Can the 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S Compete With Rival Cruisers?
The 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S might bear a familiar name, but it’s significantly different from its fellow Sportsters. However, it’s also still a cruiser motorcycle, albeit a rather sporty one. Harley’s known for making excellent cruisers, from touring baggers to more urban-friendly bikes. So, how does the Sportster S stack up to the competition?
Which cruiser motorcycles directly rival the 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S?
Comparing the 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S to other cruiser motorcycles first requires determining its closest rivals. And that means figuring out which bikes it doesn’t compete with.
For instance, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is a good entry-level cruiser. But as a single-cylinder $4399 bike, it’s not a competitor for the $14,999 V-twin Sportster S. On the other hand, the 2021 Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. offers a larger, more powerful V-twin for only an extra $300. However, it’s down a gear to the Harley and outweighs it by about 260 pounds. It’s a heavyweight performance cruiser, WebBikeWorld says, more in line with Harley-Davidson’s CVO models.
The 2021 Honda Rebel 1100 is also a solid cruiser motorcycle. And with its $9299 starting price, a fairly affordable one, too. Plus, unlike the Harley, it offers an optional dual-clutch automatic. However, in terms of performance and features, it’s not quite on the Sportster S’s level. More on that in a moment, though.
Going further, RevZilla muses that some potential owners might cross-shop the Sportster S with the 2022 Indian FTR. And to be fair, the bikes have several similarities. Both draw inspiration from flat track racing, for example. Their liquid-cooled V-twin engines also make roughly the same amount of power, though the Harley is slightly torquier. They also weigh about the same. Plus, the 2022 Indian FTR 1200 S has the same starting price as the Harley-Davidson Sportster S. However, the FTR is technically a standard, not a cruiser.
So, which cruiser motorcycles are worthy rivals to the 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S? Looking through specs, features, and prices, several bikes stand out:
How does the 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S compare to its cruiser motorcycle competition?
| Spec | 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S | 2021 BMW R 18 | 2022 Indian Chief | 2022 Ducati Diavel 1260 | 2022 Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster |
| Price | $14,999 | $17,495 | $14,499 | $20,295 | $13,150 |
| Engine | 1252cc liquid-cooled V-twin |
1802cc air/oil-cooled boxer-twin | 1811cc air-cooled V-twin |
1262cc liquid-cooled L-twin |
1200cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin |
| Power | 121 hp | 91 hp | 76 hp (based on Cycle World dyno testing) | 157 hp | 77 hp |
| Torque | 94 lb-ft | 116 lb-ft | 108 lb-ft | 95 lb-ft | 78 lb-ft |
| Transmission | Six-speed with slip-assist clutch | Six-speed | Six-speed with slipper clutch | Six-speed | Six-speed with torque-assist clutch |
| Curb weight | 502 lb | 761 lb | 670 lb | 538 lb | 580 lb |
| Fuel tank capacity | 3.1 gal | 4.23 gal | 4 gal | 4.5 gal | 3.2 gal |
| Front suspension travel | 3.6″ | 4.7″ | 5.2″ | 4.7″ | 3.5″ |
| Rear suspension travel | 2″ | 3.5″ | 3″ | 5.1″ | 2.9″ |
| Lean angle | 34° | 25° (Vicarious) | 28.5° | 41° | Unavailable |
| Front brake | Single-disc Brembo with cornering ABS | Dual discs with ABS | Single disc (ABS optional) | Dual-disc Brembos with cornering ABS | Dual-disc Brembos with ABS |
| Rear brake | Single-disc Brembo with cornering ABS | Single disc with ABS | Single disc (ABS optional) | Single-disc Brembo with cornering ABS | Single-disc Nissin with ABS |
| Seat height | 29.6″ | 27.2″ | 26″ | 30.7″ | 27.8″ |
Looking purely at the specs, the 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S is the lightest among these five cruiser motorcycles. And while its torque figure is middle-of-the-road, the Sportster S is the second-most powerful bike listed here.
However, it also has the least amount of rear suspension travel and the smallest fuel tank. Plus, it has the second-highest seat. That being said, a 29.6”-tall seat is “very low and approachable,” Roadshow notes. And with a 34° lean angle, the Sportster S neatly splits the difference between the more ‘traditional’ cruisers and the sportbike-like Diavel.
Plus, the Harley is the second-cheapest cruiser motorcycle listed here. That’s important to remember where features are concerned.
How do the cruiser motorcycles compare in technology and standard features?
| Spec | 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S | 2021 BMW R 18 | 2022 Indian Chief | 2022 Ducati Diavel 1260 | 2022 Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster |
| LED lighting | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Fuel gauge | Standard | Unavailable | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Keyless ignition | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Unavailable |
| Bluetooth | Standard | Unavailable | Unavailable | Optional | Unavailable |
| USB outlet | Standard | Unavailable (12V instead) | Standard | Unavailable | Unavailable (12V optional) |
| Traction control | Standard | Standard (called ‘Stability Control’) | Unavailable | Standard | Standard |
| Rear-wheel-slip control | Standard | Standard | Unavailable | Standard | Unavailable |
| Cruise control | Standard | Optional | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Engine-braking control | Standard | Unavailable | Unavailable | Standard | Unavailable |
| Stability control | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | Standard | Unavailable |
| Launch control | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | Standard | Unavailable |
| Wheelie control | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | Standard | Unavailable |
| Number of riding modes | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Suspension adjustability | Fully-adjustable front and rear | Rear preload adjustment | Rear preload adjustment | Fully-adjustable front and rear | Rear preload adjustment |
| Quickshifter | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | Optional | Unavailable |
| Reverse gear | Unavailable | Optional | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Tire-pressure monitoring | Standard | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable |
The Ducati Diavel’s extra performance features over the other cruiser motorcycles are expected given its sportbike-like design. However, while it offers three additional ‘power modes,’ it still has fewer riding modes than the Harley-Davidson Sportster S. And the Sportster is the only one of the five to have standard TPMS.
It’s worth noting for potential BMW R 18 and Indian Chief buyers that these bikes’ higher trims do have additional features. The Chief Bobber Dark Horse and Super Chief Limited, for example, have Bluetooth and USB outlets, CW notes. And the new R 18 Transcontinental has a fuel gauge, Bluetooth, an audio system, and optional adaptive cruise control, RevZilla says. However, they’re all more expensive than the Sportster S.
Which one is worth buying?
As with any motorcycle, try the cruiser you’re interested in before you think of buying it. The Harley-Davidson Sportster S and the Bonneville Speedmaster offer optional mid controls for those who don’t want forward ones. And if that doesn’t make you comfortable on the bike, try a different one.
Ultimately, picking between these five is a matter of preference and budget. The Indian Chief, BMW R 18, and Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster hew close to the ‘traditional’ cruiser formula. As noted earlier, the Ducati Diavel is significantly more like a sportbike. And the Sportster S is somewhere in the middle.
But regardless of which one you pick, it’s clear that the Sportster S is by no means an also-ran cruiser. It’s a true competitor.
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