Sit back, easy rider, feeling the road on a Harley may have just become a smoother proposition, courtesy of ergonomics.
They’re the first major modifications to the Harley-Davidson Sportster model in over 20 years, and while colors like Impact Blue and Lava Red Sunglo might grab the rider’s eye, it’s the newly-added ergonomics modifications within that make the most comfortable statement.
The modifications start with a rubber-mounted engine that Harley-Davidson promises will help isolate the rider from engine vibration and improve long-distance comfort. The addition of a stiffer frame is intended to minimize vibration on the Sportster as well.
Listed as an entry-level Harley, the Sportster, indicates the company, also has a broad appeal with women. Catering to a smaller-sized rider, the seat was lowered and the handgrips were made thinner. According to Harley-Davidson’s vice president-director of styling, Louie Netz, the modifications not only improve the bike’s comfort but also give the Sportster a “lower, longer and cleaner” look. And aside from new colors and other eye candy for the rider, additional modifications on the 2004 Sportster include a braking system that requires less initial effort on the rider’s part and a relocation of the battery and the oil tank to permit a more comfortable riding posture.
According to Netz, these ergonomics-driven changes