1949 Harley Davidson Knucklehead - Road Test

In order to make the bike rider-ready, Covington bolted a thin, flat sprung seat to the backbone, which makes the transition from the backbone to the rear fender seamless. Once you're on the seat, the reach to the billet forward controls is an easy and comfortable one. The bars are a different story, though. Set into a pair of 3-inch risers are flat track-style handlebars that have been rotated downward, then flipped end to end. While the bars have a good look to them, you need to have long enough arms to comfortably reach them. Covington does offer different bar and riser combinations to alleviate this problem. Completing the cockpit are a pair of clean-looking hand controls, small round mirrors, and a pair of comfortable black rubber grips. The bike we tested was not equipped with a speedo or turn signals, but Jerry tells us that the production models being sold to the public will have both.

Our bike wore an optional two-tone paint job complete with gold-leaf graphics (the up-charge for this is $850). All the frames come standard with a powdercoat finish. The bikes are available directly from Covington's Cycle City or through one of the company's six dealers (as of press time). All the bikes come with a one-year warranty.

Riding the Speedster is a blast. The seemingly small 80-inch motor gives the little bike all the power you need, although there is always the option of hopping it up! Sitting on the bike, you get a good feel, as the locations of the seat, bars, and foot controls give you a slight forward-leaning position. Rolling on the throttle brings the motor's rpm up quickly. We noticed shifting was smooth, although the clutch effort was more than expected, probably due to a clutch cable that was shorter than it should have been. Once you get the bike up to cruising speed, you observe nothing unusual in regard to handling. If you have never ridden a bike with a Springer frontend, you will notice it does not feel as smooth as a telescoping frontend. Does this translate into a harsh ride? No, although it does allow you to get a little more road feel through the suspension. Engine and road vibrations are noticeable mostly in the thick rubber handgrips, due to a solid connection between the risers and the springer frontend.

The bike's light weight makes for easy maneuverability at both high and low speeds, although you will notice the frontend does have a bit of a heavy feel cruising through parking lots and making low-speed turns. Speaking of slow speeds, don't try and make it out of a gas station or other stop quickly, or you will soon find out what a conversation piece this bike is as it draws a crowd.

If you are in the market for a bike that won't cost you an arm and a leg and will help you rediscover how much fun riding can be, the Speedster may be just what you're looking for.