional snort or pop from the powerplant at idle - carburetion just off-idle isn't perfect.
Steering is on the slow side and entirely user-friendly, while the tyres are okay but not outstanding. Braking is adequate, but could be sharper.
Finish is good and has improved by a huge margin in this model. Running costs should be sod-all, as there's not much that needs servicing and fuel consumption is generally in the high teens. The only likely frustration is the limited range offered by the 12.5 litre tank.
Reading through those comments, you'll see they're somewhat at odds with the more positive introduction, and that probably sums up the smallest Hogley (or Piglet, as it inevitably became known at BikePoint) - the ride somehow adds up to more than the sum of the parts.
No doubt having a premium brand on the fuel tank helps and, as we mentioned before, the basic nature of the whole plot has its own appeal. I'd love to have one as a day-to-day commuter.
Pricing of $11,250 places it smack in between some very good middleweight V-twins from the other side of the Pacific and some basic big-bore machinery. In any case, it's worth a look.
By Guy Allen
Spex:
Length 2288.5 mm;
Seat Height Unladen 744.2 mm;
Ground Clearance 141.0 mm;
Rake Steering Head/Trail 29.6¼/116.8 mm
Wheelbase 1524.0 mm;
Fuel Capacity 12.5 L;
Oil Capacity 3.4 L;
Weight; Dry Weight 252.0 kg; Running Order 261.0 kg;
POWERTRAIN:
Engine Evolution(r);
Displacement 883 cm(cø);
Bore x Stroke 76.20 mm x 96.82 mm;
Engine Torque 69.0 nm @ 4300 rpm;
Fuel System Carburetor;
Compression Ratio 8.9:1;
Liters per 100 KM;
Tire Size: Front 100/90-19 57H; Rear 150/80B16 71H;
CHASSIS:
Brakes (diameter x width); Front 292.1 mm x 5.08 mm; Rear 292.1 mm x 5.84 mm;
Lean Angle (per SAEJ1168) 32¼/32¼;
Exhaust System Staggered shorty duals;
COLOR OPTIONS:
Vivid black;
brilliant silver;
sierra red;
impact blue;
UNIQUE FEATURES:
Silver powder-coated engine with polished covers;
significantly reduced clutch lever effort;
classic solo seat;
mid-mount foot controls;
low-rise handlebar;
PRICING:
Base $11,250 plus ORC.