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Riding a Harley-Davidson on a race track is something not many would expect, and I recently had the opportunity to experience this thrill. To get the best experience on the track, I opted for Harley-Davidson’s sport bikes instead of their iconic cruiser or touring styles.
A Unique Riding Experience
Having practiced motorcycle racing on tracks before, I already had a basic understanding of the course, braking points, and cornering techniques, which helped me adapt to this new track quickly. The first bike I rode was the Nightster – Harley-Davidson’s newest model.
The Nightster offers the sportiest riding position among all Harley-Davidson models. Its handlebar position is slightly further forward than the Sportster S, resulting in a more aggressive riding stance, while the footpeg position remains almost unchanged.
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Compared to naked bikes or sport bikes, the Nightster’s riding position feels quite unusual on a race track. The relatively low seat and footpeg positions limit the bike’s lean angle significantly, and I found myself hearing the footpegs scraping the tarmac on several occasions.
The Nightster is powered by Harley-Davidson’s Revolution Max 975T engine, which may not be their most powerful, but it still delivers a decent acceleration feel, especially below 120 km/h. This engine produces 89 horsepower and a maximum torque of 95 Nm.
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Sportster S acceleration. |
After five laps on the Nightster, I switched to the other sport bike in Harley-Davidson’s lineup, the Sportster S. This model still offers a slightly forward-leaning riding position but with a more relaxed stance compared to the Nightster.
The more powerful Revolution Max 1250T engine, producing 120 horsepower, makes a noticeable difference compared to the Nightster, especially when I twisted the throttle to accelerate on the straight. However, the forward-leaning leg position made me feel less confident when suddenly accelerating.
Aside from speed, another noticeable difference between the Sportster S and the Nightster is their “footwork.” The larger 160/70 front tire of the Sportster S makes it more challenging to steer into corners, especially in consecutive left-right chicanes.
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Overall, riding these Harley-Davidson bikes, the Nightster and Sportster S, on a race track is an enjoyable experience. Of course, their designs won’t optimize lap times like dedicated naked bikes or sport bikes with similar power outputs.
Harley-Davidson’s Youthful Transformation
Harley-Davidson is renowned for its cruisers like the Fat Boy, Break Out, and touring models such as the Road Glide and Street Glide. The addition of sportier models to their lineup helps the brand appeal to a younger demographic.
The Nightster, in particular, is designed to attract new riders to the Harley-Davidson brand, offering easier handling and a less intimidating power output compared to their bulkier counterparts. For Harley-Davidson enthusiasts, however, the allure of their iconic, muscular cruisers remains unmatched.
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Both the Harley-Davidson Nightster and Sportster S are officially distributed in Vietnam. The Nightster is priced at 579 million VND, making it more accessible than the Sportster S, which retails for 639 million VND. These two models compete directly with the Triumph Bonneville T120 (579-585 million VND), Triumph Bonneville Bobber (625 million VND), and others in the same segment.
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