2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster RH975 first ride review
The 2022 Harley-Davidson RH975 Nightster is the first time a traditional Sportster silhouette meets the Revolution Max powerplant. This marks the beginning of a new generation.
The Sportster S — a radical, premium model meant to build excitement for the next chapter of Harley’s longest-running model line — was never meant as a 1:1 replacement for the Evolution Sportsters now facing their final years as emissions regulations tighten. Once they’re phased out, bless their air-cooled hearts, that will leave the Nightster to take on a crucial role as the de facto entry Harley with the lowest MSRP on the showroom floor: $13,499. (The Iron 883 starts at $11,249, and the Forty-Eight starts at $12,229, while you can still get them.) H-D never comments on future models, so that could certainly change with, say, an Iron 975.
The Evo Sportster had a good run that included some famous variations, including the original Nightster, a blacked-out XL1200N that arrived right before the Great Recession. Harley built so many Evo Sporties, and there is so much support for them, that they’ll be an option for many years to come. H-D must move on, however, and Common Tread has been impressed with the Revolution Max engine in other models. The Nightster is especially significant because it introduces the smallest and most affordable Rev Max with the 975T.
Sportster DNA
What elements of the classic Sportster survive in the Nightster? Harley started by copying the ergonomics from the Iron 883s and 1200s for their new model. The low seat, mid controls, and flattish handlebar profile feel just like a stock Iron’s setup.
Other nods to the past include the usual wheel sizes (19-incher up front, 16 out back), a round speedometer, the twin red brake/turn lights on the rear fender on U.S. models, a folding license plate holder, and a round air cleaner where my right knee wants to be. The “tank” mimics the unmistakable peanut tank of old, except that it’s actually a metal cover for the airbox. The real gas tank is hidden under the seat. A solo saddle and short-style fenders complete the look with good effect.
Dual rear shocks, arguably the biggest throwback on the Nightster, were “table stakes” for this model, according to Harley’s team. Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson’s VP of Styling and Design, said the new modular chassis design on Rev Max bikes makes it easier to make big changes between models. In this case, the monoshock rear of the Sportster S could be changed for dual outboard shocks with changes to the subframe and swingarm, leaving other parts of the chassis alone. You’d think that modular construction would open up worlds of possibilities for customizers, but neither H-D nor the aftermarket have started producing parts like that as far as I can tell. I look forward to seeing them. Modular parts could be the key to continuing the Sportster’s legacy of easy modification.
References to the past don’t mean parts from the past. I asked Chief Engineer Kyle Wick if there were any parts shared between the Nightster and the old Sportsters. “Maybe a bolt,” he said.
Anatomy of a Nightster
Everything hangs on the Nightster’s engine, so let’s start there. The Revolution Max 975T is a stressed member in the bike’s chassis, as seen on the Sportster S and Pan America, although it has a smaller bore and shorter stroke than the engines found in those models. Harley says T is for torque in this liquid-cooled, eight-valve, DOHC, 60-degree V-twin that we first spotted in the Bronx streetfighter concept. The 975T produces a claimed 90 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 70 foot-pounds of torque at 5,000 rpm.
Unlike the larger Rev Max engines, the 975 has just one spark plug per cylinder and variable valve timing on the intakes only. Redline is a rowdy 9,500 rip ‘ems. The Nightster wants 91 octane for its 12:1 compression ratio. (Fuel sensors allow the bike to run on lower octane with reduced performance.) Harley built a few features into the Revolution Max that hint at future performance parts, like chamfered cylinder bases for toolless piston installation and cams that can be swapped without disassembling the camshaft drive. Intakes and exhausts are already available.
The 975T uses a sizable downdraft airbox under the dummy tank. The passage behind the round air cleaner on the bike’s right side leads to this airbox, so it isn’t all for show. Gas now sits in a black plastic fuel cell (3.1 gallons) under the seat, partially hidden behind a cover that recalls the shape of the old Sportster oil tank.
The new Nightster weighs 481 pounds versus the Iron 883’s 564 pounds or the Forty-Eight’s 555.6. (Both figures as claimed by Harley-Davidson, ready to ride). That’s a decrease of around 80 pounds in a motorcycle that makes nearly double the power of an 883, or about 50 percent more than a 1200. The Nightster’s handling also benefits from the gas-under-seat arrangement that significantly lowers the bike’s center of gravity.
Tech and features
Harley equips the Nightster with its Standard Rider Safety Enhancements (SRSE) package: ABS, traction control, and the Drag Torque Slip Control (DTSC) system to manage rear wheel slip on hard deceleration or downshifts. There are three ride modes — Sport, Road, and Rain — that alter power delivery, engine braking, ABS, and TCS. A mode button on the right grip toggles through them, and a pull of the clutch lever engages the selected mode. TCS can be turned on or off in any ride mode, with TCS always defaulting to active in Rain mode. The ride mode is indicated in the negative LCD segment of the four-inch round speedometer.
The LCD can also display current gear, fuel range, an A/B trip meter, a clock, or a tach by cycling the display with another button. Fuel level is always shown along the top edge of this display.
A day on the Nightster
Back when I tested the Sportster S, I left the introduction ride hoping that H-D would roll out a follow-up that stayed closer to tradition. Well, here it is. Initial impressions: It’s about the same dimensions as an Iron 883 or 1200, but it appears much “denser” with all the engine apparatus and covers. Painted metal surfaces are rich and well-finished. Bar-end mirrors emphasize the lowered aesthetic, while a 150-section rear gives grown-up looks without drifting into caricature. The radiator is supposedly narrower than the one on the Sportster S. It’s not subtle, but neither is the ‘32 Cadillac rad on the Indian Scout. The exhaust is another big deviation from the Sportster’s usual fare.
Pull the Nightster off its jiffy stand, and the massive weight reduction is obvious. My feet and hands instantly find the controls at standard Sportster positions. It must have taken some work to capture that old feeling. My only gripe here is that switches like the turn signals and mode buttons seem farther inboard from the grips than they need to be. Riding position is upright and leaned a bit forward, and at six feet tall with a 32-inch inseam, I have no issue getting both feet down. A rotary switch above the right grip turns the bike on, and a poke of the button above it spins up the 975T.
At idle, the Nightster is not a loud motorcycle. Not even close. I take no issue with that, and aftermarket exhaust companies take no issue with that, but if you want a stock bike that announces its presence every time you hit the starter, this ain’t it. The engine has a thoroughly modern whirr and clatter to it with some engineered-in vibration. I didn’t mind the feedback as I tapped the bike into first for a ride through Santa Barbara, California, and the surrounding mountain roads. Soon I sat in front of a Sportster’s favorite sight: a red light about to turn green.
It’s not quite the shudder-and-a-bang of launching an air-cooled Sporty. The bike winds up for a second longer before rushing to a new exhaust octave. A few more lights confirm that the Nightster has zip and yowl like your dad’s Sportster never had. The lower weight and even lower center of gravity make it plenty suitable for around-town use. U-turns, backing into parking spaces, and slipping through traffic should be no issue. “That the new Sportster?” asked a house painter from the sidewalk. “Huh. Sure changed a lot.”
To reach the winding mountain passes of State Route 33, the Nightster saw plenty of surface streets and open roads to test its cruising chops. The Nightster is a fine handler for its class. The fork is softer than the rear shocks, no doubt, and suspension adjustment is limited to rear preload collars. Even so, the bike stays planted wherever it goes. While Dunlop D401s are ancient tech by tire standards, they get the job done without complaint.
Wind deflection from the stubby cowl is surprisingly effective. It cuts about half the blast to my torso. Swapping gears at speed is drama-free thanks to an assist/slipper clutch and DTSC. The Nightster digs from almost any gear for another chance to hear that 975T spool up. Every manufacturer seems to advertise a linear powerband, don’t they? Personally, I didn’t find that to be the case with the Nightster. Off-idle is oddly mellow before the big surge comes on around 3,500 rpm where the Rev Max starts to breathe heavily to around 6,000 rpm. The bike begs to hang out in that sweet spot, and you can adjust its power delivery with the ride modes. Road mode was my preferred balance. Sport is noticeably more abrupt and aggressive. Rain mode throws a wet blanket over the whole thing to presumably get you home in one piece.
You can hunt around for more zip at the top of the rev range, but both you and the Nightster would rather kick into another gear to revisit the Braap Zone. A truly linear powerband would take so much fun and character out of this vehicle. As I wrote in my review of the Sportster S, the Revolution Max is one of the brand’s greatest achievements in recent years. Harley-Davidson is The Motor Company, after all.
The roads tightened up as the hills neared. No hairpin turns or anything, just clean fun stuff that pushed the chassis harder than before. The reduced weight and lowered center of mass proved their worth by eliminating any top-heavy sensations. The Nightster still has some heft to it that needs deliberate steering and a little body English to hustle. The effect is rewarding and not so sketchy as blasting around on the XL generation. Rider aids are unintrusive; I had to enable and disable TCS a few times before I felt how gentle it could be. The SRSE tech will be especially nice for riders buying their first larger motorcycle.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of riding S.R. 33, this ribbon of road draws motorcyclists for its banked, sweeping turns through dangerously distracting views. I’d be looking around to take in the sights if I were riding one of Harley’s large touring machines. On the Nightster, it was all about running up that Rev Max for a good time in the mountains. The increase in lean angle (now a claimed 32 degrees) is appreciated. The Nightster isn’t a scalpel, but it isn’t a blunt instrument, either. Rowing that flat handlebar with fists to the wind, the bike holds its line well through connecting sets of curves. Need to scrub a little speed? Braking is progressive and adequate for the machine’s purpose. The 975T encourages dropping a gear and engine braking into your target entry speed with a nip of the brakes as needed. Swing through the turn, put the hammer down as soon as you glimpse your exit, and the Nightster scoots full-tilt to the next one. If you think you’ve grown out of your Nightster after a year, you aren’t twisting the right grip enough. Mechanically, this is an engaging and well-sorted motorcycle.
Things to know before buying
The Nightster’s biggest issues, in my opinion, are mostly in the fit and finish department. This is unusual for Harley-Davidson, although the Nightster project had to present enormous challenges to the bike’s designers, engineers, and accountants.
The Nightster uses far more plastic than you’d ever find on one of their traditional models. Most of it fills gaps around the complex Rev Max powerplant. Plastic in itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing (I’m sure it helped with the weight loss program) except that all of it is the same matte finish. This ties together elements that really shouldn’t relate to each other, and it detracts from the neatly painted metal surfaces. I understand that the Nightster isn’t meant to gleam like a Road King. A little variation would have gone a long way to merge the material with Harley’s F&F reputation.
The worst offender is the upper shroud over the left side of the radiator. For some reason, the production version is missing a louvered extension that blocks the rider’s view of the radiator fan and a bunch of wiring. I got a good view of this tangle every time I climbed on the bike, and that was a bummer. I know Harley sweats the details on other bikes. I guess the Nightster goes better than it looks.
Other downsides are few. The airbox cover/false tank feels kind of flimsy when pushed in from the sides. The seat requires a stretch at least every 100 miles, and you might as well stop for gas while you’re at it because the Nightster is thirsty when ridden hard. I didn’t get fuel economy numbers because the bike doesn’t display them, but I could tell by the miniscule fuel gauge that Harley’s claimed 55 miles per gallon had been recorded on some other kind of roads, by some other kind of rider. Trust me, you’ll have a hard time resisting the urge to get on the gas with this one.
One giant leap for Sportster-kind
The Nightster is a big step in the right direction for the Rev Max Sportster line. It will appeal to a much broader audience than the wild Sportster S, and it’s a far more practical motorcycle. It can take luggage, carry a passenger, and travel farther with much better ergonomics. Objectively, it outperforms any air-cooled Sportster the factory ever built, and it should inspire some hope for Harley’s future models released on this platform. It rides well. Who should consider buying one?
While I have recommended 883 Sportsters as beginner bikes in the past, I can’t say the same for a 90-horsepower motorcycle that will certainly cost over 14 grand out the door. Of course, it’s entirely possible to learn to ride on a machine like this. You could even use the classic “just ride it around in Rain mode until you feel ready” strategy that’s picked up popularity in recent years.
Here at Common Tread, we’ve always preferred to see riders start on smaller used motorcycles before stepping up to the bigger bikes that they really desire. The Nightster would be an ideal first new motorcycle for riders with some miles under their belts. Intermediate and advanced riders who remember the Sportsters of old should give the Nightster a test ride, if only to see what H-D’s been up to lately. Those who focus on performance and tech for their light cruisers will have plenty to think about. Others who prefer traditional looks and heirloom quality will probably wander across the dealership floor to the Softail Standard, which offers a bona fide Big Twin for a few hundred bucks more.
Whether you’re thinking of buying a 2022 Nightster, or just reading to see what everyone’s talking about, don’t mistake the new one for the old. Same name, different animal.
2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster |
|
|---|---|
Price (MSRP) |
$13,499 (Vivid Black), $13,899 (other colors) |
Engine |
975 cc, 60-degree, liquid-cooled, four-valve, V-twin |
Transmission, final drive |
Six-speed, belt |
Claimed horsepower |
95 @ 7,500 rpm |
Claimed torque |
70 foot-pounds @ 5,000 rpm |
Frame |
Steel trellis |
Front suspension |
Showa Dual Bending Valve 41 mm fork, 4.5 inches of travel |
Rear suspension |
Dual shocks adjustable for preload; 3.0 inches of travel |
Front brake |
Single 320 mm disc, four-piston caliper with ABS |
Rear brake |
Single 260 mm disc, single-piston caliper with ABS |
Rake, trail |
30.0 degrees, 5.4 inches |
Wheelbase |
61.3 inches |
Seat height |
27.8 inches |
Fuel capacity |
3.1 gallons |
Tires |
Dunlop Harley-Davidson Series, 100/90-19 front, 150/80B16 rear |
Claimed weight |
481 pounds wet |
Available |
April 2022 |
Warranty |
24 months |
More info |
harley-davidson.com |
https://ift.tt/pyrYPWz 2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster RH975 first ride review
The post 2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster RH975 first ride review appeared first on Autobala.
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