I finally got the ride the Nightster 975 and here are my honest thoughts of the bike. If you concur or have different opinion of the bike, please comment below!

Hello, I live in France near Paris and I congratulate you for this excellent review. Young motorcycle license, I tried this bike and I really appreciated the handling, the look and the stability with a very low center of gravity. Finally, the "silence" is appreciable because it is fully compatible with the anti-pollution and anti-noise standards that we have in Europe. I placed an order and the reception is scheduled for June 15th. I am very impatient ! Thanks again for your work.

I brought the Nightster Special it is a awesome bike . I have had 2 two 883 lrons . Current own a 19 Softail Slim and the Nightster Special. I perfer riding the Nightster Special. I noticed you were not usino any revs around town no wonderful it felt lame to you . If you rev it in first gear l will lift the front wheel off the ground . Have done a12.20@120mph on a 1/4 mile drag Strip . It would been faster if l took the speed limiter off it. So don't understand how you say it is lacking power around town . The mirrors work great if you adjusted them correctly. But they are too wire for lane splitting . So l did change them now new one don't work aswell or look as good but great for lane splittig . I fitted the Sundowner seat a easy swap . S&S muffler improve the sound . I agree the Evo motor sound so much better . The Nightster Special with it's different handlebar riders, two up seat & TFT display is a better bike . Plus has Cruise control ,2 programmable modes . Map and Bluetooth controls. Expensive yes but lots of power, good brakes,lots of tech & handles great . I did notice you rear shocks had not been adjusted . With all the extra you get on this bike it is a lot more expensive to build than a 883 Iron so price has to be higher . Everyone wants Harley Davidson to build a world class bike then when they do Everyone sooks about it 😢 . My little girls bike that so many people have called it has sent so many bigger bike home with the tail between their legs when it kicks their butt .😂. I Love Evo Sportsters but they are not in the same league as the Nightster Special.

I'm an old rider and I'm interested. It looks like a Sportster to me. There's something to be said for a bike that weighs 480 lbs wet with 90 hp. Hydraulic valves and belt drive means more riding and less fussing. In typical Harley Fashion it appears all the routine stuff that needs to be done is easily gotten to. Beginner Bike? Speaking for myself, if this was my first bike? Let me just say things wouldn't have gone well, I can't speak for someone else. I love the sound of the traditional Harleys. So it has its own sound. The Vee Rod had a sound of its own as well. With a nice set of pipes installed a Vee Rod could put the fear of God in you. We will see what this sounds like when pipes are available. Lack of the Harley shake? Although I love it I can do without it. I like a bike that is forgiving and confidence inspiring yet still a blast to ride. Again, I'm old and very interested in this bike. 53 years on 2 wheels. Great Review!

Great review man. Love the complete picture you painted on this. Thanks!!

your reviews are so freaking good! love the comparison with the iron 883 side by side 🥰 keep up the good work 🤩

The fact that it has none of the typical Harley charm is actually a selling point, and I'm a guy who LOVES his Street Bob 114 and his Road King 110! Evos always had a different vibe, especially Sportys - a little peppier than the M8, a little more willing to gas itself out getting to high revs, and the bike itself was lighter and more nimble than my RK or, say, a Dyna - but when you pushed it hard you hit the same limits, and it was just as nerve-racking as the bigger bikes, so what's the point? This is the Sportster that Harley-Davidson needed to make, not just for the new riders or people new to the brand not just for the haters but for the Harley lovers that want something that's not such a Harley, but don't want anything that's NOT a Harley no matter what it is! This is for the guy like me, who likes riding his friend's Scouts and Rebels but can't bring himself to buy one... And they were smart enough to charge a stupid tax!

Excellent review, well executed and on point. You're getting super good at these. I like the cuts between the 360° and the helmet view. Your gold visor reflecting the clouds in the sky really looked beautiful. The area where you live has some nice scenery. When I first laid eyes on the 975 Revo, I didn't think I'd like it but it really is growing on me. I still hate the look and sound of the pipes but nobody can argue with the performance. If I was 25 years younger, I'd probably choose it over anything else HD makes. I'm older now (59 this year) so I think I'll stick with the classic cruisers. One thing about the 975, that flip seat appears to me to open the wrong way. Isn't the key hole that unlocks it on the hinge side? Isn't that the opposite side from where you'd be standing to fill it up? It opens toward the left/jiffystand side so you "have to" fill the gas tank from the other side which is the opposite from what I prefer. I like to be able to "look down the hole" to see just how full it is but on this bike, the filler hole is leaning away so it would be a lot harder to look down into it. Plus, if the gas hose nozzle were to drip, it would drip onto the "beauty side" of the bike. I always fill my bike from the left side so if the nozzle drips, it mostly misses the bike. Also I can look down the hole. Every time I've ever tried to fill up from the right hand side, it's been more difficult. One of my biggest recent disappointments with HD is the cancelling of Breakout, Softail Slim and Deluxe, and the Lowrider (I don't mean S or ST which are a lot different). Those are all the style of bike that I love and they're gone so now I don't know what to buy new so I think I'll have to look to the used market to find what I want. I'd love to see the Deluxe with a 114 M8, whitewall tires, and a lot of chrome. The Heritage comes pretty close I guess and it's still available. It just seems like every time I think "I want that bike", it disappears.

the handle bar its on the same positition than the Iron. that impression you have its because you got one higher riser installing on you Iron which change your ergonomic

I like this bike but will still be going with the iron or 48 as my first. I just want to have one bike with that air cooled rumble. I do like the look and weight of the new nightster. Loved the review and thank you for the great work.

Great content and edits! Its so good looking and I think it could use Risers (I dont see apes on it). I gotta film a test ride soon. Really good job Kris

Simple explaination . Awesome bike👍👍😊

Hey did you find pulling the brake lever lighter compared to other bikes? Thanks for a great review of the nightster!

Biggest thing I noticed when I sat on it was the fake air filter as it dug into the side of my leg.

Quick question, what do you mean by the center air box? (What the usual gas tank) is it like a glove compartment kind of thing? Like where you store stuff in?

Hi KS, between the sportster s and this, which would you pick? I like the look of this one a bit better however it's merely $2k CDN less than the sportster s, and the sportster s has better everything, the 1250 engine alone would be more than $2k differences, let alone the TFT, suspension, IMU etc.

At beginning, you mentioned the bike doesn't really rev. The Sportster S computer prevents you from rev bombing it in neutral. It might be a feature of the Rev Max engines.

Nice review. I wouldn't't considerate Sportster S the big brother of the Nightster. These bikes have very little in common in pretty much any aspect. Naturally the Nightster doesn't have the acceleration of the S, due to the much greater displacement of the 1250 engine. As with most any Harleys that have ever been sold, the exhaust is the first thing to be upgraded, with the possible exception of the seat. There will be plenty of aftermarket parts available for this bike within a year or less. As far as the sitting position goes and your sore back, I changed out the handlebars on my 90s 883 for a style and function that I preferred, I went with track bars and installed them with 4" pull back risers in order to improve the look and sitting position. Not much of an expense there. I can no longer ride due to physical limitations, but if I were in the market for a new bike, the Nightster would definitely be my choice. I simply dig their look. I would not want a Rebel 1100. To me, the angle of the fuel tank is unappealing as Hell. The rest of the bikes not cool in the least. Yes, the specs and pricing are very tempting for many, but no a true HD lover. Just like every other previous Harley, money must be further invested in order to make your new bike your very own statement.

The review I've been waiting for!!! You did a stellar job comparing it to the 883 which is exactly what I've been wanting to hear. I do have to ask if it seemed "plasticy" to you? In videos and pictures it looks like it has a lot of plastic to it.

I have mixed feelings. On one hand it was an exhilarating ride but it didn’t feel like a Harley at all.

I stopped into our local HD dealer because I'm thinking of down grading from my Victory Cross County so I looked at something a little lighter for commuting and the salesman told me if I'm going to get something like the 883 or 1200 do it now because the next bike is going have an ATV leaf blower motor that sounds like ass, its pretty sad when even salesman are not looking for to it either.

And now I’m here lol. I’m kind of at a crossroad, the bike looks great, the ride modes, traction control, TPMS definitely gives it a more modern up to date appeal. With how emissions and the EPA is going, I think the revmax motor is going to be the future of these smaller bikes from Harley however when I think of Harley I think of the rumble and shake. Those characteristic are what separates HD from the rest. I wouldn’t be surprised if HD releases the new “iron 975” later on this year that replaces the 883 for next year. I still think it’s overpriced for what’s being labeled as an entry level HD. Just looking at the bike I would want to get rid of most of the plastic and replace it with metal pieces and of course the exhaust so now what? Spend another 2-3k on aftermarket stuff. When all said and done the bike might be over 18k after purchase and mods… I think I’ll continue searching for the right 883 or maybe wait it out and see if HD actually drops any info on the replacement of the 883. Wouldn’t mind a 48 but the tank is smaller and I’m not a fan of the forward controls. Great vid.

Lucky bro, still haven’t got one in Calgary

I've been looking at one, but for $13k there's a lot of plastic parts. I'm looking at an iron 883, what would you recommend for aftermarket shocks? Everything I've watched and read said the stock shocks suck.

I love mine

Finally!

It's a plastic induced bike that doesn't come in at an entry level price. Not impressed

Good review. After your review, l don't think l would consider purchasing one.

Translation.......it feels like a metric bike.

180 degree crank?

This bike has the same Achilles’ heel that the sportster S does. It has this amazingly powerful and sporty Motor, crammed into a cruiser. They’ve tried to compromise by putting more aggressive Ergos on the bike. But still sacrificing all of the lean angle and ride height necessary for real sport riding. Making this a bad cruiser and a bad sport bike. They should have just come out with the Bronx, and left this bike with high handlebars and forward controls

I love ❤️ it

does it have an USB port?

I like the looks, but for a new rider is just too expensive and reliability is questionable. I don't care for name or heritage.

Harley Nightster 1250 will be the bike that many people want. Sportster S just look too modern.

Harley really screwed up, they should have left the sprotsers alone, the evo was a beautiful motor and the bikes looked classic, they didn't need to make the engine look like it had big plastic side covers, I used to say harley had indian beat but honestly Indians motors look alot better than these. It's not a harley anymore, it's practically a honda rebel motorcycle at this point. Hell I'd take a honda shadow over one of these just on the basis of aesthetics