#Sportster1200

What happens when Harley-Davidson upgrades the suspension and beefs up the brakes of its iconic and much-customized 1200 Sportster? You get the 2016 Roadster. While the powerplant remains the same 1202cc air-cooled 45° V-Twin Evolution engine, the character of the Sportster gets an attitude adjustment for people who like to go around corners. By increasing the rear suspension travel and altering the angle of the frame relative to the road, H-D has created a Sportster that doesn’t shy away from winding roads. The addition of a second 300mm front disc adds braking power to the Roadster’s street cred – all wrapped in a minimalist styling package inspired by home garage customizers.

Until today, Harley-Davidson’s Dark Custom line contained eight models. However, Dark Customs are more than just a selection of motorcycles. At the introduction of the Dark Custom Iron 883 and Forty-Eight, Marketing Manager Jen Hoyer positioned the line, thusly: “The Dark Custom, for us, it’s not just about the motorcycle. It’s about growing the sport of motorcycling.” With the unveiling of the 2016 Harley-Davidson Roadster the Dark Custom line gains a new member to tempt riders and potential riders, alike, into becoming members of the H-D fold.

When Indian unveiled the Scout at Sturgis last month, it sent ripples through the motorcycle world. How would it compare with other cruisers in its class? What exactly were the other cruisers in its class? Obviously, Indian is hoping to improve its bona fides by taking on that other American brand’s most ubiquitous V-Twin in its displacement class, but what others? So, the lists began.

It’s like Woody Allen says, 90-percent of success is showing up. And the Sportster’s been showing up since 1957. However you feel about it or the Motor Company or post-WW2 America, you have to respect it like you have to respect the `57 Chevy profile or Tony Bennett leaving his heart in San Francisco. Whether TB has gotten better with age is a topic for some late night over a tumbler of fine Scotch, but there’s no question the Sportster’s now about as refined as a motorcycle can get.