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All Bikes/Compare/Harley-davidson Roadster 1200 vs Harley-davidson Forty-eight Special

Harley-davidson Roadster 1200 vs Harley-davidson Forty-eight Special

Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers

Harley-davidson Roadster 1200 vs Harley-davidson Forty-eight Special. Harley-davidson Roadster 1200: 61 hp @ 5,500 rpm (estimated, air-cooled Evolution V-twin) hp, 256 kg (wet/curb weight — note: varies slightly by model year) weight, top speed 175 km/h (estimated), Motoryk rating 7.2/10. Harley-davidson Forty-eight Special: 48 hp @ 5,500 rpm (estimated; Harley-Davidson does not officially publish power figures for this model) hp, 253 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 170 km/h (estimated; note: not officially published by Harley-Davidson), Motoryk rating 7.0/10.

Performance at a Glance

Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value

Harley-davidson Roadster 1200 Harley-davidson Forty-eight Special
Horsepower (hp)
61 hp
48 hp
Torque (Nm)
92 Nm
67 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
175 km/h
170 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
256 kg
253 kg
Type
Cruiser
Cruiser
Horsepower
61 hp @ 5,500 rpm (estimated, air-cooled Evolution V-twin)
48 hp @ 5,500 rpm (estimated; Harley-Davidson does not officially publish power figures for this model)
Torque
92 Nm @ 3,500 rpm
67 Nm @ 3,500 rpm
Top Speed
175 km/h (estimated)
170 km/h (estimated; note: not officially published by Harley-Davidson)
Weight
256 kg (wet/curb weight — note: varies slightly by model year)
253 kg (wet/curb weight)
Fuel
5.5–6.5 L/100km (approx. 15–18 km/L, typical real-world average)
6.5 L/100km (approx. 15.4 km/L) — estimated real-world average
Fairing
No
No

Individual Reviews

Harley-davidson Roadster 1200
Harley-davidson Roadster 1200
7.2/10

"A flawed but characterful machine that rewards patient, informed buyers."

Pros
+Excellent low-down torque
+Best-handling Sportster variant
+Strong used parts availability
Cons
Brutal highway vibration
Seat comfort genuinely terrible
Primary chain tensioner issues
Harley-davidson Forty-eight Special
Harley-davidson Forty-eight Special
7.0/10

"A genuinely cool short-hop cruiser let down by practical limitations."

Pros
+Bulletproof 1200cc Evo motor
+Stunning factory bobber aesthetics
+Low seat, beginner-friendly
Cons
Tiny tank, terrible range
Drag bars punish long rides
Serious urban heat soak

Top 10 Accessories

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