Harley-Davidson Sportster S

The Sportster S marked a new chapter in Harley-Davidson’s book, as it set the course for the company’s all-new, revamped Sportster lineup. However, as good-looking as it is, the bike doesn’t round it off with a thunderous growl as Harleys do (credit to Euro-5 norms) and that’s exactly the problem we’re tackling here.

Italian exhaust-maker Zard has taken the wraps off not one but two new exhausts for the Harley-Davidson Sportster S. Called Top Gun and GT, these not only unlock the rumbling exhaust note, but also increase power and decrease weight, making them perfect additions for your Sportster.

Harley-Davidson gives us a glimpse of the near future of the Sportster lineup with the release of its all-new Sportster S model. The MoCo breaks with 35 years of tradition by moving away from the powerplant and base design that first rolled back in ’86 in favor of a new, from-the-ground-up re-imagination that bears little resemblance to its predecessor. Modern chassis design and high-performance V-Twin power set the tone for the newest Sportster addition as the factory looks to become more competitive in its sub Big-Twin range.

Gaokin’s Thor GK 1000 cruiser belongs to a distinctive club of Chinese motorcycles which aren’t rip-offs, and it actually comes across as a rather likable package. So likable, in fact, that some might even argue it can take on the dominant figure in the cruiser segment, Harley-Davidson.

This is exactly why we thought why not pit the Gaokin Thor GK 1000 against the sportiest Harley-Davidson right now, the Sportster S, in a paper-based comparison. Here’s how it went.

The Harley-Davidson Sportster S was the first offering in the bikemaker’s rejuvenated Sportster lineup, and though it looks striking out of the box, there were a couple of parts that could be swapped to enhance the bike’s visual appeal.

That’s exactly what Rick’s Motorcycles, an authorized Harley dealer based in Germany has done. They have prepped up a custom Sportster S with subtle tweaks, transforming the bike into a sexy beast.

We say subtle because when you look at the custom bike, it still looks very much like a Sportster S but, the bike features plenty of small but significant changes to amp up the package.

The Harley-Davidson Sportster S is the newest family member in the American bike makers portfolio. Even though it’s barely a year old, Germany-based custom bikemaker Cult Werk, who specialize in sourcing up Harley’s have turned up the heat on the already good-looking Sportster S to create a one-off Sportster S. Oh, and it’s up for grabs too, but more on that later.