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.
If we had a stock Harley-Davidson Sportster and a hankering for a top-shelf street tracker, we’d probably call Richard Pollock. Better known as Mule Motorcycles, the man has loads of experience and talent—and a knack for building machines that look like they’ve rolled straight off the dirt oval and onto the street. You wouldn’t tell…
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With the release of the Nightster, the decades-old Harley-Davidson Sportster has now fully passed the torch on to the next generation. But even though the ‘old’ Evo Sportster is starting to vanish from showroom floors, it remains iconic, and will stay a popular custom build donor for years to come. Yesterday we showcased one of…
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Harley-Davidson expands their new Sportster line with the 975cc Nightster. Plus we profile a BMW R18 from Canada, a Ducati SportClassic from San Francisco and a KTM 300 EXC from Australia. But first, a look at what Indonesia’s Krom Works has been up to.
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The market for modified Sportsters is crowded. Most builders of repute in the USA know their way around the venerable platform, and the array of aftermarket parts is dizzyingly large. It takes something very special to stand out—like this custom-framed, limited production special from Cohn Racers. The man behind the Florida workshop is Chet Perez,…
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There are a million ways to customize a Harley-Davidson Sportster, so it’s tempting to look to those that have gone before for…
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You know you’ve been building custom motorcycles for a long time, when a bike you built two decades ago makes its way…
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There’s a staggering number of aftermarket Harley-Davidson Sportster parts on the market, and nobody knows this better than Jimmy Chou. His father…
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Not all scramblers are created equal. Some wear high pipes and knobbly tires, but may never go off-road, while others are made…
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There are literally dozens of companies making tuning parts for Harley-Davidson engines. But not many have the experience of S&S Cycle, the…
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A pause on motorcycle shows has been one of the many disappointments of the COVID-19 pandemic. But rather than sulk, the organizers…
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If pushed to pick a golden age for flat track, most folks would suggest the late 60s to the early 70s. It…
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There are a handful of classics out there that look amazingly ‘right.’ In that category, we’d put machines like the Norton Manx,…
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