Harley Davidson XL1200NS Sportster Iron 2018 Service Manual

The 2018 Iron 1200 is more than an Iron 883 with a bigger engine. The extra 319cc raises claimed torque by 36 percent over the 883 (73 lb-ft against 53.8). It takes the stripped, blacked-out Iron formula and adds a satin-black mini-ape handlebar, a small speed screen on the headlamp and a 3.3-gallon peanut tank with multi-colored striped graphics that emphasize its shape, with a café-inspired solo seat behind it. The mini-ape bar has a 1.0-inch diameter, an 8.75-inch rise, a 32-inch spread and a 6.5-inch pull-back for a fist-in-the-wind posture. The wheels are all-black 9-spoke cast aluminum, a 19-inch front and a 16-inch rear, and the belt guard and rear sprocket are solid black. Tank colors were Vivid Black, Twisted Cherry and Billiard White, and the 2018 US price was $9,999 ($10,349 for color), with ABS ($795) and the Smart Security System ($395) as factory options.

The engine is the air-cooled, rubber-mounted 1,202cc Evolution V-twin, with an 88.9mm bore, a 96.8mm stroke and a 10:1 compression ratio, fed by Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection. Torque is 73 lb-ft (about 99 Nm) at 3,500 rpm, power is about 66 hp, and Harley lists fuel economy of about 48 mpg. The exhaust is black, staggered, with black headers and slash-cut mufflers. The gearbox is a 5-speed with a 38/57 chain primary drive and belt final drive, with overall ratios of 9.315 in first, 6.653 in second and 4.948 in third.

The chassis is the same as the Iron 883’s, with a non-adjustable 39mm fork with black gaiters and spring-preload-adjustable emulsion rear shocks. Rake is 30 degrees with 4.6 inches of trail on a 59.6-inch (1,515mm) wheelbase. The front brake is a floating 300mm disc with a dual-piston caliper and the rear is a fixed disc with a dual-piston caliper. Tires are a Michelin Scorcher 31 100/90B19 57H at the front and a 150/80B16 77H at the rear. Lean angles are 27 degrees to the right and 28 degrees to the left.

The bike is 86.6 inches long, with 5.5 inches of ground clearance. Seat height is 25.7 inches laden and 28.9 inches unladen. The tank holds 3.3 gallons (12.5 litres), and engine oil capacity is 2.8 quarts (2.6 litres) with the filter. Weight is 547 lbs as shipped and 564 lbs in running order.

This factory service manual covers the procedures, torque specs, and diagrams needed to keep a Sportster Iron 1200 XL1200NS running the way it was built to.