2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S First Look

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The 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S, shown in Vivid Black and Midnight Crimson, has a starting price of $14,999. (Harley-Davidson/)

Harley-Davidson’s Sportster is not only one of the longest continuously produced motorcycles in history, but also inarguably one of the most iconic. Manufactured consistently since 1957, previous generations have cemented their places in American motorcycle culture through style, ease of customization, and a price low enough to serve as an entry point into the brand. Today’s official announcement introducing the 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S marks the third engine and next generation of this legendary motorcycle.

The Sportster S takes a sharp turn from its predecessors, powered as it is by the 1,252cc Revolution Max 1250T liquid-cooled engine. After selling tens of thousands of Sportsters yearly, shipping more than 50,000 models a year from 2012-2017 more on the strength of styling and heritage than any technical merit and innovation, Harley-Davidson is now redesigning its semi-entry level motorcycle into a $15,000 machine marketed almost entirely based on performance.

A 4-inch round TFT display serves as the Sportster S’s gauge and control center. (Harley-Davidson/)

The production model shown today debuted as a Custom concept three years ago, and it stays remarkably similar to that 2018 design. It retains the same silhouette, with high and tight exhaust pipes, large skid plate underneath, and a nice flat line from tank to seat.

“We wanted to stitch in some iconic elements of the design from different generations of Sportster,” says Brad Richards, VP of Design at Harley-Davidson. “The tail section: XR-750. The fat 16-inch front wheel? That’s Sportster Forty-Eight.”

But looking at the bike, it’s much easier for us to see a shrunken version of the 2018 Fat Bob, with its wide LED headlight and 2-1-2 exhaust pipe, even down to the blacked-out finishes and white paint.

“We wanted to make sure the first one was wild,” says Richards.

The 1,252cc engine in the Sportster S, a less powerful version of the Pan America’s Revolution Max engine, produces a claimed 121 hp and 94 pound-feet of torque; compare this to the Pan America’s claimed 150 hp and 94 pound-feet. Bore and stroke on the engines are identical, but the S has one point lower compression at 12.0:1 compared to the Pan Am’s 13.0:1. The 1250T’s cylinder heads have smaller valves and port dimensions than the 1250 used in the adventure bike, as well as a different shape to the combustion chamber to increase low- and midrange torque output, more along the lines of what’s expected in cruiser motorcycles.

Shown in Stone Washed White Pearl, design similarities between the Sportster S and Softail Fat Bob are clear. (Harley-Davidson/)

Contrary to early speculation, the S comes equipped with Variable Valve Timing, just like the Pan America. While this means good things for the stock bike’s performance, it’s a huge shift away from the Sportsters of the past, which while more basic, were easily maintained and hot-rodded by home mechanics and customizers.

Much like we saw in the Pan America, the Sportster’s engine serves as a structural component of the S’s chassis, with the swingarm mounted directly to the back and an upper frame section bolted to the top. This saves weight and likely increases rigidity; but again, it also limits--or at least heavily alters--custom potential and frame modification.

While similar to the Pan America’s 1,252cc Revolution Max V-Twin, the Sportster S’s 1250T engine has been tuned to deliver peak torque at lower engine speeds. (Harley-Davidson/)

An all-new 4-inch TFT gauge comes mounted to the handlebar risers of the new Sportster S, much like what we’ve seen on Indian’s new Chief models. The new gauge will have turn-by-turn navigation and Bluetooth capability for phone pairing. Three programmed ride modes come standard: Road, Sport, and Rain. There are also two fully customizable modes. As Harley-Davidson’s Reflex Defensive Rider System (RDRS) comes standard, these modes will adjust cornering ABS, cornering-enhanced traction control, engine braking, and power delivery.

Ergonomics and suspension on the new Sportster seem to send a different message than the putting-the-Sport-back-in-Sportster marketing we’re seeing from H-D. Forward foot controls and low handlebars have the photo model leaned forward, with her feet in front of her knees and her hands stretched even further. These ergonomics are not very conducive to changing body position for sport riding. Suspension components feature compression and rebound damping adjustment, plus spring preload front and rear; however, they show what we expect to be painfully limited travel: 3.6 inches from the 43mm inverted fork and only 2.0 inches from the piggyback monoshock at the rear.

A rider on the new Sportster S helps to get an idea of the overall size of the bike. (Harley-Davidson/)

Wheels and tires send an equally mixed message. You do get a 17-inch wheel up front, but it’s 4.5 inches wide and equipped with a 160mm, high-profile Dunlop radial tire. The 16-inch rear wheel is a common feature in cruisers—almost expected, in fact. But we know from previous testing that a 180mm-wide tire tends to work much better in a straight line than it does on twisty roads. That said, the current H-D Fat Bob has similar qualities, though to a lesser degree, and that bike surprised us with its handling capabilities. We’re hoping for similar results from our first ride on the S.

Harley claims the bike will weigh 502 pounds in full running order and carrying only 3.1 gallons of fuel, which is less than we’re used to seeing in this category but about average for Sportsters of the past. This continues to show that the S has no major touring aspirations, though we can’t rule out the possibility of a long-hauler based on this platform in the future.

Harley-Davidson’s entire catalogue of aftermarket parts and accessories for the Sportster S currently consists of only 20 items; it is sure to grow. (Harley-Davidson/)

The line from the 1957 Sportster to the 2020 can be drawn clearly. But it stops there. Parallel pushrods on a 45-degree air-cooled V-twin, a tubular steel frame, and exposed shocks defined the bike’s simple, easy-to-modify aesthetic. The new Sportster S shares none of these components. Its trellis frame and 60-degree liquid-cooled engine put the new Sportster in a different category altogether. Bodywork designed around the stock exhaust and solo seat implies that the aftermarket, at least outside of the Motor Company’s own 20-piece accessory catalog, was not a priority for this model. That aftermarket has historically been one of the Sportster’s greatest strengths.

“We’re really not adding the next chapter to that story,” says H-D Museum Collections Lead Bill Rodencal, “but we’re adding the first chapter to the next book.”

We expect a certain level of technology and performance with almost any new motorcycle in 2021. But historically those aren’t the appealing factors of a Sportster. Evo Sportsters became icons because hobbyists and home mechanics could change them into anything they want. With a stock Sportster and $1,500, you could be flat-track racing after just one weekend of wrenching. Tour the late Dale Walksler’s Wheels Through Time museum and you’ll see a Sportster-powered airplane and submarine. The new model, though lighter and faster, is not likely to appear as anything other than a Sportster.

2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S models are expected in dealerships fall of 2021. (Harley-Davidson/)

Whether or not the new Sportster S can fill the old icon’s shoes remains to be seen, but this is another step toward higher-performing, less traditional machines from the Motor Company. That both excites and concerns us.

“The future for the Sportster family looks incredibly bright based on this motorcycle,” says Richards. “There will be future models that definitely tap into the more classic form factor of Sportster.”

2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S

MSRP:	$14,999
Engine:	Revolution Max 1250T
Displacement:	1,252cc
Bore x Stroke:	4.13 in. x 2.85 in.
Compression Ratio:	12.0:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	6-speed/ Belt
Claimed Horsepower:	121 hp @ 7,500 rpm
Claimed Measured Torque:	94 lb.-ft. @ 6,000 rpm
Fuel System:	Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Clutch:	Mechanical, 8 plate wet, assist & slip, 1090N
Frame:	Stressed-member, steel trellis frame; stamped, cast, and forged junctions; MIG welded; aluminum forged mid-structure
Front Suspension:	43mm inverted fork with compression, rebound, and spring preload adjustability
Rear Suspension:	Linkage-mounted, piggyback monoshock with compression, rebound, and hydraulic spring preload adjustability
Front Brake:	Single 320mm floating rotor with radially mounted 4-piston caliper
Rear Brake:	Single 260mm rotor with floating single-piston caliper.
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Cast aluminum, satin black; 17 in. x 4.5 in. front, 16 in. x 5 in. rear
Tires, Front/Rear:	160/70TR17/ 180/70R16
Rake/Trail:	30 degrees/ 5.8 in.
Wheelbase:	59.8 in.
Ground Clearance:	3.66 in.
Seat Height(Unladen):	29.6 in.
Fuel Capacity:	301 gal.
Claimed Wet Weight:	502 lbs.
Availability:	Fall 2021
Contact:	Harley-Davidson

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