I test drove this bike yesterday here in New Jersey. My thoughts exactly to thrust is so amazing in sport mode. It actually takes your breath away.😳‼️🇺🇸
I've never owned a Harley but have ridden a couple and totally "get" them. I love both these bikes - the Sportster S is probably the one I'd put my money down on for the integrated tech, everyday usability and value, but my God the Fat Bob has got soul... 😁👍👍
The longer you own a Harley the more you realise that there is nothing quite like it, the Sportster will bring in new owners who will love the tech and smooth ride; but there will be no escape for them!!! Hehe thank you for watching.
I sat on the Sportster and it felt a bit diddy for me. I am 6'3". Higher revving, more horsepower at the top end, yeah, it will easily outstrip the Fat Bob. It weighs less etc as well. I bought a Fat Bob a couple of years before the Sportster came out. I came "down" from a Honda Blackbird after 20 odd years. Blackbird is 100 kg lighter, will blow most bikes away, but if you want speed and ultimate handling, go Japanese, not Yank Tank. Having said which, pound for pound, since they made the engine a stressed member of the frame on the Fat Bob, it handles, yes you read that correctly, it handles, no hinge in the frame feeling and is surefooted on corners. Even the twin discs take some mashing to haul the beast down though, not like the snap dive "anchor to floor now" you get on the Blackbird. I have been pleasantly surprised by the Fat Bob. No, it isn't the greatest bike in the world, but it is alright. One final thing, as a gentleman of a certain age, l I can't read all the diddy TFT more information than a fighter jet instruments unless I put reading glasses on. Tough at 60mph. The Fatbob is a big spinny needle for revs and nice big numbers for speed. That'll do.
Sportster does feel smaller indeed, the dash was OK for me as I have varifocals from specsavers! Hehe. Thanks for commenting, yes Fat Bob is still the one for me too.
@@FenTour I have varifocals too. Which is great for the instruments until a stone takes the lens out at speed and it costs you hundreds to replace them. I have a pair of single vision £25 glasses for riding in. If they get hit, so what. I also like to ride visor open when I can.
I got my first Harley in August, a well taken care of electraglide classic with stage 1 and 2. It’s wonderful because they took such good care of it and I love riding it whether relaxed or ripping on it. As much as I would like that sportster s for a big uptick in adrenaline, I think the fat bob is just a killer looking bike and I would struggle to choose. Very nice job showing off the bikes.
Cheers Jason, I too think fat Bob has the edge on looks, but I do prefer the light/front look of the Sportster... just! Despite being quite different rides the smiles are just as big when riding either.
I own a Sportster S, and I enjoyed the review!!. Fat Bob is a different motorcycle, and appeals to the traditional Harley owner. It’s also more practical if you want to tour. The Sportster S is a difficult bike to classify, but I find similarities with my old Triumph Street Triple. It’s impractical, and asks for a lot of compromises from it’s rider, but you can do everything on it including touring!. And the engine is just fantastic, especially with a tune added!. After half a year of ownership and 5,000 miles my only real frustration is the tank range. I have adapted to everything else and I actually enjoy the difference. Just for context my last Harley was a Street Glide Special!.
I have an appointment today to look at the Sportster S at 2 pm, I hope to make a deal, I have $5000 for a down payment, it's from my theft insurance, some dirtbag stole my 2022 Harley Fatboy right out of my driveway, unbelievable. I've decided to look into the new Revolution Max 1250 engine, I'm actually looking at two Harleys, the Sportster S and the Pan America, two bikes at different ends of the spectrum, this should be fun but I know I'm leaning toward the Sportster S, I love the light weight, the new technology, the new engine and lastly the price. I'm 70 years old but I'm still a kid, never grew up, my motorcycle riding is driving my family nuts, they just don't understand the love we riders have for those two wheeled machines. I may be coming to the end of my motorcycle riding days, I sure hope not, I have a dream to ride into my late 80's should the good lord grace me with good health and longevity. When I go look at the Pan America I may change my mind but you never know. I already have a Honda CB1100, it's a really nice bike, a retro bike fashioned after the 70's CB750 which I did own in 1975, how I miss those days...and Sue. Sorry to ramble on with my musings of old times. Thanks for the video, I used it to convince me to buy the Sportster S, I feel like a kid at Christmas waiting to open up all those wonderful gifts. Take care, ride safe and watch out for the cagers. God bless, peace.
Just bought a Fat Bob after going to the Harley Davidson stand at the NEC. The left side of the Sportster S is an absolute mess with all the wires and tubing etc and the massive plastic looking radiator. The Fat Bob looked so much better so much more Harley Davidson👍
I did a demo ride on Saturday , and loved it , quick , nimble , light , looks badass (i love the slammed stance ) , the front brake nearly caught me out , expected it to be bad ! , the seat was comfortable , and on the lanes of North Somerset it felt planted . Negatives for me were the position and size of the indicator switch , the pegs ( my left foot kept slipping off ) , the rear brake was non-existent . I think it is reasonably priced , and is ideal for short runs to the seaside .
I think one needs to get used to the different positions of things when on a test ride, and the time a dealer gives is often never enough. Will you purchase one?
I can't lie, the numbers this thing puts out kind of scare me, though it doesn't appear to be that aggressive. But a 120hp motorcycle is no joke. I've read some are able to put down 10 seconds on the quarter mile on this thing which doesn't seem so far fetched considering the number. That is insane, and for a beginner to think about throwing a leg over this thing kind of concerns me. But it seems to be very manageable if you respect the power.
Riding triangle for Sportster S is all wrong for me. I know this first hand. I bought the Fat Bob, and rode it almost every single day this last Summer. It's Fantastic!!!
Thanks really injoyed your review, Im glad harley has the new sports S, different bikes for different types! I have a new 23 Roadkind Special black! Better seat& sissy bar love it! Like your fat bob, in younger days sportster S would have been cool, but speeds not the main thing anymore! Great job thanks again! David😊😊
Woah! Now that's a sausage bap! Looked awesome, glad it tasted as good as it looked 😀. You certainly seemed to enjoy the new bike, personally I think I prefer the look of the Fat Bob👍
Best to ride one. Engine - mechanically noisy, Chassis - just hope and prey you don't go over any potholes with only 2" of rear suspension travel. Handling somewhat awkward getting it to turn in. Unfortunately its ruined by the fat tyres. You could tour on the Fat Bob, you wouldn't want to on the Sportster S. Its really just a bike for going between cafes. Also it's spoilt by the unnecessary tech: music, taking calls when riding. If you want that then just buy a car...
@@grahamtricker4103 I like the display and many will use the map option. Unfortunately I did not test the S on a fen road to see if it could cope as well as Fat Bob does. Yes one can easily tour on Fat Bob, the Sportster is more as you say a blast between cafes… for sausage baps of course! Ha
The way the Fat Bob pulses worth the increased price. High tech electronics and gadgets don't increase those sensorial pleasures. I woulh have no doubts. Being faster is not a real advantage.
There is indeed something so special about the M8 Harley engine indeed, the pulses are special indeed. Sportster faster, smoother; quiet, quite a ride... Cheers for watching
My fatbob which is stage 3, but only has rinehart slip on mufflers fitted at the moment is pushing out 131 ftlb torque on the dyno, this sportster has 92.2ftlb, in the new year I'm fitting a 2-1 exhaust and it'll be back on the dyno where I've been told by the guys I'll get even more torque out of it, so I'll stick with my fatbob, personally I think it's a better looking bike but that's just my opinion, horses for courses ain't it. But good video, unfortunately I can't test ride any bike unless it's fitted with a kliktronic gear changer as I'm an amputee and can't change gear, I've had my bike 3 years in February and I've just done 21,000 miles on it, and I still love it, I still look at it when I walk away from it and it always puts a grin on my face, but any harley owner can relate to that, that's why we ride them.
@@8610sarge sounds awesome, making me think now about more power too. Fat Bob is going nowhere fast for me, it’s such a addictive bike. Great that you enjoy riding and have the gear assist to help as an amputee. Thank you for watching.
This is the first long review of the Sportster S I've sat through and I'm glad I did because I found the comparison with the Fat Bob very helpful - thank you. I actually think it highlights what makes both bikes appeal and as a huge Fat Bob fan I have to disagree in part because I don't think the Sportster is rivalling the FBob really, just my view. And please may I ask what brand is that fender extender you showed us for the Sportster? Google isn't helping at all!
I've not test ridden any yet but I'm going to choose between the Sportster S, Fat Bob and Sport Glide. Sitting on them in the showroom, the Sport Glide feels most comfortable. At 6'4 the Sportster S might be a bit cramped and I worry about the rear suspensions comfort so realistically think it'll be Fat Bob or Sport Glide. I like the bad-ass look of the Fat Bob, but there's something about the Sport Glide that just appeals - like it was designed to fit me perfectly. I welcome any thoughts.
I would say Fat Bob is better for legroom, I am 6”1 and suits me just perfectly. Sport glide is less engaging to ride than Fat Bob but when the mini screen is removed a good looking bike. Only you can decide, test ride both maybe?
Mid controls are available as standard for the Sportster, I prefer the foot forward riding position. if you liked the bike otherwise then i would try to negotiate the mid controls into your order for the bike fitted from day one?
Definitely needs the fender extender,don’t looks bad either,but personally prefer the looks of your Fat Bob,but as you say a lot cheaper in comparison,but your bike sounds fantastic. Enjoyed that now I need a sausage bap and cuppa.👍🏻
Needs noisy pipes but I still prefer Fat Bobs looks too but it’s close. The ride on the Sportster is sublime, addictive…. Fat Bob more alive though. They sausage bap was yum indeed. Thanks for watching.
Thank you for watching. It’s a close call, Fat Bob has more soul, but the Sportster rides so well and so smooth…. Get a test ride, it is good but I am sure like me you are not swapping Fat Bob anytime soon!
Test road one a while back. And as a sport bike/sport naked bike rider it was a whiff for me. The motor and performance are there. But the ergos are all wrong and it’s to low, to be a “sporty” bike that is. This this should come standard with mids or preferably rear sets. And needs to be 2-3inches taller for clearance. I scraped easy on this bike. They should have gone ergonomically closer to something like the FTR1200. Hopefully they address this in the future, maybe a different version of this. if they still won’t give us the Bronx that is
This bike has mids as an option for those that want them. I recon they will bring out some more versions of the Sportster, maybe one closer to what you desire? I am no sports bike rider, I think one would cripple me!! Hehe. Cheers for comments, ride safe.
You liked it then😂 modes on a HD, who'd have thought it eh, well done to them producing something that should attract new riders to HD. Having had them on a naked bike in the past I wouldn't bother with them on a naked bike as the backs of your hands still get cold due to the wind chill, much better to have heated gloves like you have.
Ride modes worked a treat and as you say the heated gloves do keep the backs of hands warm on a naked bike, still the combination of a heated grip (low setting) plus the gloves (low setting) really works a treat (for me!) thanks for watching.
I rode the sportster back in November from Guildford Harley, I found the forward controls annoying and the bike too compact but I am riding an Ultra so longer and more laid back. Waiting to try a Fat Bob and Heritage when they arrive. The rear lights and licence plate holder are required behind the wheel as the wheel is not supposed to be the back of the bike, don’t know what happens re:MOT etc by removing it. Probably nothing. Love your roads, empty. Did you compare the position of the clock, do you prefer on the tank or on the bars? Will go back and have a look.
The rear wheel bit is a European rule that the wheel must not as you say stick out! As I am in the UK then time for the bin, hehe. The only time such looks cool is on a bike like my R1250GS, there it's a nice feature. Yes clock position is better on the Sportster, but that's no deal breaker. Good luck with the future test rides. Cheers for watching and commenting...
Did you mention your height and what control you have forward; mid and sitting upright to reach all. ?? For sure the std handlebars can't be reached; sitting upright; legs forward. They missed the boat in not putting the nightster style handlebars on.
It's quick but what are the brakes like? Good feel? I like the central dial,much better than that tiny little handlebar screen. Ridden a Pan America? Did this bike have mids,not a fan of fwds. I'd also install a handle bar fairing. Pan America tank is bigger?
Hello sir ! I’m 6’4” tall. Do you think sportster S will be a bike for me ? I love both sportster S and fat bob but i love the tech on sportster. What would you recommend ?
The Sportster is smaller space wise, they only way is to try one for yourself; Fat Bob though can easily be modded for longer legs etc. Good luck deciding.
@@FenTour Just watched the rest of this video. The reliability issues I was referring to focused mainly on the 1250. MCN had a Pan America for six months. It broke down stacks of times and spent more time at the dealers. I like the standard rear-end of the Fat Bob. The Fat Bob is stunning. I like taller sissy bars. I like both headlights. Surely the Fat Bob's lower-end grunt is vastly superior. I noticed the 1250 didn't pull so well in a high gear low down. I like your Fat Bob better. The best-looking Harley there is. I have an MT-01: 1670 cc air-cooled, two-valve per head V-twin. Newmarket Harley: I had a rear wheel bearing fitted to a Buell there back in 2011 when I lived in London. Good dealer. I forgot the 'thumbs up' last time. I've rectified it.
Fat bob all day long .... there's seem's to be some problems coming out with that enging you can hear it when it starts up very very noisy. Went fat bob ... but do have a bm 1250 as well .... but love the sound and the pull of the bob but the sporter was very close lol
how about the heat that comes from the engine? which is worse? highly considering the sportster S because of the rider aids, but i love the look of the fat bob.
There was no excessive heat from the engine at all, but it was a chilly day. What it may be like in a city on a hot day may be different? Yes the rider aids are most attractive indeed, none of those on Fat Bob just abs. Test ride needed David?
I’ve ridden the sportster s and didn’t like it,it doesn’t even feel like a Harley to drive they’ve gone backwards as far as im concerned feels more like a Japanese bike it does have more power though
You mentioned putting pipes on the it to give it that "Harley" sound. It will never have that "Harley" sound, no matter what you do. No single pin crank etc. It's a modern motor and it will sound just like other modern motors.
Hello sir I'm from India 🇮🇳. I want to own harley but very much confused between two... please help me out. I'm confused between Fatbob and Fatboy? Which one I should go for?
I am sorry to say that the only way to decide is for you to ride both and of course which visually appeals to you the most? Sportster is very rapid and a better bike in town, Fat Bob more traditional Harley and just awesome to cruise on.
It’s a looks thing too (for me), the Indian bikes look very different and that’s a good thing though I prefer the Harley look; fantastic we all prefer something different. I need an up to date test ride on one of these Indian beasties. Before my Fat Bob I had a Victory Hammer (same owners as Indian) was a good looking beast.
I prefer Fat Bob but the Sportster is much quicker and easier to ride. Fat Bob is more “Harley” in the traditional sense. You need to decide for yourself as both appeal in different ways.
What make are your heated gloves, how long do the batteries last per ride. I have to agree fat Bob sounds a lot better the other thing sounds like an old air cooled v dub
Yes need to have louder pipes, this may prove more tricky currently as all Harleys now have exhaust monitoring on the pipes for emissions. The gloves are from Ixon model IT ASO EVO, they can be controlled with a Bluetooth app to get the temp how you like it, I have set them to a low setting and with the heated grips doing some of the work last all day. Without heated grips and on a really warm setting they last about 2 hours max.
@@FenTour nice one thanks I have seen an article regards the DOT I believe cracking down on after market exhausts especially on bikes their making noises about bringing in a law in 2024 under the guise of reduced pollution and global warming.. Just another kick in the nuts for bikers
@@timkirk5708 I am cross this week hearing about COP26, I can only see that motorcycles for pleasure will be eventually be outlawed let alone noisy pipes.
Heavierr better sound fat bob with better Lowend elasticity punch vs lighter more nimblee with 60% stronger max punch at 7 k rpm sportster s 🤔difficul choice as daily for me its draw 👌🏻 you say sportster is faster actuallly without use its strongest rpm range =6-8 k rpm but ok you are right anyway cos sportster have waaay better power to weight ratio 👊🏻 370 vs 230 hp / tone with 90 kg driver say everything what happen in drag race 😁👌🏻
I am 6”1 and both good for me, though Fat Bob does have more legroom. I have ordered 3” longer forward controls for Fat Bob so my long legs can stretch out more; will see how I get on!
A lot of bikes nowadays are toys 🤔. The sportster is more of a toy than the Fat Bob , as you say it has more adaptability . Ps how many Bloody Hells did we get 😆 🤣
i see here you only see the big speed numbers. sure not a 7" color tft with all the data you need and want. !! With sun shades on; you see only one big number !!
