Motorcycle specifications Harley-DavidsonXL 1200 SPORTSTER Forty Eight 2015 Telling a story from the '50s

More safety for the Sportster 48 from 2014: the manufacturer adds its HD Smart safety system for keyless ignition and ABS as standard. There are also a number of changes to the braking system. New calipers bite a larger front disc (300 mm), while the rear disc (260 mm) remains unchanged. The aluminum master cylinder is also new, for less friction and more feel. The Sportster also features a new electrical system, with redesigned controls and a switch on the left to navigate the new speedometer display. The exhaust and oil tank have also evolved.

genesis: What a strange name for a Sportster! Just two words that sound like an old Elvis record, with delicate scents of rubber, a hint of rebellion and the fumes of a bad Chicago alarm clock. Like its little cousin 883 Iron, the 1200 Sportster Forty Eight doesn't like to be disturbed when it comes to giving the street a thrill. Stripped back, vintage and bobber in style, chewing on a chew of the past with a black eye on the horizon, this new H-D production would kick you in the shins if you looked at it the wrong way. For now, it seems to be quietly waiting for its coffee, thinking back to the year 1948.

that's how it got its name. It's all in the tank, the 7.95-liter "peanut" model created in 1948, just after the war. Low, dark, long and stocky, this Harley is particularly aimed at young bad boys, those who swear by the essential. For them, the 48 will put down its cup of coffee and let the rebel approach.

this front tire is disconcerting. It seems to crush the asphalt, finely held on this 16-inch spoked rim. With its 130 mm hip circumference, it's almost as bulbous as the rear tubular tire. Convinced by black, the Sportster 48 has taken to it. Fork covers, gearbox housings, engine, wheels, mudguards, frame, oil tank, handlebars, controls... they're all as dark as night. As a result, exhausts, cylinder head covers and rocker arms are illuminated. The attention to detail extends from the handlebars to the stern. The menacing front end can be distinguished by its shortened mudguard held in place by a lacquered bracket, the selfish rear end by a single-seater seat.ste rear end (the saddle is single-seater) is remarkably uncluttered, with the headlight-indicator cluster integrated into the end of the mudguard, as on the Iron and Nightster. Authentic yet different - and this is evident right down to the mirrors, which are mounted in an inverted position, further distinguishing the silhouette.

introductions made? The 48 has loosened its coffee, and its big, tumbling twin can take care of you. For him, it's all about big torque and carefully measured vibrations. He won't sleep, and neither will you!

key features of the Forty-Eight :

- Black and polished, silent-block-mounted 1200 cc Evolution V-Twin engine with chrome accents
- Sequential port electronic fuel injection (ESPFI)
- 7.95-liter steel "peanut" fuel tank on bracket with lightening hole
- Classic Sportster solo one-piece seat
- 710 mm seat height
- Wide tires
- 16" black spoked wheels
- Low-profile custom handlebars
- Handlebar-mounted mirrors
- Wide triple-flange front forks
- Truncated front fender mounted on fork crown with lightening holes
- Fork stem mounted on truncated front fender
- Black components including air filter cover, clutch and brake levers and turn signals
- Truncated rear mudguard
- All-in-one brake/turn signal/tail lights
- Two-year warranty
- Harley-Davidson Smart Security System alarm (audible and kill switch).
- 2014: ABS as standard, 300 mm front disc, 34 mm pistons (+36%) in the front caliper and 38 mm in the rear caliper, new electrical system.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos