Is this 2022 Harley-Davidson XL883 Sportster one of that last air-cooled Evos" (Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson)

Few motorcycle brands are as legendary as Harley-Davidson. You won?t find the Hells Angels on Gold Wings or Panigales, after all. Within the brand, the Evolution (Evo) Sportster is truly iconic.

Born in 1957, XL Sportsters were the smaller performance models for more spirited riders. Originally equipped with 883cc and 1,000cc Ironhead engines, they were updated in 1986 to the Evo that produces the sound that many associate with Harley.

1957 Harley-Davidson XL Sportster (Photo by Jeff Bowles, lic. CC-A 2.0 G)

Development on the engines started during the notorious AMF years in the 1970s, and the original Evo was a 1,340cc variant, which replaced the aging Shovelhead in 1984. They are air-cooled with push rods, overhead valves, and enough vibration to remind you that it?s no Japanese cruiser. There?s nothing quite like an Evo.
Sportster: Old School with a Cult Following

2022 Harley-Davidson XL1200 Sportster (Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson)

The 1986 Sportsters got 883cc and 1,100cc Evo engines that hardly changed over the next 36 years. The 1,100cc Evo got bumped up to 1,200cc in 1988, fuel injection was added in 2006, and a 5-speed transmission replaced the 4-speed in 1991. And that?s about it. We live in a very different world today where European emissions standards are strangling anything that runs on gas.

Harley?s old-school Evo rumb...