Are Water-Cooled Harleys Frankly Disappointing? No Appeal? | Test Ride of the New Nightster

Written by Hiroaki Numao, Photos by HARLEY-DAVIDSON
*This article was originally published in Best Car Web on May 26, 2022.

Harley-Davidson is a manufacturer that has stuck to air-cooling, with one exception. However, the Sportster, Harley's nimble model, has finally gone liquid-cooled. The "Nightster," its second and legitimate successor, went on sale in May.

The writer, who has a lot of experience with air-cooled Spostas, immediately went for a test drive.
What kind of judgment will they make?

Harley ends a 64-year history of air-cooled Sporter, opts for water-cooling

Harley-Davidson, founded in 1903, is now one of America's most iconic brands.
What is its appeal? I think it is the old-fashioned bike with a unique heartbeat and heavyweight often referred to as an iron horse.

The source of its appeal is the OHV 2-valve air-cooled V-twin with the pushrod. Although the engine has undergone significant modifications over the years, Harley has stubbornly adhered to this engine type since the 1936 Knucklehead. The pleasant vibration and sound at low speeds, as well as the sensation of handling a heavy piece of steel with a responsive feel, are the hallmarks of a simple, old-fashioned motorcycle, and can be said to be Harley's unique characteristics.

However, an incident occurred, at the end of 2021, the Sportster, which is positioned as a sports model in the lineup, will cease production in Japan. The curtain came down on the 64-year history of the Sky Sportster, and the baton was passed to a water-cooled model.

Thus, the first Sportster S was launched in January 2022. The second model is the Nightster, which we test-drove this time. While the Sportster S is powered by a 1252cc 60-degree V-twin called the Revolution Max 1250T, the Nightster uses a 975cc V-twin for the first time. The previous air-cooled Sportster series consisted of 1200 and 883, but the new water-cooled generation offers the same choice.

The Nightster also features a recreation of traditional styling. While the earlier Sportster S had a futuristic style with square headlights, up the exhaust, and fat tires, the Nightster has round eyes, down the exhaust, and orthodox form with 100/90-19 front and 150/80B16 rear wheels and tires.

The Nightster was given the guise of a very orthodox sports star.
Body Colors: Red, Black, and Gray (approx. 13780 ~ 14010 USD)

Figures predicted a short stroke, sporty ride that turns to high rpm.

Before riding the bike, I had expected a "nimble sport bike that spins and spins" not unlike a Harley.
While the air-cooled 883cc had a long stroke of 76.2 mm (bore) x 96.8 mm (stroke), the liquid-cooled Knight Star had an extremely short stroke of 97 mm (bore) x 66 mm (stroke). We expected the characteristic of smooth rotation up to high rpm. Also, the vehicle weight was reduced to 221 kg, 35 kg lighter than the standard iron 883.

When the vehicle was actually handled, it was lightweight. Even the air-cooled 883 was heavy, but it can be pushed around easily. Although the distance between the axles is almost the same as that of the 1250cc Sportster S, the chassis also looks compact. There is almost no trace of the iron horse.

The rider is 177 cm & 66 kg. The flat handlebars are slightly far away and the upper body leans forward slightly. The footpeg is in a natural position and comfortable. The rider can hold the body firmly with his knees and ankles.

Powerful yet easy to handle and still has that taste at low speeds.

When it comes to starting driving, the vibration and sound are more mature compared to air-cooled models.
Nevertheless, it is a very tasty part of the same displacement range.

It has an electronic device that would not have been possible in the simple air-cooled era of three different driving modes, and I chose the most powerful. The most powerful mode, "Power," was selected, and at very low speeds it was easy to handle, with moderate torque. The range of 2nd and 3rd gears is also wide, so there is no need to change gears at a rapid pace. However, when the engine reaches around 3,800 rpm, the power suddenly picks up, and the engine blasts off to 6,000 rpm.

This area is quite powerful. However, the acceleration is not as extreme as that of the Sporster S, and it barely fits in the hand. It also has a slightly rustling sensation, which is a bit different from so-called high-revving engines.
For example, the 270-degree crank parallel twin of the Rebel 1100 blows up sharply to high rpm, but it is much heavier.

And in 6th gear at 100 km/h, there was plenty of room at about 3200 rpm. The 6th gear seemed to be overdrive-like.

On the other hand, when driving around town in 3rd gear at around 2000 rpm, there is a sloppy feeling of the flywheel spinning, and there is an unexpected flavor to the muddy driving experience. In this area, one could feel the aspect of the air-cooled Sposta, which is more fun when it is not turned. This duality is what makes the Nightster so interesting.

In the intermediate road mode, the boost around 4000 rpm is reduced, and in the rain, the response to throttle is milder. The ability to change the characteristics according to one's mood or situation is a truly modern feature.

The engine runs smoothly and is easy to handle at very low speeds. Power explodes from about 3800 rpm.
This acceleration continues until about 6000 rpm.

Lightness and ground contact for secure cornering.

Handling is also very different from the air-cooled Sportster.

In the air-cooled era, the motorcycle was light when it was tipped over, but the driver could feel the weight of the car as it bent like a solid piece of steel. However, when the car was driven fast, the front end tended to lose ground contact.

The Nightster, however, is quite close to a "normal" motorcycle. It has a slightly forward-leaning lie position, and both front and rear are well grounded. It turns from the rear in the same way as an air-cooled bike, but it turns obediently in response to actions such as weight shifting. The center of gravity is low due to the fuel tank being placed under the seat, which provides a high sense of stability even when the bike is tipped over or banked.

Although the feeling of being a piece of steel has clearly diminished, there is still the sensation of operating a large motorcycle.

The suspension is set slightly soft for excellent ride comfort. The bank angle is not insufficient for driving on metropolitan highways or in town, and the step does not immediately touch the ground as it did in the air-cooled era.
Combined with the low RPM range of the less nervous engine, it was easy to make U-turns.

Although it does not handle as lightly as the Rebel 1100, which turns like a naked, it is more fun to steer sportily than the old model. Personally, I would like a naked with this engine.

Test ride time was limited, and we drove for about two hours on the lower roads in Tokyo and on the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway. Perhaps it was because I spent so much time riding in the city, but my shoulders and back felt quite sore. If you drive for an hour or so or mainly on highways, there is no problem, but for an old man (I am 50 years old), a long journey may be a little tough (by the way, the pull-back handle pulled forward is available as a factory option).

Unlike the air-cooled era, the front and rear wheels have a good sense of ground contact, allowing the rider to turn with confidence. The handling is lighter than that of the air-cooled era, but the driver can still feel the responsiveness of operating a large motorcycle.

An author is still an air-cooled person. Still, the handlebar has definitely been lowered in terms of driving performance!

During the test ride, while listening to the exhaust note of the Road King equipped with a big twin air-cooled 1868cc engine, which accompanied me on the photo shoot, I honestly thought, "This is the one, after all," with apologies to the Nightster.

However, betraying my prior expectations of a "water-cooled sports motorcycle," it certainly retains more of the Harley character than I had imagined (in that sense, it was a disappointment).
It's not like a heavy, thumping, air-cooled iron horse, but the traditional flavor has been inherited, albeit on a thinner side. This is something that Harley fans who love air-cooling should experience once. If you are still not satisfied, there are still air-cooled big twins with larger displacements in the lineup.

Incidentally, the Softail Standard (air-cooled 1746cc, approx. 13650 USD) which belongs to the cruiser category, is also an option in the Nightstar price range. Unlike the air-cooled Sportster, which was also attractive due to its affordable price, the Softail, with its large displacement and high price, is cheaper, a reversal of the situation.
However, the Softail does not have electronic control like the Nightster and weighs close to 300 kg.
That is not a drawback for old-fashioned Harley fans, and it is nice to see air-cooling remaining in the lineup.

In any case, there is no doubt that the new generation of Sportsters, now with a modern ride, has lowered the bar in terms of ease of handling. It will certainly be accepted by more riders than in the air-cooled era. Although I really wish it were a little cheaper if possible.

Original Source [ Best Car Web ]