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Dynamic, low, stable and fun to ride - another member of the Harley family - the Nightster 975. This is a new 2022 motorcycle, positioned by the manufacturer in the family of the Sportster S model you and I met last year. Interestingly, it got a liquid-cooled Revolution Max engine. The manufacturer intends the Nightster 975 model to be an option for younger motorcyclists, previously not riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Table of content
Vehicle Check
The genesis of the concept
Unlike the Sportster S, the Harley-Davidson Nightster 975 has something of the legendary cruisers - a single seat, v-engine, rigid chassis, exposed rear suspension, or even a headlight that refers to the Low Rider S model - a classic of the American brand. However, it differs from the larger Sportster S, which has been available since last year - it is quite a bit lighter than it, and therefore also less muscular.
Ride comfort on the Nightster 975
The single seat is quite soft. Even after taking a seat, we immediately find that it is comfortable. It is mounted at a height of 70cm, so it is easily accessible even for shorter people. The driver's position is slightly inclined forward, with the legs slightly bent at the knees, and the feet securely held on the footrests.
Thanks to these measures, the riding position on this motorcycle is very comfortable, with neither our wrists getting tired from holding the handlebars, nor our legs because the footrests are in the right places and the flexion of the legs is as if we were sitting in a chair. Worse for the spine, but this is due to the small suspension travel. The position, which forces a slight forward lean, is rather active so that the muscles work and further support our vertebrae, and these slightly lack.
Is Nightster paying attention?
The Harley-Davidson Nightster definitely can please and this is true regardless of age or gender. Despite its lack of muscular looks, it does not lack feistiness. The ease of handling will especially appeal to ladies looking to start their adventure with the Milwaukee motorcycle enthusiasts club. The engine has become the centerpiece of the superstructure here. The beautiful drop-shaped cover in place of the traditional fuel tank is just a dummy and hides the airbox underneath. As for the tank itself, its capacity is 11.7 liters. The beautiful side line is complemented by a long black exhaust, combined with black paint gives the impression of a super dynamic motorcycle. And such it is in reality.
There's also no shortage of retro details, such as the small round mirrors under the steering wheel, the round analog speedometer, and the aged bolts holding the monstrous rear suspension springs. The designers have neatly dressed the latest technological solutions under a cloak of stylish design with retro elements. The juxtaposition of these elements looks sensational, making the Harley-Davidson Nightster draw attention to itself and catch the eye on the street.
What we find on the steering wheel
The Nightster's steering wheel fits perfectly in the hands. While riding, the wrists are not bent unnaturally to either side, so that even after a long ride we did not feel any hand fatigue. Under the left thumb, we have a turn signal switch - for both sides, rather than each side separately, as in the brand's big cruisers, a horn, a high beam switch and a function button.
The right side of the steering wheel is, of course, the ignition switch, in the form of a button, thanks to the keyless access system, and a ring for turning off the ignition. In addition, there's a hazard light button, a button to disable traction control, and a MODE button, used to toggle what the function button is currently intended to change - and that can be either driving modes, or information on mileage, average fuel consumption, average speed, or revs.
Analog clock + LCD
The Harley Davidson Nightster features a small 4 inch clock with an analog speedometer and a small LCD multifunction display built in. It has a digital tachometer, which I have to admit is new to me and looks surprisingly strange, I would expect more of an analog tachometer hand and a digital speedometer than the other way around.
In addition, it can show:
- current time,
- average speed,
- average fuel consumption,
- odometer a,
- odometer b,
- total odometer.
There is also a driving mode indicator, a gear indicator and a separate green LED for N and a fuel level indicator. Despite its small size, the watch is easy to read and the set contents are clearly visible on it.
Clarity, I see clarity
All the lamps are made with LED technology. Nowadays, probably no manufacturer of premium motorcycles, uses traditional incandescent lamps. Therefore, the front lamp was also built with this technology. It consists of a centrally located powerful LED, and two semicircular strips were routed around it to act as a position or daytime running light.
I had the opportunity to ride this motorcycle at night outside the city, where there were no streetlights, and I must admit that the designers built an excellent headlight, which has a long range, but also illuminates very well what is on the edges, that is, the sides of the road. Despite the fact that I do not like to drive after dark and think that halogens are necessary, here in vain to find halogens, but they were not needed. The color of the light is as it is in the leds - cold white, but thanks to this we have a perfectly illuminated road in front of the motorcycle and can feel safe.
Harley-Davidson handling
Despite a fairly decent weight of 221 kg (although it's a featherweight for a Harley), the Harley-Davidson Nightster takes corners readily, and maneuvering it in the city is not cumbersome, if not intuitive. This is mainly due to its lowered center of gravity, as the fuel tank is located under the seat. ** The front wheel is 19" in diameter, while the rear wheel is 16"**.
In our opinion, the Harley-Davidson Nightster 975 handles very predictably and confidently, in the corners the driver retains full control, the same at low speed when squeezing between cars, but also when driving on the highway. Much of the credit here goes to the low-slung fuel tank.
But let's be clear - this motorcycle is most fun when riding at speeds up to 120 km/h, the momentum of air that hits the driver is so great that traveling above this speed becomes cumbersome. That's why city, short trips ok, but for a longer route definitely some kind of fairing would be useful.... Or a different motorcycle.
Let's agree, lovers of this brand are not famous for seeking maximum speeds of their machines, but for savoring the pleasure of riding a unicycle. This is what Nightster will not deny you.
Suspension
The front suspension is a 41mm fork from SHOWA® with a Dual Bending Valve system, while the rear is a classic suspension with two emulsion shock absorbers with coil springs and threaded flanges for preload adjustment.
Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not specify the suspension travel, but as we can assume in this type of motorcycle it is not very large, and we can feel it on the bumps that our 4 letters will painfully feel.
Any transverse bumps or tracks are felt not on the steering, but just by sitting in the spine. If the designers had improved this suspension and used a softer one, it seems that the comfort of the ride would have improved significantly, and the efficiency of the motorcycle would not have deteriorated.
Slip control and other systems
The Nightster model has been equipped with state-of-the-art systems to increase rider safety, promoting driver confidence in difficult situations or when driving in conditions with limited grip. The braking system consists of two discs, one for each wheel. A caliper and piston system supplied by Brembo is responsible for the braking force. Of course, there is an ABS anti-lock braking system that operates independently on the front and rear wheels.
The electronic safety systems overseeing the drivetrain's operation are, first and foremost, the traction control system (TCS), which prevents the rear wheel from slipping excessively during acceleration. TCS can be turned off in any driving mode with a dedicated button.
Another of the driver assistance systems is the Driven Slip Control System (DSCS), which is designed to adjust engine torque to reduce excessive rear wheel slip during engine braking when driving on wet or slippery roads. It's something like an advanced version of traction control.
Driving modes
The Harley-Davidson Nightster got three riding modes as standard, which are responsible for the motorcycle's performance. Each riding mode has different settings for power delivery, engine braking, ABS and TCS.
The Road Mode is designed for everyday use and provides fairly balanced performance. If we are not on the track and there is good weather and dry asphalt, this mode will be the most common choice.
The Sport Mode is the fastest response to twist off the handlebar. The TCS is set to the lowest level of interference, and engine braking is stronger. The response of the rolgaz is immediate. A sharp start? There you go - the motorcycle accelerates as if shot from a slingshot, so we do not recommend using the Sport mode to people with little motorcycle riding experience.
Rain mode when the motorcycle becomes sluggish and throttle response is severely limited. Power is programmed to significantly reduce dynamic acceleration and braking power. ABS and TCS systems are set to the highest level, as is traction control.
Revolution Max 975t
Nightster's engine is the previously known from the model Pan America construction - Revolution Max 975t. In this case, it was adapted to the size of the motorcycle by reducing the capacity to 975 cc. It is a liquid-cooled engine, generating 89 horsepower and 95 Nm of engine torque at 7500 rpm. In addition, variable valve timing is used here, making power and torque available at virtually any twist of the handle. As we mentioned, the engine is the load-bearing component of the structure, to which the aluminum frame in front and the rear swingarm are bolted. The serial exhaust system looks great, unfortunately it doesn't sound so good after firing up.
This is a bit embarrassing, because the HD Nightster motorcycle as it stands makes an excellent impression, but a passerby, hearing the sound the motorcycle makes while idling, may get the impression that it's some kind of fake, with the HD badge glued on. It's worth adding, however, that fortunately this changes for the better while riding, once you unscrew the handlebar and get into higher revs.
Caution will be hot as hell
Yes here the problem known from the previous HD Pan America review could not be avoided. Equipped with a smaller capacity Revolution Max engine still heats up a hell of a lot. You have to be careful with the exhaust manifold inadvertently touching it with an unprotected calf can end in a painful burn. Let's just hope that, unlike Pan America, the heat shield won't fall off.
Is the Nightster still a Harley Davidson?
The Nightster is not a Sportster S, but it is a very cool, modern and nice motorcycle. The Harley-Davidson Nightster is a very interesting proposition for those who would like to enter the Harley world. The aforementioned systems and layouts make the new Harley-Davidson Nightster a very predictable motorcycle to ride. The Revolution Max engine, which provides high torque, is incredibly nimble and eager to get to work. The geometry and 30-degree head tube angle encourages dynamic cornering; side cant is 32 degrees.
It's an easy to handle, friendly motorcycle that won't surprise you with anything bad or difficult. The few days I spent in the company of the Harley-Davidson Nightster made me like this motorcycle, I quickly got used to the position, the operation of the gearbox, or the sensation of speed 😉.
Riding it can be a lot of fun, both for people who have had a Cat A license for many years, but also for freshmen who have chosen the Nightster as their first Harley Davidson motorcycle and want to feel those engine vibrations.
How much to spend on Nightster The only grumble may be the price we have to pay for the opportunity to ride this motorcycle on a daily basis, as Harley-Davidson has priced the Nightster model at about 16 thousand euros approx, quite a lot for a rather urban motorcycle. Keep in mind that for this price we are buying not only a great riding machine, but also a huge legend and history of the Harley-Davidson brand.
