ONE of my fondest Harley-Davidson memories is of riding a Sportster around the streets of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on a visit to the iconic marque’s home town.
The broad, gently sweeping roads leading from the excellent H-D Museum and around Lake Michigan are perfect for these all-American beasts.
But what about the leafy lanes of East Sussex?
The Sportster Forty-Eight harks back to the customised bikes of the 1970s, with its dragster-style handlebars, under-bar mirrors and flat speedo.
Spoked 16inch wheels and deep, balloon tyres - 130/90 front and 150/80 rear - add to this “slammed” appearance, in custom parlance.
The low-slung, sprung, single saddle and blacked-out components give it a mean, bulldog look.
The minimalist theme continues at the rear end, where the sweep of the guard is unbroken by any lamp unit.
Instead, tail and brake lights are enclosed within the indicators.
Most stand-out feature is the stylised “peanut” tank, which was first introduced by Harley in 1948, the year the Sportster range was launched - hence the name.
This bike has numerous nods to the make’s proud history, but it features all mod-cons.
Security is via a clever key-fob, which automatically arms/disarms the bike as you come into or go out of range.
Start-up is press and go.
Power is supplied by the tried-and-tested, fuel-injected V-twin 1,200cc air-cooled Evolution engine.
Aluminium heads and cylinders reduce weight and the rubber mounts mean the ride is surprisingly smooth.
But there’s still just enough vibration and rumble to reassure you you are aboard the real deal.
Lowered rear suspension and the 26ins saddle height, combined with the forward pegs and controls gives an upright riding position, which I found comfortable and commanding.
That said, on a particularly blustery afternoon, I did find I took a bit of a buffeting.
Ambling through the Sussex towns and villages, getting that fat front tyre round any sharpish bend is not the smoothest of manoeuvres.
However, find an open stretch, open the throttle, let that big torque kick in and the Forty-Eight really takes off.
The power is impressive and delivery is reassuringly smooth.
Sweeping round a big curve with the sun on my back, the hills of the South Downs as my backdrop and my boots out in front, it was hard to stop the cliched Steppenwolf refrain from seeping in... “Get your motor runnin’, Head out of the highway, Lookin’ for adventure, And whatever comes our way...”
On second thoughts, why bother trying to fight the feeling?
The Forty-Eight is one seriously cool and fun bike, so just go with it.
“Born to be wiiiiiiiiiiild..!”
The Facts
Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight
Engine: 1,202cc V-twin
Colours: Chrome flake; orange flake; gold pearl; blackened sunglo; black.
Price: £9,195
