V-MAX!!!

Mad Max has the same frame-style and seating position of the Sporty, but has the performance to back it up.

Really, though, neither of them are actually "cruisers." Both have more of the "standard" type frame from the 70s and 80s. You sit more "on" the bike than "in" the bike, like you do with the Big Twins, or the other real "cruiser" bikes like the VTX, Shadow, V-Star, etc.

Though, if you are dead set on having a Harley, the the V-rod is the ticket. Liquid-cooled, Porsche-designed engine in a low-slung cruiser frame.

 

I would love to be able to support an American company and I love the aftermarket harley has. I just wish they offered something more in line with what i'm looking for.

The V-Rod is a very appealing bike to me except: 10 it's too big. I like smaller more nimble bikes My Sporty is the PERFECT size 2) Their just more $$$ than i like to spend on a bike.

I have very seriously looked at the V-max. You can pick up nice used ones for under $5g. A friend of mine used to have one it it was a wild bike. The sound from that V4 w/ aftermarket pipes was postively ANGRY!

 

I feel your pain, there are no US made options for what you are looking for.
I love my sporty and really no longer care about high horsepower and being sports orientated anymore, but use to ride a Ninja..

Other than the V-max I can't think of any cruisers with performance oriented engines.

 

There's nothing wrong with wanting more from a design that's frozen in time since it is after all, the natural way of things, but there's some validity in viewing that same design from another perspective as well.

I just came off a turbine smooth inline 4 with the power and effortless speed that constantly tested my concentration, self control and good judgment. I switched back to Harley for their ergo's and their simplicity and most of all.... Because I have a love affair with the way engines from the '40's and '50's sound and feel.

There's just nothing that has the sound that resonates for me like a 1940's era radial aircraft engine; Well except for the Harleys, Vincents and Indians who's engine design is basically the same. Or the sound of a '51 flathead Ford V8 with AP hollywood duals in the distance; And yet, today's 45 degree V-twins still have that same visceral, slow cadence beat that I can feel in my chest. Or the chuff, chug and wheeze of the steam locomotives that I could feel right through the seats of the train. I can feel something that reminds me of those times through the seat on my Sporty.

I grew up around those engines with their very characteristic sounds and vibes. Often times, when I was 5 yrs old a family friend with an EL bagger would pick me up and take me with for long rides in the country, just cruising and being in the zone. That EL's heartbeat felt like my own and I'll never forget the experience.
I'm just very glad that I can still buy a reliable link to those simpler times; one that hasn't lost it's identity and character through the sterilization that modernization can bring.

 

I'd love to see a Sporty with a "square" engine utilizing the existing stroke. This would give us 86.94 cubic inches, or 1424 cc of rompin' stompin' HD muscle. While it wouldn't necessarily rev up well, it should still produce prodigious power while maintaining the "traditional" HD sound and bottom end. It would probably eat clutches, though.

 

stupid idea, why dont you pick up a used XB9 or even xb12 engine and sap it into your sporty, I do not see why it should not fit, obviously with a few small concessions such as running sporty pipes instead of the xb pipes.

 

To those who say "go buy a Japanese bike if that's what you want", I say the reason I bought a Harley is because it's American. If they made a sportier engine in their cruiser frame, I would be interested because it's NOT Japanese.

 

why buy a slow revving low powered bad handling bike and ask for more , get the bike to suits your needs , if my nightster had anouther 30 horses and anouther 30 lbs of torque , id be dead cose id have blown off the back of the thing at 130mph , its bad enough hanging on to the bitch at 110 mph , a little more mid range and a better throttle responce is a different thing , ill be getting that hopefully over the winter ,which judging by the frostie start i had on it this morning ,wont be long (i need winter gloves), but anything can be made faster , higher lift cams , drag pipes big breather , fuel pak ,remove the rev limiter, etc etc , its all there , just spend some time and money , go one better , port & pollish , blue printing , super charging , it can be done , or you could buy a faster reving more powerful and lighter bike for less money than the sportie cost , im happy the way mine is (bog standard) i hope ill be just as happy after the stage 1,

 

I just don't get It,,
My 1200R does just fine, plenty quick,
I Like the Low rev stump puller I got.
The Sportster stands alone almost frozen In Time.
I'm real glad I didn't buy the "wrong" Bike trying to be cool.
If people wan't High RPM and that kinda bike, Great they have plenty
of Options.
I dunno,,It's just never happend to me,,
Must be awful to buy a bike and then realize It's not what you wanted.
Ok so I'm not right,,In the head.
My pride Is not damaged when a faster bike goes by, XD

The engine you all speak of would be cool to see In HD trim,,, But what would they call it,,,Hmmmm

The Mini V,,
The Sport Rocket,,,
The Thing would have ta look like a sportbike and win a few GP moto's so the rubber people
would start droolin and buy it.
I cannot Imagine a Sportster with no vibes and sounding like a sewing machine,,,,

 

7,000 RPM is no problem if you're talking a 1200 sportster with forged pistons. The Buell XB-12 and H-D XR-1200 are both factory rev limited at 7,100 RPM. Hell the old 900/1000cc iron head sportsters (XLCH) would easily rev 7,000 rpm. Personally I would love to see a new XLCH model similar to the nightster/48 model with XR-1200 engine upgrades. E Buell fought for a tall deck height big bore/short stroke sportster engine (1400cc) back in 2003 but H-D would have none of it. H-D claimed there was too much brand recognition in the 883/1200 model name? BS!! My guess is that H-D didn't want to go back to the pre-twin cam era when sportsters had a huge performance gap over big twin models.