It's a Harley. Nothing like a Harley. Have to own one and ride it to know what it's all about. I think the Sportsters were the best thing Harley ever made.
Im an American. I have a 2017 48. Bobbed rear fender, hollowed exhaust (loud!) open air filter and a stage 1 tune. brass bits throughout. Ive had it 2 years now and absolutely love it! Glad to see other countries enjoying our brands.
I bought a 2020 Forty-Eight about three weeks ago, my first Harley. I love love love it! It is a head turner for sure. The only drawback is the frequent fuel stops. I can live with that because it is the so much fun to ride. I've put just over 1000 miles on it already. Enjoyed your video. Have to tell you though, as an American, it was a bit unnerving seeing oncoming traffic on the right!
@@chuck6575 get a 883 Iron tank for it . Easy swap too (only air overflow pipe to shortened ) .Looks just as good (to me anyway) and you'll get an Xtra 40 miles out of it .
I was in the market for a 48 and I ended up test driving the 48 and iron 883 and I fell in love with the iron 883. I didn't notice much difference in power cuz the iron had stage 1 setup and tune and 48 was stock but the ergos and height of Iron just felt so perfect for me and it was cheaper with lower miles so it was a no brainer for me. I really tricked mine out and will be updating videos cuz I made so.e more changes and bike is just about perfect now. I will never let it go. It's more than enough power and is faster than I expected by a mile. One day I will get the street bob 114 in Stonewash White but for now I'm very happy with the Iron. I do love the 48 too and it is a fantastic bike for anyone and fun to trick out.
Your review is 100% spot on. Bought my 48 new in 2018 and it is my first bike, originally I was set on getting a Triumph Bobber but my dad and I test drove them and the 48 really stood out as you correctly said as being something special and not just looking it but sounding and more importantly feeling it aswell. It feels alive.
Awesome review mate! Got my first Harley on my 18th birthday in 1975. A Sportster 1000cc AMF Harley Davidson. Been riding Harley's ever since and now I'm 63. I have a Harley Street Glide and Big Dog custom bike back home in the US but I'm working over here in South Korea and plan to buy one of these Sportster 48's to get around on. Keep riding free brother.
Awesome cheers mate. Always nice to hear feedback from long time harley owners. I havent tried the street glide yet but really like the look of those. If I was going to be getting a harley that's probably the one I'd go for
I have a 2020 48, great bike. I had replaced my 2015 1200 Iron. Forward controls, fat tire and love the riding position. Great review, I am glad to finally hear a good review. Harley is what it is.
I picked up my 48 yesterday with mini apes and afull stage 1, s&s super breather, vance and hines short shots and a tune and honestly the bike moves along great and handles just fine, the torque is insane! It is so loud and crisp, I can't get enough of it haha I will be picking up a fatbob 114 next, but damn I love my 48!
Hey there mate! Greetings from India! Your review of the bike was just spectacular! Finally someone who understands the bike so well, what it's meant to do & not knock it or bash the brand for the few limitations. I'm a sporty 48 owner and I've been riding it for the last 2 years. You spoke everything so well & mentioned about that unique intangible factor/ feel that you get while riding & being on a Harley. The Pros > Cons. It's so rewarding mate. Absolutely spot on. There are so many better bikes out there, but I absolutely will love a Harley as a staple in my mancave all day, everyday mate. Everytime I crank her up, it makes me smile ear to ear, grin & giggle like a mad scientist. Also I've subbed to your channel. Keep putting out ace content. Cheers mate. I love me some Bonnies & Ducatis too! Haha. It's down the pipeline soon! xx stay safe mate!
Thanks! Always good to hear from owners. I really enjoyed the ride on the 48, very unique feeling. I'm looking forward to trying out more of the harley range...
Bought my 48 on Monday and picking it up tomorrow. Cannot wait! Saw it in the shop and such a beautiful machine, has a custom painted tank and Vance & Hines side shots. I was standing there looking at it for so long the girl asked me if if like to take it for a ride. A bit like the reviewer here I had no Harley experience but I always wanted one, (probably since the day I saw terminator 2...) Riding it was like becoming a force of nature. The feel, the sound, like roaring along on a thunder cloud, turning heads. It was the opposite of clean quite soft comfortable high tech modern life. I literally thought I was Thor for an hour. Bought it immediately I got back to the shop. Watching this video has me smiling with pure joy. Roll on tomorrow!
Nice bike ! I have one from Aug 2018 and have 20.000KM on him now ! I spend my money on 360mm rear shocks, cross country style foot pegs (for more ground clearance ), fly screen and chin spoiler ! Every 5000Km new oil in the engine (Motul 7100 20w50 MA2) and in the gearbox Elf 20w60 (MA2) for better shifting ! The standard brakes are very good but with EBC HH even better !! The tyres are also very good (scorcher 31) but I must change them very often, 4500KM in the front and 5500Km in the rear ! After 7500 KM is the engine FREE ! The seat is a real problem, that I couldn't solve yet ! (Sorry for my bad English).
Just bought one that has been Stage 2 and i need better ear defenders and it sets off car alarms love it. Had a tool roll added to the front. Crash bars and a new seat w Sissy bar. Also HD do wonderful upgrade pegs mine are delightful
Ugh I can't wait to get either the 48 or the 883 , I'm going to test drive a 883 for the first time , super excited . Love your video, I can hear the excitement :)
I haven't owned a 'real' motorbike yet, but the Forty-Eight has been so far the most interesting to me. Not just bcos of the cool looks, bcos it meets the things I am after. I don't like freeway/highways drives anyway, so, cruising through the countryside, is more my goal. The reason I haven't gotten one yet, I am two left handed when it comes to manual shifting. The most scary part for me is the downshifting, as iam scared to 'jump'...🥴 But with 42 yrs of age, it's time to 'man up'. Thanks for the video review. It really motivates me more, to treat myself with a "48".I don't need fancy motorbike stuff, it's more the freedom you have to jump on it, clear your head. 👍😎
Sounds good mate! Just take it easy and release clutch slowly. Im sure youll get used to it quickly if you are riding already. Maybe book some more training too, more training can never hurt.
Great roads. I test rode one earlier this year in same colour. It had Bassani mufflers. I loved it. It's very engaging. It reminded me of my old royal enfield. Similar mechanical feel. You feel the engine parts working and shaking when sitting at lights. For me it's a great second bike. I will buy one after I finish paying off my Bonnie.
Bought a 2020 White Forty-Eight. Just got to wait out the winter now and wait for spring. Did get the V&H slip ons to get the proper harley sound. They won't be sold anymore in Europe 2021 either so thought I had to buy it even if its winter. Coming from a Yamaha XSR 700 but I feel like the Harley is just a whole other experience. 😀
For once I was online when this got posted - can't believe within being up for literally less than the length of the clip and someone whacks a dislike up, it's like people sit there waiting for vids to be published so they can jump on and give it a thumbs down! Anyhow, I love a Harley although the size and weight has been a put off for me. Always makes me turn my head, nothing quite like that classic rumble - especially when one pulls up alongside you in the car and you can feel it reverberating through your seat!
Thanks, with the weight being so low down I think you would be surprised at how easy it is to handle. I know you've been looking at a few options and I think this could be a great option for you 😎
I see a lot of folks nitpicking these Sportsters (Iron 883/1200 too) to death over everything from the forward controls,, tank size, power, etc. In many decades of riding all kinds of motorcycles I have come to the conclusion that the only justification you need is the size of the damn smile on your face as you ride that motorcycle! Not everyone wants the same thing. Hell, there’s a Harley for everyone but they’re not for everybody either and that works too. I personally love HD bikes and I especially love the Sportsters. I love the Road King for its classic styling and comfort. It’s the motorcycle equivalent of driving a school bus! I love the The Dyna Street Bob for its vibrating goodness, power, muted looks, and mix of old school bobber and modern comfort. However, and most of all I love the Sportsters because they’re hassle free and damn fun to ride. Sure you can stage 1 or even stage 2 em’ but even if you don’t you’ll always enjoy the experience. They are not as comfortable and they are a no frills motorcycle BUT they are so interchangeable, dependable, nimble, and they can be as unique as you want them to be. They’re not going to work for super big or tall riders as much but such is life. It’s a bike that’s boiled to only the essentials. A seat, motor, wheels, tank, handlebars. No stereo, no fancy tech, no cup holder… I see more big ass baggers in the shop than I ever see Sportsters. See bikes stranded on the side of the road much? They’re usually sport bikes and baggers. The baggers are fantastic if you’re taking trips, and grocery shopping, or if you’re the dude that only pulls her from the garage on weekends, rides to buy beer, then comes home to polish off the evidence. 🤣 If you want to just get out and slice down the roads and feel the wind against your chest, just about any Sportster will do the trick and not cost you a kidney either while doing it. The Forty Eights are great bikes. We just bought my wife one and she loves it. I ride it too and it’s a ton of fun. No worries, no frills, low to the ground, and those big tires make corners real fun! No matter what bikes I we own, we’ll always have a Sportster in the mix. Good overview here 👍🏻
The 48 comes with the small peanut tank reminiscent from the ironhead sportsters. Then came the bigger peanut tanks like those on the 883. Don’t put any other tank on a Sportster as it is really part of their identity
@@TommyBarnezTV it keeps me looking for 6th gear but she's fast. Took a 700km trip to the desert (during a heat wave) with 0 problems, other than all the gas stops. Next week she gets a new riser, MoonMC headlight and LED corners.
i love my lil iron 883 . I've had a lot of different bikes in my time riding (got my license in 1996) and getting a Harley was a boyhood dream . It is Loud AF, vibrates like a dildo on speed, is rather slow and is by far the best bike i've ever had . Customising it is soooo much fun too !! GET ONE !
8:30 While you were turning your head, I was looking at the rearview mirror already lol SEXY! motorcycle man 18:27 Love how the speedometer gets blurred automatically(LOL) superb! hehe
There is just something about a long stroke, low rpm motor that produces its grunt right off of idle. Though it runs out soon enough, there is another gear. They don't have to be loud to sound good, not to my ears. I also appreciate the whirring of gears and the bit of clammer of the hardware as it goes on to meet its appointed rounds. I can appreciate the old school automotive technology. The Sportster is a bit of an odd bike. I don't know why it feels so small, but it does. It just feels physically small, smaller than it really is. Is it just the narrowness of it or is it the small gas tank that is so deceiving? I don't know, but it's like riding a bicycle down the highway. It can be a bit weird, but that's the way it is.
Great vid, thanks! I, too, love this bike. Test rode an 883 and found it to be a sloth, with a terrible riding position for me at 6'1". Then I rode this beauty. If Harley had squeezed an extra (uk) gallon into that ridiculous peanut tank, I would have snapped it up. Instead I bought an XL1200 custom with a sensible sized tank. It's nearly as good as the 48 - but not quite!
@Doyleyburger Thanks. I considered doing that but I'm happy with my XL1200C now. It's almost the same bike and it already had V&H pipes. I just need a "reasonable excuse" to go and ride it (in these coronavirus times)!
Tough call on the tank as it's a big part of the looks of the bike. But if you're going to swap it out, worth getting the bike in black and getting an aftermarket tank as paint matched tanks from HD are not cheap.
Have heard complaints about Sportster's jarring suspension. They should bring this model back with a 1275cc air cooled Evo and with a 6 speed and Ohlins front and rear and dual disc Brembos. I'd prefer that to the new water cooled version any day.
Great review but dump all this "entry level' attitude that US testers always refer to, because as a Brit you should realise that it does not apply to most of us here in Blighty because (sadly) we are all now too "F**king old" for "entry level"! So speaking not just for myself but many watching this excellent review I am sure, like a lot of performance orientated bikers (37 years of riding) I have been somewhat anti-Harley all my life, but the "48' I find very seductive, it is the ONLY Harley I actually would put in my stable and I am actively looking for one. I love the insane look of a massive engine with almost no motorcycle around it, it appeals to my sense of "yeah why TF not and shove all the emissions/sound regulations etc up your pipe!" ! I know that am not alone in that view.
GiDay Tommy. I have ridden many bikes since late 68. Triumph Bonnies, Suzies Ducati and the like. Up until 2 years ago, I had only ridden 1 H-D Herritage Special I think it was an 88C Inch? That was the late 90's In 2018 I accidentally fell into the H-D dealership where I was forced to take a H-D 114 CI Fat Boy for a test ride! 155nm torque gave me a little surprise! .... I Bought one. Did 8000k in 4 months. Upon getting a service, the dealer principal cast a spell: "Would you like to take the new 2019 Sport Glide home for the weekend"? Monday came and I took the bike back, .......... Jeremy asked what I thought of it? .. $%$#@ I bought it! Like yourself, ... I just didn't get the Harley thing? Wow! I certainly do now! In 11 months Iv'e done 18000K And yes! I tend to smile a lot too. Just a wee point, .. If you blip match the throttle, you will be rewarded with unique sensations and sounds! LOL Take the H-D Sport Glide out. By the way, you can really move very quickly through the corners when you get the feel of them. ..... Barry M. Australia
Thanks for feedback Barry, sounds like a great journey you have had with bikes! I'm very drawn to the street glide at the moment. I havent ridden on one yet though and will want to move somewhere I have a garage before getting something like that. Great range of bikes though, real personality behind them. Will be making my way through them, just editing my street bob review
I know after a couple of hours cross country the vibrations can give you a headache. Did you get anything close to that? Or hands/body feel tingly after? But I do love a Harley! I agree, it gains attention when it purrs and exterior!
Maidstone,UK? I couldn't live with that tank. I think you can get larger Harley / Custom ones. Mirrors are good on 8" mini ape hangers. Sportster I prefer is the 1200 Roadster with twin disc front end. Always have mids myself. Vibration is a lot better on these than in the eighties.
i know you said you're a harley noob,but for future reference most need/like to be reved a little harder,hold gears a bit longer and you'll get them singing along happily
dude - that was the best part! I put some music on in the background and for a bit, I was on that bike. Nice vid, I'm picking up my 48 next week. Regards from South Africa
@@thrivinnaidoo7207 cheers! Glad you liked it! I tend to include a no talking section through more interesting roads but always looking at different ways to capture what a bike is like so I appreciate the feedback. Enjoy the bike!
The 48 is one of the best looking bikes.. and moves you up into the not getting laughed at category because it’s a small bike like the other sportsters ... but the seat is not very comfortable and gas tank is too small
thanks for ruining my plans to buy the rebel500 tommy, cause now i have to get the 48 haha. that sound is just amazing. would love to see a proper review of that new HD Low Rider S! cheers from germany!
Haha cheers mate! Did you see my rebel 500 vid? The exhaust on that sounded pretty good. My other half is between the rebel and this. I would prefer her to get one of these however with the price difference a rebel might be a better option. Will also be her first bike and might be worthwhile starting on a rebel for a year or so to build confidence. The power of this isnt excessive but it does have quite a lot of low end torque compared to the rebel. Will be more harley vids coming. Weather isnt great here at the moment though so waiting for some dry days
Ok so that is actually a very hard question. I have a friend, late 30s who bought the bobber black as his first bike. He loves it however used to get uncomfy after an hour in saddle. He put around 5k miles on it I think and then bought a second bike, a GS which he then started using a lot more than the bobber. He is now looking to sell the bobber, even though he loves it to get the new rocket. He'll keep the GS long term I think. The sportster 48 I see the most value as being in its customisation. Both bikes will have the same problem, they are both more suited to shorter journeys. I would say that means you will probably want another bike or replacement similar to friend mentioned above. For that reason I'd probably say bobber black between the two as customising the sportster to a point where you love it only to realise you want to get something more suited to what you want from the bike. I'd say test them, take it easy on the power as they are both pretty torque rich, but also have a good think about the riding you want to do. Hope that helps?
Bike looks cool, but the gearbox sounded like an old tractor. I think, for most people, this would be a second bike, so the small fuel tank would be less of a problem. You'd, simply, fill up with fuel before you went for a ride - which, obviously, wouldn't be able be a long ride.
Only 3 miles on the clock, gear box is tight. Also down shifting without rev matching with a high torque engine will show flaws in your technique. However, match the shift and the reward is smooth and buttery. My 2018 H-D Fat Boy took about a day to reall get the feel of it. .. Then sheer bliss! Go back and listen to Tommy down shifting: Throttle closed, .... shift down, ... let clutch out, .. it instantly forces the engine to match rev..
So this Sportster has aftermarket slip-on mufflers, but has the fuel system been re-mapped from an aftermarket tuner? I have a 2018 48 but the exhaust is stock and wonder if I put V&H slip-ons, whether I'd need a tuner or not to eliminate deceleration popping.
Hmm not sure actually sorry. First experience with a harley but will ask more questions when next in. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will see your comment and reply. In terms of this bike it wasnt retuned. I quite like the pops though...
Similar bikes to be honest, both with their own charm. I think most would probably go with the bobber black, however I think if you're going to do some customising the 48 is better. Also worth riding them both as the 48 is definitely shakes you around a lot more which some like and some dont
Dear Tom. As a new subscriber of your RU-vid channel I thank you SO much for your delightful motorcycle videos as I have been looking through almost all your videos and given thumbs up as well. I have to say, that I find you to be a very nice young man. I'm a 66 year old Swedish man and a former motorcycle rider as I had a number of different types of motorcycles of various kinds of manufacturers. But the one stood closest to my heart was my own built Harley-Davidson 1530cc Chopper Built 1981-1982. Already as a 12 year old kid standing totally fascinated in front of a Harley-Davidson Chopper on a custom bike show, I decided when I get older I'm going to build me a Harley-Davidson Chopper, and so I did 1981-1982 (see the two following links). i.imgur.com/TPXbKLM.jpg (sorry for the overexposed picture) & i.imgur.com/5WQngyf.jpg (Technical Specification). Keep up the good work. Ride Safe & May God Bless You.