RE: Harley-Davidson Roadster: PH2 Review
Tuesday 14th June 2016
A few weeks ago I received a random email from a friend. Attached was a picture of the new Harley-Davidson Roadster and a simple message that read 'this Harley looks amazing, is it wrong that I think this?' To put this into context, he has always been a sports bike man and, up until now, Harleys have been the butt of jokes about ditch pumps and poor handling. But here was one he was genuinely interested in owning. And that's kind of the point of the new Roadster: it's a Harley aimed at attracting the cafe racer crowd. But to appeal to this audience, the Roadster needs to handle a damn sight better than most Harleys, which is a tough ask for what is basically a tweaked Sportster.
Riding position more comfy than it looksA sporty outlook
Strip away the marketing hype and the Roadster is essentially a restyled Forty-Eight. It has the same chassis and 1,202cc air-cooled engine as the classically styled model, but it is the wheels and suspension that separate the two bikes. Where the Forty-Eight has big old balloon tyres on 16-inch rims, the Roadster gains a 19-inch front and an 18-inch rear. Not normal sizes for cafe racers, but far more conventional for Harleys. Add to this a pair of 43mm inverted forks (not the first time on a Harley, they appeared on the XR1200) and some taller dampers that tip the bike more on its nose, plus twin front discs, and you have the potential for vastly improved handling and stopping. Naturally there are styling alterations, and the Roadster gets more centrally mounted pegs, wide and slightly dipped bars, a cafe racer style seat and new dash with an analogue rev counter and LCD speedo. The Roadster also has a more sensible 12.5-litre fuel tank, unlike the pathetic and deeply irritating 7.9-litre tank on the Forty-Eight. Thank goodness for small mercies...
It even handles quite nicely tooA surprising ride
I've been on quite a few Harley launches when I've been told the handling is better and been left disappointed, but the Roadster was a real surprise. Annoyingly it was a bit damp on my ride, but despite this you could tell that it was a genuine step forward from other models. It's not going to cause a sports bike any worries, but the Roadster is now a Harley that can be ridden with enthusiasm through bends rather than nursed around them. The centrally mounted pegs offer more ground clearance than usual, which is nice, but it's the change in geometry and new wheels that are the real stars, transforming the ride and making the Roadster almost justify the 'sport' part of its Sportster name. Add to this an ABS braking set-up that, while still pretty devoid of feel and with the traditional horrible chunky brake lever, now has enough power to bring it on a par with a basic modern system. They aren't amazing, but they are certainly up to the job and that's another major step forward for a Harley. Weirdly for a cafe racer, I actually found the Roadster's wide and low-ish bars very comfortable and, even more strangely, they seemed to be set at the ideal height and spacing to make the mirrors work perfectly. The seat is also pretty comfortable. But the Roadster isn't without its irritations...
LCD screen can be tricky to readIs this really a cafe racer?
After riding the Roadster I was left thinking if my mate would actually enjoy owning one. To be honest, he is still a sports bike man at heart and the performance of the 1,202cc Harley V-twin would leave him a bit disappointed where something like the Triumph Thruxton or Yamaha XSR range wouldn't, so I don't think it would be for him. That said, the Roadster is certainly a credible cafe racer for those who like the styling but aren't that fussed about ultimate performance. This is a Harley that looks cool, handles reasonably well, stops properly and can pass a petrol station without making the rider start to sweat, unlike the Forty-Eight. It is the only model in the Sportster range that actually justifies the Sport part of the name; and, at less than £10,000, it isn't bad value either.
Harley-Davidson Roadster: PH2 Review
The new Harley Sportster that actually lives up to its name
Riding position more comfy than it looks
Strip away the marketing hype and the Roadster is essentially a restyled Forty-Eight. It has the same chassis and 1,202cc air-cooled engine as the classically styled model, but it is the wheels and suspension that separate the two bikes. Where the Forty-Eight has big old balloon tyres on 16-inch rims, the Roadster gains a 19-inch front and an 18-inch rear. Not normal sizes for cafe racers, but far more conventional for Harleys. Add to this a pair of 43mm inverted forks (not the first time on a Harley, they appeared on the XR1200) and some taller dampers that tip the bike more on its nose, plus twin front discs, and you have the potential for vastly improved handling and stopping. Naturally there are styling alterations, and the Roadster gets more centrally mounted pegs, wide and slightly dipped bars, a cafe racer style seat and new dash with an analogue rev counter and LCD speedo. The Roadster also has a more sensible 12.5-litre fuel tank, unlike the pathetic and deeply irritating 7.9-litre tank on the Forty-Eight. Thank goodness for small mercies...
It even handles quite nicely too
I've been on quite a few Harley launches when I've been told the handling is better and been left disappointed, but the Roadster was a real surprise. Annoyingly it was a bit damp on my ride, but despite this you could tell that it was a genuine step forward from other models. It's not going to cause a sports bike any worries, but the Roadster is now a Harley that can be ridden with enthusiasm through bends rather than nursed around them. The centrally mounted pegs offer more ground clearance than usual, which is nice, but it's the change in geometry and new wheels that are the real stars, transforming the ride and making the Roadster almost justify the 'sport' part of its Sportster name. Add to this an ABS braking set-up that, while still pretty devoid of feel and with the traditional horrible chunky brake lever, now has enough power to bring it on a par with a basic modern system. They aren't amazing, but they are certainly up to the job and that's another major step forward for a Harley. Weirdly for a cafe racer, I actually found the Roadster's wide and low-ish bars very comfortable and, even more strangely, they seemed to be set at the ideal height and spacing to make the mirrors work perfectly. The seat is also pretty comfortable. But the Roadster isn't without its irritations...
After a few minutes of riding, the positioning of the pegs left me seething with annoyance. The problem is that every time you stop and put a foot down, when you go to put it back on the peg you catch your shin on the peg. Quite honestly, they are the worst positioned pegs on any bike I have ever ridden. The Harley guys told me that you get used to it, but a short ride through town left me nursing bruised shins and a rapidly increasing temper. Truly horrible. Also, the rev counter dominates the dash and the small LCD speedo seems an afterthought which, while looking cool, does make reading your speed quite tricky.
LCD screen can be tricky to read
After riding the Roadster I was left thinking if my mate would actually enjoy owning one. To be honest, he is still a sports bike man at heart and the performance of the 1,202cc Harley V-twin would leave him a bit disappointed where something like the Triumph Thruxton or Yamaha XSR range wouldn't, so I don't think it would be for him. That said, the Roadster is certainly a credible cafe racer for those who like the styling but aren't that fussed about ultimate performance. This is a Harley that looks cool, handles reasonably well, stops properly and can pass a petrol station without making the rider start to sweat, unlike the Forty-Eight. It is the only model in the Sportster range that actually justifies the Sport part of the name; and, at less than £10,000, it isn't bad value either.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROADSTER
Engine: 1,202cc air-cooled V-twin
Torque (lb ft): 71
Top speed: 120mph (est)
Weight: 259kg (wet)
MPG: 48 (est.)
Price: £9,695
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Discussion
Really? Ghastly old lump that is not actually designed to "fit" anyone. This is another take on the old Harley Cafe Racer of years ago. That was horrible and not at all a cafe racer either. Pass (on anything grossly over weight and "designed" Harley) Almost every contact point is at the wrong angle or to high/low, far/near, none of which seems to bother Harley. Their road tester must be a really strange shape! Here is the last hash: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=harley+davidson+...
jamespink said:
Really? Ghastly old lump that is not actually designed to "fit" anyone. This is another take on the old Harley Cafe Racer of years ago. That was horrible and not at all a cafe racer either. Pass (on anything grossly over weight and "designed" Harley) Almost every contact point is at the wrong angle or to high/low, far/near, none of which seems to bother Harley. Their road tester must be a really strange shape! Here is the last hash: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=harley+davidson+...
Come on, off the fence. What do you think of Harleys?Baryonyx said:
It looks better than the previous effort, which isn't saying much. When will the appetite for these style over substance cafe racers fade?
Most sports bike riders buy purely for what the bike looks like, and to be a part of the gang. Most would be far better suited to something else (sports tourer, commuter etc) but they put up with being uncomfortable and stuff because they like the style of bike. Cafe racers have been built for decades, yeah they're more popular at the moment but there's not been a decade without manufacturers making them since the sixties so the appetite's always been there, maybe just not the publicity.
Eta, although that bike is obviously not a cafe racer
srob said:
Most sports bike riders buy purely for what the bike looks like, and to be a part of the gang. Most would be far better suited to something else (sports tourer, commuter etc) but they put up with being uncomfortable and stuff because they like the style of bike.
Cafe racers have been built for decades, yeah they're more popular at the moment but there's not been a decade without manufacturers making them since the sixties so the appetite's always been there, maybe just not the publicity.
Eta, although that bike is obviously not a cafe racer
Didn't Gary Glitter write a song about this?Cafe racers have been built for decades, yeah they're more popular at the moment but there's not been a decade without manufacturers making them since the sixties so the appetite's always been there, maybe just not the publicity.
Eta, although that bike is obviously not a cafe racer
amazing how people who haven't ridden the bike immediately attack it.
Its a half a step in the right direction at least and HD may have done this because the XR1200 was a step too far for their customers 8 years ago.
I may go borrow one from my local dealer and find out for myself how well it rides however i wouldn't buy one as i dont like the styling
Its a half a step in the right direction at least and HD may have done this because the XR1200 was a step too far for their customers 8 years ago.
I may go borrow one from my local dealer and find out for myself how well it rides however i wouldn't buy one as i dont like the styling
259KG? It must be made of pig iron, what does a Triumph speedmaster weigh? 230kgs, Street Twin? 198kg, typical HD i feel, overweight, underbraked and under powered, HD's might feel a lot sportier if the sporty models actually weighed similar to comparable bikes.
Edited by Jazoli on Wednesday 15th June 19:40
bimsb6 said:
Please show us where hd call it a cafe racer .
Looks like, smells like, sounds like...HD may not call it a cafe racer but it's clear to see where the inspiration came from. That is of course fine, but it's a shame to see them plodding on like this when they could be making something sportier along the lines of Buell.
It's probably the best looking bike that HD make but that isn't saying much.
Mr2Mike said:
srob said:
Most sports bike riders buy purely for what the bike looks like, and to be a part of the gang.
You don't think performance and handling has any input?What I mean is that many sports bikes are used for touring and commuting and all sorts.
Those riders have chosen to buy that style of bike because they like the styling and to be a part of the sports bike 'gang', which is really no different to someone buying a caff racer/custom (or whatever else it is the sports brigade are picking on that day) and have chosen to compromise in a different way because they like that style of bike.
No doubt that some sports bike riders can fully exploit the ability of their chosen mount, but there's also a huge number who can't, so have bought because they like that bike's styling etc. And there's nothing wrong with that, just that people in glass houses shouldn't throw spanners
srob said:
Nice selective quoting
What I mean is that many sports bikes are used for touring and commuting and all sorts.
I would guess that most people don't have the room or money for multiple bikes for different uses so they choose the one that best fits all their requirements.What I mean is that many sports bikes are used for touring and commuting and all sorts.
I use my sports bike for commuting, and occasionally for touring because I love everything about it. It's comfortable, fast, handles well, is pretty good on fuel and looks great. That said it's an older sports bike so a proper man sized machine with lots of room. I wouldn't mind a naked sports bike, but something heavy with huge fairings and a sit up and beg riding position would just suck the enjoyment out of biking for me.
Mr2Mike said:
I would guess that most people don't have the room or money for multiple bikes for different uses so they choose the one that best fits all their requirements.
I use my sports bike for commuting, and occasionally for touring because I love everything about it. It's comfortable, fast, handles well, is pretty good on fuel and looks great. That said it's an older sports bike so a proper man sized machine with lots of room. I wouldn't mind a naked sports bike, but something heavy with huge fairings and a sit up and beg riding position would just suck the enjoyment out of biking for me.
Yep, so you've accepted compromises as you can only run one bike. The original comment that I responded to was something like "when will these cafe racers go away and people stop buying for style over substance". I'm just saying that the same could be said for many other categories of bikes. It's especially true of the vintage bikes I ride; a CG125 would be better than my 1922 Raleigh but I put up with all of its faults because I love that era and 'character' of bike. That's my decision to put 'style' (IMHO I use my sports bike for commuting, and occasionally for touring because I love everything about it. It's comfortable, fast, handles well, is pretty good on fuel and looks great. That said it's an older sports bike so a proper man sized machine with lots of room. I wouldn't mind a naked sports bike, but something heavy with huge fairings and a sit up and beg riding position would just suck the enjoyment out of biking for me.
) over any kind of substance!Oooof, only stumbled across the Harley Roadster the other day, very tempted even though I've got absolutely no justification for one as my K1300S does everything superbly and I have no need for a second bike. Love the (cafe racer-ish) looks, requires effort to go fast, sounds great with a screamin' eagle exhaust, vaguely performance orientated suspension, twin front discs. Seems to be a Harley to appeal to non-Harley people and seems to be working. Have emailed in to ask for a test ride.
I'll take one with these optional extras please Red....with air filter, blacked out exhaust, LED headlamp, fancy grips and pegs, engine cowling, exhaust and single seat
I'll take one with these optional extras please
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