Harley Davidson motorcycles are considered one of the best in the world; there are so many models and different modifications that you can even get confused, but now we will learn to clearly distinguish these motorcycles. There is nothing complicated here: there are only 8 groups: Sportster, Dyna, Softail, V-Rod, Street, Touring, Trikes (three-wheeled Harley-Davidson), exclusive models of the CVO family. Let's talk about each of the groups separately and find out how they differ.
Harley-Davidson Sportster
The Sportster is considered the most affordable Harley Davidson, and in terms of dimensions it is the smallest motorcycle among Harleys. A classic motorcycle that has been produced for a very long time, dating back to 1957. Since then, motorcycles from this series have competed in various races, in fact, this is one of the best classic motorcycles. The following photo shows what a modern Harley Davidson Sportster looks like now.
Structurally, the motorcycle is very simple; it has a V-shaped 2-cylinder engine. There are different engine sizes, ranging from 883 cc to 1200 cc. cm.
Today you can find 7 varieties of Harley-Davidson Sportster, there are no significant differences in them, the body kit and external design differ slightly. These are the types of Sportsters:
- 883 Roadster;
- Superlow;
- Forty-Eight;
- Iron 883;
- Superlow 1200T;
- Seventy-Two;
- 1200 Custom.
The main distinctive features of motorcycles in this series are:
- a round speedometer that is mounted on the steering wheel;
- rear shock absorbers that can't be missed;
- The oil churner is located under the saddle on the right side.
The Sportster is neither a chopper nor a cruiser; it is a classic compact motorcycle, and this is the kind of motorcycle you should start learning about riding a Harley Davidson with. Prices for the new 2021 Sportsters start at 789,000 rubles and end at 996,000 rubles. For those who are interested in such a motorcycle, you can look for motorcycles on the secondary market; they will be much cheaper.
Harley Davidson Sportster 1200
Motorcycles of this model are the most common. Buyers are attracted to them not only by their appearance, but also by their relatively affordable price. The Sportster is the lightest model in terms of weight and handling. Its frame is narrower and more compact than that of classic models, and provides better maneuverability on the roads.
The first Sportster motorcycle appeared in 1957 in order to satisfy the interests of those who wanted to purchase a sports bike. The developers tried to achieve ideal characteristics, and they succeeded. The new frame, equipped with engine balancing shafts, is more rigid and durable, and the 2-piston brakes have also been improved. The cooling system has also been improved. Increasing the engine speed gave it additional power. The ignition system has also undergone modernization. At the same time, Harley has not changed its classic brutal style at all. The ease of handling makes the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 ideal for urban riding.
Harley-Davidson Dyna
The Harley Dyna series comes from the name of the city of Daytona in the state of Florida. This city is known for its racing of both cars and motorcycles; lovers of various motorcycles gathered here.
The dimensions of the Daina are not particularly different from the Sportster, but the motor in the Daina is more powerful, in addition, the engine is mounted on the frame using silent blocks and it vibrates while driving. This creates the feeling that the motorcycle is alive. Many bikers are delighted with this feature of their motorcycle.
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Today there are 5 models in the Dyna series, and the differences between them are also not significant. These are the models:
- Street Bob;
- Wide Glide;
- Low Rider;
- Fat Bob;
- Dyna Switchback - for long trips.
Dyna Switchback is distinguished by its removable panniers and windshield.
The distinctive feature of these motorcycles is the speedometer, which is located on the gas tank, and the rear shock absorbers are also visible, just like on the Sportster. And under the saddle there is an angular-shaped battery box.
On Russian roads, the Dyna series is quite rare, because the price for them is much higher than for Sportsters; besides, the Dyna is not the fastest or most prestigious Harley Davidson motorcycle. The most inexpensive is Street Bob for 1,196,000 rubles, and the most expensive is Low Rider S for 1,694,000 rubles. In America, motorcycles of this series are quite popular.
Harley-Davidson Softail
Softails are large and heavy Harley Davidson motorcycles; this series is also very rarely seen in our country. In the movie "Real Hogs" with John Travolta, this motorcycle was filmed in full swing. Externally, the motorcycles in this series look like a classic bike; it seems that the wheel is attached directly to the frame, but there are still shock absorbers here, they are located under the saddle and are not visible.
Back in the good old days, the rear wheel was simply attached directly to the frame without springs or shock absorbers, so the ride on such a motorcycle was very harsh, which led to various back problems. In memory of these difficult times for bikers, the Harley-Davidson Softail was created.
The name translates as “soft tail”, and the “dry” frame here is for decorative purposes. And the shock absorbers are mounted horizontally and spring the rear of the frame, so riding on this series of Harley Davidson motorcycles is very comfortable.
The engines in the Softail are the same as on the Dyna series motorcycles, only the engines are rigidly mounted on the frame, and there is also a balancer shaft that eliminates any vibrations.
There are 6 models of the Softail series, but there is no significant difference in technical characteristics:
- Softail Slim is the simplest model, its price is 1,620,000 rubles;
- Fat Boy is a motorcycle with a large front wheel, the price of this model is 1,769,000 rubles;
- Delux - a motorcycle with an abundance of chrome, costs RUR 1,737,000;
- Breakout is a model for faster driving, its price is 1,744,000 rubles;
- Fat Boy Special - a bike with less chrome than the Fat Boy;
- Heritage Softail Classic - costs 1,843,000 rubles, it has a high windshield and leather side saddlebags.
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It’s easy to spot Harley Davidson Softail motorcycles on the road - stand on the left side and see that the motorcycle does not have shock absorbers in the rear.
Those who watched the movie “Real Boars” saw that Travolta has a rare Screamin Eagle Softail Fat Boy, which was tuned at the factory. Lawrence has a Softail Springer with a lever fork in the old school style, they don’t make those anymore. Allen's is a simple Fat Boy. And Macy's has a Sportster 1200.
Specifications
Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 has excellent technical characteristics. It is equipped with a 1200 cubic centimeter V-engine that produces 96 Nm of torque. The motorcycle is considered the lightest among Harleys and weighs 268 kilograms. The amount of horsepower varies depending on the model and year around 58-66 units. This is quite enough to provide the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 with acceleration to 100 km in 4 seconds. With this time, you can start beautifully from a traffic light and impress observers.
The technical characteristics of the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 allow it to reach speeds of up to 175 km/h, but the operating speed is lower - around 160. Fuel consumption, depending on the route and driving style, is 5-7 liters per 100 kilometers. This model also has a rather impressive gas tank with a volume of 17 liters, which helps you travel a certain amount of distance without refueling.
The developers also did a great job on the appearance of the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200. The motorcycle looks so proportionate and harmonious that you want to immediately get on it and ride, conquering more and more new roads.
Harley-Davidson V-Rod
The V-Rod series are considered the fastest and most powerful Harley Davidson motorcycles. Even engineers from Porsche took part in the creation of this series.
There are only 2 models in this series: Night Rod and Muscle.
The Night Rod is a classic V-Rod, designed to allow the bike to achieve maximum speed while engineers worked to lower the center of gravity. A new engine was developed in which the cylinder camber angle became 60 degrees, and in classic Harley Davidson engines the camber angle is always 45 degrees.
In addition, in order to further reduce the center of gravity, the engineers placed the gas tank under the saddle, and in place of the gas tank there is a regular fairing that covers the air filter. The result is a Harley Davidson motorcycle, which has excellent stability on a straight road and in corners.
The second model, the V-Rod Muscle, differs from the Night Rod in that the Muscle has exhaust pipes on both sides, while the Night Rod has 2 mufflers on one side. Also, the external design is slightly different for these models.
You can identify a V-Rod by the radiator that is installed in the front; the Softail, Dyna and Sportster do not have a radiator, because their engines are cooled by air while driving. But the engine in the V-Rod has a liquid cooling system, like in a car. Such tricks had to be done in order to increase the power of these motorcycles; in the V-Rod it is 120 hp. With. And the greater the power, the more efficient the cooling system must be. Prices for these Harley Davidson motorcycles start at RUB 1,687,000 for the 2021 Muscle model.
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Who is the Harley Davidson V Rod made for?
Motorcycles from Harley Davidson are very bulky and heavy equipment, equipped with a powerful power unit. The whole essence of the V Rod model is revealed in its appearance - wide wheels, huge engine, exhaust system. All this suggests that such a vehicle should be driven by a strong man who can handle great power and heavy machinery. This is true. Even pressing the brake pedal requires a lot of force.
If you are a lover of high speeds, sonorous engine rumble and comfort, then the Harley Davidson V Rod is definitely for you. The motorcycle gives a huge amount of positive emotions and it is worth saying that it is really worth the money.
Harley-Davidson Street
The Street series was created to ensure that Harley Davidson motorcycles would sell better in Asian and other developing countries, so the model was created as cheap as possible and its design was simple. Street series motorcycles are produced in India, and all other Harleys are produced exclusively in the USA. The Street series is not popular in America.
The price for a Harley Davidson Street is less than for Sportsters and is 574,000 rubles for the Street 750, which has the least powerful engine among Harleys. The engine itself is the same as on the V-Rod, with a liquid cooling system, with the same cylinder block angle, but the engine capacity in the Street 750 is approximately 2 times less than in the V-Rod. In general, Street cannot be considered real Harley Davidsons.
Owner reviews
Motorcyclists speak of the Harley-Davidson 1200 not just well, but with real love. Rest assured, if you bought this bike, you won’t be able to get away with easy sympathy. This is a motorcycle for the soul. If you're a fan of sportbikes rather than choppers, then this won't appeal to you. But if you are a fan of a leisurely and “soulful” ride, then you will like the smooth rumble of the engine and the classic appearance.
The raised steering wheel keeps your hands from getting tired, and the ease of control makes the Sportster 1200 ideal for urban conditions. Among the disadvantages, owners note the stiffness of the suspension, which almost does not soften the unevenness of the road. Motorcycle parts are of high quality. The virtually indestructible gearbox and excellent brakes will not soon require replacement after purchase. The only things that upset the owners are the too stiff clutch, which you have to get used to, and the forced loneliness on the road due to the small seat. Otherwise, if the Harley is looked after and faults are corrected in a timely manner, it will serve its owner for many years.
Harley-Davidson Touring
Touring - motorcycles designed for long trips, they are large in size, comfort is at the highest level, but the price for these Harley Davidson motorcycles is the highest. Touring cars can be easily distinguished by their trunks (those large suitcases on the sides at the back).
There are different panniers: leather, like the Road King, or plastic, like the Electra Glide. All Tourings have V-shaped engines with a volume of 103 cc. inches. There are also such varieties of Touring: Street Glide, Electra Glide, Ultra Limited, Road Glide (distinguished by dual headlights).
There are also other minor design differences. Cooling is also different - there is just air cooling, and there is also combined cooling.
