Harley-Davidson Roadster motorcycle unveiled

Harley-Davidson expanded their Dark Custom portfolio by introducing the new Roadster cruiser motorcycle. The styling of the Harley-Davidson looks like a mash up of the new Sportster 1200 and the Forty-Eight which isn’t a bad thing as both are good looking motorcycles. According to Harley designers the new bikes design language has been based on different customisation that its clientele had done on the Sportster range of bikes. The standout design elements on the new Harley-Davidson Roadster include dual exhaust pipes, drag-style handlebar, stubby mudguards and the “walnut” gas tank. Another interesting visual element are the interlacing spoke cast aluminium wheels that look smashing and have been specifically developed for the new Roadster.

They run on 120/70 R19 on front and 150/70 R18 section tyres. The rake angle has been set at 28.9 and the American bikemaker claims a lean angle of 30.8 degrees on right, and 31.1 degrees on left hand side. Seat height is relatively low at 785mm. Another noticeable addition are the 43mm dia USD front forks which according to Harley-Davidson offer more suspension travel than any other bike in the Sportster range at 4.5 inches. The rear twin-shock unit offers 3.2 inches of travel. 

Powering the bike is the 1,200cc Evolution V-twin motor as seen on the Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight. Harley hasn’t divulged power figures but rather has focused its attention on the 103Nm of peak torque made available at 3,750rpm. Braking hardware is also better as it gets equipped with twin 300mm front discs while ABS is standard fitment. The semi-digital instrument console has also been updated with a larger digital panel compared to its siblings. The Harley-Davidson Roadster will be offered in four colour options - Vivid Black, Black Denim, Velocity Red Sunglo and two-tone Billet Silver/Vivid Black. The new cruiser motorcycle has been priced between Rs 9.6 lakh to 10.1 lakh in the UK market. We can expect the Harley-Davidson Roadster to go on sale in India by second half of 2016 with a price tag of around Rs 10 lakh ex-showroom.