In the glorious sunshine of August, I found myself searching for Horses in Wiltshire on the Harley-Davidson Sportster S.
It is a motorcycle with plenty of Horsepower and the ability to take you on amazing adventures.
I took the Sportster S on the winding roads of Wiltshire and was mightily impressed with the bike's handling and performance. It packs a hefty punch of power. The bike takes a bit of time to get used to, with its thick front wheel making steering heavy, but after a few hours in the saddle, you learn its quirks.
The London and South East Motorcycle Club organised the ride, and members met at Blackbushe Airport before heading to the Wild West, well Wiltshire. The aim of this ride was to capture seven white steeds dotted around the hills of the lush green county. Large white horses occupy high points on hills located throughout Wiltshire, and with some expert planning, you can create a route that allows you to visit every horse and take in the majesty of these creations. I was fortunate to have the Harley-Davidson Sportster S as my mule for the day, and it was an excellent workhorse for the trip.
The original Sportster S was introduced in 2021, marking Harley-Davidson's commitment to modernising its range of machines. It is fitted with the 1,250cc Revolution Max 1250 engine, which is water-cooled, producing around 110 hp, plenty for a Naked Cruiser.
The ride is quite stiff with little rear suspension travel, and on a few occasions, when I hit some bumps on the less-than-immaculate road surfaces of Wiltshire, my bum left the saddle—entertaining to some degree.
For the Sportster S, Harley has provided superb electronic rider aids, and a few times on my search for the horses, I was grateful for their intervention. Three ride modes (Sport, Road, and Rain) are available alongside two Custom modes that the rider can build to their liking, with engine map, throttle response, engine braking, and traction control. The Custom modes increase the versatility of the Sportster S and distinguish the more expensive Sportster S from the "entry-level" Nightster,
The Cornering Rider Safety Enhancements (RDRS) rider-aid suite adds safety, to the bike with lean-sensitive traction control with Rain, Road, and Sport settings. You control these systems through a 4-inch-diameter TFT screen and Harley's latest switchgear. You can connect the display to your Bluetooth device and headset, allowing you to listen to music, take calls, or even get navigation directions using the Harley-Davidson App.
The riding position is excellent on the Sportster S, allowing you to sit upright with arms at a good angle and comfortable, even after four hundred miles of riding through four counties. When riding at speed, you can easily crouch down low over the tank to reduce wind resistance and maintain good views of the road ahead.
The blast of pleasure you get when opening the throttle is as good as with any sports machine, and the Sportster S wants to keep going. On an airfield, we stopped at the bike, quickly reached the hundred mark and had more to offer.
The modes give the bike versatility, and on my toing and froing, I did have to engage Rain mode as the rain came down and the roads got slick. When the surfaces were dry, I used Sport the rest of the time, with its direct throttle response and linear power delivery. You would only use Road when bimbling through traffic, but again, I prefer to have the response Sport provides.
The bike handles surprisingly well, and I was able to make good progress along the twisties in the glorious countryside. The motorcycle remains planted and balanced, allowing you to ride through a corner in a way earlier Sportsters couldn't. The issue I found was the heavy front end, from the 160/70-17 front tyre and narrow handlebar, making the bike difficult to steer, so you have to watch your entry speed into corners. Making minor line adjustments through the bends requires much physical effort.
I would say that you don't buy a Cruiser-style bike to cane it around; it is all about the journey rather than how fast you get somewhere. So, with this in mind, the Harley-Davidson Sportster S is perfect for fun, lively rides over hundreds of miles.
The TFT display has non-reflective glass that is easy to read in any lighting, and the systems are simple to use through the handlebar controls.
I was impressed with the Sportster S, and it grew on me once I learned its personality. You will have great fun on this bike, and that's what biking is about.
Rivals come from Indian Motorcycle with their FTR range, https://www.indianmotorcycle.com
Triumph has their Bonneville Speedmaster https://www.triumph-motorcycles.ca/
and the Moto Guzzi V7 https://www.motoguzzi.com/ca_EN/models/v7/