After making its global debut back in the second quarter of this year, the Harley Davidson Sportster S is now officially in the Philippines.
The all-new model, which was based on the High Performance Custom concept back in 2018, has made its rounds online before reaching the local showrooms in the metal. And as it turns out, you can’t have one just yet as the first batch of orders was already sold out at launch.
The Sportster line has been around since 1957, and the Sportster S represents an evolution from its heritage. It does look sportier than other Sportster models, highlighted by its high-mount exhaust pipes and wide 17-inch wheels (16 inches at the back) with Brembo radial monoblock four-piston calipers. Dampening’s taken care of premium Showa passive front and rear suspension that are fully adjustable.
As for lighting, the Sportster S comes with LEDs all over. It measures 2,270mm-long and has a saddle height of 752mm – low enough for most riders but a bit higher than most Harley-Davidson cruisers.
Powering the 2021 Harley Davidson Sportster S is a reworked version of the Revolution Max 1250T on the Pan Americana. The liquid-cooled V-twin engine gets new cylinder heads with smaller valves and ports, along with a redesigned combustion chamber. The resulting output is 121hp and 125Nm of torque, pulling the custom cruiser’s relatively light 502-pound working weight.
Matching these numbers are safety features that put the Sportster S at the top of its class. It comes standard with ABS, tire pressure monitoring, and traction control, plus a slipper clutch to prevent rear-wheel lock while engine braking. It also comes with three pre-programmed drive modes that can be toggled through a switch on the handlebar; one mode is reserved for custom settings that include a specific combination of power delivery, engine braking, ABS system, and traction control settings to match the rider’s preference.
Despite the modern classic look, the Sportster S comes with modern conveniences such as a fully-digital display on the round 4-inch TFT LCD. It does have Bluetooth plus navigation, keyless ignition, and cruise control.
The 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S comes with a starting price of P1,030,000, available in Vivid Black, Midnight Crimson, and Stone Washed Pearl colors.
Harley-Davidson of Manila said that the Sportster S is now available for test drive and reservation at its showrooms in BGC and Greenhills. If you’re down to wait for a bit, the second batch of units is due to arrive in a few weeks.
