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Harley-Davidson’s New Sportster S Custom Motorcycle Comes with 121 Horsepower

The Revolution Max engine is Harley-Davidson’s second most powerful engine

2021 Harley-Davidson Sportser S

2021 Harley-Davidson Sportser S

Harley-Davidson just debuted its new Sportster S custom bike.  Say goodbye to the aging Sportser line of air-cooled pushrod “Evolution” V-twins and welcome the 1250T Revolution Max-powered, liquid-cooled DOHC custom.

1250T Revolution Max

Harley detuned the power plant to a respectable 121 horsepower for the Sportster S and bumped the maximum RPMs to 9500.  Still, this roars into the dealerships as Harley-Davidson’s second most powerful engine. Given that the weight is shaved down lower than the Pan America to just 502 pounds wet weight,  this is likely a good head snapper.

As Jocchen Zeitz, CEO at Harley-Davidson said, “this is a next-generation Sportster defined by power, performance, technology, and style. And it’s part of our commitment to introduce motorcycles that align with our strategy to increase desirability and to drive the legacy of Harley-Davidson.”

Less weight means the Sportster S can make do with a single front disc four-piston brake to slow down that front tire that measures in at a massive 160/70TR-17 while the rear tire is a beefy 180/70R-16. It will come with a high exhaust system and two mufflers, with a welded tubular swingarm with an X-member for a stiffer ride.

Sportster S Display Screen

The Sportster S will have a round 4-inch diameter TFT (thin-film transistor) screen for all the gauges and infotainment displays. Infotainment features include song information displayed while streaming music, pair a phone and make calls, and yes even navigation, via Harley-Davidson’s app. Of course, it has LED lighting as well.

For safety, the Sportster S has an antilock braking system, TPMS, traction control, and drag-torque slip control.  The motorcycle has four riding modes that drivers can select to fine-tune the ride. Select from road, sport, rain, and even a custom mode for your unique needs.

Color choices for Sportster S

Choose from Vivid Black, Stone Washed White Pearl, or Midnight Crimson. Of course, Harley-Davidson dealerships will have a ton of accessories for the cycle as well. The bike starts with an MSRP of $14,999.

The current Sportster model is the XL Evolution which has been around since 1986 and came in three engine sizes; 883 cc, 1,100 cc, and 1.200 cc

We previously featured the debut of the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 earlier this year. The adventure bike has been eagerly awaited, especially since it came out with the Revolution Maz engine with that coveted 1250 cc displacement. Say yes to V-twin, liquid-cooled, chain-driven awesomeness with 150 horsepower and a top speed of 135 mph in Pan America.

The dealerships will call this 2021 Sportster S mid-year model the RH1250S.  We’ll just call it fun.

 









About Mark Bach

Mark C. Bach is a well preserved automotive junkie with 30W oil in his veins and remembers feeler gauges and brake springs. He has a love for all things that move, especially old-school muscle cars. Bach covers the car auctions and the automotive scene and writes for a variety of outlets, including Chevy Classics, Round-Up Publications and eBay Motors, and maintains Route66pubco.com.

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