Harley-Davidson 1200 Custom Sportster Motorcycle

The 1200 Custom has been a really interesting motorcycle in the segment and especially in the brand. The bike contains the badge of the legendary Harley-Davidson Sportster series but in many points, lacks some key characteristics from the original.

The biggest plus side this bike has is that it is really easy to just sit on and start riding. Harley-Davidson motorcycles are known for their heavy and sometimes violent power and weight and feel, but the 1200 Custom is different in many ways. The sitting position is lower, the front tire is enormous, and the handle is very nimble and the whole bike is really a blend of the weight and agility.

The heart of every Harley and every motorcycle is the engine. And, the 1200 custom has a really big heart or 1202cc! The custom pumps out a massive amount of torque, almost 96 NM which pushes it to fly like an arrow despite all of that weight. It also has a 5-speed gearbox, which may not seem really special but it supports that big V-twin engine in the best way possible! And with the massive fuel tank of 17 liter, this bike really is a true highway machine!

The body parts of this beauty are really interesting. It has a single disc brake in both front and rear and the most interesting bit is the tires. It has a 130 section tyre in the front and 150 section tyre at the back so that it can provide more acceleration and more mileage on the long run than the competitors.  The tyres are from Michelin and they also have a really great record of providing tremendous grips. With the assist of the good quality brakes, the bike provides good braking performance. But, the biggest drawback in the segment is that Harley-Davidson didn’t use ABS on this bike and as a result, the rider has to be extra careful while braking because this bike is a really heavy bike.

The riding comfort in the Harley-Davidson Roadster 1200 Custom is really good comparing to many other Harleys in the engine segment. Though it’s rear suspension is not that great as a commuter, street friendly bike, the combination of the front and rear suspension comes together to provide a really great riding experience where the rider is untouched by the little bumps or cracks on the road. But, the problem is, in a case of bumps, it is impossible for the rider to stand up in the foot peg because of the forward moving position of the feet and the arm.

One of the biggest concerns of the bike is the ground clearance. It is higher than the Superlow but it still is too low for ordinary city and highway roads. At a ground clearance of 105mm, this bike will eventually hit every speed bump and also every road bump in its way which not only will provide discomfort but will also damage the lower parts of the bike.

Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom is a really cherished 1200cc bike mainly because of its styling, power and touring capability. It has some issues, but every beauty out there has their own.