2016.5 Sportster Roadster.

[RoadRaceJosh]

Originally Posted By: alarmguy
Sometimes it's not fair to compare an old version of anything, as versions do improve...
I got this magazine yesterday.... Here is a First Look....
Harley Roadster
There is also a link to the magazines Low Rider review at the above.


Which is why I went to the H-D web site and looked for the suspension travel. No joy. I know the older ones lacked passable rear suspension and I can't determine if the new ones do or not.

Thanks for the link to the article. I found this: "At 4.5 inches front and 3.2 inches rear, the Roadster offers more suspension travel than any other Sportster." My old Honda has 4.7" of travel at both ends and a nice linkage for the rear spring and damper.

 

[DuckRyder]

There are a number of in the flesh pictures on XLF.

Some times things are more than the sum of their parts, but I'm quite sure no one at the MoCo ever had any intention of competing with a VFR...

Many Sportster enthusiast have been asking for something like this since the original Roadster left the US market (It has remained available from HDI)...

This bike seems to have checked most of the boxes for the "Bring Back the Sporty Sporty" crowd.

I would ditch the exhaust pretty quick for a 2:1....

 

[RoadRaceJosh]

Oh, I fully agree that HD has never competed in the market segment my Honda occupies. Sport touring, what's that? Was there ever a Buell sport tourer?

It may be that 3.2" of rear suspension travel is adequate so long as one sets the spring preload for their regular load and resets it as needed. It would be a positive change.

There is another retro, naked 1200 available that makes a lot more power, is within $150 of the ABS Sportster, has better suspension with, and I laughed at this, 120mm (4.7") of suspension travel front and rear. And at 454 lbs dry it weighs 95 lb less than the Sportster. The performance won't even be in the same ball park.

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/bikes/...0#specification

Maybe the T120 Black is a better comparison. It's only up 16 hp and down 55 lbs from the Sporty.

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/bikes/...k#specification

 

[Robenstein]

Originally Posted By: Joshua_Skinner
Oh, I fully agree that HD has never competed in the market segment my Honda occupies. Sport touring, what's that? Was there ever a Buell sport tourer?

It may be that 3.2" of rear suspension travel is adequate so long as one sets the spring preload for their regular load and resets it as needed. It would be a positive change.

There is another retro, naked 1200 available that makes a lot more power, is within $150 of the ABS Sportster, has better suspension with, and I laughed at this, 120mm (4.7") of suspension travel front and rear. And at 454 lbs dry it weighs 95 lb less than the Sportster. The performance won't even be in the same ball park.

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/bikes/...0#specification

Maybe the T120 Black is a better comparison. It's only up 16 hp and down 55 lbs from the Sporty.

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/bikes/...k#specification


Of course the Triumph purists lament it is liquid cooled. I wish Triumph could have gone air cooled. The potential was certainly there and indeed Honda was able to do it with their retro CB a few years back.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted By: bigdreama
If I was 5'-8" instead of 6'-5", I would find a way to get one of those in my garage.

Yes, I joked with my wife, it would be good to have in the garage for a quick trip to pick up a red box movie!
I really like the look..... Actually she did too.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: alarmguy
MY wife and I rode up to Tower Harley on Sunday. They had the "army green" looking US army version on the showroom floor, AWESOME looking bike. Even my wife spoke about it more then a few times while we were there.
Nice wife!

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: Joshua_Skinner
Oh, I fully agree that HD has never competed in the market segment my Honda occupies. Sport touring, what's that? Was there ever a Buell sport tourer?

It may be that 3.2" of rear suspension travel is adequate so long as one sets the spring preload for their regular load and resets it as needed. It would be a positive change.

There is another retro, naked 1200 available that makes a lot more power, is within $150 of the ABS Sportster, has better suspension with, and I laughed at this, 120mm (4.7") of suspension travel front and rear. And at 454 lbs dry it weighs 95 lb less than the Sportster. The performance won't even be in the same ball park.

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/bikes/...0#specification

Maybe the T120 Black is a better comparison. It's only up 16 hp and down 55 lbs from the Sporty.

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/bikes/...k#specification
Remember it is not just a motorcycle, it is a Harley!

 

[CT8]

I stopped by the Harley dealer when I was in Chico the other day and the roadster is a reall, really nice looking bike. I sat on it and it "felt" pretty good