Harley-Davidson XL 1200N Nightster

YOU'VE got to hand it to those marketing chaps. It wasn't so long ago Harley-Davidson had something of a fuddy-duddy image, with a range that didn't inspire a great deal of awe among the younger generation.

All that began to change when the V-Rod came along, and the design team realised they could have some fun and broaden the appeal of their machines at the same time. The real head-turning Harleys have always cost big bucks though, so now for 2008 comes a real masterstroke -- the XL1200N Nightster.

The brief was quite simple. Make a motorcycle that will appeal to the youth market, within price range, that’s as cool as Kanye. A bike for the iPod generation, if you like. So what we have here is the second cheapest model in the range, the Sportster 1200, given a mean and moody 21^st century overhaul. At £6,695, the only cheaper model is the smaller 883cc Sportster, but that‘s just not as “cool” as owning a litre-plus bike.

The Nightster is not revolutionary, but visually it's very appealing. It sits low and gives off menacing vibes with a minimalism that the Americans call ‘bobbed’. Dispensing with the majority of its chrome, neat touches include a grey, powdercoated engine casing, spoked wheels with black rims, black handlebars, black air filter, drilled black belt guard and black fork gaiters. The solo seat and peanut tank add to the overall effect but do create limitations of their own. After all, if your new-found coolness attracts a member of the opposite sex, he or she still has to get the bus. And the measly 12.5 litres of fuel will only see a range of around 80 miles before you’re filling up again. That could make life particularly interesting if you ever do motorway trips.

But the piece de resistance in the Nightster’s funky design is the all-in-one rear light cluster. This is a first in Europe and has taken a not-inconsiderable amount of effort to get through strict European legislation. There is no centrally located rear tail light unit, which instantly makes people look twice. Instead those bulbs are integrated into the indicator units, using orange LEDs for the turn signals and red LEDs for the brake and tail lights. The end result is a very clean back end and a product which, if Harley so choose, will rake them in an unfeasible amount of money as aftermarket parts for other custom motorcycles. Sadly, Brussels refused to back down on the side-mounted number plate as seen on the XL1200N for the American market, and that has been bolted on the back in traditional fashion.

Out in the road, acceleration from the Nightster’s air-cooled V-twin is pretty lively. A sports bike it certainly is not, but the torquey motor provides a quick getaway and gutsy midrange at the expense of top speed. This is easily Harley’s most capable and most manageable chassis, and a slightly raised ride height allows for improved cornering. The narrow 150-section rear Dunlop holds on happily and the pegs touch down long before it runs out of grip. While there’s nothing fancy about them, the basic twin shocks and single disc front brake are more than ample for the kind of work this Harley is ever likely to undertake.

With remarkably light throttle and clutch controls, the Nightster makes a lot of sense for cutting through Bristol’s rush hour traffic. And while there's probably not enough here to entertain the hardened biker, it’s a seriously funky way of tearing from Sneyd Park to St Anne’s without turning to the dreaded scooter!

Article written: Mar 12, 2008

The Harley-Davidson XL 1200N Nightster was kindly loaned through Riders of Bath Road, Brislington. For more information about test rides, call Riders on 0117 958 8777. Or see the website at www.ridersofbristol.co.uk.