Harley-Davidson Hugger

Harley-Davidson Hugger

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell a new Harley from an old Harley. That’s because Harley often creates a new model by taking an existing chassis and adding a fuel tank from a different H-D model, a seat from another, the front end from yet another, and giving the resultant package a new paint scheme. And that’s more or less what Harley has done to come up with the 883 Hugger.

Basically, the Hugger is a standard 883 Sportster with a two-inch-lower seat, and a higher handlebar borrowed from the XLH1 100. The lower seat was accomplished by using a longer swingarm that has the shock mounts farther rearward than on the standard model, and squishier seat foam. Harley claims that the ride of the Hugger is not appreciably different than that of the standard model. The standard 883 has proven to be a popular choice among female riders because of its relatively small size, so the Hugger, with its lower seat, should make the bike even more appealing to them.