Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1467929
QUICKSPIN I 2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster P106 similar bikes was pretty much everything I had pictured as a youngster. Regardless of the smaller engine or not, there's some- thing deep inside your soul that lights up when you grab a punchy hit of the throttle and hear that deep gurgly grunt. Another surprise to me was the overall agility of the bike. As I mentioned before, the reduced weight was a welcomed surprise from what I initially expected. The Nightster cruises comfortably at freeway speeds and easily cuts up the canyon roads too. An increased lean angle al- lows the bike to maneuver side-to-side with little input from the rider. Front and rear brakes provided confident stopping power and the ABS worked without any hiccups. This again minimizes fatigue and makes for a more enjoyable experience for the duration of the trip. Over 120 miles later we found our- selves back at the Santa Barbara coast- line. My backside felt a bit tender towards the end of our ride, but I'll just chalk it up to my inexperience in that upright Harley riding position. Overall, the new Nightster exceeded every one of my preconceived expectations. A lightweight character paired with a modern, sporty motor— what's not to love? I understand that shifting directions is something die-hard Harley owners might sneer at, but for newcomers to the scene, myself included, this seems like a go-to ride. At a reasonable $13,499 price tag and three available color options, the Nightster will surely cater to a wide variety of customers. And as a new generation of Nightster hits the roads, I personally can't wait to see how users begin to customize this ride. The only real complaint I had was not being able to take it home with me. CN SPECIFICATIONS 2022 HARLEY DAVIDSON NIGHTSER ($13,499) ENGINE TYPE Revolution Max 975T COOLING SYSTEM Liquid DISPLACEMENT 975cc BORE X STROKE 97 x 66mm COMPRESSION RATIO 12:1 HORSEPOWER 90 hp TORQUE 70 lb-ft FUELING Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) TRANSMISSION 6-speed EXHAUST 2-into-1; catalyst in header FRONT SUSPENSION 41mm Showa Dual Bending Valve conventional fork REAR SUSPENSION Dual outboard shocks, direct- acting (no linkage) with coil springs, preload adjust FRONT WHEEL 19 in. REAR WHEEL 16 in. FRONT TIRE Dunlop 100/90-19 57H REAR TIRE Dunlop 150/80B16 77H FRONT BRAKE Single rotor, floating - axially mounted, 4-piston caliper REAR BRAKE Solid uniform expansion rotor - floating, 1-piston caliper WHEELBASE 61.3 in. RAKE 30° SEAT HEIGHT 27.1 in. GROUND CLEARANCE 4.5 in. FUEL CAPACITY 3.1 gal. WEIGHT (WET, CLAIMED) 481 lbs.