Custom 1250

Is Harley Bringing Back The Nightster As A Custom 1250 Variant?

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com Harley-Davidson has kept its plans for the Sportster lineup under wraps for a few years now. Despite discontinuing the platform in Europe due to Euro 5 emissions standards and unveiling the Custom 1250 concept in 2018, the brand hasn’t officially announced the incoming model as the Sportster’s replacement. While the Motor Company has held its cards close to the chest up to this point, a trademark for the Nightster name might just be showing Harley’s hand. Originally released in 2007, the Nightster was previously a 1200cc Sportster variant. Featuring a bobber stance and styling, the trim appealed to cruiser riders looking for a stripped-down experience. By 2013, Harley discontinued the Nightster with variants like the Forty-Eight and Iron 883 carrying on the bobber aesthetics for the range. The company let its trademark rights laps on the Nightster name since, but a March 2, 2021, filing could put the title back at the bar and shield’s disposal (barring objections). The trademark submission hints at future plans for its Custom 1250 platform. With its entry-level model missing from numerous markets around the world, the Motor Company needs a fill-in for the long-in-the-tooth Sportster stat. Many see Custom 1250 as the perfect substitute for the air-cooled relic and it currently has a trove of Sportster monikers on demand. Harley already trademarked the 48X name when it secured rights to the Pan America and Bronx back in December, 2017. By applying for the Nightster trademark, Harley would have old, new, and current names on tap for the Custom 1250 production model. The fact that the company plans to use the name for “motorcycles and structural parts therefor” also solidifies its intentions for the Nightster revival. Whether or not Sportster name comes along with it is still the big question.

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Harley Virtually Confirms Custom 1250 On Company Website

by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com The Harley website’s Future Models section has been a revolving door since the brand announced its ambitious plans in July 2018. Since that momentous Annual Dealer Meeting, the Motor Company intermittently teased the Pan America, Bronx, and Custom 1250, keeping customers curious as they further developed the platforms. With Jochen Zeits taking the reins from Matt Levatich in 2020, many believed the Bar and Shield would scrap its future models and fully return to cruiser-style motorcycles. Like most speculation, half was true (Harley shelved the Bronx indefinitely) and half wasn’t (the Pan America is moving forward). Most recently, the brand added its Custom 1250 prototype back to the Future Models page, paving the way for the concept to finally become a production model. While Harley officially labels the bike as its Future High-Performance Custom Model, most believe the custom could fill the Sportster’s slot in the company’s lineup. With the long-in-the-tooth model failing to meet Euro5 emissions standards, the MoCo isn’t able to serve a sizeable portion of its customer base. Though the Sportster’s throwback style contributes to its popularity, performance-oriented models like the Indian Scout, Yamaha Bolt, and the new Honda Rebel 1100 are pushing the segment forward. To meet its competitors, the Custom 1250 would share the same 1250cc 60-degree Revolution Max V-twin powering the new Pan America. Whether the cruiser-styled model will also achieve the Pan America’s claimed 145 horsepower and 90 lb-ft of torque is yet to be confirmed. What looks more certain, however, is that the Sportster’s broad customization possibilities will make it to the new platform. Of course, the website adds a caveat in fine print: All future models shown may not be available in all markets. Thanks to Harley’s new distribution deal with Hero MotoCorp, we doubt the

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