Harley-Davidson introduced the Sportster S in the summer of 2021 during the throes of the pandemic. The Sporty redux was the most radical reimagining of the 65-year-old design to date, and even the raging Delta variant couldn’t distract from its seismic impact on Harley diehards. Blowhards might have been skeptical about the liquid-cooled, Pan America-sourced 1,250cc mill that replaced the ancient air-cooled 883cc and 1,200cc lumps, but that didn't bother the Motor Company.
Along with the new mill, Harley upped the ante with unorthodox moves like a pill-shaped LED headlamp, a hidden rear monoshock that replaced the conventional coilovers, and funky styling that left the Sportster’s trim, simple lines behind. Though it stirred controversy, the new model begged a deeper question: Do younger buyers even covet heritage enough to make them turned off by a modern Sportster?
