With One Tweak, Harley Just Solved Its Most Approachable Motorcycle’s Biggest Problem

 The new-and-improved Sportster S boasts plenty of power — and a suspension upgrade that should majorly smooth out the ride.

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Years ago, while in negotiations to purchase my first motorcycle, a 2014 Triumph Bonneville T-100, I test-rode a Harley-Davidson Sportster. It was a bit of a lark, and frankly I was hoping I hated it to confirm my Bonnie leanings. 

That didn’t really happen though. Thanks to its badass look, low seat and rumbling engine, I kinda loved the thing.

My one hangup was that every time I hit a bump, the impact shot up through my spine — at a time I already had lower-back issues. So I closed the deal on the T-100 and never looked back.

Fast forward several years and the latest incarnation of the nameplate, the 2025 Sportster S, has my attention, courtesy of a big suspension update that addresses this exact issue. Of course, the rest of its features ain’t too shabby either.

Shocking development

While I have not ridden a Sportster since, I can’t wait to hop on this one. Not only has my back condition greatly improved, but this bike promises to be much kinder to it. 

A major upgrade Harley is touting is kind of hard to believe. The brand has managed to boost the amount of travel in the three-way adjustable rear shock by a whopping 60 percent.

In real numbers, the travel has increased from two inches to 3.2 inches, without a significant change in the seat height. That figure sits at 28.9 inches (laden), pretty unheard of for a sport bike. 

This general category typically has the second highest seat, behind off-road bikes. The latter requires high seats to provide the clearance necessary to navigate uneven terrain, while the former seeks to maximize the amount you can lean into turns. 

That quality is much more important if you are actually on the track. For the everyday rider, it is less critical.

Interestingly, this seat height is even lower than what you’ll find on some cruisers, including one shorter riders love, the Royal Enfield Super Meteor, which comes in at 29.1 inches.

In other words, with one significant tweak, Harley has made one of its most affordable and accessible bikes even more attractive — and not just to someone with lower-back issues.