The 2008 Harley-Davidson Nightster is a dark customer with a sporty feel and plenty of attitude. In addition to it’s two-tone paint sceme, there are many complementary and competing textures and tones on the 2008 Harley-Davidson Nightster, such as a movement from black wrinkle to matte gray, then to satin aluminum to anodized black chrome to polished chrome. The only other bike in the current Harley-Davidson lineup that comes close to the variety of surface treatments is the 2008 FXSTB Softail Night Train. Upon closer inspection, The HD Nightster isn’t just merely an exercise in different finishes.
There are some subtle (and not so subtle) modifications to the sheet metal and hardware on this Sportster. The rear fender has been bobbed and re-styled giving it a cleaner look. While the front fender mounts and rear belt guard have been drilled out with lightening holes, providing the Nightster with some of it’s attitude. The license plate holder has been redesigned to a folding side-mount unit. The typical Sportster stock taillight has been replaced with a smaller light bar that pears out from beneath the back lip of the Nightster’s rear fender. Add in retro black rubber fork gaiters over the 39mm legs and black hubs and rims over the stainless spoke wire wheels. (19" x 2.5" front, 16" x 3.0" rear) On a sad note, the exposed wiring and tubing on the Nightster seems so out of place and looks sloppy with tangles of wire and hose running along the Nightster's frame rails.
Moving back to the positive side, the 2008 Harley-Davidson Nightster features a rubber-mounted 1200cc V-twin XL Evolution engine. This is an enormous change over your old solid-mounted HD Sportster. The rubber mounted isolation does wonders for the comfort of the bike, and even makes the bikes mirrors useful at many speeds. The air-cooled Evolution V-twin is rated to deliver 79 ft-lbs of torque @ 4000 rpm. Now Harley doesn't release horsepower figures, but several local shops have claimed that stock Nightsters measured an average in the upper 60s on their dynos. The HD engine technology is very familiar, two push-rod activated overhead valves per cylinder with self-adjusting hydraulic lifters; a five-speed transmission with a wet clutch; a chain-driven primary and belt-driven final drive. The HD Nightster comes standard with electronic sequential port fuel injection (ESPFI). If you think about it, It's really amazing that technical advances have not erased the character of the Sportster line that has been so successful now for fifty years. “If it ain’t broke, …”
The Nightster’s flat bars provide an unobstructed view ahead. Instrumentation is minimal and very simple. A single round instrument housing is mounted to the center of the bars, and is home to simple analog dial speedometer and a digital odometer/trip meter, along with a couple of warning lights and indicators. Basically, there's no tach, no fuel gauge, no temperature gauge, no thermometer, no nothing, which is a draw back. (Especially having no gas gauge.) If you remember, Harley did clean up the stock Sportster neck a few years ago, eliminating the old-style fork lock holes, and replacing them with a keyed fork lock that works with the same key as the ignition. The 2008 HD Nightster's hand controls, bar and bar-mounted front brake reservoir are all blacked-out. So are the bar-mounted front turn signals and headlight cowl. Not only is this pretty cool-looking, it has the cool side benefit of reducing glare and reflection on the road.
Harley accomplished the Nightster's low seat height by shortening the rear shocks and scooping out the seat. But, this does have it‘s draw backs. Riders reported getting a serious jolt to the spine when hitting a bump or pothole, making the Nightster almost feel like a hardtail. (The reduced padding on the seat doesn't help.)
But, the 2008 Nightster is a kick to ride. It accelerates briskly, stops smartly, and all in all, behaves like, well a Sportster should. Even with its cool design, the '08 HD Nightster could do with some more tweaking. The stock slash-cut slip-on mufflers keep the noise down, but what fun is that? A set of the Screaming Eagle "race-only" slip-ons or maybe some shorty Vance Hines would beef it up. Those front forks will work better with progressive springs and heavier weight oil, and maybe even an aftermarket brace. Braided stainless steel brake lines, gel grips, and the countless other items would add some extra style to your new HD Nightster. But, for low seat height, unique styling, attitude and the pure Sportster experience, the 2008 Harley-Davidson Nightster delivers. MSRP $9,595.00
