2023 Harley-Davidson Sportster S Sports Cruiser Review

The new 2023 Harley-Davidson Sportster S Sports Cruiser starts a new volume in the Sportster tale. A brand established in 1957 that blew away the race has been reborn to destroy today’s benchmarks.

2023 Harley-Davidson Sportster S Sports Cruiser – Features and Specs

High Exhaust Mount

The pipes are designed to direct exhaust heat away from the legs and tail section and are made of corrosion-resistant 304-series stainless steel, evoking the golden days of H-D flat-track racing.

Instrumentation

The Harley-Davidson app’s turn-by-turn navigation and digital gauges, indicators, and riding modes are all integrated into a 4″ circular, thin-film transistor LCD that connects through Bluetooth. The left- and right-hand controls are buttoned to access all features easily.

Chassis

The Revolution Max 1250T is an integral part of the motorcycle’s chassis, replacing the conventional frame to save weight while maintaining responsive handling drastically. With a low center of gravity and an excellent chassis, the performance is palpable.

Revolution Max 1250T

With its liquid-cooled, double-overhead-camshaft, variable-valve-timing engine, the Revolution Max provides a wide range of torque and an instantaneous powerband optimized for the rider’s command.

Rider Technology

You may adjust your bike’s power delivery, engine braking, Cornering Enhanced Antilock Braking System (C-ABS), and Cornering Enhanced Traction Control System (C-TCS) to your liking using one of three pre-set Ride Modes (Sport, Road, or Rain).

Ability and Efficiency

The Sportster S from Harley-Davidson generates 121 horsepower and 94 lb.-ft of torque. This engine has a penchant for revving up, unlike its predecessors. The horsepower levels out at 7,500 rpm, while the torque reaches a maximum of 6,000 rpm.

A set of four poppets is activated by self-adjusting lifters in each of the two heads. The Revolution Max also deviates from the norm using a short-stroke configuration, with a bore of 105 mm and a stroke of 72.3%. Top hook gas is recommended to avoid detonation and dieseling because of the 12-to-1 compression ratio, which is rather saucy for a Harley. A downdraft intake with rocked-out velocity stacks for induction control provides a broad, usable powerband.

The addition of anti-lock brakes (ABS), traction control (TC), drag torque control (DTC), and wheel lift mitigation (WLM) demonstrates the MoCo’s dedication to innovative design. All these technologies are corner-sensitive, putting this bike on par with the finest in its category anywhere in the world.

Your left hand will appreciate the lightweight lever pull weight provided by a multi-plate clutch, an additional layer of anti-back torque safety, especially while driving in heavy city traffic. The Sportster S’s peak speed of 143 mph, compared to the rest of the Sportster family in 1957, is astounding thanks to its six-speed gearbox and carbon fiber belt-and-pulley final drive.

Aside from a few minor details, Harley-Davidson’s designers completely rethought the aesthetic of their current Sportster motorcycles. A front fender hardly smaller than a postage stamp and with minimum fling covering pays proper tribute to the custom culture as well.

The oval form of the headlamp is necessary for the LED projectors, and the LED turn signals are attached to the top fork tubes so that they float in front of the main headlights. In the unlikely event that you do drop it in the parking lot, they will be safe. The Harley-Davidson app’s turn-by-turn navigation and other features are shown on a completely digital gauge cluster that is Bluetooth-enabled and is 4.0 inches in diameter.

The firm deserves credit for keeping the teardrop gas tank profile from the K Model in 1952. The tank console, which is not chrome, matches the rest of the vehicle’s blackout decoration. You may mark me as a fan of the bar-end mirrors; their roundness and placement make them reminiscent of classic custom motorcycles.

The height of an unoccupied seat is 30.1 inches above the floor. The suspension can be compressed to 28.9 inches with a rider weighing at least 180 pounds, which is still tall for an H-D sled.

You will not be able to take a passenger. The standard Sportster S has a single seat, and a passenger pad would have difficulty fitting in the bike’s subframe. The tradeoff is a sleek rear end and minor bodywork, which aid in reducing weight and provide the impression of speed even when the vehicle is at rest. To ensure you are seen from behind, the rear gear attaches to a single-sided hugger equipped with even more LED deliciousness.

Chassis

The Trellis-type frame of the Sportster S, which has forged joints and welded tubing to save weight, is made of low-alloy steel. The mid-structure, however, is made of forged aluminum. The swingarm is constructed from tubing made of steel alloy and has axle connections forged for durability.

The suspension is unique compared to other Sportster models, with 43 mm inverted forks, a piggyback mainshock, and several other changes at either end. The rake angle is 30 degrees, as determined by the steering head. However, the triple tree requires an offset. Stability at more incredible speeds and on longer rides are benefits of the Sportster S’s actual fork angle of 28 degrees and 5.8 inches of travel.

The Sportster S’s cast-aluminum alloy wheels are shod with massive, knobby Dunlop Harley-Davidson Series tires: 160/70-17 in the front and 180/70-16 in the rear. In the show, a 320 mm disc and 4-piston caliper provide the brunt of H-D’s braking power, while a 260 mm disc and single-pot caliper handle the rear.

Price and Availability

Your Sportster’s final price will largely depend on your chosen paint job. For $16,399, you can get a 2023 Harley-Davidson Sportster S. It is the Vivid Black colorway standard. White Sand Pearl, Gray Haze, and Bright Billiard Blue packages will cost you an additional $450.

Harley-Davidson Sportster S vs. Ducati Scrambler 1100 Dark Pro

To cut a similar figure to the Harley-Davidson Sportster S, the Ducati Scrambler 1100 Dark Pro also has a blacked-out finish, a cut-down front fender, a short tail, and a rear hugger that hangs the tag. The Scrambler-derived Dark Pro has corner-sensitive ABS as standard equipment, but other than that, it seems that the three riding modes are all that can be expected.

I can now claim that the Sporty is outgunned by a motorcycle since its 1,079 cc L-twin engine only produces 86 horsepower and 65 pound-feet of torque. The H-D’s performance plus the included electronics suite package make it a better bike for the money, in my opinion, despite the Duc’s higher price tag of $13,895.

2023 Harley-Davidson Sportster S Sports Cruiser – Technical Specifications

Dimensions

Engine

Performance

Drive train

Chassis

Electric

Infotainment

Rider safety enhancements