Harley-Davidson Unveils New Nightster Special Motorcycle For 2023

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The new Special version of Harley-Davidson’s Nightster middleweight sport bike comes with a variety of upgrades. (Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson.)

Harley-Davidson has announced a new Special version of its Nightster middleweight sport bike with a variety of upgrades. Literally built around a 90-horsepower (67-kilowatt) Revolution Max 975T V-Twin engine—which acts as a member of the chassis—the new Nightster Special brings technology and capability to the street for one or two riders.

Celebrating its 120thyear of building bikes, Harley-Davidson plans to make more model announcements throughout 2023.

An Exciting Ride

The RH975S Nightster Special’s DOHC, liquid-cooled, 975-cc, 2-cylinder engine has electronic sequential port fuel injection (ESPFI). Its significant low-rpm torque, which peaks at 70 pounds-foot (95 newton-meters) at 5,000 rpm, puts power to the pavement through a six-speed transmission with traction control and a drag-torque slip control system.

The Nightster Special has a 483-pound (219-kilogram) curb weight, a 61.3-inch (1,557-millimeter) wheelbase, and 4.5 in. (114 mm) of ground clearance. Its 5-in. (127-mm) handlebar riser places the bike’s hand controls 2 in. (51 mm) up and 1 in. (25 mm) back for comfortable, confident control. A pillion and foot pegs allow a passenger to ride along. Riders can create custom ride modes or select the factory Road, Sport, or Rain modes if desired.

A round, 4-in. (102-mm) TFT display provides digital gauges and infotainment features. The user can operate the system via hand control buttons. The infotainment system supports Bluetooth headsets, voice command phone calling, and audible navigation directions through Harley-Davidson’s phone app. During navigation, the screen can display a moving map or a turn-by-turn perspective. Cruise control and a USB-C charging port come standard.

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The Nightster Special’s cast-aluminum wheels are shod with Dunlop bias tires and a standard tire pressure monitoring system. (Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson.)

Excellent Handling

The Nightster Special’s cast-aluminum wheels are shod with Dunlop bias tires that are sized 100/90-19 57H in front and 150/80B16 77H in the rear. A tire pressure monitoring system comes standard, as does an anti-lock braking system (ABS) with premium Brembo components. An axially mounted, four-piston caliper and 320-mm (12.6-in.) rotor control the front rim, and a floating single-piston caliper and 260-mm (10.2-in.) rotor slow the hind wheel.

The front forks on the bike are 41-mm Showa Dual Bending Valve conventional units with aluminum triple clamps. The rear swingarm has twin outboard, linkage-free shock absorbers with emulsion technology, coil springs, and a threaded collar for adjustment of their preload settings.

Harley placed a 3.1-gallon (11.7-liter) fuel cell under the bike’s hinged locking seat, which contributes to a low center of gravity. This pays dividends in handling, not to mention an easier time raising the motorcycle off its side stand. All lighting on the Nightster Special is provided by LEDs.

Find Your New Harley-Davidson

MotorSportsUniverse.com lists a variety of new and used Harley-Davidson motorbikes for sale, including Harley-Davidson cruiser models.

Source: Harley-Davidson