2007 Harley-Davidson XL1200N Nightster-Nightster is the new Sporty!
In the 50th Anniversary for the Harley-Davidson Sportster family a very special Sporty has been launched. The XL1200N Nightster is a bobbed Sportster with some new and unique features. Standing on its side stand with the Evolution engine running it looks like a small fierce but still muscular Bulldog eager to go.
Words: Tor Sagen/Pictures: Benedict Campbell
And boy is the new Nightster eager to go. It’s almost as if I can sense its smelly and dirty unleaded breath hyperventilating in the Florida sun. Right from letting the clutch out in first gear the Nightster unleashes its muscle and powers away from the lights. No doubt this is a Harley Sportster and the new and low seat with support for the lower back gives it a different feel to other Sportsters. Only 668mm above the ground on a thin seat almost forces you to ride a bit more active-Nothing much for cruising into the sunset then. The low seat height has been achieved by that thin solo seat and by adjusting the suspension.
After miles on wide American motorways (or highway if you must…) we start our journey into the Loop. The Loop is a must if you have ever attended the Daytona Beach Bike Week and the roads seems to be the only ones in this corner of Florida with a decent bend. And the Nightster likes bends more than cruising in a straight line. Nightster is not that comfortable compared to a big cruising twin so a bit of active riding was more than welcome. One thing about the XL1200N Nightster that annoyed me from standstill was the long footpeg scrapers. I kept banging my ankles into them standing still and they touch ground really early. Get rid of them or shorten them (either by riding or by angle grinder) is my advice. The XL1200N is light-footed through the corners and the handling is easy. The 100/90-19 front wheel and the 150/80-16 rear wheel makes sure the Nightster steer well. The Nightster turns from side to side with great ease.
The low seat height, responsiveness from the chassis and tyres as well as a nice and low first gear makes the XL1200N Nightster a perfect beginner’s bike. The shorter riders and ladies will love it too. The thing is that I love it too even though I’m a six-footer. But my initial feeling is that that’s got more to do with the cool and unique bobbed Ratrod styling rather than me being super comfortable on the bike.
Willie G. himself teamed up with junior designer Richard Christoph to pen the bike a little over a year ago. So in a way the new XL1200N Nightster is influenced by both the most conservative and fresh thoughts in the Motor Company at the same time. In Harley-Davidson that is a perfect marriage of style and tradition. The Nightster reflects this by mimicking the 1950’s and 60’s Bobbers. In particular a 1947 Knucklehead bobber sat outside of the Willy G. Davidson Product Design Centre. This bike was popular with young ex-soldiers coming home from WWII where they would remove any unnecessary parts and ride in freedom.
A bobber (the Nightster is a bobber) is a motorcycle with minimal fenders... This is only excerpts from the full article.
