Launched back in 2010, the Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight is one of the motorcycles in the Harley stable that managed to revive the brand. A perfect blend of retro American cruiser design coupled with a capable powertrain has always helped the Forty-Eight, making it one of the best-selling monikers from this American motorcycle manufacturer. It has also got all the traits of the yesteryear Harley cruisers too.
With the launch of the 2022 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight for a base MSRP of $11,799, Harley is back with a motorcycle that sees no major changes from the previous model year. The 1202cc v-twin motor, clunky transmission, unmatched road presence, and the potato exhaust note are all on board this moniker. The low refinement and heavy vibrations could be termed as the Harley charm too. Competing with the Triumph Bonneville Bobber, here are 10 things every motorcycle enthusiast should know about the 2022 Forty-Eight.
10 The V-Twin Motor Epitomizes Traditional Harley Characteristics
The 2022 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight retains the same 1202cc air-cooled Evolution v-twin motor that is offered with the outgoing model year. This is a pushrod 2-valve per cylinder motor that gives out 66 hp and 73 lb-ft of torque. The motor comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox and the power is sent to the rear wheel via a belt drive system.
The mid-range is where the Forty-Eight comes into its own. The motorcycle is an excellent cruiser and could easily do the highway speeds with no stress. With the peak torque coming in at a lazy 3,500 RPM, it is perfect for someone who likes to cruise at a relaxed pace. However, the transmission retains the typical Harley characteristics, like the clunky shift noise and imprecise gearshift.
9 Not The Most Comfortable Motorcycle In The City
Even after being in production for quite a few years, Harley has not managed to perfect the Forty-Eight for comfortable city riding. The heavy curb weight of 556 lbs makes it one of the heaviest of the segment, and that makes it a pain to navigate through congested traffic situations.
The handlebar is quite heavy at low speeds, and hence taking U-turns would need a bit of getting used to. Another reason for mediocre city rideability is the stiff suspension setup offered by Harley. All the minor bumps are felt, and the suspension travel is terrible too.
8 Highway Riding Experience Is Pretty Mediocre
Even though the v-twin motor feels at home when cruising on the highways, many other factors make the 2022 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight pretty much unbearable during cruising. The biggest factor of that is the lack of wind protection on offer, which tires out the rider. The heavy vibrations at higher revs are a major deterrent too.
The motor hits a roadblock as the revs climb close to 6,000 RPM and that makes it a terrible proposition if you intend to go above 80 mph. There is no top-end performance, and all that the rider gets is more vibration and harshness. The ride quality is mediocre, and the ride is a bit unsettling.
7 Terrible Around Corners
Harleys have never been synonymous with cornering, and the same applies to the 2022 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight as well. The heavy curb weight does make its presence felt if you are leaning too much. The low-slung design coupled with wide footpegs means that the lean angle is pretty restricted as it tends to scrape the pegs.
The suspension is unsophisticated, and the front end feels very vague when cornering. The tail also loses traction very early, and the mid-corner direction changes are a big no-no due to all these issues. The Forty-Eight also misses out on all the safety and rider assistance tech as well.
6 Riding Position Is A Bit Sporty
The riding position of the 2022 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight is more sporty than the Harley-Davidson Iron 883. The ape handlebar, which is offered as standard in the Forty-Eight, is a bit forward set, and the rider would have to lean forward to access it. However, the footpegs are forward set like the other Harleys.
Since the handlebar is very tall, that adds to its sporty characteristics. However, if the owner intends to change the riding position to the more relaxed one, Harley has got a long catalog that consists of handlebars, risers, suspension changes, and many more. Aftermarket modifications are available too.
5 Looks Super Cool
Being in continuous production from 2010, the design sees no major changes from the yesteryear models, and that is not a bad thing. The 2022 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight looks impressive from all angles and has got road presence like no other competitors.
The front end gets a conventional circular halogen headlight with chrome bezel, fat 130 section Michelin Scorcher tire, and the backed-out handlebar. The 9-spoke alloy wheels, chrome exhaust, and single seats add to the looks. The rear is very simplistic and is highlighted by the halogen taillight and indicators, curved fender, and 150 section rear tire.
4 Has A Comically Low Tank Range
The 2022 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight comes with a small gas tank that could hold a minuscule 2 gallons of fuel. The Forty-Eight name also highlights the peanut tank on offer, which is a distinctive styling element of the motorcycle, and hence Harley-Davidson is not going to upsize the tank in the future as well.
Along with that, the 2022 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight could do an estimated 48 mpg of combined gas mileage, which is better than what we expected. However, with such a small fuel tank on offer, the combined range of 96 miles is not enough for the highways. The rider would often need to stop for fuel, which does waste a lot of time.
3 Comes With No Major Features For The Price
Coming at a base MSRP of $11,799, the 2022 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight is not a cheap motorcycle, and you might expect it to be packed with all the features. However, that is not the case here. None of the features like ABS, traction control, heated grips, riding modes, etc. are offered even as an option.
The front and rear lights are halogen units and are a major weakness of the motorcycle, making it less capable on the freeways. It also comes with an archaic analog instrument cluster and doesn't even show the basic information like gear position. There is no Bluetooth connectivity on board too.
2 Reliability Is Better Than You Expect
Some of the older model years of the Forty Eight did possess quite a few issues, making it not a dependable motorcycle to take on those long road trips. The major complaints reported by the owners were gearshift issues, ECU failures, and power loss due to faulty fuel systems.
However, all the model years after 2018 has seen no major complaints raising from the owners. Most of these issues have been sorted out and only the minor electrical gremlins and other quality control issues were only reported by the users of the motorcycle in the Harley-Davidson forum, all of which points to improved reliability.
1 Build Quality Has Improved Quite A Bit
The build quality of the 2022 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight is pretty much incomparable to the Forty-Eight that was initially launched years ago. The main improvement could be found in the chrome and paint quality of the motorcycle. There are no rough edges anywhere, as well, which were quite common in the older models.
The 2022 Forty-Eight has got flush fitting panels everywhere and the panel gaps are well under control. There is no rattling from anywhere, too. Apart from that, the switchgear quality is easily up there with some of the best of the segment. However, exposed wires and screws are still a problem with the Forty-Eight.