Cruiser Battle: Yamaha Bolt vs H-D Iron 883

Published April 30, 2020
Views : 10762
3 min read

Here’s how the two motorcycles fare against each other on paper

Yamaha recently launched the 2020 Bolt in the Japanese market. It goes directly against the Harley-Davidson Iron 883. While both motorcycles belong to the same genre, one has a distinct Japanese flair and the other one is all about, well, American iron. Let’s see which one’s superior on paper.

Engine:

Specifications	2020 Yamaha Bolt	Harley-Davidson Iron 883 BS6
Engine	941cc air-cooled fuel-injected, SOHC 4-valve V-twin	883cc air-cooled V-twin Evolution engine with fuel injection
Power	54PS @ 5500rpm	NA
Torque	80Nm @ 3000rpm	70Nm @ 3500rpm
Gearbox	5-speed, belt drive	5-speed, belt drive

There’s no replacement for displacement, so naturally, the Yamaha Bolt’s engine is a lot more torquey. It arrives slightly earlier down the rev range too. This coupled with the 4kg lighter weight should make the Bolt, well, bolt effortlessly from traffic lights. Both bikes have a well-spaced 5-speed transmission so cruising down the highway at triple-digit speeds should be effortless.

Despite packing a bigger motor, the Bolt is slightly more fuel efficient with a claimed mileage of 21.2kmpl as compared to the Iron 883’s claimed figure of 20.8kmpl.

Underpinnings:

Specifications	2020 Yamaha Bolt	Harley-Davidson Iron 883 BS6
Frame	Double cradle frame	Double cradle frame
Front suspension	Telescopic fork	Telescopic fork
Rear suspension	Twin shock absorbers/ Twin gas-charged shock absorbers with adjustable preload in the R variant	Twin shock absorbers
Front brake	298mm petal disc with ABS	Disc with ABS
Rear brake	Petal disc with ABS	Disc with ABS
Front tyre	100 / 90 - 19 (tubed/ tubeless in R variant)	100/90 - 19
Rear tyre	150 / 80 - 16 (tubed / tubeless in R variant)	150/80 - 16

The 2020 Yamaha Bolt and the Harley-Davidson Iron 883 BS6 have a similar set of underpinnings. But in the Bolt R variant, it gets more sophisticated gas-charged twin preload-adjustable shock absorbers which offer better damping than conventional units. The petal discs on the Bolt also offer better heat dissipation thanks to the greater surface area when compared to conventional discs.

While the Iron 883 comes with standard machined alloy wheels, the base variant of the Bolt gets old-school spoke wheels. The obvious downside to this is tubed tyres but Yamaha offers alloy wheels with tubeless tyres in the Bolt R for those who prefer practicality over authenticity.

Dimensions & Features:

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Specifications	2020 Yamaha Bolt	Harley-Davidson Iron 883 BS6
Wheelbase	1570mm	1515mm
Ground clearance	130mm	140mm
Fuel tank capacity	13 litres	12.5 litres
Seat height	690mm	760mm
Kerb weight	252kg	256kg

The 55mm longer wheelbase in the 2020 Yamaha Bolt should enhance high-speed stability considerably. However, the lengthier wheelbase might make it lazier to turn compared to the Iron 883. When it comes to accessibility, the Bolt wins thanks to its 70mm lower seat height compared to the Iron 883.

Both bikes are quite minimalistic when it comes to the features department. While the Iron 883 gets a semi-digital instrument cluster, the Bolt comes with a fully digital unit. Both the consoles aren’t that info-laden and show only crucial details like speed, low fuel warning, odometer reading, and tripmeter reading apart from other tell-tale lights. The two motorcycles are equipped with a halogen headlamp and an LED tail lamp.

Price & Verdict:

2020 Yamaha Bolt

Harley-Davidson Iron 883 BS6

Std: 890,000 yen (around Rs 6.27 lakh)

Bolt R: 1,025,200 yen (around Rs 7.22 lakh)

Rs 9.26 lakh in India

(Around an equivalent of Rs 9.68 lakh in Japan)

Despite packing a larger, more powerful engine, the 2020 Yamaha Bolt offers more value for money compared to the Harley-Davidson. If you want a true-blue cruiser with Japanese reliability, the Bolt seems to be the apt choice. The Harley-Davidson Iron 883 is for those who want a quintessential Harley serving as a blank canvas with a huge scope for customisation.

All prices ex-showroom.

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