2016 Harley-Davidson® Sportster® Seventy-Two®

There are things in its past you should know about.

There’s no mistaking the throwback look and unruly style of the Harley-Davidson® Seventy-Two motorcycle rolling by on the street. Feet forward. Fists in the wind. Hard Candy Custom™ fat metal flake paint on a 2.1 gallon peanut tank, classic skinny whitewalls, raked front end. But, unlike the 70’s garage choppers that came before it, it has confidence inspiring front and rear brakes. And plenty more tech to make the ride better. The Seventy-Two® motorcycle. Modern day refinement. True, old school outlaw soul.

• Authentic Styling

When the first Sportster motorcycle roared onto the scene in 1957 the world had never seen anything like it. Rawboned, powerful and looking for action. The styling cues that lit up the street in those early years would soon become a part of everything from race bikes to outlaw choppers as they spread throughout the motorcycling world. Take a look at the offering for 2016 and one thing becomes instantly clear. The best way to get the style that made the Sportster motorcycle famous is to get a Sportster motorcycle of your own. The narrow frame is more agile than ever. The rumbling V-Twin and muscular front end feel more powerful than ever. The flawless steel and jewel-like fuel tank reveal their authentic American motorcycle roots in every inch of detail.

• Iconic Engine

The Evolution engine riding in the nimble Sportster frame is a prime example of the power, durability and proven reliability The Motor Company was built on. Born from the legendary Shovelhead and Ironhead engines, it’s been the power at the center of a Sportster motorcycle since 1984. Its overhead valve design and four-cam gear train have their roots in the company’s race program, and you know it when you feel the surge of brute torque that accompanies every twist of the throttle. The air-cooled V-Twin design with a compact one-piece crankcase/transmission fits the narrow Sportster profile like a fist in a fingerless glove. We began with a strong, trouble-free design. Then gave it constant refinement to bring us to the modern powerplant of today. A testament to the unwavering hunger for advancement in motor technology that has always driven Harley-Davidson.

• Technology

What the eye sees and the rider feels on a Sportster motorcycle goes deep beneath the surface. Which is where you’ll find some our latest technology hard at work. The immaculate styling is due in part to an integrated electrical system that reduces wiring harnesses, switches, relays and fuses. The new seats throughout the Sportster line are built out of 21 century materials to feel plush and look minimalist at the same time. The new suspension systems are a marvel, with cartridge damping up front and an adjustable cartridge emulsion system in back. The one thing you won’t find on a Sportster motorcycle is any gizmos. Technology is there for one reason and one reason only. To make the motorcycle even more honest, enduring and satisfying for the rider.

• Comfort

You might look at the raw-boned style of a Sportster motorcycle and not immediately think of comfort. That would be a mistake. Sink into the seat of any 2016 Sportster model and you discover a premium ride hidden under all the lean and mean styling. The engine is rubber-mounted to the frame, so you feel all the power of an Evolution V-Twin but none of the vibrations. The handlebar hits your fists and the pegs hit your boots just the way they should. Even better, we’ve made improving comfort for the Sportster rider our marching orders for 2016.