A Look at the Updated Sportsters

The 2016 Harley-Davidson® Sportster collection has been updated, and two models in particular have really benefited from the iconic American motorcycle maker’s latest additions. If you’ve got your eye on the Iron 883 and Forty-Eight cruisers, you’re in for a real treat. (1)

Overview

For the new model year, the Harley-Davidson® Iron 883 and Forty-Eight Sportsters receive a new, raw and rough-around-the-edges Dark Custom look that greatly enhances their visual appeal. (2) That being said, both motorcycles have more to offer than sleek new styling, as they also benefit from new suspensions and a new seat for enhanced ride comfort and enjoyment. (1)

Iron 883

The new XL883N Sportster Iron 883 is currently available at Adamec Harley-Davidson® of Baymeadows, Orange Park, Regency and St. Augustine. Updates for the 2016 model start with an enticing blacked-out and aggressive throwback style, a new rolled leather seat for added comfort and new pipes. (3) In addition, the bike gets two sleek new black, 9-spoke cast aluminum wheels with machined highlights (19-inch for the front, 16-inch for the rear). (4) New nitrogen-charged shock absorbers are also part of the 2016 updates, helping to improve “damping in compression and rebound,” according to Cycle World. (2)

Other elements include an under-seat wrench to adjust spring-preload, (4) an all-new front and rear adjustable suspension, (1) and black-out features such as mufflers/ muffler shields, air cleaner cover and floating brake rotor are also to be expected. (4)

If the newly redesigned XL1200X Sportster Forty-Eight cruiser is more your style, you’ll be happy to note that it's currently available at your Adamec Harley-Davidson® dealer. The model, like its Iron 883 sibling, is also outfitted in a Dark Custom look (for a more hardcore appeal), and gains new lightweight mag wheels, a better seat and suspension, and 1970s-inspired graphics, among other updates. (5)

Other new features to look for include a 49 mm front fork with cartridge dampening technology, and emulsion technology rear shocks with 50 mm range of pre-load adjustability (plus, there's a screw adjuster located under the seat). A fork brace, massive triple clamps, blacked-out elements such as the bike's belt guard and mufflers, and split, nine-spoke cast aluminum wheels covered in gloss black and complete with machined highlights are also included among the Forty-Eight's many updates. (4)

There's only one way to fully appreciate the new 2016 Harley-Davidson® Sportster models, and that's by visiting and testing the motorcycles at your H-D® dealer. (1)