During the presentation of Harley-Davidson’s quarterly report, CEO Jochen Zeitz confirmed that the new Sprint, along with a second entry-level cruiser model, will be part of the 2026 lineup. Zeitz did not reveal many details but announced that the model would be presented at the Harley-Davidson dealers meeting in October. This means that a public presentation will take place shortly after, possibly at the EICMA show in early November.
The development of the new budget motorcycle model has been underway since 2021. Zeitz mentioned that the Sprint will feature a small displacement engine and will be sold not only in the USA but also in other countries.
Harley-Davidson has previously made several attempts to release entry-level models, such as the Street 750 and 500. In earlier quarterly presentations, Zeitz stated that all these attempts ultimately turned out to be failures. However, the company’s management is confident that this time with the Sprint and the currently unnamed cruiser, it will be different. These two models are expected to break even and subsequently improve Harley-Davidson’s financial position.
The original Sprint was released after Harley-Davidson acquired half of the motorcycle division of Aermacchi. In 1961, Harley-Davidson imported the Aermacchi 250 under the name Sprint 250. In 1969, the displacement of the Sprint increased from 246 cc to 344 cc, and the model was renamed Sprint 350. Production of the Sprint ceased in 1974.
Source: Motorcycle In the photo: Harley-Davidson Nightster Special