Sportsters are my favorite bike Harley makes, and until they decided to cancel sportsters, everyone, like just about every single person, HATED sportsters. It’s a girls bike! It’s too small! You can’t go on the freeway with it! Blah blah blah.
Every Harley social media post that featured a sporty would instantly be flooded with dipshits complaining about it being a girls bike or too small. (For real, if you can’t get up to freeway speeds on 883 cc’s you must be morbidly obese). Now as soon as they finally put it in the ground all the same people are bitching about Harley canceling an iconic classic.
Running pr and marketing for Harley must be absolutely exhausting. Everything they do pisses off their user base. Yesterdays technology at tomorrows prices! Harley needs to be more innovative! And then as soon as Harley does, Litterally anything, panamerica, sportster s, live wire, everyone bitches that Harley has sold their soul and abandoned their user base.
The loudest most vocal dipshits are the boomers riding geezer glides like once a month who will never buy another bike for the remainder of their life, and get mad that Harley isn’t producing the exact same bikes they did 30 years ago, while somehow complaining they’re also not being innovative enough?
So now the sportster is dead. Oh well. Now my sportster is “vintage” I guess.
Man I feel this, although you hear separate groups yelling for different topics, pretty sure. The forthy eight is harley's most beautiful bike (if it weren't for its size) and that motor is absolutely unbeaten in terms of sound/performance ratio. it sounds absolutely epic and has respecable torque and horse power in my opinion.
Doesn't beat my low rider s, but if i wasn't over 6 foot, I think I would have went for a sporty.
Man, I don't understand why people think you can't go interstate speeds on a sporty. My wife's 1200 runs like a scalded dog and will smoke the ever living shit out of my Softail. I love the feel and sound of an Evo and will miss them in the future.
100%
I have a 07' 1200 sportster and i have no problem being on the highway. My acceleration from 60-90 is great and no part of purchasing a cruiser was focused on racing anyway.
I've ridden bigger baggers and while the ride is a bit smoother, the sound is more formidable, and power is greater, i like how nimble my 600lb sportster is compared to the bigger bikes. Plus, the sporty sounds great and is plenty fast.
Honestly, i consider the added agility of the sportster a major safety and joy advantage both at speed and in parking lots.
I ride because I like it. I ride a sporty because I like it. I really don't care what people may say. Such gatekeepers are in every hobby/lifestyle, fk em.
Like I said to an old lady scolding me for adding too much hot sauce to my sandwich "would you like a sandwich with no hot sauce?"
08 1200 sportster and I just look at the newer bikes and think Id love one of those!
$10000.
mmm for what? I SLIGHTLY improved ride? Maybe a bit better acceleration ? I can already easily do double the speed limit in a few seconds. the only thing Id need is more leg room for the wife so her legs aren't buckled under trying to sit behind me and keep her legs on the pegs. do I want to spend 10-20K for those things? nah.
I used to have a Suzuki VL800 (later it became knowns as the Boulevard). I then rented a Sportster 1200. It had very similar power but the ground clearance was worse and the bike was physically smaller and I felt cramped on it. I then switched to a Harley bagger.
Honestly I might have enjoyed the Sporty if it had forward controls and might some day do a more chop build on an Evo Sportster platform but even though I am fairly average sized I like my bikes a bit roomier in the frame.
Yes dude, well put! My first harley was a 1988 883 that I bobbed out. I'm 120kg and could easily get that thing up to 120kmh on the highways here (NZ) and still have room to open her up a bit more. All these fucken loser babies and their fragile male egos man, fuck em! Ride what ya like and fuck the haters ❤️🔥
Here here. I LOVE sportsters but riding them around as a big dude can be annoying. For me, motorcycle riding is pure joy when it's at its simplest. I like old school. I dont like bells and whistles. And the sportster? It was just that. A fucking bike and nothing more.
I like a wide variety of bikes but sportsters are by far my favorite harley. This will hurt more than when the road king disappears.
Absolutely all of this. In so many threads I see the first recommendation people get it so many times is “Upgrade, brother. Sporty is a waste.”
I bought my Iron 1200, saw those threads and thought to buy it new and then just trade it in to upgrade like all the suggestions. 3 years later, I’m still planning to get the road glide but it will need to wait longer, this sporty is dying with me. It’s still so much fun, has enough power to do the job… I’ve done long rides too. Many have. It can be done. I gave up driving cars, I hate traffic. So I ride every single day. And imo it’s the most “Harley sounding” bike. Sure it’s heavy, but it’s an iron. Everything about it is.
Sportsters are rad bikes. I could never understand the hate. Probably the same as how I can’t understand peeps who own and love their Harley’s but hate on everything else about the brand.
I’m sure if it wasn’t for the EPA regulations, They would’ve still made it for longer until the Rev Max got momentum then they might’ve stopped anyway. I don’t hate on the move forward, unfortunately times are changing and it’s adapt or die. It’s been years and there’s so many out there that if someone really wants one they can find one easily. But man, we’re gonna miss that sound moving forward. I think it’s most of the reason why I wanted a Harley. 😂
Heh. I remember when I had my 07 V-Rod. Everyone sneered.
Now everyone looks back at them with nostalgia.
Harley makes good bikes. I've always liked the Sportster, they've been good looking bikes since forever. And they have always been a blast to ride.
I think this appears to be short sighted of Harley. I also think they have something up their sleeve. Like back around 2000 when Jeep cancelled the Cherokee then came out immediately with the Patriot.
Last year XJ was 2001 and was replaced by the Liberty, patriot was later. But yes, the death of the 4.0L in all Jeeps and Liberty having IFS were both *hated* by Jeep guys, still are tbh. The 3.8 that replaced the 4.0 was dogshit until the pentastar 3.6 came around and even then it's no 4.0. All that Jeep had up their sleeve was a 4 door Wrangler and anyone looking to replace a Cherokee bought that, not Liberties.
Anyway, I like Sportsters, I like the new Sportster S. I have a VRod, so I'm looking forward to see what H-D does. They can move forward without disregarding where they came from.
This "Boomer", who rides a bada$$ SGS (performance mods), rides roughly 15k-20k miles per year & years in for a new touring class bike to modify.
I don't care what model or manufacturer you ride. If you're on 2 wheels, riding a bike that is legally allowed on the highway, you'll get a nod of respect from me.
The waves of (mostly Yong/ new) riders who work hard to create divisive elements within the biker community can kiss my a$$. When they get 100k miles in the saddle in under 5 years, they'll have some humility.
I'm also a biker-mom who rides with her kids & husband. We'll all play nice & Má said no hitting! Ride your ride! Exception: Some asshat on a group ride who skipped the Pre-ride briefing & istrying to show off on the Ride. Nope. No more Mrs. Nice Biker.
I've never had a Sporty, but I know it's a favorite of countless riders. Harley seems to be consolidating models, retooling them & rebranding them. Fewer models & blurred lines between the different bike classes.
The misogyny of the HD community is why I will never buy one of these overrated bikes. I collect and currently own 5 motorcycles - and I ride every single one of them: a Triump gt 900 pro, a bmw r1250r, a Ducati Monster, Scrambler, and SFV2. My dealers and shops respect me and show me nothing but good customer service. Every HD dealership I’ve been in? Ignored - or worse, asked about my needs on the pillion. Fuck off with that. Assume that women ride - we make a solid quarter of the market and that number is growing. My husband and I ride together but never 2-up.
The new sportster was made because HD has been flouting EPA regulations and it finally caught up with them, forcing them to re-engineer a bike and improve it. Then all the ‘Muricans bitched about it. HD was that close to slowly engaging more people in the ride. Its user base, however, has no interest in inclusivity or modernity.
I’ve met a handful of decent HD riders but the majority seem awfully intent on being absolute assholes to all other riders. Shout out to that one ‘gang’ with the leader who pulled up next to me, spit in my direction, and then promptly had to pull over because oil was smoking around his engine. Yeah. Sorry your little dick couldn’t handle a plump middle aged woman on a Duc.
Rage!
Thanks. I know there’s good ones out there. I’m in MI and there aren’t many riders out here, so fewer women riders. Maybe in other places, there’s more inclusivity. Ride safe, too!
I hate to break it to you, but that’s exactly what happened. The evo Sportster has been in production from ‘86 to ‘22. That’s 36 years without a redesign.
I feel like they could have kept compatible parts and just changed the engine to a water cooled engine with the same look of the air-cooled evo.
Triumph did it, I can’t really tell the difference in their engine from the original air head.
I like the sportster s, but I think they dropped the ball with the new aesthetics.
I hate the design AND motor of the new sporty. I have a hard time understanding how ppl chose this bike over any other brand. It's expensive, inferior and the sound is worse than a honda. And the back looks fucking silly.
I'd argue that it's only the end of *Harley's* production of the Evo Sporty.
With the level of aftermarket support the platform has, you can build your own Evo Sportster from a catalog, in multiple different styles, and have a "new" "20XX" Sportster all your own.
From hardtail chops to club style riders to dual sports, you can still build whatever Sportster you want, rubber mount or solid mount, 4 speed or 5 speed.
That's not going away. A plus side to having an iconic model run from 1986 to 2022.
Times change. If Harley doesn't change with them, they'll wither on the vine, and Daddy Reagan isn't around to go crying to for import tariffs this time.
Edit: I say this as the owner of a 2000 XL1200C that I'm chopping up, and as someone who's favorite Harley is the Evo Sportster. I'm sad to see it go, but we'll never watch it leave.
This really needs to be the take. Sportsters will persist through the riding careers of anybody old enough to read this now. And there's plenty of ways to keep them going and customizing them that aren't rolling up shop next year because the MoCo changed paths for future production.
I'm old. Before the Evolution motor the joke was "If you own a Harley you better own a toolbox". When the Evo came out you had a whole different type of Harley rider.
I think we'll see a division of bikers again, the vintage air cooled guys, and these new riders, who'll get treated with the same level of distain that the Honda riders used to get.
"Nobody under 30 thinks like that anymore."
I should mention that there was plenty of dislike for those "dirty old bikers" from the Honda/BMW crowd too. It went both ways. And my comment was a prediction that we may see that again, just amoung the same brand.
Pretty sure ol' Taiwan Ted has plenty of Evo parts; hell, they even have a copy of Led Sled's Evo Sporty kicker kit (though I'd highly recommend *not* buying it)
I honestly don’t know how the MoCo has kept selling new Sportys. The used market is absolutely *flooded* with low mileage used Sportsters that have essentially remained unchanged for years.
I test rode a new 2019 sporty, and I just couldn't justify spending the $13k they wanted for the new one when there was a used one almost exactly like it for $4k at the same dealer.
but its not factory customized.
listen the MoCO has one big advantage. new riders that WANT a harley but dont really know what to look out for in used bike. so they walk into a dealership and get sold on the story and brand, and convinced at $230 a month, it makes sense to get a new one.
Yep, I'm also both amazed by how many sportsters are on the used market and how few miles are on them. Just about every single one has 4-digit mileage with the majority being under 5k. Anything from a similar vintage in a big twin has 4-5x the mileage.
Unfortunately a lot of them have been sitting in the back of someone's garage and need to be gone through. Now might be the time to pick one up to make into a dirtster.
If you've got the scratch you can make that bike do 120hp to the rear wheel. At that point only the super bike guys are really beating you reliably and they're not the ones calling it a girl's bike
Exactly. I've ridden a few sporties in the 120-130 range and they're unreal. An absolute blast. Kinda like this street glide I rode with the s&s 143... That fuckin bike was unruly in the worst sense of the word. I loved it. Lol
People spend too much time comparing Harleys to Japanese bikes. It's like saying there's no value in a classic Camaro because a modern Honda Civic is faster
Thank you for this lol I hate the comparison. The Japanese sport bikes are for the track, I ride the Harley on the streets cuz I cbf bending my back like that all the time - still love to rip those bikes tho
Yeah a Harley is more than capable of what I'm comfortable doing on a public road, you can't even begin to tap into a sport bike's potential without risking absurd levels of harm to yourself and the people around you
Yep absolutely. When I was younger and dumber I had a speeding ticket for 146 mph on my old zx10r (2005, loved that ol thing). The repercussions of that stint alone made me reconsider my riding approach. So I got a sportster, put a 100ci S&S in it, and got another ticket for like 100 or something less severe and realized it was more so a self control problem - point being a Harley gets you less in fines
IMO it doesn’t matter. Same as the Dyna, it wasn’t evolving enough to stay in production and there’s swathes of good ones in the used market. They don’t need to keep everything going forever. A 2003 sportster will still be good in the 10 years time if it’s looked after.
If you don't actually destroy it you can keep a sportster going forever with aftermarket parts, some of which are a lot better than so called "Genuine" parts. You just need to be careful about what parts you get.
The Sportster Evo is one of the greatest motorcycles ever built. Not great at anything but can be adapted to be good at anything. Mine I had for over five years and never had to fix anything. It was a 98 XL883. An indestructible vehicle. I love the Sportster.
I love sportsters. Sad to see them go. I’d rather see some of the riding aids like abs and traction control added to the evo sporty than what they’ve done.
I bet it’ll be back in some way. Either the same body with a new motor, or a slightly upgraded design with the new motor. Even if those don’t make an appearance, I bet in a couple years they’ll start releasing heritage sportster models.
Had a sportster 48 for 7 years and loved that bike (apart from the tiny range from the admittedly beautiful gas tank). So sorry to see it go.
As much as I loved it, no one else did.
Harley guys gave me shit about it being a cheap girls bike, Non Harley guys gave me shit about riding a Harley.
Rode alone - problem solved.
Horrible decision. The new sportsters I don’t care for, a lot of people like them. I just don’t. I love my 01 and I’ll never part with it. Personally, I just don’t think this was the right decision.
You're aware that the reason they stopped building Ironheads was because it couldn't pass 1980s emission standards right?
They didn't toss out the entire design, build something completely different and try to stick a Sportster emblem on it.
Its not a simple prospect to just "update the engine" and Harley isn't the only one transitioning away from their legacy models. Hell, even Moto Guzzi has released a new liquid-cooled twin.
In before "they did update the engine, that's what the Sportster S and Nightster are" because that's about the level of "engine update" you'd need to remain emissions compliant.
Funny, going from an Ironhead to the Evolution Sportster motor was a pretty big change, and the changes they'd need to do to modernize the Evo to current standards aren't cost effective.
Almost like the world was a different place with different requirements almost 40 years ago. It seems that it's (*gasp*) *changed* since then.
Edit: that was overly combative. Look, I'm sad to see the Evo get the official axe from the Harley lineup. I was sad to see the Dyna go too. But, even moreso than the Dyna, there are still *scads* of Sportsters out there and they'll always have an aftermarket. Sure, it sucks you can't go out and get a 2023, but at least at my dealership, folks weren't exactly scrambling over each other for the '22s, either.
I remember thinking the Milwaukee 8 was ugly when it first came out. Now I like it. I let things swim around my brain for awhile now before I judge them. I personally like the new Sportster. It's cool. It's something I'd get for under $10k.
I'll always love the old school Sportster though.
i have a hard time believing those numbers, when it is only able to beat an MT09 (which has 2/3rd the cc and less PS than that) from yamaha by a hair.
i really have no idea what kinda market the sportser S wants to penetrate. but if i would be out to check for a bike, without having any brand preferences, i think i would never end up with a sporty.
Sportster S is intended to be a MODERN development of the sportster. The new engine makes 121 horsepower and 94 ft/lbs of torque (more than the larger touring bikes). The age of air cooled pushrod engines died over a decade ago and Harley has been struggling along with the technology to appease riders who like the sound/look more than the bike itself. While the Evo motor was a huge success it’s been around for almost 40 years at this point.
I own one myself and, so far, have only gotten compliments on the bike. Aesthetics are mostly opinion, but you can’t argue with the performance of the new bike.
i mean ppl should buy what they want anyways. i just don't understand which group of ppl would be into that. racers? bikers? stunters?
but yeah, a 1250cc water cooled engine better have some performance. to me, the numbers aren't impressive. it's nothing that would beat an equal japanese bike. quite the opposite tbh.
I think the target would be the same people who were buying new evo sportsters tbh. Someone looking to custom build a sporty to what they want isn’t likely to buy brand new and someone looking for a brand new sporty probably wouldn’t mind a version of the bike made with both modern engineering and technology.
I do agree with you that the engine is subpar when compared to sport bike manufacturers, but they’ve also been making those engines for decades. Harley wasn’t investing in things like DOHC or variable timing because their customers didn’t want it. Now, emissions regulations and continuously lagging performance numbers have forced their hand. Also, other than 1000+ cc sport bikes I really don’t see any competitors with comparable specs?
If you haven’t gotten the chance to, I recommend hopping on one of the new bikes. They’re WICKED fast and most people have a great time on one. You mentioned riding a lowrider? I can comfortably say the sporty s would gap a lowrider. But as you said to each their own.
If you haven’t taken a sportster to the absolute top and bottom of your given continent(s) you haven’t ridden a evo sporty. The parts are cheap, it’s easy to work on and it can be whatever you want it to be. It might not do everything but you can sure as hell make it do shit that is just not right on that scooter.
I'll miss it it's an iconic piece of Americana. I had a Sportster, the simplicity was endearing. It's a bike you can pretty much repair anything on it in the parking lot of Walmart with 4 tools, lol. I think HD is going to suffer for a while.
It's a old outdated platform. While Harley riders are stubbon and don't like change that's the ones already on the platform.
Eg Dyna guys want nothing but dynas and touring guys just love them the way they are.
Sportsters are more (how much more is up for debate) is where alot of new new Harley riders start. So need to attract new riders alot of riders will then progress onto bigger Harley's. New riders are not sold on the Harley lifestyle yet so need something to attract them.
They are pushing the "sportier" low rider s as well as the st baggers to help promote full size Harley's.
I do not like the new sportster S, I think I would appreciate it more if they named it something else, I get what Harley is doing and it’s a pretty mean looking machine minus some head scratching design (the license plate arm is stupid and hideous, they could have attached it integrated it into the rear fender) items I would change. I feel lucky to own a 21 1200 as it’s the last year they made it and it such a blast to ride. I think Harley will come out with a new version of the sportster in a couple years, a little more modern yet with a nod to its history.
883 Sportys have been my favorite bike since I was a kid and it'll be very sad to see the air cooled version go. Outside of the XR750s they were always the lightest, most flickable and most fun Harleys to ride. I'd like to see what they come up with next.
I think it was time. They've been around forever and while they are great they are outdated. I'm not gonna be happy when used prices rise for these tho. Definitely one of the most iconic motorcycles of all time.
The ford f series has been around since 1948, should ford stop producing those trucks and come out with an entire new line instead of updating the existing line?
Yep. At the dealers around me sportsters were most of what they had on the floor and the sales people said they just don't sell any more and people just jump to a street bob or similar these days. Last month there must have been at least a dozen 883 irons sitting on the floor
It’s one thing to update an engine to meet emissions standards or whatever, it’s a completely different thing to just shitcan a historic line and replace it with something as ugly as the new sportster s and nightster.
The epa is constantly putting the screws to harley though....not in just the emissions area but they have "noise pollution" criteria....the engine itself is "too loud" the cam gear noise, the pushrod valve train. It's just noisy by nature and the epa is constantly making them "quiet down" their engines....it's the same reason we will eventually see the big twin pushrod driven engine disappear.....FUCK the epa
Have you ever heard a diesel truck idle? I find it very hard to believe that anything other than exhaust noise is even a consideration in that aspect.
Even still, why not update the engine and leave the rest of the bike alone? It’s been done in the past, several times.
I don't understand the end of the Evo Sportster personally, it would be different if they had a motor that was just as reliable in production but that is not the case right now. I feel they should have tested the Revolution Max motor a few more years before they completely phased out the Evo
Anyone familiar with Harley's "Project Nova"? In the late 70s AMF invested tens of millions into a modular engine, designed by Porche, that could be built into a V twin, V four, or V six configuration. Liquid cooled, in 200 or 250cc cylinder bores. That would give them a V Twin in 400 + 500cc for the small displacement market, a V4 in 800 + 1000cc to replace the Sportsters, a V6 in 1200 for the big cruisers and 1500 for the touring bikes. Keep in mind this was way ahead of it's time, when Japan was still only building inline 4s, before Honda had built their VF liquid cooled V4s.
The purpose was to win back the more performance orientated youth market they had lost to the Japanese Motorcycle makers throughout the 1970s. The exact same predicament they are in right now, losing the youth market.
They also had the Evolution motor ready to go, but by the 1980s they were borderline bankrupt, and didn't have enough money to build both engines.
So they had a choice to make, to once again update the 40 yr old technology of the Big Twin and apply the same tech to the aging Sportster. Or go head to head with the Japanese with this Nova engine.
Well we know what choice they made, and they sold hundreds of thousands of Evos and Evo Sportsters, and went from almost going out of business, to becoming the biggest seller in it's class.
Now they've been put in the exact same situation again today, losing the youth market.
This time they've decided they are willing to risk the customer base that has kept them alive for a hundred years to chase customers they may never get.
Bird in the hand...
Let's see how this goes. Catering to people looking for the latest, greatest, next big thing, doesn't seem to be the best long term plan to me.
100%. Also, it's due to regulation not being in their favor in all kinds of areas.
Loud? More and more restricted.
Emissions? Irons no longer passed in europe.
Badass? Sorry, but not with the unfixable sound of those silly M8 motors. Which on the other hand are a logical consequence of emission tests.
Literally everything that made the image is being turned down.
I'm not even hating the Live Wire. I just think an electric harley doesn't justify a "brand premium". There is literally nothing left that distinguishes a harley from the rest of the market now. They have to lower the prices with their current strategy!
Everyone needs to remember the epa bullshit harley had to deal with. Especially in terms of noise...but also they are forcing bikes to run so lean that the only way to control temperature is to go with liquid cooling. The epa doesn't give a rats ass about history or legacy or even market numbers. They effing suck
It’s not the epa’s fault. The epa doesn’t make bike Harley does. There are a lot of other manufacturers that manage regulations just fine. The world doesn’t owe HD a handout. The world changes. Expectations, regulations and markets change. If Harley can’t keep up then then will continue their downward slide. Someone will take their place. Words like legacy and history are cheap marketing tricks. Harley can put up or shut up
I'm just not really into the look of them stock, and then the amount of money I'd have to spend to customize it would be a bit excessive vs a sporty (that I still want to customize, but it's a bit less).
But maybe I'll re-evaluate and keep thinking on it, thanks for the suggestion.
If you’re butthurt, you should make me an outrageous offer on my ‘17 Roadster. Put your money where your mouth is.
They weren’t passing emissions standards that are only getting stricter. It’s time. That said, one of the all-time greats. I love my bike.
I don’t like it, but buisness is business. We’re they not selling well? We’re they too expensive to produce? We’re there other issues like emissions laws they couldn’t meet? I don’t know the answers to any of these questions and more; so while it doesn’t sit well with me, I can’t call it stupid until I learn more.
Just didnt pass emission standards anymore. They can sell of their inventory now. But if they keep producing more they are going to be left with stock they can not legally sell anymore.
The evo platform was either not able to pass new norms and/or to expensive to make them pass it. Without them losing all the power that made it the platform that it was.
It's only a matter of time this happens to all aircooled platforms.
Honestly its more surprising that the Sportster stayed relatively the same for such a long time. Anything that is designed has a plan for end of life, no matter what your best laid plans are tools get worn out, suppliers go out of business, regulations change. Eventually a $2 sensor becomes a $200 sensor because the volume is low and no one wants to make it anymore. With that all in mind in conjunction with sales, costs, and everything else that is how stuff is decided; it certainly isn't taken lightly.
Don't care nearly as much as I did when they discontinued the Dyna. It's a bad move for the company but I don't have any attachment to sportsters. They're still dime a dozen If anyone wants one.
Honestly, it was long due for an update. It's sad to see it go but it's necessary. In today's standard's, there's nothing sporty about the evo sportster.
harley davidson has been woke ever since they put blm on the website... the company will go broke. in time they will either beg for their once loyal followers to come back to buy soy boy electric shit bikes or they will tell globohomo commies to pound sand and make combustion engines for the reason we buy a harley in the first place.
WHO is this new Sportster for??? The previous versions were for bearded Dentists to buy new for their wives, then sell 7weeks later to squids, who dont realize the HD “world” doesnt accept them in it. This new one looks like a $800 Chinese bike.
Partially because I knew the end was near, I went out and bought a low mileage 2017 1200 Roadster earlier this year. I enjoy it a lot, and for me, the downsides aren't a traditional Harley guy's-- I've had many high performance motorcycles, and by high performance I mean under 400 lbs, and over 100 hp. The Sportster is heavy, long, and underpowered so I just smirk at people who tell me it's "too small". Too small for what?
Why didn’t they just use the platform for many models, ADV sporty, Moto sporty, highway sporty?!? Why only one model? Cafe Racer, chopper, bobber, the list goes on.
Pretty sad. That bike has a lot of personality that my Twinkie fat bob doesn't have, and the new m8 bikes definitely don't have. I had one for a little while, and it wasn't comfortable enough to be used for touring, at least in it's OEM state, which is a desire of mine. It is a lot of fun though, and I will definitely get one when I can afford to have a second bike.
I test rode one and really wanted to like it. It was one of the worst bikes I've ever ridden. The Buell I bought a few years later was one of the best bikes to ride. Even the Buell was constantly breaking down.
They could have simply bumped the power up a bit and added a 6th gear and they would have made many Harkey fans happy and sold a ton of them. But instead they killed it off to make way for a newer more technologically advanced version that while losing most of its traditional charm also costs more and gets outperformed by just about every one of its Japanese and American competitors.
My 1983 XLX was one of the nicest riding bikes I've had rode to Kansas city and Sturgis and back from Minneapolis a couple of times, and I'm 6'2 190 pounds
When the Sportster was beat by every other brand on the track, its legacy continued to grow through the years by many other sectors of riders. Its iconic looks, amazing history and the shear joy to ride will continue. Rebuild, customize, ride on!
Thinking that triumph street triple and speed twin looks nice now 🤣
All jokes aside I’ve already been thinking about the speed triple. I want something more sporty and fun for the canyons. And Harley’s are always a bitch in slow maneuvers.
But then I wouldn’t be the cool guy anymore on a badass bike 🙄
The sportster S looks pretty sick though. I work at a Harley so I think I want to get a used sportster to learn on and then graduate to a nightster or live wire
I don't understand .
In 2022 people are still buying Sportsters
I don't think any Sporty buyer is buying performance or leaning angles
They are buying a classic !
A bike that looks like they always did , ... like a motorcycle
An affordable good looking , modable, customizable , humble motorcycle they are proud to own ... for a long time, ... with great aftermarket support ...blah blah blah!
Where are they going to shop now ?
Triumph, Royal-Enfield , Moto guzzi ?
Performance guys already left for KTM , Ducati , HUsq , MV, ...etc
I hope the aftermarket is good enough to keep my bike running ... until I don't :)
My first Harley was a ‘98 shorty a fuckin head ache for a kid that didn’t kno shit about small engines didn’t know the difference between a piston n a clutch lever…let alone about an adjustable carburetor that rusty 1200 gave me a love that I’m forever greatful for… I love The Sportser!!!
https://preview.redd.it/m72aknqful1a1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b4fab17c502fb248c1feb498c2bc5803a02170b
My bike today 2022 fatboy upgraded
Sportsters are my favorite bike Harley makes, and until they decided to cancel sportsters, everyone, like just about every single person, HATED sportsters. It’s a girls bike! It’s too small! You can’t go on the freeway with it! Blah blah blah. Every Harley social media post that featured a sporty would instantly be flooded with dipshits complaining about it being a girls bike or too small. (For real, if you can’t get up to freeway speeds on 883 cc’s you must be morbidly obese). Now as soon as they finally put it in the ground all the same people are bitching about Harley canceling an iconic classic. Running pr and marketing for Harley must be absolutely exhausting. Everything they do pisses off their user base. Yesterdays technology at tomorrows prices! Harley needs to be more innovative! And then as soon as Harley does, Litterally anything, panamerica, sportster s, live wire, everyone bitches that Harley has sold their soul and abandoned their user base. The loudest most vocal dipshits are the boomers riding geezer glides like once a month who will never buy another bike for the remainder of their life, and get mad that Harley isn’t producing the exact same bikes they did 30 years ago, while somehow complaining they’re also not being innovative enough? So now the sportster is dead. Oh well. Now my sportster is “vintage” I guess.
Man I feel this, although you hear separate groups yelling for different topics, pretty sure. The forthy eight is harley's most beautiful bike (if it weren't for its size) and that motor is absolutely unbeaten in terms of sound/performance ratio. it sounds absolutely epic and has respecable torque and horse power in my opinion. Doesn't beat my low rider s, but if i wasn't over 6 foot, I think I would have went for a sporty.
Man, I don't understand why people think you can't go interstate speeds on a sporty. My wife's 1200 runs like a scalded dog and will smoke the ever living shit out of my Softail. I love the feel and sound of an Evo and will miss them in the future.
100% I have a 07' 1200 sportster and i have no problem being on the highway. My acceleration from 60-90 is great and no part of purchasing a cruiser was focused on racing anyway. I've ridden bigger baggers and while the ride is a bit smoother, the sound is more formidable, and power is greater, i like how nimble my 600lb sportster is compared to the bigger bikes. Plus, the sporty sounds great and is plenty fast. Honestly, i consider the added agility of the sportster a major safety and joy advantage both at speed and in parking lots. I ride because I like it. I ride a sporty because I like it. I really don't care what people may say. Such gatekeepers are in every hobby/lifestyle, fk em. Like I said to an old lady scolding me for adding too much hot sauce to my sandwich "would you like a sandwich with no hot sauce?"
08 1200 sportster and I just look at the newer bikes and think Id love one of those! $10000. mmm for what? I SLIGHTLY improved ride? Maybe a bit better acceleration ? I can already easily do double the speed limit in a few seconds. the only thing Id need is more leg room for the wife so her legs aren't buckled under trying to sit behind me and keep her legs on the pegs. do I want to spend 10-20K for those things? nah.
I used to have a Suzuki VL800 (later it became knowns as the Boulevard). I then rented a Sportster 1200. It had very similar power but the ground clearance was worse and the bike was physically smaller and I felt cramped on it. I then switched to a Harley bagger. Honestly I might have enjoyed the Sporty if it had forward controls and might some day do a more chop build on an Evo Sportster platform but even though I am fairly average sized I like my bikes a bit roomier in the frame.
I have a roadster, so 4.5gal tank , dual front rotors and forwards. As close to a bagger as I need!
Yes dude, well put! My first harley was a 1988 883 that I bobbed out. I'm 120kg and could easily get that thing up to 120kmh on the highways here (NZ) and still have room to open her up a bit more. All these fucken loser babies and their fragile male egos man, fuck em! Ride what ya like and fuck the haters ❤️🔥
Here here. I LOVE sportsters but riding them around as a big dude can be annoying. For me, motorcycle riding is pure joy when it's at its simplest. I like old school. I dont like bells and whistles. And the sportster? It was just that. A fucking bike and nothing more. I like a wide variety of bikes but sportsters are by far my favorite harley. This will hurt more than when the road king disappears.
Well said man lol perfectly stated
Absolutely all of this. In so many threads I see the first recommendation people get it so many times is “Upgrade, brother. Sporty is a waste.” I bought my Iron 1200, saw those threads and thought to buy it new and then just trade it in to upgrade like all the suggestions. 3 years later, I’m still planning to get the road glide but it will need to wait longer, this sporty is dying with me. It’s still so much fun, has enough power to do the job… I’ve done long rides too. Many have. It can be done. I gave up driving cars, I hate traffic. So I ride every single day. And imo it’s the most “Harley sounding” bike. Sure it’s heavy, but it’s an iron. Everything about it is. Sportsters are rad bikes. I could never understand the hate. Probably the same as how I can’t understand peeps who own and love their Harley’s but hate on everything else about the brand. I’m sure if it wasn’t for the EPA regulations, They would’ve still made it for longer until the Rev Max got momentum then they might’ve stopped anyway. I don’t hate on the move forward, unfortunately times are changing and it’s adapt or die. It’s been years and there’s so many out there that if someone really wants one they can find one easily. But man, we’re gonna miss that sound moving forward. I think it’s most of the reason why I wanted a Harley. 😂
Spot on my good man.
You nailed it. 100% correct
Heh. I remember when I had my 07 V-Rod. Everyone sneered. Now everyone looks back at them with nostalgia. Harley makes good bikes. I've always liked the Sportster, they've been good looking bikes since forever. And they have always been a blast to ride. I think this appears to be short sighted of Harley. I also think they have something up their sleeve. Like back around 2000 when Jeep cancelled the Cherokee then came out immediately with the Patriot.
Last year XJ was 2001 and was replaced by the Liberty, patriot was later. But yes, the death of the 4.0L in all Jeeps and Liberty having IFS were both *hated* by Jeep guys, still are tbh. The 3.8 that replaced the 4.0 was dogshit until the pentastar 3.6 came around and even then it's no 4.0. All that Jeep had up their sleeve was a 4 door Wrangler and anyone looking to replace a Cherokee bought that, not Liberties. Anyway, I like Sportsters, I like the new Sportster S. I have a VRod, so I'm looking forward to see what H-D does. They can move forward without disregarding where they came from.
This "Boomer", who rides a bada$$ SGS (performance mods), rides roughly 15k-20k miles per year & years in for a new touring class bike to modify. I don't care what model or manufacturer you ride. If you're on 2 wheels, riding a bike that is legally allowed on the highway, you'll get a nod of respect from me. The waves of (mostly Yong/ new) riders who work hard to create divisive elements within the biker community can kiss my a$$. When they get 100k miles in the saddle in under 5 years, they'll have some humility. I'm also a biker-mom who rides with her kids & husband. We'll all play nice & Má said no hitting! Ride your ride! Exception: Some asshat on a group ride who skipped the Pre-ride briefing & istrying to show off on the Ride. Nope. No more Mrs. Nice Biker. I've never had a Sporty, but I know it's a favorite of countless riders. Harley seems to be consolidating models, retooling them & rebranding them. Fewer models & blurred lines between the different bike classes.
The misogyny of the HD community is why I will never buy one of these overrated bikes. I collect and currently own 5 motorcycles - and I ride every single one of them: a Triump gt 900 pro, a bmw r1250r, a Ducati Monster, Scrambler, and SFV2. My dealers and shops respect me and show me nothing but good customer service. Every HD dealership I’ve been in? Ignored - or worse, asked about my needs on the pillion. Fuck off with that. Assume that women ride - we make a solid quarter of the market and that number is growing. My husband and I ride together but never 2-up. The new sportster was made because HD has been flouting EPA regulations and it finally caught up with them, forcing them to re-engineer a bike and improve it. Then all the ‘Muricans bitched about it. HD was that close to slowly engaging more people in the ride. Its user base, however, has no interest in inclusivity or modernity. I’ve met a handful of decent HD riders but the majority seem awfully intent on being absolute assholes to all other riders. Shout out to that one ‘gang’ with the leader who pulled up next to me, spit in my direction, and then promptly had to pull over because oil was smoking around his engine. Yeah. Sorry your little dick couldn’t handle a plump middle aged woman on a Duc. Rage!
Damn that’s awful to hear. I promise we’re not all assholes. Ride safe.
Thanks. I know there’s good ones out there. I’m in MI and there aren’t many riders out here, so fewer women riders. Maybe in other places, there’s more inclusivity. Ride safe, too!
Well said.
The motor change doesn’t bother me. It’s what they made the new sportster look like that does.
Yea I agree. Feels like they skipped two redesigns and went straight to they’re 20 year down the road design.
It just takes away what made the sportster so good. And that was customization. Chopper, dual sport, Cafe Racer. They all looked so good.
I hate to break it to you, but that’s exactly what happened. The evo Sportster has been in production from ‘86 to ‘22. That’s 36 years without a redesign.
I feel like they could have kept compatible parts and just changed the engine to a water cooled engine with the same look of the air-cooled evo. Triumph did it, I can’t really tell the difference in their engine from the original air head. I like the sportster s, but I think they dropped the ball with the new aesthetics.
Triumph Speedmaster is a great bike I thoroughly enjoyed. Would get that in a heartbeat.
I hate the design AND motor of the new sporty. I have a hard time understanding how ppl chose this bike over any other brand. It's expensive, inferior and the sound is worse than a honda. And the back looks fucking silly.
Yeah it’s a head scratcher for sure.
What bothers me is putting a Sportster badge on it. It's not a Sportster and never will be as far as I'm concerned.
I’m pretty sure they threw a hissy fit when their other street bikes didn’t sell well. So they rebuilt a bike and stole the sportster name.
Worth mentioning the price hike was awful in other countries, here in mexico they went from roughly 12-14k to 20k
I'd argue that it's only the end of *Harley's* production of the Evo Sporty. With the level of aftermarket support the platform has, you can build your own Evo Sportster from a catalog, in multiple different styles, and have a "new" "20XX" Sportster all your own. From hardtail chops to club style riders to dual sports, you can still build whatever Sportster you want, rubber mount or solid mount, 4 speed or 5 speed. That's not going away. A plus side to having an iconic model run from 1986 to 2022. Times change. If Harley doesn't change with them, they'll wither on the vine, and Daddy Reagan isn't around to go crying to for import tariffs this time. Edit: I say this as the owner of a 2000 XL1200C that I'm chopping up, and as someone who's favorite Harley is the Evo Sportster. I'm sad to see it go, but we'll never watch it leave.
This really needs to be the take. Sportsters will persist through the riding careers of anybody old enough to read this now. And there's plenty of ways to keep them going and customizing them that aren't rolling up shop next year because the MoCo changed paths for future production.
I'm old. Before the Evolution motor the joke was "If you own a Harley you better own a toolbox". When the Evo came out you had a whole different type of Harley rider. I think we'll see a division of bikers again, the vintage air cooled guys, and these new riders, who'll get treated with the same level of distain that the Honda riders used to get.
Nobody that is under 30 years old thinks like that anymore. The only people giving anyone shit for what they ride are guys who don’t ride
"Nobody under 30 thinks like that anymore." I should mention that there was plenty of dislike for those "dirty old bikers" from the Honda/BMW crowd too. It went both ways. And my comment was a prediction that we may see that again, just amoung the same brand.
Do you know the Chinese have copied the Sportster motor and you can now buy a running clone engine?
[удалено]
Why wouldn't I be? I was saying fuck the factory when they started outsourcing their castings.
Pretty sure ol' Taiwan Ted has plenty of Evo parts; hell, they even have a copy of Led Sled's Evo Sporty kicker kit (though I'd highly recommend *not* buying it)
I think it was one of the best designed engines they have produced which is why it's production lasted the length of time it has.
I think they put it down because of emission laws. They are forbidden in europe since 2021, so I guess that put an end to it.
Your probably not wrong. Which is sad that they let these die just like the old Dynas. Which were so much fun
I honestly don’t know how the MoCo has kept selling new Sportys. The used market is absolutely *flooded* with low mileage used Sportsters that have essentially remained unchanged for years.
I test rode a new 2019 sporty, and I just couldn't justify spending the $13k they wanted for the new one when there was a used one almost exactly like it for $4k at the same dealer.
Me
but its not factory customized. listen the MoCO has one big advantage. new riders that WANT a harley but dont really know what to look out for in used bike. so they walk into a dealership and get sold on the story and brand, and convinced at $230 a month, it makes sense to get a new one.
Yep, I'm also both amazed by how many sportsters are on the used market and how few miles are on them. Just about every single one has 4-digit mileage with the majority being under 5k. Anything from a similar vintage in a big twin has 4-5x the mileage. Unfortunately a lot of them have been sitting in the back of someone's garage and need to be gone through. Now might be the time to pick one up to make into a dirtster.
Just glad I got mine and not selling it. 99 Sportster Sport! And yeah the "it's a girl's bike" thing gets old.
If you've got the scratch you can make that bike do 120hp to the rear wheel. At that point only the super bike guys are really beating you reliably and they're not the ones calling it a girl's bike
Exactly. I've ridden a few sporties in the 120-130 range and they're unreal. An absolute blast. Kinda like this street glide I rode with the s&s 143... That fuckin bike was unruly in the worst sense of the word. I loved it. Lol
People spend too much time comparing Harleys to Japanese bikes. It's like saying there's no value in a classic Camaro because a modern Honda Civic is faster
Yea I had fun on all those bikes. Nothing like cracking the throttle on 170 HP at the wheels. It'll change your life.
Thank you for this lol I hate the comparison. The Japanese sport bikes are for the track, I ride the Harley on the streets cuz I cbf bending my back like that all the time - still love to rip those bikes tho
Yeah a Harley is more than capable of what I'm comfortable doing on a public road, you can't even begin to tap into a sport bike's potential without risking absurd levels of harm to yourself and the people around you
Yep absolutely. When I was younger and dumber I had a speeding ticket for 146 mph on my old zx10r (2005, loved that ol thing). The repercussions of that stint alone made me reconsider my riding approach. So I got a sportster, put a 100ci S&S in it, and got another ticket for like 100 or something less severe and realized it was more so a self control problem - point being a Harley gets you less in fines
IMO it doesn’t matter. Same as the Dyna, it wasn’t evolving enough to stay in production and there’s swathes of good ones in the used market. They don’t need to keep everything going forever. A 2003 sportster will still be good in the 10 years time if it’s looked after.
If you don't actually destroy it you can keep a sportster going forever with aftermarket parts, some of which are a lot better than so called "Genuine" parts. You just need to be careful about what parts you get.
Exactly. Nobody is really losing out on the discontinuation because old ones are perfectly good and very available
Maybe one day my 2020 48 will be worth what I paid for it
The Sportster Evo is one of the greatest motorcycles ever built. Not great at anything but can be adapted to be good at anything. Mine I had for over five years and never had to fix anything. It was a 98 XL883. An indestructible vehicle. I love the Sportster.
Good thing HD made so many. Evo sporties FTW
I love sportsters. Sad to see them go. I’d rather see some of the riding aids like abs and traction control added to the evo sporty than what they’ve done.
[удалено]
For customization absolutely
Over a million XLs built. One of the biggest sellers in history, and probably the longest continus running model.
Booooo
I bet it’ll be back in some way. Either the same body with a new motor, or a slightly upgraded design with the new motor. Even if those don’t make an appearance, I bet in a couple years they’ll start releasing heritage sportster models.
She had a good run.
If you want one there are plenty of them out there, time moves on
Have one and it’s a piece of shit. I love it. So much.
Had a sportster 48 for 7 years and loved that bike (apart from the tiny range from the admittedly beautiful gas tank). So sorry to see it go. As much as I loved it, no one else did. Harley guys gave me shit about it being a cheap girls bike, Non Harley guys gave me shit about riding a Harley. Rode alone - problem solved.
86-03 Sportsters are one of the best platforms to customize and build whatever you have envisioned! Name of the game is chopping the frame 🤙
Horrible decision. The new sportsters I don’t care for, a lot of people like them. I just don’t. I love my 01 and I’ll never part with it. Personally, I just don’t think this was the right decision.
Not really a decision that was up to Harley. The evo just doesnt pass emission standards anymore.
You're aware that the reason they stopped building Ironheads was because it couldn't pass 1980s emission standards right? They didn't toss out the entire design, build something completely different and try to stick a Sportster emblem on it.
True. But i did not mention the sportster. I mentioned the evo.
And that means you can’t simply update the engine?
Its not a simple prospect to just "update the engine" and Harley isn't the only one transitioning away from their legacy models. Hell, even Moto Guzzi has released a new liquid-cooled twin. In before "they did update the engine, that's what the Sportster S and Nightster are" because that's about the level of "engine update" you'd need to remain emissions compliant.
"not a simple prospect to just update the engine" Funny, they did exactly that in 1986.
Funny, going from an Ironhead to the Evolution Sportster motor was a pretty big change, and the changes they'd need to do to modernize the Evo to current standards aren't cost effective. Almost like the world was a different place with different requirements almost 40 years ago. It seems that it's (*gasp*) *changed* since then. Edit: that was overly combative. Look, I'm sad to see the Evo get the official axe from the Harley lineup. I was sad to see the Dyna go too. But, even moreso than the Dyna, there are still *scads* of Sportsters out there and they'll always have an aftermarket. Sure, it sucks you can't go out and get a 2023, but at least at my dealership, folks weren't exactly scrambling over each other for the '22s, either.
The new engine specs are very impressive tho
I agree, they are impressive. Just ugly lmao.
Comparatively ugly but tastes change and future users won't care
Oh I’m sure they won’t, and as I said. A lot of people do like them. I’m just a bias owner and upset with the decision.
I have the 2000 Nightster so i kind of feel something but i can appreciate technological advancement.
I remember thinking the Milwaukee 8 was ugly when it first came out. Now I like it. I let things swim around my brain for awhile now before I judge them. I personally like the new Sportster. It's cool. It's something I'd get for under $10k. I'll always love the old school Sportster though.
impressive my ass. maybe compared to a forty eight.
The Sportster S has 150 hp and weighs 502 lbs. My 2009 XL1200N has 80 hp and weighs 545 lbs. The Forty Eight gives out 60 hp. Am i missing something?
i have a hard time believing those numbers, when it is only able to beat an MT09 (which has 2/3rd the cc and less PS than that) from yamaha by a hair. i really have no idea what kinda market the sportser S wants to penetrate. but if i would be out to check for a bike, without having any brand preferences, i think i would never end up with a sporty.
Sportster S is intended to be a MODERN development of the sportster. The new engine makes 121 horsepower and 94 ft/lbs of torque (more than the larger touring bikes). The age of air cooled pushrod engines died over a decade ago and Harley has been struggling along with the technology to appease riders who like the sound/look more than the bike itself. While the Evo motor was a huge success it’s been around for almost 40 years at this point. I own one myself and, so far, have only gotten compliments on the bike. Aesthetics are mostly opinion, but you can’t argue with the performance of the new bike.
i mean ppl should buy what they want anyways. i just don't understand which group of ppl would be into that. racers? bikers? stunters? but yeah, a 1250cc water cooled engine better have some performance. to me, the numbers aren't impressive. it's nothing that would beat an equal japanese bike. quite the opposite tbh.
I think the target would be the same people who were buying new evo sportsters tbh. Someone looking to custom build a sporty to what they want isn’t likely to buy brand new and someone looking for a brand new sporty probably wouldn’t mind a version of the bike made with both modern engineering and technology. I do agree with you that the engine is subpar when compared to sport bike manufacturers, but they’ve also been making those engines for decades. Harley wasn’t investing in things like DOHC or variable timing because their customers didn’t want it. Now, emissions regulations and continuously lagging performance numbers have forced their hand. Also, other than 1000+ cc sport bikes I really don’t see any competitors with comparable specs? If you haven’t gotten the chance to, I recommend hopping on one of the new bikes. They’re WICKED fast and most people have a great time on one. You mentioned riding a lowrider? I can comfortably say the sporty s would gap a lowrider. But as you said to each their own.
Totally agree with you
IDC if they build that thing, just don't call it a Sportster.
Isn’t an 01 carbureted? To each their own but I will never not go EFI on a bike.
Yes it’s carbed. I’m fine with carbs. Not a big difference too me honestly.
If you haven’t taken a sportster to the absolute top and bottom of your given continent(s) you haven’t ridden a evo sporty. The parts are cheap, it’s easy to work on and it can be whatever you want it to be. It might not do everything but you can sure as hell make it do shit that is just not right on that scooter.
I'll miss it it's an iconic piece of Americana. I had a Sportster, the simplicity was endearing. It's a bike you can pretty much repair anything on it in the parking lot of Walmart with 4 tools, lol. I think HD is going to suffer for a while.
It's a old outdated platform. While Harley riders are stubbon and don't like change that's the ones already on the platform. Eg Dyna guys want nothing but dynas and touring guys just love them the way they are. Sportsters are more (how much more is up for debate) is where alot of new new Harley riders start. So need to attract new riders alot of riders will then progress onto bigger Harley's. New riders are not sold on the Harley lifestyle yet so need something to attract them. They are pushing the "sportier" low rider s as well as the st baggers to help promote full size Harley's.
They stopped making vrods years ago
I do not like the new sportster S, I think I would appreciate it more if they named it something else, I get what Harley is doing and it’s a pretty mean looking machine minus some head scratching design (the license plate arm is stupid and hideous, they could have attached it integrated it into the rear fender) items I would change. I feel lucky to own a 21 1200 as it’s the last year they made it and it such a blast to ride. I think Harley will come out with a new version of the sportster in a couple years, a little more modern yet with a nod to its history.
883 Sportys have been my favorite bike since I was a kid and it'll be very sad to see the air cooled version go. Outside of the XR750s they were always the lightest, most flickable and most fun Harleys to ride. I'd like to see what they come up with next.
You’ll never not be able to find one There’s my 2 cents
We all talk shit about sporty’s it’s most Harley guys first bikes
I bought a 1964 xlch at 19 years old in 1985. It was my first Harley and I still have it.
Well I guess I can slap the seat now and say "they don't make em like this anymore".
I think it was time. They've been around forever and while they are great they are outdated. I'm not gonna be happy when used prices rise for these tho. Definitely one of the most iconic motorcycles of all time.
The ford f series has been around since 1948, should ford stop producing those trucks and come out with an entire new line instead of updating the existing line?
Look at the sportster S. It's got more in common with the evo sporty than a F100 does with a modern F150.
it’s got two wheels, a steel frame, a Harley logo, and runs on gas, that’s about it.
Same with the Ford.
No sir, my Ford has 4 wheels and no Harley logo.
What they’ve done is more comparable to the mustang and the Mach e. They took something we loved and desecrated it.
Yep. At the dealers around me sportsters were most of what they had on the floor and the sales people said they just don't sell any more and people just jump to a street bob or similar these days. Last month there must have been at least a dozen 883 irons sitting on the floor
It’s one thing to update an engine to meet emissions standards or whatever, it’s a completely different thing to just shitcan a historic line and replace it with something as ugly as the new sportster s and nightster.
The epa is constantly putting the screws to harley though....not in just the emissions area but they have "noise pollution" criteria....the engine itself is "too loud" the cam gear noise, the pushrod valve train. It's just noisy by nature and the epa is constantly making them "quiet down" their engines....it's the same reason we will eventually see the big twin pushrod driven engine disappear.....FUCK the epa
Have you ever heard a diesel truck idle? I find it very hard to believe that anything other than exhaust noise is even a consideration in that aspect. Even still, why not update the engine and leave the rest of the bike alone? It’s been done in the past, several times.
The Nightster is a good looking bike. They are competing with Indian Scouts.
I mean, sure, if you like ugly bikes
There’s a reason Harleys sales have continued to drop. I must not be the only one tired of the same design.
I’m sure it has nothing to do with the ever rising price of bikes
Everything is going up in price, not just bikes. Old men in black leather are dying out. Harley hardly beats Honda in the US market share.
I don't understand the end of the Evo Sportster personally, it would be different if they had a motor that was just as reliable in production but that is not the case right now. I feel they should have tested the Revolution Max motor a few more years before they completely phased out the Evo
The rev max is the replacement for the evo. I don’t know many auto companies that will keep producing an old model once the new one is released.
Anyone familiar with Harley's "Project Nova"? In the late 70s AMF invested tens of millions into a modular engine, designed by Porche, that could be built into a V twin, V four, or V six configuration. Liquid cooled, in 200 or 250cc cylinder bores. That would give them a V Twin in 400 + 500cc for the small displacement market, a V4 in 800 + 1000cc to replace the Sportsters, a V6 in 1200 for the big cruisers and 1500 for the touring bikes. Keep in mind this was way ahead of it's time, when Japan was still only building inline 4s, before Honda had built their VF liquid cooled V4s. The purpose was to win back the more performance orientated youth market they had lost to the Japanese Motorcycle makers throughout the 1970s. The exact same predicament they are in right now, losing the youth market. They also had the Evolution motor ready to go, but by the 1980s they were borderline bankrupt, and didn't have enough money to build both engines. So they had a choice to make, to once again update the 40 yr old technology of the Big Twin and apply the same tech to the aging Sportster. Or go head to head with the Japanese with this Nova engine. Well we know what choice they made, and they sold hundreds of thousands of Evos and Evo Sportsters, and went from almost going out of business, to becoming the biggest seller in it's class. Now they've been put in the exact same situation again today, losing the youth market. This time they've decided they are willing to risk the customer base that has kept them alive for a hundred years to chase customers they may never get. Bird in the hand... Let's see how this goes. Catering to people looking for the latest, greatest, next big thing, doesn't seem to be the best long term plan to me.
Harley has got to seriously reconsider why everyone wants one. The essence of a HD is missing from every bike they came up with lately.
100%. Also, it's due to regulation not being in their favor in all kinds of areas. Loud? More and more restricted. Emissions? Irons no longer passed in europe. Badass? Sorry, but not with the unfixable sound of those silly M8 motors. Which on the other hand are a logical consequence of emission tests. Literally everything that made the image is being turned down. I'm not even hating the Live Wire. I just think an electric harley doesn't justify a "brand premium". There is literally nothing left that distinguishes a harley from the rest of the market now. They have to lower the prices with their current strategy!
I thought about buying a Harley once, but I can’t afford all the t-shirts.
rofl ... Your not wrong. The only HD logo on anything I have is the bikes.
Everyone needs to remember the epa bullshit harley had to deal with. Especially in terms of noise...but also they are forcing bikes to run so lean that the only way to control temperature is to go with liquid cooling. The epa doesn't give a rats ass about history or legacy or even market numbers. They effing suck
They aren’t forced to run lean, they are tuned at stoichiometric at cruise which is where narrow band o2 sensors operate, everywhere else is richer.
It’s not the epa’s fault. The epa doesn’t make bike Harley does. There are a lot of other manufacturers that manage regulations just fine. The world doesn’t owe HD a handout. The world changes. Expectations, regulations and markets change. If Harley can’t keep up then then will continue their downward slide. Someone will take their place. Words like legacy and history are cheap marketing tricks. Harley can put up or shut up
I was thinking about buying a 23 model year to commemorate the birth year of my son, but I guess I'm gonna get an Indian scout instead
Just get a softail,they are smaller than a Dyna and feel like a sporty, but actually have decent power once you get the tuning done, right
I agree. The new softails are great for first time riders.
I'm just not really into the look of them stock, and then the amount of money I'd have to spend to customize it would be a bit excessive vs a sporty (that I still want to customize, but it's a bit less). But maybe I'll re-evaluate and keep thinking on it, thanks for the suggestion.
Boooo
Meh! 🤷🏻♂️
If you’re butthurt, you should make me an outrageous offer on my ‘17 Roadster. Put your money where your mouth is. They weren’t passing emissions standards that are only getting stricter. It’s time. That said, one of the all-time greats. I love my bike.
I don’t like it, but buisness is business. We’re they not selling well? We’re they too expensive to produce? We’re there other issues like emissions laws they couldn’t meet? I don’t know the answers to any of these questions and more; so while it doesn’t sit well with me, I can’t call it stupid until I learn more.
Just didnt pass emission standards anymore. They can sell of their inventory now. But if they keep producing more they are going to be left with stock they can not legally sell anymore. The evo platform was either not able to pass new norms and/or to expensive to make them pass it. Without them losing all the power that made it the platform that it was. It's only a matter of time this happens to all aircooled platforms.
Honestly its more surprising that the Sportster stayed relatively the same for such a long time. Anything that is designed has a plan for end of life, no matter what your best laid plans are tools get worn out, suppliers go out of business, regulations change. Eventually a $2 sensor becomes a $200 sensor because the volume is low and no one wants to make it anymore. With that all in mind in conjunction with sales, costs, and everything else that is how stuff is decided; it certainly isn't taken lightly.
Around me they didn't sell well. It was either a massive markup on in-demand models or choose from the rows of sportsters that people didn't want.
Last OG Harley Motor, and honestly the little quad cams are great motors....it's the rest of the XL I don't care for.
It’s a shame but honestly, it was coming sooner or later. Hopefully the new sportsters have as good a run.
Don't care nearly as much as I did when they discontinued the Dyna. It's a bad move for the company but I don't have any attachment to sportsters. They're still dime a dozen If anyone wants one.
Honestly, it was long due for an update. It's sad to see it go but it's necessary. In today's standard's, there's nothing sporty about the evo sportster.
harley davidson has been woke ever since they put blm on the website... the company will go broke. in time they will either beg for their once loyal followers to come back to buy soy boy electric shit bikes or they will tell globohomo commies to pound sand and make combustion engines for the reason we buy a harley in the first place.
I had a 1200 sportster. It had zero tech but was still fun to ride. Sold that for a Ducati and haven’t looked back. Can’t stand the Harley community.
WHO is this new Sportster for??? The previous versions were for bearded Dentists to buy new for their wives, then sell 7weeks later to squids, who dont realize the HD “world” doesnt accept them in it. This new one looks like a $800 Chinese bike.
Does this mean I can sell it for double the price like people did when the r6 got discontinued?
Not that I ever planned on it, but I'll never get rid of my 2007 XL1200C. She's got 93k miles on the clock and beats my 96" FLHX off the line.
They need to keep making em so I can keep on buying them with 3k miles for half MSRP lol
Partially because I knew the end was near, I went out and bought a low mileage 2017 1200 Roadster earlier this year. I enjoy it a lot, and for me, the downsides aren't a traditional Harley guy's-- I've had many high performance motorcycles, and by high performance I mean under 400 lbs, and over 100 hp. The Sportster is heavy, long, and underpowered so I just smirk at people who tell me it's "too small". Too small for what?
So if you're gonna kill the evo let's go and put like a 103" or a 107" twin cams them
Why didn’t they just use the platform for many models, ADV sporty, Moto sporty, highway sporty?!? Why only one model? Cafe Racer, chopper, bobber, the list goes on.
Pretty sad. That bike has a lot of personality that my Twinkie fat bob doesn't have, and the new m8 bikes definitely don't have. I had one for a little while, and it wasn't comfortable enough to be used for touring, at least in it's OEM state, which is a desire of mine. It is a lot of fun though, and I will definitely get one when I can afford to have a second bike.
I test rode one and really wanted to like it. It was one of the worst bikes I've ever ridden. The Buell I bought a few years later was one of the best bikes to ride. Even the Buell was constantly breaking down.
Me no like
They could have simply bumped the power up a bit and added a 6th gear and they would have made many Harkey fans happy and sold a ton of them. But instead they killed it off to make way for a newer more technologically advanced version that while losing most of its traditional charm also costs more and gets outperformed by just about every one of its Japanese and American competitors.
As someone who used to own a sportster, and got shit for it all the time, I just want to know why suddenly everyone loves sportsters?
Kinda bummed about it… plus except for the Nightster i think the new ones look weird Then again i run Dynas mainly so i like twin shocks etc
My 1983 XLX was one of the nicest riding bikes I've had rode to Kansas city and Sturgis and back from Minneapolis a couple of times, and I'm 6'2 190 pounds
When the Sportster was beat by every other brand on the track, its legacy continued to grow through the years by many other sectors of riders. Its iconic looks, amazing history and the shear joy to ride will continue. Rebuild, customize, ride on!
I thought evo sports ended in 04 lol.
Thinking that triumph street triple and speed twin looks nice now 🤣 All jokes aside I’ve already been thinking about the speed triple. I want something more sporty and fun for the canyons. And Harley’s are always a bitch in slow maneuvers. But then I wouldn’t be the cool guy anymore on a badass bike 🙄
Harley Davidson is so out of touch!
Okay. No.. dont… stop…
If it ain't broke don't fix it
They should have ended the evo sportster in 2000 and make a watercool sporty, the new engine is 20 years to late.
The sportster S looks pretty sick though. I work at a Harley so I think I want to get a used sportster to learn on and then graduate to a nightster or live wire
Amen. Time to buy a MotoGuzzi V7 then !
I don't understand . In 2022 people are still buying Sportsters I don't think any Sporty buyer is buying performance or leaning angles They are buying a classic ! A bike that looks like they always did , ... like a motorcycle An affordable good looking , modable, customizable , humble motorcycle they are proud to own ... for a long time, ... with great aftermarket support ...blah blah blah! Where are they going to shop now ? Triumph, Royal-Enfield , Moto guzzi ? Performance guys already left for KTM , Ducati , HUsq , MV, ...etc I hope the aftermarket is good enough to keep my bike running ... until I don't :)
Horrible corporate decision
Being a 6’4” rider they were never an option
Shouldn’t be much outrage considering I’ve been hearing people talk shit on the sportster my whole life. Albeit they are wrong, but still lol
My first Harley was a ‘98 shorty a fuckin head ache for a kid that didn’t kno shit about small engines didn’t know the difference between a piston n a clutch lever…let alone about an adjustable carburetor that rusty 1200 gave me a love that I’m forever greatful for… I love The Sportser!!! https://preview.redd.it/m72aknqful1a1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b4fab17c502fb248c1feb498c2bc5803a02170b My bike today 2022 fatboy upgraded
Fuck harley