December 31, 2001
By Dave Abrahams

Long after pushrod V-twins were obsolete in every other class of racing, they continued to dominate one arena – flat track. Right across Middle America, on dozens of mile and half-mile dirt ovals, Harley-Davidson’s black and orange XR750s went on winning at National level right into the early 1980s.

Flat-tracking is best described as speedway with attitude with perhaps 20 bikes at a time, none with any form of brakes, barreling into the turns completely sideways, scrubbing off speed with huge rooster-tails of dirt flying from spinning back wheels and sparks flashing from steel-shod boots.

It’s a spectacular and peculiarly American form of contest in which the emphasis is on huge torque and strong acceleration, always the Harley’s best features, and it requires riders in the heroic mould to wrestle these big beasts around on the bumpy, slippery dirt tracks.

It’s also where one K Roberts, Snr, learned how to ride a motorcycle sideways before he went on to become America’s first 500cc World champion in 1978.

Now the Motor Company has called on this racing heritage to put a little extra zing into the Sportster line-up, albeit more through looks than by means of outright performance. The result is an unthreatening, easy-to-ride bike with a lot of personality.

It’s based on the long-stroke 883cc “Evo” motor, introduced in 1985 and Milwaukee’s first all-alloy engine. Bore and stroke are unchanged at 76.2 x 96.8mm but it’s tuned for maximum torque of 68Nm at 4000rpm, 1.5% better than the standard XLH model and at 400 fewer revs.

Claimed power is an underwhelming 38.8kW, the same as the base model, at the same 5200rpm. All of which is difficult to verify without a rev-counter but once the initial power-thudding smoothes out the motor pulls strongly up to an indicated 130km/h in top; after that you have to work for everything you get - and you pay for it with some heavy vibration.

The 883R tops out at a true 157km/h, which is just about what the factory claims, and remains rock steady up to that speed.

The motor is noticeably jerky at small throttle openings and I looked to see whether it’s fuel-injected, but the 883R is fed by the same 38mm Mikuni CV carb that feeds the rest of the range. It breathes out through a unique and very tidy 2-into-1 chromed header system with a single tailpipe that looks like a SuperTrapp but isn’t.

Given that this unusual system is tuneable by the owner for noise output, I shouldn’t think the genuine SuperTrapp is street-legal in the Nanny States.

The drive is fed through Harley’s trademark oversized clutch (in case you didn’t know, Cyril, it’s the huge round casing just behind the left footpeg). Apart from its sheer size, it’s one of the best on the market, especially as it’s engaged by a diaphragm spring rather than by multiple coil springs; this gives it a light and amazingly smooth action with plenty of feel for just when it’s about to take up.

Hill-starts on Harleys are dead simple, although the 883s will stall more easily than you’d think.

The Sportster series differs from the 'Glides in that the engine and gearbox are “in unit” - built into a single set of casings rather than having a separate engine and transmission. The gearbox has not benefited from the shift mechanism revision that so improved the bigger machines after 1999, but it’s still not bad for a big twin.

The change is notchy and very noisy in the lower gears but the lever throw is light and very positive. Clutchless up-changes were standard within 10 minutes of collecting the test bike but, out of respect for the strong engine braking for which the marque is renowned, I didn’t try downshifts without left-hand input.

Like all Milwaukee products, the Sportster’s final drive is by a toothed Kevlar belt that confers a number of advantages; to start with the belt has a little give, which obviates the need for a cush drive in the rear hub - the rear sprocket is bolted directly to the wheel. By the same token there is no discernable lash or snatch in the final drive which would require insanely close tolerances with a chain drive and is impossible with a shaftie.

Apart from plated Allen screws and the polished flats on the rocker covers, the whole engine is powder-coated in matte black. It’s rigidly mounted (which explains the vibration) in the stock Sportster chassis, which hasn’t changed significantly since 1957. It's welded up from thick-walled steel tubing and chunky sheet steel pressings and is well up to the demands placed on it, aside from the rectangular-section swing-arm, which can be made to flex under stress.

Since the Sportsters are much lighter than the 'Glides, this is generally less of a problem with the mini-Hogs.

The suspension on Milwaukee’s “race replica” is also base-model stuff, with a pair of straightforward 39mm forks, devoid of any adjustment, doing duty at the sharp end. The sliders as well as the stanchions are chromed and, as always on the products of the Motor Company, the quality of the plating is breathtaking. The rear wheel hangs on 1960s-style chromed shocks, adjustable for preload only. The settings are firm, to prevent the short-travel suspension from bottoming on everyday road hazards, and can be a little harsh on poor surfaces, especially the rear end.

The ride on smooth tar was better than I expected, allowing the rider to take advantage of the bike’s low roll centre and the quick steering afforded by the wide, speedway-style handlebars.

Despite its quarter-ton dry weight and the in-built stability derived from the 19-inch front wheel, the 883R can be flicked from side to side just like a much smaller bike. The seating position is surprisingly compact and, once on the go, feels much lighter than it actually is. It’s maneuverable and easy to ride at traffic speeds, with instant response from the lean-burning Mikuni carb, making it an excellent general-purpose commuter as long as the ever-present shakes don’t bother you.

It’s at its best on tight, smooth roads, where you can use the motor’s mid-range grunt to pull you out of the hole and push you towards the next bend in a very satisfactory fashion. A slow wallow can be induced on long sweeps as the weight begins to overpower the swing-arm but generally the bike lacks the power to get itself into serious trouble – which is not a criticism.

The 883R is blessed with the best brakes I’ve yet encountered on a Harley - twin 292mm, temperature-compensated discs in front, each gripped by one of Milwaukee’s new four-pot callipers with a single similar platter on the rear wheel. While the brakes lack the instant bite of the best European tackle, they are immensely powerful, progressive and give plenty of feel at the lever – including the footbrake, which is a rare privilege.

The front stoppers are capable of inducing an alarming amount of nose-dive, using up most of the front suspension travel and compromising the front tyre’s grip on poor surfaces. For best results use both brakes, even on dry roads - something true only true of Harleys and scooters.

Cosmetically this Sportster is refreshingly free of decorative covers and “custom” extras (although there’s nothing to stop you from going through Harley-Davidson’s “Screaming Eagle” catalogue and adding whatever you like – everything in the XL section will bolt straight on). The bike is available solely in the factory racing colours of orange with black graphics, the only painted parts are the tank and mudguards.

The standard of paintwork is astonishing; if you close your eyes and run your fingertips across the logo on the fuel tank you can’t feel where it is.

The fuel tank holds a miserly 12.5 litres; less than 120km of spirited riding will have you on reserve and looking for unleaded. It’s worth noting, however, that until 1997 this was the optional, larger tank; before that time the standard fitting was the 8.1-litre “peanut” tank. There are a lot of places in this country – and even more in the United States – where 12.5 litres won’t take you from one gas station to the next; this is not a touring bike.

The chrome is limited to the shocks, the pipes and the beautiful bullet-shaped indicators (new for 2002). There are no side covers, only the battery (with its H-D logo!) on the left and the oil tank on the right. The seat is a deeply dished Corbin-style “fender-hugger” which is actually more comfortable than it looks, although the pillion pad slopes to the rear and passengers are advised to hold tight to the rider if they wish to arrive at the same time as the bike.

The rider’s footpegs are a relaxed inch or two ahead of the set/tank join and the seating position is ideal for commuting and posing around town, although a little too laid-back for highway cruising. To my astonishment, the passenger's pegs are on the swing-arm where they move with the suspension, something I haven’t seen on a street-bike since the Honda CB 400F of 1974. It doesn’t actually affect the suspension’s action, but warn your passengers – it feels weird the first time.

Instrumentation on the R - and the Sportster range in general - has been held to the bare minimum, with just a speedo, odometer and five warning lights in a neat crackle-finished pod. The switchgear is standard Milwaukee issue, smooth, chunky and very positive in operation; it includes a rocker switch on each grip to operate the indicators, which is one more than there should be.

There is also no positive way to ensure that the turn signals have been cancelled without looking away from the road, which can be a safety hazard. From the 2000 model year, however, all H-D indicators have been self-canceling, so if you wait 12 seconds, whether they were on or not, they’ll be off anyway.

The quality of finish on Harleys is a weird mixture – the paint, powder-coating and plating are quite genuinely the best in the world, but the bikes are held together by rough-and-ready commercially available nuts and bolts, even where they’re up close and personal.

Apparently this so that the owner can spend some time (and money!) personalising the bike with neat little pop-on covers, each with the H-D shield logo embossed on it. When I pointed out to Cape Town Harley-Davidson dealer Ad Keukelaar that it makes the “as issued” bikes on the showroom floor look a little cheesy, he took my comment to heart; overnight he fitted polished aluminium covers on every readily visible Allen screw on every bike in his shop, at no extra cost to the customers.

His night shift made a distinct improvement in the overall impression created by the product.

The Motor Company’s big bruisers can be intimidating; the Sportsters, the 883R in particular, offer a no-sweat way to get aboard Milwaukee iron. Make no mistake, though; at 245kg dry, this is a hefty motorcycle with a presence on the road that can’t be ignored.

It’s worth noting that the smallest size Harley-Davidsons come in is XL.

Thanks to Harley-Davidson Cape Town for the loan of the test bike; the 883R, like all 2002 Harleys, comes with an unlimited distance, two-year warranty.

The base cost is R79 560.

Click here to use Motoring.co.za's repayments calculator.

SPECIFICATIONS

Motor: Air-cooled 45-degree V-twin four-stroke.
Capacity: 883cc.
Bore x stroke: 76.2 x 96.8mm.
Valvegear: Two overhead valves per cylinder, pushrod operated.
Compression ratio: 9.0:1.
Power: 38.8kW @ 5200rpm.
Torque: 68Nm @ 4000rpm.
Induction: Mikuni CV carburettor.
Ignition: Electronic.
Starting: Electric.
Clutch: Cable-operated multi-plate wet clutch.
Transmission: Five-speed gearbox with toothed-belt final drive.
Suspension: 39mm conventional cartridge forks at front, twin hydraulic absorbers, adjustable for preload, at rear.
Brakes: Twin 292mm discs with four-pot opposed-piston callipers at front, 292mm disc with twin-piston floating calliper at rear.
Tyres: Front: 100/90 - 19. Rear: 130/90 - 16
Wheelbase: 1510mm.
Seat height: 711mm.
Dry weight: 245kg.
Fuel capacity: 12.5 litres.
Price: R79 560

Click here to use Motoring.co.za's repayments calculator.