Harley-Davidson XL 1200 V SPORTSTER Seventy-Two 2016 — Specifications

Who said a motorcycle had to be rational? Mounting a Sportster Seventy-Two means accepting that logic is left in the cloakroom to embrace a pure retro fantasy. This 2016 machine doesn’t claim to be the most powerful, the most agile, or the most comfortable. Its purpose is clear: to visually propel you back to 1972, onto the Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles, with a mini ape-hanger handlebar that seems to want to graze the sky. At €12,290, you’re not buying a vehicle, you’re acquiring a style accessory, a chrome statement on two wheels.

Beneath its vintage chopper attire, the Seventy-Two hides notable technical developments for the Sportster range. The front braking system inherits a 300 mm disc and more aggressive calipers, while ABS becomes standard, a welcome concession to modern safety. The suspension, although still basic, receives a cartridge with adjustable settings and adjustable preload rear shocks. The seat has been reworked, but with only 7.9 liters of fuel under the peanut tank, stops will be frequent. The engine is the famous 1202 cm3 Evolution, an air-cooled V-Twin that distributes its 96 Nm of torque from 3500 rpm with that characteristic grumble. Don't expect miracles: 65 horsepower to move 257 kg, which gives a maximum speed of approximately 170 km/h. Progress is serene, never nervous.

Faced with competitors such as certain Indian Scouts or Japanese customs, the Seventy-Two looks pale on paper. It is heavy, its chassis is archaic, its range is laughable, and its riding position, with the high handlebar and advanced controls, is a trial for the back from the first hour. But comparing it on these criteria misses the point. Its value lies in its attitude, in this mixture of sparkling chrome, whitewall tires, and this elongated and low silhouette. Every detail, from the round air filter to the stacked exhaust, contributes to the illusion.

This Harley is for the novice customizer or the style purist looking for an authentic base that is already very aesthetically accomplished. It's the weekend motorcycle, the café run, the pose on the boulevard. It forgives a certain clumsiness thanks to its low center of gravity and a seat height of 73 cm, but it is clearly not a touring bike. The real pleasure lies in the looks it attracts and in the unique sensation of riding a piece of history, even if that history is carefully recreated in the factory. The Sportster Seventy-Two is an expensive whim, often uncomfortable, but devilishly charismatic. A successful style exercise, provided you accept all its limitations.