The folks in Harley’s design division have been busy raiding the company parts bin again to come up with yet another Sportster. Dubbed the Seventy-Two ($10,499) this particular bike seems to harken back to a time when bikes had rake and flake, but also had swingarms and hand clutches as well. Trust me, there were plenty of these sorts of bikes back then and the Street Chopper archives are teeming with them.
When I picked up my test Seventy-Two I immediately liked the power of the peppy little 1,200cc motor but detested the solo seat due to the fact that I kept sliding off the back of it when rapidly running through the gears. I also liked the looks of the small tank on the bike, but was pretty bummed when I had to stop all the time to fill it up. The mini apes at first glance looked good and felt much better when I rocked them up “Chicago” style. I liked the looks of the new air cleaner cover as well as the exhaust, which usually are the first two things I change on any new bike I purchase.
After I put a few hundred miles on the bike I can tell you the Seventy-Two rides like a Harley and found the ape hanger and forward control combination very comfortable for my 5-foot, 10-inch, height. I also found the suspension nice and plush for my 200-pound girth.
During my many fuel stops, I had a handful of people come up to me and ask what I did to the bike to make it look that good and were puzzled when I told them it’s a factory-fresh and showroom stock bike.
By the sum of its parts, this bike is not a chopper by any means of the word, but the Seventy-Two has many styling cues taken from what the cool chopper dudes are riding today.
I really like what Harley is doing for the new crop of riders by giving them a tremendous choice of good-looking lower-priced bikes such as the Iron 883, Forty-Eight, Nightster, and Superlow, which are just one push-button away from getting your knees in the breeze and that’s what it’s all about. For more info, check out harley-davidson.com. STC