MOTORING LIFESTYLE
wars, recessions, depressions, corporate bashes and stock market crashes. The preferred brand of Hollywood A-listers, the global glitterati and captains of industry alike, any way you look at it, a Harley makes a statement. The brand’s diehards will tell you the iconic Motor Company’s impeccable heritage and continuity are key to the attraction. The large frame machines and their signature 45-degree V-Twin engines producing that distinctive exhaust note are the mainstay of production, but the 21st century has brought new challenges. “At some point in time, HarleyDavidson will be all-electric,” said Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz, in a recent interview. “But that’s a longterm transition that needs to happen. It’s not something you do overnight.” Nevertheless, Harley-Davidson will go down in history as the first major manufacturer to reveal a full-size electric motorcycle, the LiveWire in 2014. Complex though the process was, you can be sure the other major manufacturers have electric bikes on the drawing board too. The 2023 model line-up is the result of some recent shakeups. The midlevel and learner-approved Street 500 is gone and the venerable Sportster with its 883 and 1200 Revolution engines has been replaced by a new Sportster S with a 1275 Revolution Max (RevMax) watercooled, DOHC engine. Purists have been heard to argue that the smaller 975cc Nightster is more faithful to the original Sportster that ran with minimal alteration from 1957 than the brutish newcomer yet both show the innovation that Harley-Davidson is bringing to the table. Harley-Davidson also continues to persist with the Pan America adventure bike, which has been a resounding hit with the critics and is slowly but steadily gaining traction in the Australian market. Also making a welcome return to the MY23 lineup is Breakout in a new, muscular 117ci trim with stunning Baja Orange paint as an option.
LEGENDARY LINE-UP
Meet the Harley-Davidson models you need to know. BREAKOUT The Breakout returns in 2023, flexing more muscle and flashing bright new styling over its long-and-lean chopper profile. The muscle is provided by the Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-Twin engine, the pinnacle of torque and displacement in a factory-installed, regular-production Harley-Davidson powertrain that gives the Breakout rider instant bragging rights on the street. New for 2023, the bike has a 19-liter fuel tank topped with a low-profile chrome console shaped to lengthen the motorcycle profile and extend riding range. Also, a new handlebar riser and polished stainless steel handlebar is 19mm taller for improved rider reach to controls.
NIGHTSTER SPECIAL This new middleweight contender amplifies the Nightster motorcycle riding experience with a host of style, convenience and technology upgrades. Exhilarating performance is delivered by the Revolution Max 975T liquidcooled V-Twin engine, tuned to make tremendous torque at low RPM. To minimize overall motorcycle weight the engine is integrated into the vehicle as the central member of the chassis.
FAT BOY ANNIVERSARY Proof that more is better. The original wide ride on two wheels with steamroller stance takes on a whole new look in celebration of HarleyDavidson’s 120th anniversary.
PAN AMERICA 1250 SPECIAL The Pan America motorcycle is HarleyDavidson’s explore-it-all machine for riders who see touring as detouring – on road and off. This rugged, powerful, technologically advanced multi-purpose vehicle is designed from the ground up to be capable, confidence inspiring, and fun wherever the road may take you. The Pan America 1250 Special model is a premium adventure touring motorcycle loaded with exclusive features. Some of those options include electronically adjustable semi-active front and rear suspension and an industry-first innovation, Adaptive Ride Height (ARH), a suspension system which automatically transitions between a low stopped position and optimal ride height when the motorcycle is in motion.
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