Alright, let’s talk about this Harley Davidson Nightster and its horsepower. Heard a lot of buzz, saw the numbers they put out – something around 90 horsepower, right? Coming from older Harleys, that sounded like a big jump for something with the Sportster family name, even if it’s a new engine.
So, I decided I had to get some seat time on one. Not just a quick spin around the block, but actually ride it and see what’s what. Numbers on a page don’t mean much until you twist the throttle yourself. Got my hands on one for a weekend.
First Impressions
Setting off, the first thing you notice is this Revolution Max 975T engine feels… different. It doesn’t have that immediate, low-down grunt I was used to. You know, that feeling where the bike just wants to pull right from idle. This one felt a bit tame down low. Like, really tame.
You gotta give it some revs. Seriously. Below maybe 3,500 or 4,000 RPM, it’s pretty sleepy. I found myself needing to downshift more often in town than I expected, just to get it moving smartly.
Finding the Power
But then you wind it up. Get it past that 4,000 RPM mark, and yeah, it starts to wake up. It pulls noticeably harder in the mid-range and keeps going. Does it feel like 90 horsepower? Hard to say without a dyno right there, but it definitely moves along quicker than the old air-cooled Sportsters once you’re in the right gear and the revs are up. It’s smooth, too. Very little vibration compared to the old bikes, which is nice I guess, but also part of that different character.
Took it out on some open roads, highways. Passing cars is fine, you just need to plan it a little. Drop a gear, let it spin up, and it goes. It’s not gonna snap your head back, let’s be clear. It feels more like a steady build-up of speed rather than a punch.
So, What’s the Deal?
Here’s my take after riding it for a bit:
- The power is there, but you have to chase it. It’s not instantly available like the old torque-rich V-twins. You need revs.
- It feels more refined, maybe too refined? Less raw feeling than older Harleys. Depends if you like that or not.
- For cruising around town, it feels adequate but not exciting down low. You work the gearbox more.
- On faster roads, it performs okay once you get it into its powerband.
Overall, the horsepower number looks good on paper, but the experience of that power is very different from traditional Harleys. It’s a modern engine, behaves like one. It needs revs to give you its best. It’s not bad, just… different. You really need to ride it yourself to see if that style of power delivery works for you. For me, it felt competent, but didn’t quite stir the soul in the same way some other bikes do, Harleys or otherwise. It gets the job done, just in its own modern way.
