Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow 1200T 2018 — Specifications

Imagine a first road trip on the roads of the American West. The classic image is a Harley Touring behemoth, imposing and expensive. But for those who want to taste this freedom without financially and physically committing to a heavyweight, Harley-Davidson had the clever idea of this Sportster SuperLow 1200T. The concept is simple: graft traveler gear – a windscreen and saddlebags – onto the accessible base of a Sportster. The result? A motorcycle that weighs in at 274 kg fully fueled, or about fifty kilos less than a small Japanese touring bike, with a seat only 70.5 cm from the ground. Access is royal, literally within everyone's reach.

Under the 17-liter tank beats the famous 1202 cm³ Evolution V-Twin. With 68 horsepower and, above all, 96 Nm of torque available from 3500 rpm, it has the expected punch. It won't glue you to the seat like a big Big Twin, but its responsive feel and low-to-midrange torque do the job on open roads. The five-speed gearbox, a little archaic in its shifts, is sufficient for cruising. This is the whole point of this Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow 1200T test: to discover American travel without the complexity or cost. For around 12,700 euros at the time, you got ABS, keyless start, and serious travel equipment. A much smarter proposition than a hard-core custom for those who really want to put miles in the landscape.

But can we really talk about a touring machine? The chassis, derived from the 883 SuperLow, offers a position with the feet slightly forward, correct for short stages. The 39 mm fork and the two rear adjustable preload shocks are designed for comfort more than for trajectory precision. Braking, with its two simple caliper discs, requires anticipation, especially with the mass loaded. It's a motorcycle to ride cool, at 110-130 km/h on the national road, not to swallow the highway or tighten mountain curves. Its tank and comfort naturally limit the range. Consulting a Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow 1200T 2018 technical sheet quickly shows that we are on a custom base dressed up for a long weekend, not on a globe-trotter.

So, who is it for? For the novice attracted by the Harley aesthetic who wants a unique motorcycle for the city and Sunday getaways. For the light traveler, for whom the journey is more important than performance. If you are looking for a Sportster with a little more versatility than the naked model, this T version makes sense. On the other hand, if your project is to cross the continent, it is better to save even more for a real touring bike, even used. The 2020 Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow 1200T version did not bring a revolution, confirming this clear positioning: a friendly and stylish introduction to travel on two wheels, with all the Milwaukee codes, but with the assumed limits of its platform.