Harley-Davidson XL1200X Forty-Eight

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200
Manufacturer	Harley-Davidson
Also called	XLH Sportster 1200 (reduced effect), 1200 Sportster Custom, 1200 Sportster Sport, 1200 Sportster, XLH Sportster 1200 Sport, XL1200S Sportster Sport, XL 1200 S Sportster Sport, Sportster 1200 Sport, XL 1200 C Sportster 1200 Custom, XL 1200 S Sportster 1200 Sport, XL1200S Sportster 1200 Sport, XL 1200S Sportster 1200 Sport, XLH Sportster 1200, XL 1200 R Sportster Roadster, XL 1200R Sportster 1200 Roadster, XL50 50th Anniversary Sportster, XL1200R Sportster Roadster, XL1200L Sportster Low, XL1200R Sportster 1200 Roadster, XL1200N Sportster 1200 Nightster, XL 1200N Sportster 1200 Nightster, XL 1200C Sportster 1200 Custom, XL1200X Sportster Forty-Eight, XL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight, XL1200L Sportster 1200 Low, XL 1200L Sportster 1200 Low, XL1200X Forty-Eight, XL 1200X Forty-Eight, XL 1200N Nightster, XL1200C Sportster 1200 Custom, XL1200X Springer Forty-Eight, Sportster Seventy-Two Dark Custom, Sportster Seventy-Two, Sportster Forty-Eight Dark Custom, Sportster Roadster Dark Custom, 115th Anniversary Forty-Eight, Sportster SuperLow 1200T, Sportster Roadster, XL1200C Sportster Custom, XL1200R Sportster, XL1200N Nightster, XL 1200 R Sportster, XL 1200 C Sportster Custom, Sportster Forty-Eight, Sportster 1200 Custom
Production	2010
Engine	Four stroke, 45° V-Twin, OHV, 2 valves per cylinder.
Compression ratio	9.7:1
Ignition	Digital CDI
Transmission	5 Speed
Frame	Mild steel, tubular frame; circular sections; cast junctions Swingarm Mild steel, rectangular tube sections, stamped junctions; MIG welded
Suspension	Front: ∅39mm Fork Rear: Coil-over; preload dual-adjustable
Brakes	Front: Single ∅300mm disc, 2 x ∅38mm piston calipers Rear: Single ∅300mm disc, 2 x ∅38mm piston calipers
Front Tire	MT90B16
Rear Tire	150/80-B16
Wheelbase	1520 / 59.8 in
Seat Height	Laden 660 mm / 26.0 in Unladen 681 mm / 26.8 in.
Weight	257.2 kg / 567 lbs (wet)
Oil Capacity	2.6 L / 0.69 US gal
Fuel Capacity	13.7 L / 3.6 US gal
Manuals	Service Manual

Engine

The engine was a Air cooled cooled Four stroke, 45° V-Twin, OHV, 2 valves per cylinder.. The engine featured a 9.7:1 compression ratio.

Chassis

It came with a MT90B16 front tire and a 150/80-B16 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Single ∅300mm disc, 2 x ∅38mm piston calipers in the front and a Single ∅300mm disc, 2 x ∅38mm piston calipers in the rear. The front suspension was a ∅39mm Fork while the rear was equipped with a Coil-over; preload dual-adjustable. The XL1200X Forty-Eight was fitted with a 13.7 L / 3.6 US gal fuel tank. The wheelbase was 1520 / 59.8 in long.

Photos

Overview

Harley Davidson XL1200X Forty-Eight

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FORTY-EIGHT IS A RAW AND RADICAL RIDE

New Sportster Brings Brawn as Chiseled Custom with Power and Performance

OXFORD UK (January 22, 2010) – The new Harley-Davidson® Forty-Eight™ motorcycle is a new factory custom in the legendary tradition of the hot rod Sportster line with the raw, elemental appeal of a Custom.

Riding low and featuring the classic 2.1-gallon (7.95 litre) "peanut" fuel tank, the Forty-Eight backs up its bulldog appearance with the performance of its blacked and polished rubber-mounted Evolution 1200 cc V-Twin engine. The low solo seat, under-bar mounted mirrors, clean rear fender and fat balloon tires emphasise the Forty Eight's focus on chiseled customisation.

"With its classic bulldog shoulders stance, the Forty-Eight strikes a distinctive look and low profile that could only come from Harley-Davidson," said Ray Drea, Harley-Davidson Senior Director of Styling. "The Forty-Eight has a collective past life experience and broken-in look that is raw and authentic."

As a Harley-Davidson Custom, the Forty-Eight is ready to ride as a radical custom and also primed to take on its rider's character and personality.

Harley-Davidson Sportsters like the Forty-Eight have retained an aura of rebellion since their introduction in 1957, when the foundation of custom culture was being laid by military veterans, swaggering greasers and anyone else with a gritty garage. Sportsters became an iron canvas for many legendary choppers of that hot rod era and beyond.

Lying low from tire-to-tire, the Forty-Eight showcases more of its black 1200 Evolution V-Twin engine with polished accents and other components with a clean look highlighted by the traditional peanut fuel tank, small solo seat and lightening holes in the backbone mounting bracket. The Forty-Eight has more than just custom cool styling with the smooth ride on new front fork sliders, a fat and wide 150 mm front tire and slammed rear suspension. With Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) and a broad torque curve, the Forty-Eight delivers a powerfully responsive ride with smooth clutch effort. The chrome, staggered shorty dual muffler pounds out the distinctive Harley-Davidson American V-Twin sound.

The Forty-Eight embraces the street up front with forward foot controls, low profile custom handlebar, under-bar mounted mirrors, fork-mounted turn signals, slammed speedometer mounting bracket and lightened fork brace. A unique dual texture solo seat fits the lone rider, while a passenger pillion, footpegs and backrest are some of the many accessories that can be added.

The black chopped rear fender with combination stop/turn/tail lights help show-off the fat 150 mm rear tire and 16-inch Black Steel Laced wheels. The front tire also rides on a wide black wheel.

The Forty-Eight is available in Vivid Black, Brilliant Silver and Mirage Orange Pearl colors.

Forty-Eight features and highlights:

• Blacked and polished rubber-mounted Evolution 1200

cc V-Twin engine with chrome accents

• Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
• Steel 2.1-gallon (7.95 litre) peanut fuel tank

with lightening hole mounting bracket

• One-piece, solo Sportster classic seat
• 710mm seat height
• Fat balloon tires
• 16-inch Black Steel Laced wheels
• Low profile custom handlebar
• Under-bar mounted mirrors
• New front forks with wide triple clamps
• Chopped front fender mounted on fork brace with

lightening holes

• Fork brace mounted chopped front fender
• Blacked components including air cleaner cover,

clutch and brake levers and turn signals

• Chopped rear fender
• Stop-turn-tail lights
• Two-year factory warranty
• Harley-Davidson Smart Security System

Test Drive Daytona, Florida. With post-war Harley looks and Sportster heritage that dates back to the 1950s, the 48 is quite a stunner, standing out from the row of new bikes when I picked it up for this test in Daytona. Based on the Sportster 1200, this bike stands out with a small orange tank, called a “Peanut” tank by Harley people and introduced in 1948 – hence the model name. Add a retro solo seat, a truncated rear fender with no taillight as well as some massive tires, and you have the look and feel of the 50s – in a modern, reliable machine. In my humble opinion, all these elements make the 48 one of the sharpest-looking Harleys out there.

Nice fat tires, a small headlight, that unique peanut tank and, a solo seat and these inverted rear view mirror mounts - all 50s stuff. It gets much better when you add a disc brake, fuel injection and today's much better tires.

An effective engine… with the right character Powered by the latest evolution of the 1200 Sportster V-twin, a pure Harley engine in every sense of the word, the 48 definitely has some bite. Silent bloc insulated mounts handle the characteristic but non-intrusive engine vibrations below 2,000 rpm — as required by Harley aficionados.

Take off and you will benefit from the best that The Motor Company offers, with a strong, convincing thrust at low revs, to the point of giving off a larger-displacement feel. The clutch lever felt heavy, surprisingly so given the work by H-D engineers to lighten the effort on the lever and thus facilitate operation by less muscled riders. In typical H-D fashion, the tranny delivers quick, precise shifts, and benefits from well chosen ratios, wide enough to take advantage of the generous torque from 1500, and a flat curve from 2000 to the peak of 79 lb-ft at 4000 rpm. This means that five ratios can do the job and reduce the tap dance on the shift lever that less torquey engines require. As is the norm with most manufacturers, there is no word from H-D about peak power, which likely hovers around 66 hp at 6000 rpm.

Form over function One-up riding only is what the beautiful American is about, stretching the rider’s legs and upper body forward in the process — maybe a bit too much for me (5’9’’). The firm yet nicely sculpted seat is great for shorter stints, and I do mean short, as the lack of comfort up to my expectations, and limited tank capacity (8 Liters

).

Riding in style For Harley lovers, straddling the 48 feels almost instinctive, with an ultra-low seat and narrow handlebar making the first ride – and every one after that – always a pleasure. Of course, the easy-to-love engine helps. Despite coming from a lineage of competent models with a “Sporty” name, this bike is neither sporty nor really fast. In fact, the engine does give up rather early after the initial torque rush – at least too early for me or those used to even the more humble Japanese or Euro offerings, say the SV650, Ninja 650R, or retro Triumphs. But use the bike in its habitat, like city or nice country roads, and it will deliver the enjoyable ride and mellow performance it was built for.

Around Daytona, bumps are few and far between, making the ride a fun, relaxing experience, especially if you like the wind in your face, as there is no protection against the elements on the stock model.

The latest evolution of the Sportster V-twin, a pure Harley engine in every sense of the word, and now cleaned up with all the taps, wires and fuel lines hidden from view. Still, as long as you ride on well-maintained roads, the sweet 48 will happily give you enough time to admire the scenery, or cruise down the strip to a trendy little café to see and be seen. Remember to stop by the gas station if you’re out for longer than an hour, though.

Bottom line The 2010 Harley-Davidson 48 packs a lot of character and mechanical presence, not to mention a clean, slammed look that projects a form of delinquent youthfulness. If you want to make a clear Harley statement during short rides in and around the city, and if you put styling at the forefront of your decision criteria, you need to have a close look at this baby. Source

Make Model.	Harley Davidson XL 1200X Forty-Eight
Year	2010
Engine Type	Four stroke, 45° V-Twin, OHV, 2 valves per cylinder.
Displacement	1199 cc / 73.2 cu in.
Bore X Stroke	88.8 x 96.8 mm
Cooling System	Air cooled
Compression	9.7:1
Exhaust	Chrome, staggered shorty exhaust with dual slash-cut mufflers
Induction	Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Ignition	Digital CDI
Starting	Electric
Max Torque	107 Nm / 10.9 kgf-m / 79 ft/lbs./ @ 3500 rpm
Transmission	5 Speed
Final Drive	Belt
Primary Drive Chain	38/57 ratio
Gear Ratio	1st 9.315 / 2nd 6.653 / 3rd 4.948 / 4th 4.102 / 5th 3.517:1
Frame	Mild steel, tubular frame; circular sections; cast junctions Swingarm Mild steel, rectangular tube sections, stamped junctions; MIG welded
Front Suspension	∅39mm Fork
Front Wheel Travel	114 mm / 5.7 in.
Rear Suspension	Coil-over; preload dual-adjustable
Rear Wheel Travel	54 mm / 2.1 in.
Front Brakes	Single ∅300mm disc, 2 x ∅38mm piston calipers
Rear Brakes	Single ∅300mm disc, 2 x ∅38mm piston calipers
Front Wheel	Black, laced steel spokes
Rear Wheel	Black, laced steel spokes
Front Tire	MT90B16
Rear Tire	150/80-B16
Rake	30°
Trail	107 mm / 4.2 in
Dimensions	Length 2255 mm / 88.7 in
Wheelbase	1520 / 59.8 in
Seat Height	Laden 660 mm / 26.0 in Unladen 681 mm / 26.8 in.
Ground Clearance	100 mm / 3.9 in
Wet Weight	257.2 kg / 567 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating	453.6 kg / 1000 lbs
Oil Capacity	2.6 L / 0.69 US gal
Fuel Capacity	13.7 L / 3.6 US gal

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External Links

• http://www.moto123.com/motorcycle-reviews/article,2010-harley-davidson-forty-eight-first-impressions.spy?artid=116913&pg=2