Harley-Davidson Sportster S becomes the first motorcycle in the country to successfully achieve a record of covering 3141 kms in a 24-hours endurance test.
A team of five riders – including National Racers Anushriya Gulati and Vijay Singh along with Vlogger Shubhabrata Marmar joined Malo Le Masson and Vijay Thomas from Hero MotoCorp – to achieve this feat at the world-class test tracks at Hero’s Global Centre for Innovation and Technology (CIT), located in Jaipur in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.
Supervised by two leading members of Hero’s team at CIT, David Lopez Cordoba – Head of Chassis Functional Development & National Racing Program, and Alex Busquets – Head of Vehicle Validation, the Harley-Davidson Sportster S was put through the test for 24 hours. Both David and Alex bring years of experience in endurance racing all over the world and this proved invaluable in the preparations leading up to achieving this feat.
Starting off the 24-hour clock at 1500 hrs on Saturday, February 5, 2022, the team went through 31 pit stops, which included fuel refill, rider change and fresh tyre changes after every 1000 KM. Every rider completed six runs of an average of 100 km on each run, which was roughly one-full tank of fuel. The team averaged 130.9 km/hr over 24 hours to achieve this feat.
The 1.74 kilometer-long oval high-speed track was specifically chosen to attempt the run to test the limits of both human and motorcycle endurance.
Tthe Harley-Davidson Sportster S is powered by a 121 hp Revolution Max 1250T V-Twin engine. This new version of the latest Harley-Davidson liquid-cooled V-Twin engine is tuned to make tremendous torque at low RPM, with a torque curve that stays flat through the powerband – engine performance designed to deliver strong acceleration from a start with robust power through the mid-range. The Sportster S is available in three colors – Vivid Black, Stone Washed White Pearl, Midnight Crimson.
The Sportster S model is equipped with a host of technologies designed to enhance the riding experience. Three pre-programmed, selectable Ride Modes (Sport, Road and Rain) electronically control the performance characteristics of the motorcycle, and the level of technology intervention. Two Custom modes may be used by the rider to create a set of performance characteristics to meet personal preference or for special situations. Cornering Rider Safety Enhancements by Harley-Davidson, a collection of technologies intended to enhance rider confidence during unexpected situations or adverse road conditions, are designed to match motorcycle performance to available traction during acceleration, deceleration, and braking, in a straight line or while in a turn.
