The Harley-Davidson Sportster was introduced in 1957 to compete against the best-selling British bikes that were invading the United States market. The 2021 Sportster S is the third major design in the series, and belatedly drags the Sporty into the 21st century.
The Harley-Davidson Sportster’s original 40 hp Ironhead V-twin engine gave a top speed of approximately 100 mph and stayed in production until 1985, when it was replaced with the 1986 Evolution motor.
There is a vast market for spare Sportster parts and accessories, and many owners transform their bikes into something else—whether a chopper, cafe racer, or scrambler.
In our extensive coverage of Sportster customs, you’ll find bikes that are tuned up (and dressed up) by the world’s top custom Harley builders. Dig in, and get inspiration right here for customizing your own Harley-Davidson Sportster.
Kevan Cahyadi is the type of guy who has fully embraced the eclectic nature of Indonesia’s custom motorcycle scene. His shop, Solace Motorcycle in Jakarta, has worked on a diverse offering of bikes; from scooters to dirt bikes and everything in between. But this Sportster café racer treads more traditional ground. Based on a 1994…
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As a nuclear chemist with clients spanning multiple industries, Corban Gallagher’s day job calls for ingenuity and precision in equal measure. So when he occasionally takes a break from work to build custom motorcycles, he typically ends up creating machines that are both outlandish and well-engineered—just like this totally bonkers Harley Sportster ‘Grand Prix’ racer.…
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There must be something in the water, because this is the second Harley XR1200 street tracker that’s popped up on our radar in as many weeks. We’re not complaining though. Even though it wasn’t a big sales hit, we’re fans of Harley-Davidson’s sportiest Sportster—mainly because it was such a hoot to ride. It’s hard to…
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The Harley-Davidson Sportster Roadster broke cover just six years before The Motor Co. unceremoniously pulled the plug on the aging Evolution Sportster. Equipped with upside-down forks and an atypical (for Harley) 19F/18R wheel combo, its aesthetic fell somewhere between café racer and street tracker, without leaning either way confidently. Still, it was a handsome enough…
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Five years ago, the maniacs at Biltwell Inc. did something completely unhinged, by racing a Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 in the NORRA 1000…
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Tourists flock to Indonesia for its beaches, volcanoes, and temples. But our interest in the Southeast Asian archipelagic state is more mechanical…
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It’s no secret that we’re suckers for a good dual-Sporty around here. The premise of turning a V-twin cruiser into a dirt-flinging…
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Earlier this week, we waxed lyrical about the enduring appeal of the Harley-Davidson Evolution Sportster while profiling David Zemla’s brat style-inspired XLH…
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Harley-Davidson has discontinued the Evolution Sportster, but it’s going to be a very long time before the venerable V-twin fades into the…
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With a name like Colt Wrangler, it’s safe to assume that the man is from Texas and probably a bit of a…
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Bringing a truly unique style to the scene is not an easy task, and it’s even more impressive if you can make…
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If you’re a classic watercraft aficionado, this custom Harley-Davidson Sportster should feel familiar to you. That’s because it’s modeled after one of…
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