I am curious what Sportster owners think a next gen or replacement for the Sportster should be. My first bike was a new 1974 Sporty but I own a 03 hotrod Dyna now. When the Sporty first came out it was a SuperBike compared to most but now a stocker can be out run by a lot of bikes, I know that they have a lot of potential but they can't go on making it the same forever. In my opinion they should do like Triumph did with the new Bonneville. Still looks like a Bonneville but is a 4 valve OHC, water cooled injected motor. Looks good with full finning even with the water cooling. Makes more power than a Sporty of equal size motor and is 100 pounds lighter even with the water cooling. I am aware of the new bikes planned for 2020 with new motors but I think they should continue on with an updated Sporty in addition to those new bikes. What do you Sporty guys think?
Have you not seen the XG Street Rods? They've already made the new Sportster, but nobody is buying them yet.
Just my humble opinion, but I think HD blew it by not using that V-Rod motor in Sportster-esque chassis. I never did warm up to the looks nor riding ergos of the V-Rod. In fact, I think they also blew it by not having Eric Buell design a bike around the V-Rod motor. He had to go to Rotax to get a decent modern motor for his 1125R, quite an awesome machine.
-JW
but the 20:20 Sporty gets a new tank n cap
(https://i.imgur.com/cjeNwQD.png)
The Harley Davidson Evo Sportster is a curious animal. Although they've added various refinements over the years (not sure split the case to work on the trans is a refinement!), it's basically the same design since 1986. I think that makes it the longest running unchanged design in all of Harleydom, yes? Makes one wonder, is the Evo Sporty such an amazing design that it will never be replaced? Or is Harely-Davidson more interested in spending their R&D money on designer clothes, accessories, coffee cups, and toilet paper than a next generation Sportster motor? Big twins don't need four valves per, Sportsters do. WTF??
-JW
The XL lineup has been fairly bulletproof for HD, able to meet EPA/DOT/CARB specs, and still sell enough of them to make a profit.
Quote from: rigidthumper on August 23, 2019, 09:25:50 AM
The XL lineup has been fairly bulletproof for HD, able to meet EPA/DOT/CARB specs, and still sell enough of them to make a profit.
EPA compliant. That is the main reasons for its longevity, I agree. When it is no longer compliant, they already have the replacement: see the Street models.
And I think you got the valve count mixed up? 4 for the M8 big twin, still 2 with the Sportster.
Exactly, just what I said. Big Twins (i.e. M8) don't need four valves, Sportys do. Sporty is the hot rod motor, Big Twin is a school bus motor.
-JW
This is the crucial mechanism which will klicking Sportys in future? :bike:
https://www.motorcycle.com/mini-features/patent-filing-reveals-new-harley-davidson-pushrod-engine-design.html (https://www.motorcycle.com/mini-features/patent-filing-reveals-new-harley-davidson-pushrod-engine-design.html)
(https://www.motorcycle.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/082219-harley-davidson-valve-bridge-engine-patent-animated.gif)