Harley-Davidson has added to its Sportster motorcycle line with the introduction of the Iron 1200 and Forty-Eight Special models. The latest in a line of 100 motorcycles the company plans to introduce by 2027, these new high-bar Sportsters combine throw back styling trends from the custom bike scene with the Sportster platform and the Evolution 1200 V-Twin engine.
Harley-Davidson Iron 1200
The Iron 1200 carries on the design first seen in the Iron 883, but brings a bigger 1,202cc motor to the table. This results in a claimed increase in torque of 36 percent, from 72.9Nm in the Iron 883 to 98.9Nm in the Iron 1200. The styling is also influenced by original Iron 883, with a blacked-out engine and chrome pushrod tubes. The bike also uses similar nine-spoke, 19-inch front and 16-inch rear wheels as the Iron 883.
The Iron 1200 features a raised handlebar that is 812mm wide and with a 165mm pull-back, which should result in a more upright riding position. The Iron 1200 also has a new cowl around the single headlight that isn’t seen on the 883. The bike comes from factory with a single seat and a 12.5-litre fuel tank. ABS and the Harley-Davidson Smart Security System are available as factory-installed optional extras on the US-spec models. The Iron 1200 is priced at $9,999 (about Rs 6.5 lakh), which makes it a thousand dollars higher than the Iron 883 in the United States. However, it is the most affordable of the 1200cc Sportster range, priced thousand dollars below the 1200 Custom.
The Iron 1200 is available in three colour options – Vivid Black, Twisted Cherry and Billiard White.
Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight Special
The Forty-Eight Special uses the same motor as the new Iron 1200. However, this bike gets a beefier front-end, with its 130mm section front tyre and 49mm diameter fork. Adding to the chunkiness in the front are the large aluminium triple clamps. The Special also has a tall handlebar but it is shorter and has less pull-back than the Iron 1200.
The bottom-end of the 1200cc engine and gearbox on this motorcycle is covered in chrome. The exhaust system on the Forty-Eight Special is chrome as well, unlike the black-out pipes on the Iron 1200. The Special uses Harley’s famous “peanut” fuel tank with a capacity of around 8.3 litres. The wheels on the Special are 16-inch nine-spoke alloys, front and rear.
The Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight Special is priced at USD 11,299 (about Rs 7.35 lakh), which matches the price of the regular Forty-Eight and the Roadster. As with the Iron 1200, ABS and the Harley-Davidson Smart Security System are available as factory-installed optional extras.
The Special is available in three colour options - Vivid Black, Wicked Red and Billiard White.
Whether these two motorcycles will come to India is currently under consideration, but we see good reason for at least the Iron 1200 to make it to India (if not both) as the new entry point to the 1200 range in the Sportster family. However, before that happens, Harley-Davidson will be launching two new motorcycles within the Softail family in India on the Feb 28. Harley’s international line-up in the Softail family consists of nine models, of which four are currently available in India – the Street Bob, Fat Bob, Fat Boy and Heritage Classic.