2017 Harley-Davidson Roadster review, test ride

Sprocket babble

The 1,202cc Evolution motor that the Roadster comes equipped with turns 30 this year and is as likeable and torquey as it used to be. However, since this bike does have the extra handling capabilities, a slight bump in power would have complemented its racier looks. The relaxed nature of the engine is quite in contrast to the sporty theme of the motorcycle. Although this is a torque-rich engine, it still takes a fair bit of shifting to keep it responsive and avoid piston-knocking. For quick throttle response in the turns, working through the gearbox becomes quite a necessity. The clutch still feels heavy to operate, and that’s definitely going to be a hassle in heavy traffic situations. And, as we’ve seen before, there’s still a lot of vibration at idle, which smooths out once you get to higher revs.

What really sets this bike apart from its Harley stable mates is this: the Roadster gets 43mm inverted forks and twin 300mm discs at the front, so you just know this is going to take things up a notch. It even comes with ABS, which is only for the rear tyre. It also has the most suspension travel of any of the Harleys – 4.5 inches up front and 3.2 inches at the rear, which isn’t much compared to other motorcycles, but is still an improvement over the older models.

Saddle talk

The cavernous shape of the rider’s saddle comes quite handy when pulling hard off the line. It really holds the rider in place and prevents them from sliding backwards. The padding on the seat definitely adds comfort on longer hauls. The pillion seat, however, won’t be very comfortable for anything other than short spins around the city. It slopes towards the rear and constantly gives you a sensation of sliding off.

The 43mm inverted forks really iron out the bumps thanks to improved cartridge dampening, which, in turn, makes the bike a lot more stable around turns and gives you the confidence to lean deep into the corner. And the Harley-Davidson-specific Dunlop tyres do a spectacular job with grip levels. Even the upgraded adjustable rear shocks, while still on the stiffer side, do manage to soak up uneven surfaces reasonably well. Combine all these factors and the newly adjusted steering geometry, and the Roadster is more nimble and responsive than any of the other Sportsters. Another big bonus is that the bike gets 1500mm of ground clearance, which means unlike Harley’s other Sportster models, the Roadster can conquer most of the badly designed bumps that litter our roads (except the ones of biblical proportions).

The steed for you

Performance-wise, Harley-Davidson is just stepping up to the level other cruiser manufacturers have been at for a while. But this is one of those bikes that is fun to ride and still reminds you of its long lineage. We can only hope that Harley continues to push the envelope with its other models and bring them up to date. And at Rs 9.70 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the base variant, the Roadster is priced quite decently. We just need to wait and see if it can appeal to customers beyond the realm of Harley-Davidson’s classic cruiser.