Harley-Davidson uncover new Roadster

Author: Oli Rushby Posted: 20 Apr 2016

Harley-Davidson has released details of an all-new Roadster, the latest model to join the iconic American marque’s sportster range.

The Roadster is what Harley are calling a ‘mash-up of styling genres’, featuring a minimalist design which is said to be inspired by classic race bikes and the current trends of stripped down customs.

“We wanted to give the Roadster some DNA from the high-performance KHR models of the mid-50s, and later Sportsters tuned for the drag strip,” said Harley’s Director of Styling, Brad Richards. “Those bikes had fenders cut to the struts, the small fuel tank, and were stripped to their bare essentials to achieve a singular performance purpose.”

Powered by Harley’s traditionally air-cooled 1200cc V-Twin Evolution motor, the Roadster is said to deliver a ‘strong pulse of mid-range torque’.

Brand new wheels, 19-inch front and 18-inch rear, which feature off-set-split 5-spoke cast aluminium wheels were designed specifically for the bike.

The Roadster’s suspension is enhanced by new 43mm inverted single-cartridge forks with tri-rate springs, gripped in ‘robust’ triple clamps. The rear suspension features gas-charged emulsion coil-over shocks and tri-rate springs with adjustable preload, offering more suspension travel than any other sportster model at 4.5 inches at the front and 3.2 inches at the rear.

Available with ABS as standard, the Roadster puts its rider in an ‘aggressive’ posture with a new low-rise handlebar and mid-mount foot controls, placing the rider’s weight central to the 12.5litre sportster fuel tank.

The rear fender has been clipped shorter in-line with the stripped down styling, a slotted belt guard and muffler shields mimic the lightning holes drilled through race-bike components and a single four-inch diameter instrument tucked low in front of the triple clamp features an anologue tachometer with an inset digital speedometer. 

The model will be offered in four colour choices, vivid black with a charcoal denim pinstripe; Black demin with a red pinstripe; Velocity Red Sunglo with a red pinstripe; and two-tone Billet Silver/Vivid Black with a burgundy pinstripe.

The Roadster will be available in Harley dealerships from June 2016 with prices starting at £9,695. 

We’ll be riding it next week so check back for the full review!

Highlights

• 1200cc Evolution® engine
• Premium emulsion technology rear suspension with screw-style pre-load adjustment
• 43mm inverted front forks with premium cartridge dampening technology and triple clamp design
• Dual disc front brakes with ABS
• Optimised steering geometry for a responsive, confidence-inspiring ride
• Two-up seat with ribbed detail and minimalist styling
• Lightweight offset-split 5-spoke Cast Aluminium wheels – 19in front, 18in rear
• Mid-mount footpeg controls
• Chopped front and rear fenders
• Low rise handlebar
• Finned cast timer cover
• Custom tank graphics