Harley Davidson Sportster Forty Eight

Its been a really long time since we've published an article. We've been cramped with many projects here and there but now we're back, and we're back with something new!

We've recently gotten ourselves even more involved in the automotive scene, through Motorcycles.
Motorycles have been going big around town for a while now, you see many of them going around but we've never heard anything about them on the local media scene. We got our licenses done, and gave it a shot!

We present to you, the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Forty Eight. A very good looking American motorcycle from the smallest family of the Harley Davidson brand, The Sportster.

But don't let the word Small fool you, as this bike packs much more than being just a starter bike.

To give some basic information about the bike, It has an 1200cc V-Twin engine, It's air-cooled (oil cooler can be installed), oldschool 5 speed manual transmission, Belt-driven, has 74 horsepower, and 107 Nm of torque.

The figures given, meet the bike's need. Horsepower and torque could be increased using aftermarket parts such as installing an exhaust system (Vance & Hines tested on this bike), an upgraded air intake, software tune, and some Screaming Eagle products that could give it some boost.

The name Forty Eight came from the re-use of the classic 1948 styling. The peanut shape fuel tank, wire wheels, forward foot controls, fat front tire (130/90B16), chopped front fender, and a low ride height.

That could give a push forward for those who are digging the oldschool Harley look, while they're in the 21st century and using modern mechanics and technology.

We took the Forty Eight for a ride around Amman, between the city, the highway, and through Na'our.
Having a louder exhaust than stock could be really useful, not just to increase power. But to increase other cars's awareness that you're sharing the street. And not be lost on a blind spot or whatever.

Cool thing about the bike, It's really good for everyday use for short distances. The suspension system doesn't really help you for long distance riding as it's a bit sharp on bumps and nicks on the ground. but nothing that would really bother you every time you ride it.

As we mentioned, the forty eight has a slightly fatter tire than standard. The look of it is great, but for functionality, handling points has noticeably decreased. You're gonna have to put some more skills of handling into it to have it going your way.

The fuel tank can fill up to 8 Liters of fuel, 95 octane ofcourse. Giving you the average riding distance of 120 km. Which is low when compared to other Harley models with bigger fuel tanks. So if you're riding with the your HOG chapter, You're gonna be refueling more often. It's always preferable to keep a backup canister of fuel just to get you to the next fuel station if you forgot to refuel earlier.

As for the heat issue that everyone talks about, We drove the bike for a few hours at a cold weather. The exhaust is expected to give some heat, maybe on the summer you could wrap it with heat wrapping so that wouldn't make a problem.
Engine heat was felt, it didn't bother us due to the weather but maybe on the summer it could bother a notch. But the bike was great, if it bothers you too much you could simply install an OEM oil cooler from Harley Davidson. Life's great.

Single brake disc on the front with dual pistons, and another single disc on the rear but with 1 piston.
A Safety feature to turn the bike off when you go into gear while the jiffy stand (jack) down.

The Sportster family in general is very customizable. The Forty Eight above was fully converted to a bobber styled bike with the white collar on the tires, chopped rear and front fenders, apes, heat wrapping around the exhaust and many other details.

Parts are available everywhere, and everything can be done. It's always preferable to have your bike done at the dealership where they have the most qualified people who you could trust your bike with.

The Forty Eight's price, weight, and size makes it perfect for those who recently got their licenses and are looking for their first motorcycle to own.
Fuel consumption is alright, Acceleration is beautiful, size is compact, and you can basically do anything to it.

Just keep it safe, wear your gear, ride your Harley with its Harley Davidson spirit that everyone talks about. And leave your riding ego at home, Ride with a smile on your face for a change.

Photography credits: Estabraq Kamal, and Abdulla Ja'afari