When we talk about the power-to-weight ratio of motorcycles, it is mostly the performance-oriented sports bikes and naked bikes that score high. The heavy-duty likes of cruisers and touring bikes often come last, which means that most of the Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle V-twin motorcycles are not quite cut out to be the sprinty and nimble type. However, there is a Harley cruiser bike that defies the norms and offers a “sporty” package with a power-to-weight ratio that is nearly double that of the CFMoto 450SS.
Now, this is a huge deal because this particular Harley cruiser bike is relatively hefty with a curb weight of over 500 pounds and packs a sizable 1,252 cc V-twin engine. Indian did offer a similar package with the hooliganistic FTR 1200 roadster line-up. Unfortunately, they pulled the plug on it. We delve deeper and tell you how this American cruiser bike manages to be bold, minimal, futuristic, sporty, and the most powerful Sportster ever made by Harley-Davidson.
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The Sportster S Is The Harley Cruiser Bike With The Best Power-to-Weight Ratio
0.241 Horsepower Per Pound
The Revolution Max V-twin engine line-up is the best thing that has happened to Harley-Davidson in recent times. Yes, it is a departure from the iconic and burbly Milwaukee-Eight V-twins. However, with the Maxes, the automaker has still managed to carry forward the essence of what defines a Harley-Davidson cruiser bike, while also elevating the performance and refinement levels to the next level. Impressive and never-before-seen power-to-weight ratios are the byproduct of this bold move.
The lightweight choice of materials in the construction of the $15,999 Sportster S’s V-twin, chassis, and other hardware components, along with minimal overall packaging, has helped the most powerful Harley-Davidson cruiser bike achieve a power-to-weight ratio of 0.241 horsepower/pound. In fact, this is the only other road-legal Harley-Davidson with a power-to-weight ratio exceeding the 0.2 mark. The only one to breach the 0.3 value mark is a beastly dragstrip Harley that isn’t road legal. The Sportser S’s commendable power-to-weight ratio translates into impressive acceleration with a 0-60 time of just 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 143 MPH! That’s sports bike territory!
Harley-Davidson Motorcycles With The Highest Power-To-Weight Ratios
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Power-to-Weight Ratio |
|
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Screamin’ Eagle V-Rod Destroyer |
0.3225 HP/pound |
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Pan America 1250 Special |
0.2777 HP/pound |
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Sportster S |
0.2410 HP/pound |
The Most Powerful American Cruiser Bike Today
Shares Its V-Twin With A Do-it-all Harley ADV
This is the most explosive aspect of the Sportster S and a significant factor that gives this Harley more of a sporty roadster vibe than a laid-back cruiser. The 1,252 cc liquid-cooled V-twin is the biggest of the new Revolution Max line-up from Harley. It is a versatile engine, as evident from the fact that Harley has also utilized this mill in their most powerful series-production road bike ever—the Pan America 1250 Special ADV. It is unlike the usual rumbling air-cooled big twin that Harleys are often known for, with the Sportster S’s mill being modern, sophisticated, and high-revving for a cruiser bike.
It is a short-stroke unit with a relatively higher compression ratio of 12.0:1. It produces 121 horsepower and 93 pound-feet of torque at 7,500 RPM and 6,000 RPM, respectively, making the Sportster S a “screamer” by cruiser bike standards. The torque curve is meaty at the low end and builds linearly till the peak of 6,000 RPM, giving this bad boy a peppy urban side and a composed mile-munching side too. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a 6-speed manual gearbox and a final belt drive system.
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Notable Engine Features
- 60-degree V-twin is narrow to aid mass centralization
- Forged aluminum pistons for improved performance while reducing friction
- Smaller valve and port dimensions, reshaped pistons, combustion chamber, and airbox, as well as reworked CAM profiles and VVT, compared to the Pan America’s Revolution Max 1250 engine.
Sporty Underpinnings That Make It A Unique Harley
Flaunts A Trellis Main Frame
There are a lot of design and material choices with the underpinnings that contribute to this Harley’s lightweight appeal. The Sportster S is also one of the first Harley-Davidsons to feature a trellis frame, a design more commonly found in track-ready sports bikes. This lightweight steel frame is suspended by fully adjustable 43 mm inverted forks up front. The rear gets a fully adjustable linkage-mounted monoshock. Suspension travel is limited to 3.6 inches up front and 3.2 inches at the rear.
Braking duties are taken care of by a 320 mm disc up front coupled to a radially-mounted four-piston monoblock caliper. The rear gets a 260 mm disc coupled to a single-piston caliper. The Sportster S has a custom cruiser bike look, and its chunky 160-section front and 180-section rear tires significantly contribute to the visual appeal. Furthermore, these tires are on the softer side, which should translate to superior grip, even when carving through corners.
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It is also the most badass-looking Harley-Davidson cruiser available today.
The Sportiest-looking Harley-Davidson Cruiser Today
It Is The Most Lightweight V-twin Harley-Davidson Cruiser Bike
This is arguably the most badass-looking Harley-Davidson cruiser bike today, primarily because it gets a lot of custom-inspired and old-school design cues. Its bulbous front tire is reminiscent of the fenderless front design of classic bobbers. Inspired by flat-track racebikes, the Sportser S has minimal bodywork that helps highlight the uber-cool V-twin in all its glory. Other notable design elements include a high-mounted exhaust system, chunky tires, a sleek and unique LED headlamp design, and a clean rear third quarter with a tire-hugging license plate holder.
Its slim seat design, the high-mounted exhaust muffler, and the sleek tail section are inspired by the XR 750 flat tracker. The Sportster S is a certified headturner and has a killer stance with a low ground clearance of just 3.5 inches. All of its visual drama also contributes to a relatively low curb weight of 502 pounds. As for the other dimensions, this Harley is 89.4 inches long, 33.1 inches wide, and has a seat height of 28.9 inches. The wheelbase is 59.8 inches long. Also, it can gulp 3.1 gallons of fuel in one shot.
Loaded With Cool Technology Features
The Sportster S is loaded with cool tech features. The cockpit is garlanded with a gorgeous four-inch circular TFT display, which is a rare element on motorcycles. It gets Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation. Mile-munching is also catered to with features like cruise control and a standard USB charging port. This Harley cruiser bike has four ride modes to truly amplify the motorcycle’s character. LED lighting brightens things up all around, with the headlamp design being its unique lighting element.
Some other notable technology features include four selectable ride modes: Sport, Road, Rain, Custom, Drag-torque Slip Control, Wheelie Control, and Traction Control.
Source: Harley-Davidson