How Great Was The 2007 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Motorcycle?

If you know anything about the history of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, you likely know that the Sportster 1200 was not the first Sportster that the U.S. based manufacturer released into the market. In fact, it’s part of a long line of Sportsters released by Harley-Davidson, with a lineage stretching all the way from 1957 to today.

Launched into the tumultuous late-1950s landscape, the ’57 Sportster’s style seemed to reflect both the history of Harley-Davidson motorcycles and the wide-open times that lay ahead for America and the world. The bike hit the road boasting a V2 four-stroke engine that could push an era-impressive 42 horsepower and reportedly touch a top speed of 100 mph. With its mid-size frame and relatively low ground clearance, the four-speed 1957 Sportster was as ideal for cruising about town as it was for burning down the freeway.

The Sportster had understandably evolved by 2007, with the 1200 being named in part after the torquey 1200 cc engine that powered it. That air-cooled, four-stroke V-twin pushed the horsepower up to 64 and was capable of reaching 110 mph, with the 2007 model also marking the year the company replaced the carburetor with fuel injection. As for the frame, the 2007 Sportster understandably fronted a far more modern look, but its style winked lovingly back at the designs of Sportsters from decades past, straight down to the bike’s super slick dual chrome exhaust pipes affixed to the bike’s right side.