Article By: Rob Keller
Photos By: Riles & Nelson
Originally Published In The July 2012 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine
I have always been a Sportster nut. It’s the only motorcycle that Harley Davidson has consistently been manufacturing since 1957. This is a modern marvel in my opinion. Surviving with only subtle changes over the past 55 years, the Sportster has become the longest consecutive running model in the history of the Motor Company. If you have never ridden or owned one, you don’t know what you’re missing. When the 1957 Sportster was released for civilian use, it was the very first bike that Harley Davidson manufactured with hydraulic forks and rear shocks. You will see many hard tail versions out there, but the factory never produced a hard tail model. The engine was basically a takeoff of the 45 cubic inch displacement K model, using an overhead valve design with a larger 55 c.i.d. The transmission and engine are combined in the same case. The engine was deemed the Ironhead and found a home with the Sportster family for the next 30 years. Back then this was a big deal, providing comfort and performance together for the first time. This motorcycle was light and fast and was the Motor Company’s answer to the British made sport bikes that were becoming popular at that time.
As the years passed by, the Sportster never lost its popularity and continued to be offered as the American made version of the sport bike. The Ironhead engine got a little bigger in 1972 when it grew from a 900 cc motor to 1000. That powerplant Article By: Rob Keller Photos By: Riles & Nelson was kept in production until 1984. The Ironhead is one of the most popular engines still today. There were some 750 cc racing versions of the engine that came with alloy heads. The basic frame design from 1957 was still the backbone of the bike and there were now several different models to choose from. 1986 was the first year that the Evolution engine was used in the Sportster cradle. It was offered as an 883 or an 1100. Two years later, a 1200 version replaced the 1100. The 2004 model year gave the rider some added comfort with the addition of a rubber mounted engine. Fuel injection replaced the carburetor in 2007 and that is the version of the engine that powers the Sportster family today. There are now seven different models available for the 2012 production year. They all have their own personality that attracts attention to their unique individuality. The latest version that was released just before Daytona Bike Week this year is known simply as the Seventy-Two.
When I saw the Seventy-Two in person for the first time, the hard candy Big Red Flake paint job popped with brilliant, sparkling metal flake that you only see on the finest custom bikes. I was amazed at the quality of color and finish on this factory bike. Harley Davidson has some real nice paint, but the Seventy-Two takes the cake for me. It’s also available in Black Denim and Big Blue Pearl. With so many different Sportster models still out there on the road, it’s hard to tell what is factory and what is custom. The Seventy-Two makes this perfectly clear because of its retro style and custom attitude. This is a brand new machine that looks like it has been around for 30+ years and has seen its fair share of winter overhauls and parts’ swaps that has a fresh coat of killer paint and is ready for the new riding season. It’s a machine with many stories to tell, but it is a virgin fresh out of the crate like a rock star that hasn’t paid his dues. That is the kind of product we have come to expect from Harley Davidson.
When you throw your leg over the Seventy-Two, you feel the narrow sleekness that you see before you sit on the bike. The 2.1 gallon tank is skinny and with the Electric Sequential Port Fuel Injection in place, your legs are able to hug the tank. With the old carbureted bikes, your right leg would have to stick out to get passed the air cleaner. The mini ape handlebars combined with the frame hugging seat give you the feel of a chopper. The forward controls stretch me out just right at 5’ 10”. A smaller rider would also be comfortable . The 26.6” laden seat height is not the lowest in the Sportster family, but fits the style of this bike and will allow for good ground clearance of 4.7 inches. Out on the road, the 1200cc air-cooled Evolution engine has impressive power putting out 73 ft. lbs. of torque at 3,500 r.p.m. The quick response of the throttle even caught Roadside Marty’s attention. The skinny 21” tire on the front and the 16” on the rear work well together as you cut through the corners. With good ground clearance and a 28.6 right and 29.8 left lean angle, you can really lay the bike over in the corners without dragging on the ground. I was really impressed with the front suspension.
There is plenty of travel and it didn’t bottom out during my entire ride. Because the Seventy-Two is light, it is fairly easy to maneuver at slow speeds. The higher handlebars do make the geometry a little more difficult to turn the bike in real tight situations, but this is common with higher bars. The impression that I have with the Seventy-Two is the same as most people that see it for the first time. If you don’t know that it is brand new bike, you probably assume that it is someone’s creative custom. This bike received more comments from people than any other factory motorcycle I have ridden. What more could you ask of your machine? It looks and runs great! We would like to thank our friends at Harley Davidson for giving us the opportunity to ride the Seventy-Two. It’s a real sweet ride!
