Nightster vs Sportster S: Which Is Best for You?
Nightster and Sportster S from Harley Davidson are very different animals.
You are to be forgiven if you’re looking to buy a new Harley Davidson sportster and you make the mistake of actually going to their Web site, like a normal person. You will find no sportster class bikes there. What you will find however, is a “sport” class that has exactly two and two only motorcycles, a Sportster S and a Nightster.
And if you scroll down a bit, you will see two motorcycles that once upon a time you would have sworn were sportsters, the Iron 883 and the 48. Today, they are not. Today, they are, and apparently will be from now on, “cruisers.”
What’s Going On?
What’s going on? A lot, in the world of sportsters that is. The Motor Company left the sportsters alone for a long time, decades really, content to just tinker a bit here and there with a motorcycle that has been in continuous production since 1957.
And that was fine with most sportster aficionados, who loved the reliability of the Evolution engine, as well as the look, feel and sound of the traditional sportster.
But times change, and a new generation demands more. Specifically, these young upstarts want more power and technology.
Air Vs. Liquid
Thus, today we have the Sportster S and Nightster, while the Iron 883 and 48 have been designated as cruisers. Cruisers, you ask? With gas tanks the size of lawn mower tanks: 3.3 gallons for the 883 and 2.1 gallons for the 48?
Yes. This is a seismic shift in the world of Harley Davidson sportsters. Why did the Motor Company make this designation? Here is the explanation, straight from the horse’s mouth.
“The new Sportsters (Sportster S and Nightster) have a new engine, the Revolution Max, which is liquid cooled, thus categorized differently than the other Sportsters with the Evolution air cooled motor, as all other motors are air cooled in that section as well,” HD spokesperson Jennifer Hoyer told hd forums.
Which is Best for You?
OK, now that we have that settled, let’s take a look at the two new sportsters. The “sport” designation is appropriate since they are more close to sport bikes than the older, air-cooled models. They look more like sport bikes, at least regarding the Sportster S, sound more like sport bikes and have all the fancy digital stuff like modern sport bikes
How do they differ? If you’re in the market for one of these radical new sporties which one should you choose?
The differences are big, and involve the main things you look for when buying a bike: Price, power and handling.
‘Face-melting’ Torque
The Sportster S is the higher-priced bike with an MSRP of $15,499. Not exactly cheap like the sportsters of old. It has the bigger, liquid-cooled Revolution Max 1250T engine that blasts out a whopping 94 foot/pounds of torque and 121 horsepower. All that power on a bike that weighs only 502 pounds.
Luke Zietsman of HotCars describes it as “face-melting torque,” but he also points out that kind of speed and torque could be considered a downside for someone looking to buy a sedate, entry-level bike.
“Sportsters were traditionally more approachable, and this bike is anything but approachable,” he said in a review.
‘Absolute Joy’
By comparison, the new Nightster – not the old air-cooled model – is powered by the Revolution Max 975T which churns out 70 foot/pounds of torque and 90 horsepower on a bike that weights only 481 pounds. It’s MSRP is $13,499.
A big difference here from the old Nightster is better weight distribution, particularly the low center of gravity.
“The (new) Nightster is an absolute joy to ride in the hills,” writes Morgan Gales of Cycle World. “It drops into corners with little more than a shift of the hips and slight pressure on the handlebars, and stays there without protest. The chassis is stiff and responsive, inspiring confidence as you flow from right turn to left turn. It was here that the Nightster truly felt at home.”
Six Gears and Cruise Control
Both bikes are chock full of new technology, not to mention six gears and cruise control for easier interstate riding. Who ever thought we would have six gears and cruise control on sportsters?
The Sportster S has three different ride modes – sport, rain and road – an LCD display, turn-by-turn navigation with the Harley app, ABS and traction control, just to name some of the new tech. It is also bluetooth-equipped.
The Nightster has the same three ride modes plus various Rider Safety enhancements, Traction Control Indication, Coolant Temperature Alert and other electronic features.
What About Looks?
The Sportster S does not look like a Harley Davidson, nor does it sound like one. HD old-timers mock its appearance, but become oddly silent when you bring up the fact it can out-perform their old Evos by a mile.
The Nightster looks more like a Harley Davidson, is more nimble and takes rough roads better with superior suspension travel. This is a bike you can commute with and hang around those Harley rallies and not feel like an outsider.
In short, the Sportster S obviously has more raw thrill, is geared to more seasoned riders and, importantly, more aftermarket options. The Nightster is a bike you can just hop on and have a blast on immediately, but at the same time not feel overwhelmed.
Take your pick.
Photos: Harley Davidson
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