Harley's choice of mammoth tourer or a cool commuter

They are both Harley Davidsons, but you couldn't find two more contrasting types if you tried.

On the one hand, the Road King Classic is an iconic two-wheeled behemoth, while the Sportster Iron 883 must be America's version of a moped.

When I first burbled through Bristol's city centre on the Road King Classic, I was wondering why so many people were looking at me.

And then the penny dropped: they were admiring the bike. There might be prettier Harleys and models with more attitude and a louder roar, but the Road King Classic is gorgeous in a unique kind of way.

It's the civilian version of the model used by the highway cops in America, but the latest version has lots of mods, although it still looks the same.

There's a new chassis to improve handling, new swingarm, new engine mounting system to reduce vibration at idling speeds and an electronic throttle which gives instant response.

When I first took to the road, I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of this machine.

It's a colossus, a baby elephant on wheels and about twice the size of my front room. The seat is just about the comfiest you will find and the sitting position with the forward-set footboards give you an armchair, laid back attitude towards riding.

With its 1584cc air-cooled twin cam engine, coupled to a six-speed box and fuel injection, there's enough torque to pull a ship out of water.

It means that, as a long-distance touring, it has few peers. It would be easy to imagine a 500-mile trip on a machine like this (especially with cruise control fitted as standard).

It's sheer weight (about as much as five grown men) means the centre of gravity is low and therefore fairly easy to manoeuvre at low speeds.

But it's not a machine for threading through traffic because of its width and not what I would recommend for commuting.

I enjoyed the benefits of the detachable windshield, which made a surprising difference to cutting out buffeting at higher speeds. On motorways, for example, I felt I could cruise with mainstream traffic without feeling uncomfortable at all.

And I loved that massive headlight and two spotlights, which shone brighter than the floodlights at Ashton Gate. It all added up to huge presence on the road, which was very reassuring, especially in the wet.

On the downside, there is no doubting that you do have to acclimatise to the sheer size of this bike. I did, for example, quickly learn that parking downwards on an incline is strictly out of the question: it's impossible to push this bike backwards on any kind of gradient.

I had a Jeremy Beadle moment on a hill start before I had got used to the bike and found myself nearly toppling over. If I had dropped it, I know I would never have lifted it up again without hiring a crane.

The back brake seemed vague to start, with but I gradually got used to it. With a machine like this, though, it's no good picking over engineering niceties. It's big, it's romantic and it's lack of finesse is wonderfully alluring.

As the miles passed and I gradually began to build my confidence, so the grin factor steadily grew. It was magic to hit the road on a sunny evening and peel off 70 or 80 miles as easily as popping down to the chippy.

It's hardly surprising, therefore, that when I took delivery of the Iron, it seemed positively small despite an engine with "only" 883cc.

I instantly loved the matt black finish and the minimalist look which makes this bike so cool and, once on the road, I found myself instantly at ease on this entry-level model of the Dark Custom range.

It's very easy and uncomplicated to ride and I thoroughly enjoyed the commute to work each day, deliberately taking the long route.

I was rather disappointed that the silencers didn't provide the throaty roar I normally associate with Harleys, so if I bought one of these, my first mission would be to fit sliced off exhausts.

I would also need to change the wing mirrors since I couldn't adjust the nearside mirror to give me a decent rear view.

But it wasn't long before I decided that the Iron must be one of the coolest ways of commuting.

The Harley mechanics gives you an ultra reliable machine which can easily filter through traffic and the upright riding position helps you to virtually see over most cars.

On the open road, I missed the windshield from the Road King Classic, which meant that I had no desire to ride much above 60mph for sustained distances, and I wouldn't fancy touring on this bike.

On reflection, I would buy a Road King Classic as a gesture of sheer indulgence if I won the lottery and wanted something different for long-distance touring.

The Iron, however, is a practical proposition to beating the rush-hour traffic and making a daily commute into Bristol a bit like fun.

For further information on Harley Davidsons, visit the website, www.harley-davidson.co.uk

Sportster Iron 883

Engine: Air-cooled 883cc twin with belt-driven final drive

Top speed: 110 mph

Transmission: five-speed box

Torque: 70Nm at 3,750rpm

Weight: 251 kgs

Price: £5,910

Road King Classic

Engine: Air-cooled 1,584cc twin-cam

Top speed: 110 mph

Transmission: six-speed cruise drive

Torque: 131Nm at 3,500rpm

Weight: 355kgs

Price: £15,690