Harley Davidson Cafe Sportster RSD motorcycle test

Posted on by admin

Menus

A crashed Nightster revamped by Roland Sands

V-Twin Revolution, 1.200 cm3, 65 hp and 107.1 Nm, 228 kg dry

After 64 years in the market, the Harley-Davidson Sportster family has finally come to the end of its journey. Achieving Euro5 compliance for the venerable XL Sportster air-cooled overhead valve engine would simply be too expensive for expected sales.. So in Europe at least, the 883 and 1200 Sportster variants left the Harley-Davidson lineup. A disappearance that the range could also experience soon in the United States as part of the rationalization of the Motor Company led by the new boss Jochen Zeitz and which has already seen several new projects being put on hold..

But the more than 700,000 Sportsters that have found buyers all over the world since the launch of the oldest and best-selling range in the USA in 1957 represent today a horde of affordable platforms for customization. At the same time, Cafe Racer culture has spread to the United States and although Sunset Boulevard is not yet the Californian equivalent of London’s North Circular Road, there are many preps that would all have their place. at the Ace Cafe or at the Busy Bee during the Swinging Sixties. With one major difference, however.

Review of the Harley Davidson Cafe Sportster by RSDReview of the Harley Davidson Cafe Sportster by RSD

Along with the inevitable transatlantic tributes to British 1960s cafe racers like the Triton, Tribsa, Norvin and others, there are also plenty of American bases. Obviously, a model as iconic in the American heritage as the Sportster is thus an excellent basis for preparation. Numerous stripped-down Sportster Cafes have sprung up in motorcycle garages across the country, many of which have been drawn from the Roland Sands Design (RSD) catalog for their parts..

However, unlike the sometimes bizarre, often magnificent, but invariably wacky wheel and part assemblies of some players in the Custom wave, Sands motorcycles have always been perfectly drivable, as one would expect from the productions of a former champion. AMA 250 GP. Roland makes the craziest, fiercest and sportiest Custom motorcycles on the planet, each with its own spark of innovation and glitter. Yet these are quite often equipped with upside-down forks, big brakes, multi-piston calipers and aggressive styling, ready to attack in curves and pitch up under acceleration, rather than acting as a simple exhibition work.

Some of Roland Sands' most remarkable prepsSome of Roland Sands’ most remarkable preps

Discovery

After being at the top of the sportbike charts over sixty years ago, when Harley-Davidson faced Triumph and Norton at the peak of competition and before Ducati made a V-twin, the XL Sportsters have gradually transformed. in entry-level models that are the most accessible in terms of price and performance.

The Nightster transformed into Cafe Sportster by RSDThe Nightster transformed into Cafe Sportster by RSD

So, although the last members of the air-cooled Sportster family finally received fuel injection in 2007, they remained the last of the brand to be fitted with a five-speed rather than a six-speed (although ‘with a final belt drive) matched to the old Evolution engine introduced in 1986 and devoid of any balancing arm. This engine was however rubber mounted in the Slimline frame in 2004 to eliminate vibrations that were once a rite of passage on every motorcycle made in Milwaukee. The fact that Harley has sold over half a million EVO-powered Sportsters, many of which are affordable today, makes them an ideal base to create their own homage to Cafe Racer culture, but Made in the USA..

Sands wanted to build a rolling test bed for the parts line he was developing for his customers and turn it into a dynamic advertising medium. After browsing the classifieds for a suitable candidate, he came across a damaged 2008 Harley XL1200N Nightster that was listed for just $ 4,000 on eBay..

The idea of ​​RSD was mainly to improve the behavior of the SportsterFor its creation, Sands unearthed a crashed Nightster on the internet

As we contemplated the bike on which I had just spent a few hours circling the curves of Glendora Mountain Road above Los Angeles on a beautiful winter day, Roland Sands explained to me:

We wanted to create our own version of the Sporty, in order to allow our customers to do something different with a Harley and also something that others don’t. A lot of people lower them to turn them into a chopper, but we wanted to do the opposite to make it fun to ride and more maneuverable. So we created Cafe Sportster and as you just found out, it works pretty well and looks cool! "

The idea of ​​RSD was mainly to improve the behavior of the SportsterThe idea of ​​RSD was mainly to improve the behavior of the Sportster

Indeed, the fundamental principle that dictates every creation of RSD is that the end result should be fun to drive. Roland does not build motorcycles only to be looked at, but also to go to knee in turns, to send wheelies and stoppies or to do burns, if we are able or if we dare..

The Nighster was Harley’s first so-called black chrome model, a clean and rugged reinterpretation of the Sportster legend. The neo-retro minimalist style is reminiscent of the 1950s when WWII GIs brought their military WAs home, cutting off unwanted parts to give birth to the first Bobbers. Sands went further in the creation of the RSD Cafe Sportster from his purchase from eBay, throwing away its crooked handlebars, stock exhaust and other superfluous parts, returning the dented tank to its original shape before. attach an RSD plug to it, cutting some more metal off the already clean rear of the bobber, cutting off the front a bit too, cleaning the original frame and swingarm by removing unwanted brackets, then doing come in painter Chris Wodds from AirTrix to spray the bodywork with a coat of satin titanium with a black frame

Already stripped at the base, the Nightster has become even lighter under the work of SandsAlready stripped at the base, the Nightster has become even lighter under the work of Sands

Once the painting was done, Roland began working in the workshop of his Los Alamitos store, digging into the stock of parts in his catalog to reassemble the bike to his liking. First the suspension, with the standard Showa 39mm rubber bellows fork that has been raised 25mm to provide extra ground clearance, then re-valued for harder damping. The 370mm Series 970 tank rear shocks are longer than the stock Showa’s, lifting the rear of the bike up and closing the original 30 ° caster angle for slightly sharper steering..

The geometry has been revised to offer a little more agilityThe geometry has been revised to offer a little more agility

Contrasting PM Boss aluminum wheels bring a 19-inch front rim and an 18-inch rear on a 4.25 "rim. The wider 160 / 60-18 rear Dunlop Sportmax tire accommodates the long footrests. RSD Cruiser more easily. Fortunately these are articulated.

PM Boss rims are shod with Dunlop Sportmax tiresPM Boss rims are shod with Dunlop Sportmax tires

The Sportster’s 1,200cc engine is not modified, but adopts an RSD Venturi 7 air filter with K&N filter and a Turbine intake horn to match the Vance & Hines Tracker exhaust which delivers an additional 12 horsepower per compared to the original power, for a total of 65 horsepower at the rear wheel.

The new intake and exhaust system has saved 12 hpThe new intake and exhaust system has saved 12 hp

Compared to the stock Nightster, there’s a single 330mm PM Turbo floating disc up front mated to a six-piston PM caliper with its four-piston equivalent gripping the 292mm rear floating disc..

Braking capabilities have been boosted with a new set featuring a 6-piston front caliperBraking capabilities have been boosted with a new set featuring a 6-piston front caliper

In the saddle

This extra braking power encourages you to drive harder. A trend further encouraged by the completely redesigned and much sportier riding position with the more welcoming RSD Mustang saddle that makes you feel much more in tune with the bike than the original thin and uncomfortable cushion of the Nightster..

The gain in comfort provided by the new saddle is indisputableThe gain in comfort provided by the new saddle is indisputable

That’s when we step forward to grab the pair of straps sharply lowered and equipped with RSD handles and adjustable levers mounted under the standard triple T which has been reworked. The cleaner look of the latter was achieved by removing the one-piece handlebar mount while the instrumentation indicator lights have all been removed in pursuit of that raw and clean cafe racer look..

The purification of the design goes as far as the instrumentation, where only the unique original dial remains.The purification of the design goes as far as the instrumentation, where only the unique original dial remains.

Test

Start the Evo engine and the 2-1 exhaust lets out a roar totally in keeping with the retro look of the Cafe Sportster. The response is clean and crisp and the performance quite good. There is enough life to go through turns on twisty roads, although the five-speed gearbox is still just as difficult to use, despite the light action of the clutch..

The gearbox is still tough on the Cafe SportsterThe gearbox is still tough on the Cafe Sportster

Rider comfort was not high on the Nightster’s priority list when Harley-Davidson created what was supposed to be the swiftest machine in the HOG horde. But the RSD saddle makes the Cafe Sportster more comfortable despite the lowered straps and wide footrests that reduce space and lead to a very stowed riding position..

The saddle is better, but the riding position is quite extremeThe saddle is better, but the riding position is quite extreme

However, they should move the muffler heat shield further back. It will be quick to end up with burnt jeans if you are not too careful to keep your right knee away from the exhaust line, which the air filter housing fortunately encourages you to do..

The air filter is also annoying, but avoids burning yourself on the muffler.The air filter is also annoying, but avoids burning yourself on the muffler.

To drive the Cafe Sportster well, you just have to go with the flow, rather than trying to force it in a futile attempt to spin it like a modern sports car, because it won’t! But we are surprised by the speed with which we can take a curve with the footrests which scrape the asphalt underfoot. The RSD Harley Cafe clearly cannot be defined as a fast-steering motorcycle. But neither was a Triton in the ’60s, whose legendary Featherbed frame made up for its heavy steering with flawless stability over bumps and fast corners..

The Cafe Sportster is finally piloted like a good old Cafe Racer of the Swinging SixtiesThe Cafe Sportster is finally piloted like a good old Cafe Racer of the Swinging Sixties

The Cafe Sportster is thus completely at ease in the corners if you drive it like a cafe racer of the time, using a lot of incline to take its course and maintain its speed in curves. This gives a satisfying and completely authentic ride, aided by the immediate throttle response and the PM brake assembly which works very well..

Conclusion

If someone wanted to build this motorcycle themselves, how much would it cost them on top of the original purchase price? For a complete realization from A to Z by the workshop, it is necessary to count in the 12,000 $ in addition to the price of the motorcycle. Sands assures that by doing the assembly and painting yourself, it is possible to get by for around $ 3,000..

The Sportster is totally transformable, it’s crazy how much you can do with it. It’s really cool for us because we see so many people doing very different things with it and quickly too. Many customers send us photos of their preparation as it progresses.

The Sportster remains an ideal base for preparation, a pity that it is now bowing outThe Sportster remains an ideal base for preparation, a pity that it is now bowing out

Roland Sand’s Cafe Sportster is an authentic Southern California makeover of one of the UK’s most iconic motorcycle types, but ‘American style’, using the most iconic and most iconic V-Twin. distributed in the USA as a base.

Strong points

  • Maneuverability
  • Look
  • Piloting "old fashioned"

Weak points

  • Gearbox
  • Driving position

The RSD Cafe Sportster technical sheet

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *