YEP, it’s a Harley all right and the description’s just about spot on too. No matter which era its machines occupy Harley-Davidson always seems to be a law unto itself. The XL Sportster 883 Low epitomises this attitude beautifully. It has the classic good looks that Harley-Davidson has turned into an artform and this machine is no exception. Low, lean and sexy, or licentious depending on which end of the dictionary you’re at.

But be aware that with that sleek look comes a machine which is really, really low. Don’t get me wrong – I love ripping down the highway with my arse this close to the ground. That’s part of the appeal of this style of machine. Being that close to the ground and the sound of those throbbing shorty pipes is all part of the attraction.

On the stand

The reduced reach solo seat is very stylish and works well with the flat styled handlebars. Combined with the low profile front forks and low profile rear shocks, it offers a seat height of only 64.13cm. So the mid-mounted footpegs and shift levers aren’t too far of a stretch. Being as vertically challenged as I am, I thoroughly enjoyed riding this bike. And that easy to reach side-stand – what a gem.

And there’s a few other improvements on this model to make life that little bit easier, such as the front brake lever which needs 11 per cent less effort to use. Brakes are single disc up front with a dual-piston caliper and single-piston at the back and they’re quite up to the task on this machine. The electronic speedo has odometer, time of day clock on the odometer, dual resettable trip meter, low fuel warning, low oil pressure warning light and diagnostic readout.

This beautiful city beast comes standard with electronic sequential port fuel injection (ESPFI) in an air-cooled, rubber-mounted 883 Evolution engine which has well and truly had all the bugs ironed out of it over the past few years.

It does have a bit more grunt than previous models, boasting 15 per cent more torque at 2500rpm so she has plenty at the bottom end.
The spoked wheels have gone, replaced with 13-spoke cast aluminium wheels front and back. Very nice – less time cleaning, more time riding!

Security is a big issue with Harleys and the 883 Low has an optional smart hands-free security system which operates on proximity to the machine. Just switch her off and walk away. Easy
 

The ride

The engine pulls much harder than previous models using the 883 engine and the five-speed gearbox shifts cleanly and positively.
The low profile forks and shocks don’t have a huge amount of travel so just be aware of that before you take her out of the city she’s designed for. As soon as a bumpy road is encountered the bike immediately feels out of its element, the suspension runs out of travel and the body takes up the rest of the impact.

Now don’t get tempted into hurtling this beast too hard into the long, fast twisty bits because you are going to scrape her. The bolts under the exhaust (right hand, obviously) will scrape first and the left hand side takes only a little bit more effort.

The fuel tank only carries 12.5 litres, but of course you’re not going to go on long runs with her, are you? Otherwise you would have bought a Fatboy or a Lowrider, right? Not that the Low won’t handle a few decent runs to the Vineyards and back – just spec up to a bigger tank...problem solved.

Besides the trademark V-twin engine Harleys are also known for their evocative sounds, and the 883 Low is no different. The chrome staggered exhaust with the shorty dual mufflers punching out that muscular tone.

The last word

With a starting price of $10,995 + the Low is great value if you’re looking to own a piece of this legendary marque. The short travel suspension isn’t going to be everyone’s liking, all depending on where the bike will be ridden. If you intend to punt the bike along some of Australia’s more ‘average’ roads then it’s easy, just opt for the standard Sportster, not the Low.

Did I mention she’s really low?