On the road in Alsace with the Sportster Forty-Eight
The no-frills 1200 Sportster Forty-Eight has enough power and charm in every situation!
The Sportster models are often traded as the entry-level models in the Harley-Davidson scene; a new one can be picked up at the Harley-Davidson dealer of choice for as little as €10,000. But is that really true, are they just an entry-level Harley? Somehow that sounds demeaning, as if it's only for beginners who want to get something bigger later.
This is not the case, it is without question a good entry-level model, but many Sportster owners stick with their beloved Sporty, it is one of those Harley's that look great off the shelf, mount it and go, without tinkering with it. Subtle modifications are of course allowed, air filters and yes, the exhaust system is often on the wish list, the new emission standards put pressure on the sound, but there are various legal solutions. A big plus is the value retention of the Sportster models, which is not a matter of course these days, the Sportys are always way ahead in the rankings when it comes to value retention.
At the end of September, I had the opportunity to test a Sportster Forty-Eight with ABS, fitted with the powerful 1200 Evolution engine. I've always liked the Forty-Eight, the mirrors are nicely installed downwards in drag style, a very compact design, not overloaded, somehow simple but not cheap. The cockpit looks sparsely equipped, but that is deceptive, everything important is there, all the important data is shown on the digital display, even a gear indicator is included, everything important can be called up with a simple tap through. I know a lot of friends who swear by their Sportster, they could ride something else, whether Fat Boy or Tourer, but no, it has to be a Sportster, I've never had the pleasure of riding one before, but now I've finally had the opportunity.
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And off we went on the Forty-Eight, the sound was nothing at first, you could really tell that it wanted more, but wasn't allowed to. But that doesn't matter now, a great route was waiting for me, where everything was required, a good brake that grips properly in every situation, the wide tires were responsible for the grip when braking. The route took me through Alsace on a variety of road surfaces, the Sporty had the right grip and enough torque to pull out of the bends. It has both, the brakes are really powerful, plus the ABS, if you don't know it, you should have it explained to you, or simply brake fully, in an emergency situation you shouldn't be frightened if it starts to stutter, especially on damp roads or with sand on the road, it offers particularly high safety reserves thanks to ABS.
I myself had a situation like that on a Harley-Davidson Street Glide where I was able to avoid a deer thanks to ABS, which saved me from a collision. For inexperienced riders, there are also annual re-entry courses, which can also make a good Christmas present. At the front, the Forty-Eight has the fat Michelin Scorcher, which makes a really good impression in the front fork, it rides a little more sluggishly in the corners than if you had installed a rather thin tire, but it is really full on the road and the roller fits the styling.
At the rear, the adjustment of the suspension can be easily changed with an adjusting key, which can be quite practical if you have the key with you. In my case, the suspension was set to very soft, and with a tare weight of 95 kilos, you have to be careful where you drive over with this setting, otherwise it will hit you in the back. But you can change it and then everything will be fine again, because the suspension is really good, it does everything. I was really surprised how much you can like it, but it's not a big hurdle to go for a test ride yourself, either at the dealer when the truck is there with all the bikes, or at the big Harley events where you always have the opportunity to try out the latest bikes.
