Harley-Davidson Iron 883

Harley- Davidson is an iconic brand that invokes memories of powerful engines, wide open highways, the wind in your face and mile munching in total and absolute glorious freedom on 2 wheels. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1903 this legendary manufacturer has kept the spirit of American motorcycling alive with its pathbreaking products. Known for the distinctive 'potato potato' sound courtesy their potent large capacity V-twin engines these bikes have made many a motorcyclist drool with the sheer auditory delight. As of today, the current product line-up has been categorised under the following categories - Sportster, Dyna, Softail, V-Rod and Touring. The 'Sportster' range features a wide variety of motorcycles with unmatched performance at an affordable price with classic Harley styling- traits but we are more concerned about the one that beats them all; that too in a sinister shade of black. The Dark Knight we are referring to is also more commonly known as the Sportster Iron 883.

Powered by the famed Air cooled Evolution V-twin unit displacing 883 cc the Sportster Iron 883 is every bit innovative & pathbreaking as some of the earlier offerings from Harley-Davidson. Featuring a bore X stroke ratio of 76.2 X 96.8 mm and a compression ratio of 9:1 this ESPFI (Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection) engine manages to crank out a sizeable 70 NM of torque @ 3,750 rpm.

Harley- Davidson has always been known not to reveal actual peak power output, merely torque. But then this unit is all about torque and oodles of it courtesy the Blockhead engine that is derived from the legendary Harley staple Shovelhead & Ironhead engines. Boasting all-aluminium engine heads & cylinders this engine unit utilises a lot of improved internals to keep performance at an all time high. Featuring black powder coated structure with chromed pushrods, the engine looks like something that walked straight out of a noir graphic comic book. The engine also features rubber mounts to keep vibes in check. The torquey engine is mated to a 5 speed transmission that helps keep the engine speeds and wheel speeds in constant balance ensuring that power and torque are available throughout the rev range as and when required depending on the road and riding conditions. Slotting it into a higher gear at low speeds will not stall the engine, that's how this has been engineered. Cruising at triple digit speeds at low engine rpms is made possible due to this perfect match between engine and gearbox. This also ensures that engine internals are also not subject to unnecessary wear and tear thus helping the engine in the long run and also keeping routine service and maintenance expenses low at the same time keeping service intervals pretty far apart.

Mileage claims made by manufacturers always vary from actual figures since riding conditions, engine condition and riding style differ from person to person. The Sportster Iron 883 returns an overall 22 kmpl under standard conditions. Users can expect between 16-19 kmpl in the city with highway runs returning 19-23 kmpl.

V twins are known to be very distinctive in terms of their method of delivering output and transferring it to the road in an easy and comfortable manner. The Sportster Iron 883 is no exception here either. That said, this is no slouch and the bike pulls away with definite ease. It piles on speed with surprising potency all thanks to the wonderfully linear torque curve. The 255 kg kerb weight does not feel like much and the bike handles corners with surprising ease. The aggressive drag inspired flat and forward handlebars work with the mid mounted front footpegs with integrated controls to give you a very aggressive seating position.

Thus it is able to tackle urban situations and dominate them with the sheer stance alone. Bear in mind though that this is a cruiser and not a sportbike so lean in too hard and you risk grounding the pegs or the exhaust.Having said that, the lean angles at 29 degrees on the right and 30 degrees on the left are fairly conservative. They work in addition with a short 1,510 mm wheelbase. The long & low travel suspension is adjustable for preload helping keep the setup free to suit individual choices. The Michelin Scorcher tyres provide ample grip and aid handling sufficiently. Featuring a 100/90 front on a 19 inch wheel and wide rear 150/80 on a 16 inch wheel, the handling gains immensely especially at low speeds. Braking duties are taken care of via a 2-piston single disc front and 2-piston single disc rear brake system featuring braided steel lines for maximum braking efficiency.