0:01 Now, I think it's fair to say that
0:04 Harley-Davidson aren't exactly doing
0:06 that well at the moment, but with a new
0:09 CEO and a new strategy, well, I guess
0:11 they're very much hoping to turn things
0:14 around. And that new strategy, well,
0:17 it's not entirely new with one of the
0:20 models announced for 2027 being a
0:22 Sportster. and not one of those new
0:24 fangled liquid cooled models, but
0:27 actually a proper air cooled Sportster
0:29 with an engine that's effectively
0:32 decades old. So naturally, that's got me
0:35 wondering, well, can it possibly be the
0:37 right thing to do to revive yourselves
0:40 in 2027 by bringing back what is a
0:43 fairly antiquated motorcycle? Or have
0:46 they actually hit the nail right on the
0:48 head? So, you know what? I think I need
0:52 to ride one again to find out. And also,
0:54 Tim, maybe get a bit of a second opinion.
1:10 I should say though, Sportsters go way
1:12 further back than my biking experience
1:15 to 1957, I believe, when the first one
1:17 was introduced. It's interesting when
1:19 you look at like a full list of all of
1:22 the significant changes to the Sportster
1:23 lineup over the years because it
1:25 basically, you know, it's been around
1:27 for so long. It sort of reads like a
1:29 broader timeline of motorcycle
1:33 developments. electric starters in 1967,
1:35 left side gear change and disc brakes in
1:38 the ' 70s, a 5-speed box, and the belt
1:41 drive in 1991, an electronic speeder in
1:46 1995, fuel injection in the mid 2000s.
1:48 Uh, but what I think has defined the
1:50 generations, the key generations of
1:52 Sportster over the years, more than
1:54 these little incremental changes, has
1:57 almost certainly been the engine. So, in
1:59 the first instance, it was the iron
2:01 heads. Tim, have a stab at why they're
2:02 called iron heads.
2:03 >> Is it cuz they're made of iron?
2:05 >> Well done, mate. Absolutely. And they're
2:07 still sought after nowadays for being
2:10 very original, very raw, soulful, of
2:12 course. Uh, but after that, it was the
2:15 evolution engine or the Evo. So, yeah, a
2:19 big American aircooled V Twin. Uh, it
2:21 came in around the mid80s and I believe,
2:23 I've not ridden one, but the original
2:25 version of this engine was known for
2:27 being a little bit viby. So, in the
2:30 mid-200s, they changed a few things
2:31 about it, but the key thing they changed
2:33 is that they rubber mounted it in order
2:36 to make the bike more comfortable. And
2:37 that's one of the things I really like
2:39 about the Evo engine. When you start it
2:41 up, it sort of bounces around in the
2:43 frame. And when you rev it, it wobbles
2:45 around as well. It really feels like a
2:48 living thing. Like so many good engines
2:51 though, recently, it did eventually fall
2:52 foul of emissions regulations. I think
2:55 it was killed off in Europe in the UK
2:58 with Euro5 and understandably with it
3:00 being an engine that goes back pretty
3:02 much 40 years in order to update it to
3:04 get it to pass modern day emissions
3:07 regulations. Well, it was just too much
3:10 work and so it got discontinued and kind
3:12 of replaced with this. This is the
3:14 Revolution Max. It's a liquid cooled
3:17 engine, a lot more revy, hence the name.
3:19 and it was put to use in this, the
3:22 Nightster, uh the Sportster S, which is
3:24 a more aggressive looking version of
3:27 this with a big fat front tire. Uh but
3:30 also the Paname Adventure bike. And so,
3:32 yeah, a versatile engine, modern
3:34 feeling, good performance, most
3:37 importantly, good emissions as well, but
3:40 it's got to be said it has a certain um
3:43 clinicalness perhaps. And so I don't
3:45 think it's quite generated the same
3:48 adoration amongst the Harley buying
3:50 public as you know the original
3:53 aircooled sports does. Well maybe I'm
3:56 being a little too gentle there because
3:58 if the UK sales figures are anything to
4:01 go by well the revolution max bikes have
4:04 been a bit of a flop. That night for
4:06 example, well there's about a couple of
4:08 hundred on the road here after 3 or 4
4:10 years of being on sale. But if you look
4:13 at the previous aircooled Sportsters, of
4:15 which admittedly there are many, many
4:17 variants, well, there are still many
4:19 thousands of them if you take the time
4:22 to add them all up. So, I guess it
4:24 doesn't really take a genius to figure
4:26 out why Harley's financial results of
4:28 late have been a pretty tough read.
4:30 Personally, I'd say the whole reason you
4:33 buy a Harley-Davidson isn't for
4:36 performance or efficiency, but it's for
4:40 a really loud, really viby that makes a
4:42 bit of a statement. Something the
4:44 Revolution Maxster couldn't really
4:47 offer, but an Evo powered Sportster
4:50 absolutely can offer in spades. So,
4:51 yeah, to give us the best chance of
4:53 finding a proper Sportster to ride,
4:55 we've come to Superbike Factory. They've
4:57 got a whole bunch of shops across the
5:00 UK, thousands of bikes, and so surely
5:09 So, after a little perusal, we settled
5:12 on this beauty and it was time to send
5:13 it through the workshop to see some of
5:16 the changes that Superbike Factory have
5:18 made to prepping their bikes. You see,
5:20 every bike goes through an inspection
5:23 before any repairs and prep work are
5:24 needed to get it ready for the showroom
5:26 floor and then after that it's road
5:29 tested by one of their techs. Recently
5:30 though, they've changed some of their
5:32 suppliers for more premium brands. So,
5:34 all the bikes, for example, are getting
5:36 fluids from Mo and the tires are from
5:38 Pirelli now if they do need to be
5:40 swapped out. On top of that, they've
5:43 extended their warranty out to 90 days
5:45 as standard and all bikes are now
5:48 getting a minimum of 6 months across the
5:50 board. Then they've also scrapped their
5:52 admin charges. So the price you see on
5:55 the website is the price you pay. And so
5:56 it's great to see Superbike Factory
5:58 pushing to improve the standard of the
6:00 bikes you'll see in their shops and on
6:02 their website. In fact, there's a link
6:03 in the description below if you do want
6:06 to browse all of their extensive stock.
6:08 And so a massive thanks to them for
6:10 supporting the channel and making this
6:12 video possible. This one though, well,
6:14 it didn't need much at all. She's in
6:17 great condition already. And so once the
6:19 prep process is done, well, we can get
6:22 it outside for a proper good look at it.
6:23 Now, before we get on the road, I
6:24 thought I'd give you a quick overview of
6:26 the particular model that I picked out,
6:29 which is this an Iron 1200. What a
6:31 beautiful looking bike. And it's in good
6:33 nick as well. It's roughly 8 to N grand
6:36 for one of these. It's a 2021 and it's
6:38 only got about 1,500 mi on it. So, it's
6:41 still looking pretty fine. I will say
6:42 though, I've got to manage your
6:45 expectations of just how quick or not
6:46 quick it might be out on the road
6:48 because despite the fact that it's got
6:51 the bigger 1200 V twin, uh, well, they
6:54 don't even specify a peak power figure
6:56 on the official Harley specs. They only
6:58 say torque. And to be fair, this engine
7:00 is all about torque and it makes 99 new
7:03 mak. According to Google, my extra
7:07 research there, it makes around 60 or 65
7:09 uh horsepower peak, which is not
7:11 necessarily going to impress many people
7:13 from a 1200 twin. On top of that, you
7:15 got to combine it with a weight figure
7:17 that's fairly hefty as well. It comes in
7:20 at over 250 kilos when all the fluids
7:22 are on board. And so, yeah, with about
7:24 60 horsepower and over 250 kilos, it's
7:27 got a power to weight ratio that's about
7:30 as impressive as a cabbage. It's a
7:32 chassis that's not necessarily set up
7:34 for sporty handling either. It's got a
7:38 single front disc. The uh fork is about
7:40 as skinny as a pair of chopsticks. It's
7:43 very long and low. It's 650ish mil in
7:45 the seat height, so very low down.
7:48 Forward pegs, apehanger style bars. Uh
7:50 but all the same, I'm massively looking
7:52 forward to riding it. I think it looks
7:54 fantastic. And also, it's got these
7:56 Vansenheines pipes which are rather
7:58 minimal, let's say, and I think are
8:00 gonna sound pretty amazing. In fact,
8:02 I'll fire it up for you now so you can
8:17 >> Quite loud then. Or
8:20 >> might need the float files. Yeah, that's
8:22 >> was peing. I don't know if I could live
8:25 with that, but uh for today it will
8:27 definitely add a bit of >> drama,
8:28 >> drama,
9:01 I'll be surprised if you can hear a
9:04 thing I'm saying, but let's do our best.
9:06 Now, we'll start with the I don't know
9:09 the less good stuff about this bike. Uh,
9:12 which I think is fair to say is probably
9:15 the way that it turns or attempts to
9:17 turn. And also, you could say the same
9:20 for the stopping power. It ain't dancing
9:22 side to side in the same way that a
9:25 naked bike would. And it needs lots of
9:27 rear brake to get it to stop. It stops
9:29 quite quickly if you use both. Uh, but
9:30 if you're someone who's used to using
9:32 just the front,
9:35 you might want a bit more from it. So,
9:37 yeah, it's not something to rush into
9:39 corners like this one. There's obviously
9:42 a lack of ground clearance as well. Uh,
9:44 but I think it's best ridden at about,
9:54 Then it just kind of nicely ws along.
9:58 And you know, the weight actually isn't
10:01 that bad, 250 kilos. And so it does
10:04 become quite pleasant and not too much
10:08 of a handful either. Um, comfort maybe
10:13 is another uh suboptimal area perhaps on
10:15 this bike. I don't find the rear shocks
10:17 particularly cushy and of course all
10:19 your weight is on the seat. So, um, if
10:23 you do hit any largeish undulations in
10:25 the road, then you will feel them right
10:27 through your backside. But I'd also say
10:31 I've been pleasantly surprised by the
10:34 riding position. Normally,
10:36 I'm someone who prefers cruisers with
10:39 flat bars, mid-position pegs as well.
10:41 So, it's closer, let's say, to a
10:48 But this one, because it's not too
10:51 massive, uh, despite the fact that the
10:53 bars are high up and the pegs further
10:56 forward, I actually find it quite nice
11:01 for my size at 5'9 or 175 cm.
11:03 And yeah, I'm not reaching too hard for
11:07 the pegs out front, then if you're
11:09 someone who's a massive fan of all the
11:11 latest tech as well, then it might not
11:13 be the first bike you think of buying.
11:15 But then again, what's viewed as a
11:17 weakness by one biker might well be
11:20 viewed as a big positive by another,
11:23 especially those who appreciate a simple
11:26 analog feeling ride. Personally, I think
11:28 it pairs very well with the attitude of
11:29 the rest of the bike. And the bits of
11:31 tech that are there are fairly
11:34 wellthoughtout conveniences that don't
11:36 feel too invasive. So, keyless works
11:39 fairly nicely on this bike, and I pretty
11:41 much always appreciate self-cancelling
11:44 indicators. Uh, and it also reminds you
11:46 to put your side stand up on the dash,
11:49 which it's not cutting edge stuff. Uh,
11:52 but I've got to say there's been a
11:53 couple of occasions where I've
11:57 appreciated that. Anyway, on to the very
12:01 good stuff. This motorcycle looks
12:03 phenomenal. Wherever we park it up,
12:06 wherever we take some video or pictures,
12:08 just looking at it in the showroom back
12:11 there, I think it looks absolutely class.
12:12 class.
12:15 And I can totally understand uh why
12:18 someone might put that as a high factor
12:19 when they're looking at buying a bike
12:28 The proportions are aggressive. It's
12:31 kind of classic but modern and mean. And
12:33 also I love this kind of blacked out
12:36 with just a pop of Americana in those uh
12:38 graphics on the tank which I think set
12:41 it off perfectly. looks are definitely
12:43 in the pros column for me. I'd love to
12:45 know what you guys think of it though in
12:48 the comments. Uh but without doubt,
12:50 number one, the biggest thing that I
12:53 love about this bike, always was and
12:57 still is the Evo. I'm sure you can hear
13:00 this ridiculous Vansenheind pipe anyway,
13:03 but let me pop my lid up and give it
13:14 Now, I'm sure there's plenty of you who
13:16 think it's way too loud, and I don't
13:18 think I could own a bike like this. I
13:21 think it would eventually
13:23 uh become too irritating. But just for a
13:25 blast today, and I know there are some
13:27 people who do like bikes this loud. I've
13:30 got to say, it really does
13:32 put a massive grin on your face when you properly
13:34 properly
13:36 open it up. It's not fast, though. I
13:38 mean, it's not an engine that you're
13:40 going to be super excited by under
13:43 acceleration. Its limitations are clear
13:45 for all to see on the spec sheet, but
13:48 it's just so addictive. Um, not just the
13:52 sound, but also the feel of it. Oh my go
13:55 Okay, it's vibed the camera loose there.
13:56 I probably didn't do a great job of
13:59 putting it on, but all the same. Yeah,
14:02 it's rubber mounted now, but still not
14:04 vibe free. But I think it's fair to say
14:06 the vibes
14:16 When it's just ticking over, it never
14:18 makes like a consistent sound. It's
14:26 And that's what makes it feel like a
14:28 living thing. That's what makes it feel
14:31 organic. That's what makes it feel
14:33 alive. And it just continues to feel
14:36 that way.
14:38 all through the rev range. And I can
14:40 just see how this is a bike that you
14:45 could absolutely grow uh to absolutely love.
14:55 What a machine. Love it. It makes me
14:58 want one so much. Even though that would
15:02 be uh a terrible financial decision to
15:04 add another bike to the collection. Uh,
15:07 but I do love it, mate. I need some
15:10 independent verification of my opinions here.
15:11 here. >> Okay.
15:11 >> Okay.
15:13 >> I don't know if you fancy being the
15:14 crash test dummy.
15:16 >> Gladly. I'm going to be singing Free
15:50 Come on in mate. Good.
15:52 >> Yeah. Very unique. There is nothing that
15:55 feels or sounds or looks anything like this.
15:55 this.
15:56 >> Best thing about it?
16:00 >> Um the visceral feeling. There's no
16:02 switching off. You are experiencing this
16:04 thing on every level.
16:05 >> I do really want one, but I don't think
16:07 it's a great decision. What about should
16:08 we go halves?
16:11 >> Yeah, let's do time share on this one.
16:13 Yeah, I'll see on weekends.
16:15 >> So, what do you think? One of the best
16:18 engines ever made or is it just an
16:20 underpowered pooch? For me, I'm on the
16:22 side of the former, but as always, I'd
16:24 love to know what you think down in the
16:26 comments below. Do check out the links
16:27 in the description as well to see all
16:29 the bikes in stock at Superbike Factory.
16:31 A massive thanks to them again for
16:33 supporting the channel. Hit subscribe
16:35 for more of the latest motorcycle news
16:36 and reviews like this right here on
16:39 MotoBob. A massive thanks for watching
16:40 today and we'll see you in the next video.
