2023 Harley

The Motor Company finally introduces a proper entry-level motorcycle.

As the sun sets on the 883 and 1,200 cc Sportsters of the past, Harley-Davidson welcomes the new Nightster line to bring novice riders back into the fold. Equipped with the 975cc Revolution Max V-twin engine, the 2023 Nighster and Nighster Special incorporate modern refinements from the Sportster S and Pan America powerplant in a tamer package that less seasoned riders can handle with ease. The all-new bike from the fine folks from Milwaukee captures the essence of the Motor Company’s mystique, and has the classic Sportster silhouette with 21st-century styling and engineering.

With the backdrop of the 100th Laconia Motorcycle Week, we ran this machine through its paces at the oldest motorcycle rally in the country, perhaps the most fitting environment the test any Harley-Davidson model.

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Expert Opinion: The Harley-Davidson Nightster Special is one of the best-handling motorcycles we've ever ridden from Milwaukee and its Revolution Max 975 engine is the smoothest ever produced by the Motor Company.

After the arrival of small displacement bikes from Britain in post-WWII America (especially from Triumph, Norton, and BSA), Harley-Davidson needed to reintroduce its own small displacement motorcycles, which had been common early in the company's history. This started with the Model K in 1952, then 1957 saw the arrival of a new overhead valve Ironhead engine for the appropriately named XL Sportster. From that point forward, the Sportster became a staple of the Harley-Davidson lineup, yet the XL models never got a lot of love. From 1957 to 2020, the Sportster only received one major engine update and The Motor Company ran the Ironhead for over 30 years through 985, in displacements ranging from 883 to 1,000cc.

In 1986, H-D transferred over to the Evolution engine with offerings eventually ranging from 883 to 1,200cc. So every 30 years or so, Harley-Davidson has updated the Sportster engine, and that means it was high time for an upgrade.

First incorporated into the Pan America in 2021, the Revolution Max 1250 was a revolutionary engine for Harley-Davidson. Not since the V-Rod’s Revolution (designed in partnership with Porsche) had H-D offered a liquid-cooled engine with double overhead camshafts. Taking aim at performance over nostalgia, the Revolution Max engine enabled the Motor Company to make a solid entrance into the adventure market with the Pan America; and build the Sportster S and its Revolution Max 1250T to compete head-to-head with power cruisers.

Once the Revolution Max was flexing its muscles in those segments, the time had come to dial it down to use the engine for more practical purposes:The entry-level model Nightster and Nightster Special.

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For the Nightster models, Harley-Davidson dropped the displacement from 1,250 to 975cc. Admittedly, that ushered a few ponies out of the stable as power decreased from a claimed 121 horsepower and 94 pound-feet of torque to 90 hp and 70 lbs.ft.. The drop is noticeable, but the Nightster Special never feels underpowered. The 975cc variation of the Revolution Max engine is a punchy powerplant that is happiest higher in the rev range than most Harley-Davidsons. The sweet spot was definitely north of 3,000 rpm, as the engine pulled strong off the light and never skipped a beat when a passing attempt was necessary.

The six-speed transmission is buttery compared to other H-D models (the familiar clunk into first was absent on the Nightster Special and was not missed by this reviewer). The occasional slip into neutral was encountered with first to second shifts, so a deliberate effort was required to ensure a seamless takeoff.

The short shift peg was the likely cause, as this reviewer’s size 13-inch boots struggled to get enough leverage under the peg for up shifts, but this would be a quick fix with a longer peg. The top end of the engine was a little noisier than expected, especially at startup, but we’ll take the performance associated with overhead cams and live with the clatter. Other than those minor criticisms, this engine is easily one of the best Harley-Davidson has ever offered. As a stressed frame member, it felt tighter than the typical H-D twin and ran smoother, with very little vibration at idle or at speed.

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As a modern motorcycle, the Nightster Special also has three ride modes for varying conditions. You can select Sport, Road, and Rain modes; and unlike some other manufacturers where these modes are often too subtle to notice, H-D made them clearly distinguishable. Sport mode was a tad twitchy, but ideal for off-the-light launches. At half- to three-quarter throttle, Sport mode surged some, so a quick switch into Road mode using the easily accessible Mode button on the handlebar controls (taken straight off the Pan America) remedied this situation. And having encountered showers in central New Hampshire, Rain mode proved its worth rather quickly. The most noticeable trait in Rain mode was a discernable de-tune, as acceleration and throttle response are toned down for wet conditions.

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Beyond the ride modes, the Nightster Special comes standard with cruise control, which is simple to navigate with buttons on the left-side handlebar. Gone are the old manual throttle dials of the past, and the Special receives the same electronic equipment as the larger Pan America. The tech does not stop there, since it includes the full array of features available with the Motor Company’s new four-inch dash package.

That pairs easily with a rider’s cellphone via Bluetooth, unlocking navigation and music options. Facilitated through the H-D app, a rider can plan a route on their phone and turn-by-turn navigation displays on the dash. The rider has the option of displaying the directions via the Navigation screen, or the bike will alert the rider of the turns in the normal speedometer display. The only drawback to pairing our phone and the bike for navigation was the drain on our cellphone battery, so riders should plan on carrying a charging cable and making use of the standard USB charging port on the bike to maintain an ample charge. The Nightster Special comes with a battery tender plug and two outlets for heated gear located under the seat.

The latest and greatest technologies enhance the riding experience on the Nightster Special, but the hard parts are what really make the ride pleasurable. The low center of gravity make it one of the most maneuverable motorcycles we’ve ever tested, and we're saying this about a Harley. H-D accomplished this by placing the 3.1-gallon gas tank under a seat that sits at 27.8 inches off the ground. The modest ride height and centralized mass make the Nightster Special incredibly nimble even at low speeds.

Seasoned riders may find the tank location strange, as refueling requires a dismount of the motorcycle to unlock the seat to access the fuel cap underneath. The location of the tank also means its capacity is smaller than its predecessors (older Sportsters often came with 3.3-gallon tanks), leading to a very short range of just over 100 miles, and the low-fuel light kicked on at 106 miles. Given the Nightster Special’s real-world fuel mileage of roughly 53 MPG, we suspect the low-fuel light setting is overly cautious as the tank still contained a gallon when we filled it up after 114 miles.

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The quality of the ride was undoubtedly a focus for the engineers at Harley-Davidson. Wide handlebars placed atop five-inch risers provide plenty of leverage for the rider to steer around whatever obstacles the road presents. And the mid-controls were located in a natural position that never felt like a reach or cramped. This classic cruiser position does lead to the rider catching a fair bit of wind across their chest, and while the Nightster Special does come with a flyscreen, if you ride more than a few hours a week, you're going to start looking at a windshield.

The suspension offers a firm ride and the motorcycle always felt surefooted in corners. Admittedly, it was most at home on smoother roads but did absorb the occasional pothole without destroying our back. Up front, H-D utilized non-adjustable Showa Dual Bending Valve 41mm forks with roughly 4.5 inches of travel, and in a styling nod to prior Sportsters, the Special comes with a pair of spring-preload adjustable emulsion shocks with three inches travel in the rear. Stopping is accomplished with a single 320mm floating front disc with a four-piston Brembo caliper, and single-piston Brembo caliper on a 260mm disc in the back. Braking pressure was consistent and linear, and emergency ABS stops could be achieved with a confident squeeze of the adjustable hand lever.

To keep the motorcycle on the road, Harley-Davidson once again called upon Dunlop for a pair of D401 tires. And when the rubber meets the road on the Nightster Special, it does so on a striking set of seven-spoke cast aluminum wheels (19-inch front, 16-inch rear). In combination, these features let us carve corners on every country road we found in central New Hampshire, making this a marvelous addition to the lineup.

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Many fans of Harley-Davidson may be sad to see the air-cooled Sportsters go, but to be honest, the Nightster Special is a far better motorcycle. This motorcycle outperforms the old XL line across the board and is simply easier and more enjoyable to ride, while keeping all the character of a Harley-Davidson. The Nightster Special still sounds like a Harley with its signature potato potato firing order through that enormous exhaust. Harley-Davidson has also again ensured that riders can make the bike their own by offering a range of customizable options. including four air box cover colors (Vivid Black, Black Denim, Bright Billiard Blue, and Industrial Yellow), chrome exhaust covers, velocity stacks, et c..

With an MSRP starting at $14,999, compared to the regular Nightster’s $13,499, the Special is also a better buy. For tthat $1,500 more you get the full infotainment system plus a bike equipped with a passenger seat and pegs, so that you can share this outstanding motorcycle. Harley-Davidson has tried throughout its history to offer an entry-level motorcycle that will appeal to the masses and in our opinion, they have nailed it with the all-new Nightster Special.