Daily Slideshow: A Closer Look at the New Harley Roadster
What happens when traditionally non-Harley loving Europeans get their hands on the new Roadster? Well, they like it.
1. Reaching New Customers
Over in much of Europe, Harley-Davidson motorcycles aren't exactly people's first choice of transportation. They like racy Euro bikes and little hatchbacks with revvy engines, of course. But something funny happened when the folks at BikeExif were granted some wheel time with the new Harley Roadster Dark Custom - they actually rather like it.
2. Strip Down, Branch Out
But that's really not too surprising. Unlike the loaded-up Sportster of old, the Roadster is more of a stripped-down, old school bike. As H-D's head of product planning Paul James explained, it's an attempt to reach an untapped audience. “The brand can stretch in ways we haven’t tried yet,” James told BikeExif.
>>Join the conversation about the New Roadster right here in HDForums.
3. Widely Influenced
The goal of the Roadster was to create more of a rider's bike, using the 1956 KHR flat tracker as an influence. So it's no surprise that BikeExif states that the bike's "biggest draw card is its balanced stance." And they found an even wider bevy of influence in the Roadster's styling. "Harley-Davidson’s designers have cherry-picked ideas from the 60s right through to the 80s to stylize the Roadster."
4. Standout Design
They particularly enjoyed the newly designed seat and its "definite muscle car aesthetic" designed to "echo the look of old motorcycle jackets." They call the simplified cockpit "one of the cleanest" they've ever seen on a factory motorcycle," and the singular dial "a standout."
>>Join the conversation about the New Roadster right here in HDForums.
5. Styling Mashup
Interestingly, BikeExif picked red as their favorite Roadster hue, though it's buyer's least favorite. The overall feel is rather good, with "very little plastic and a generally solid build quality." And all of this adds up to a very unique looking bike. "It’s a mash-up of styles that somehow works, resulting in a bike that rides the line between café racer and street tracker."
>>Join the conversation about the New Roadster right here in HDForums.
6. Torque by the Boatloads
In terms of performance, BikeExif enjoyed the Roadster's "boatloads of midrange torque" from the 1202cc Evolution V-Twin. The Roadster further separates itself from the rest of the Sportster lineup with a seat height, ground clearance, and weight coming in higher than the Forty-Eight.
>>Join the conversation about the New Roadster right here in HDForums.
7. Harley That Handles
So the only thing left to ask is, how does the Roadster ride and perform on real (European) roads? The crew headed out to the mountain roads of Côte d’Azur in France to find out, an unlikely spot for your traditional Harley test. And how did it do? Well, apparently pretty good. "This motorcycle handles better than a Harley has any business doing."
>>Join the conversation about the New Roadster right here in HDForums.
8. Flashy but Effective
The suspension might be "flashy," "but it works." "It doesn’t go ‘clunk’ on potholes and rough bits of road, and it doesn’t wallow much under braking. And it tracks well in corners, aided by the radial Dunlop tires." Pretty high compliments, indeed.
>>Join the conversation about the New Roadster right here in HDForums.
9. Stop and Go
BikeExif found that the dual-disc ABS brakes worked very well, too. Which they discovered after a close call with a big truck, apparently. The bike's prodigious midrange torque and long gear ratios also mean that "it’ll pull strong from low down, without forcing you to cycle through gears like a madman."
>>Join the conversation about the New Roadster right here in HDForums.
10. Sportster You've Been Waiting For
Turn in is surprisingly quick, too. "What really caught me by surprise is how much of a difference the revised stance and ergonomics make." In the end, it seems that these Euro Harley haters might just have changed their stance on the iconic motorcycle maker, leading them to conclude "if you want a slice of Americana with stump-pulling torque, decent handling and a sharp, tracker-tinged aesthetic, this is the Sportster you’ve been waiting for."
>>Join the conversation about the New Roadster right here in HDForums.
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