Continuing the Harley-Davidson Icons Motorcycle Collection is the 2025 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Gray Ghost. This motorcycle, like others in the Icons collection, is a limited-production model, and each unit is serialized with its unique model number.
The Fat Boy Gray Ghost is immediately recognizable by its Reflection finish that makes the fuel tank and fenders appear as if they were dipped in chrome but holds up against corrosion better than chrome. The finish is created using the physical vapor deposition process, also known as thin film coating, and then painted over with a standard clear coat. This model includes the first large parts to use this process on a production H-D motorcycle, although it has been used before for small details.
Completing the shiny look are chrome side covers and a frame finished in bright silver powdercoating. Adding a pop of color are yellow accents on the lower rocker covers, powertrain covers, and tank console insert, and the round air cleaner harkens back to the original 1990 Fat Boy. Other details include a leather seat with lacing and tassels, a black leather tank strap with laced edging, fuel-tank medallions with winged graphics, a commemorative tank console insert, and Icons Collection medallion on the rear fender.
The Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Gray Ghost is an homage to the original 1990 Fat Boy that was inspired by a custom Softail created in 1987 at Harley-Davidson Montreal. An example was sent to Milwaukee, where a styling team led by Willie G. Davidson and Louie Netz created a production version, calling it the Fat Boy.
“On the 1990 Fat Boy model, the wheels are the defining characteristic,” wrote Davidson in his book 100 Years of Harley-Davidson. “The idea was to create a distinctive look using solid-cast disc wheels. We pushed this distinction further with a silver monochromatic paint job and silver powder-coated frame. Since the entire bike was silver, we needed something bright to set it off. I added yellow trim to the rocker boxes, the derby cover, the timer cover, and the ignition switch. We built a Fat Boy prototype, and I took it to Daytona so we would get one-on-one feedback from the riders.”
The Fat Boy was cemented in popularity with its appearance in Terminator 2: Judgement Day in 1991, in which Arnold Schwarzenegger rides a Fat Boy through Los Angeles in a chase scene. In its 35-year history, the Fat Boy has been updated and improved a few times but still retains its original appeal as a bike that takes styling cues from the 1949 Hydra-Glide but with a modernized twist.
Like other 2025 Fat Boys, the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Gray Ghost is powered by a Milwaukee-Eight 117 Custom engine that delivers a claimed 101 hp and 122 lb-ft of torque. It features three ride modes, cornering antilock braking, cornering traction control, cornering drag torque slip control, tire-pressure monitoring, all-LED lighting, a USB-C power port, and a 5-inch LCD screen below the analog speedometer. It also features Lakester cast-aluminum wheels that are exclusive to the Fat Boy and Michelin Scorcher 11 tires.
The 2025 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Gray Ghost is limited to 1,990 units globally and has an MSRP of $25,399.
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S (Photo by Brian J. Nelson and Kevin Wing)
Harley-Davidson has made significant updates to its Softail cruiser lineup, even though they look almost identical to the previous versions. They’ve got more power, more tech, and fresh colorways. The six Softails in the current lineup are the Heritage Classic, Street Bob, Fat Boy, Breakout, Low Rider S, and Low Rider ST. They’re powered by three variants of updated 117ci Milwaukee-Eight V-Twins: Classic, Custom, and High Output.
We took them for spins around Austin, Texas, diving into the myriad changes to find out which Softail we like most. Each model has its purpose and its own character, but a couple stood out from the rest.
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST (Photos by Brian J. Nelson and Kevin Wing)
Harley-Davidson has made significant updates to its Softail cruiser lineup, even though they look almost identical to the previous versions. They’ve got more power, more tech, and fresh colorways. We took them for spins around Austin, Texas, diving into the myriad changes to find out which Softail we like most.
There are now six Softails – the Fat Bob was pruned from the lineup – and what remains are the Heritage Classic, Street Bob, Fat Boy, Breakout, Low Rider S, and Low Rider ST. They’re powered by three variants of updated 117ci Milwaukee-Eight V-Twins: Classic, Custom, and High Output.
Softail prices range from $17,199 to $24,199. Seen in this lineup are (left to right) the Low Rider ST, Fat Boy, Low Rider S, Street Bob, Breakout, and Heritage Classic.
Cylinder heads borrowed from the recent 117/121 CVO and Grand American Touring bikes are the main reason for the increase in power across the Softail line. Designed for improved performance and efficiency, they also use the updated oil-routing passages for the oil-cooled heads, which is purported to reduce heat during low-speed operation.
Also new is a contoured aluminum intake manifold that creates a smoother transition from the round throttle body to the oval intake ports. Exhaust systems were redesigned to minimize high frequencies so that the bass volume from a pair of 961.5cc cylinders could be emphasized.
All Softails are now fitted with a 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit that tracks lean angles, g-forces, and speeds to enable cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control. The Softails also now include selectable ride modes that affect throttle response, power delivery, and the parameters for cornering ABS and traction control.
To test the efficacy of the Softails’ new IMU-based traction control, Harley sent us out on an outrigger-equipped Street Bob to ride through a gravel-laced corner on a test course. It was interesting to feel the early TC intervention in Rain mode, then feel it loosen up in Road and Sport modes.
Also new to the standard-equipment list across all Softails are cruise control, tire-pressure monitoring, and USB-C charging points. New gauges feature analog speedometers above multifunction LCD panels that display ride modes and other information. New switchgear on the handlebars offers higher-quality tactile responses, and the front brake lever is now adjustable for reach.
Suspension has straight-rate springs replacing progressive coils for “a better balance between the springs and damping,” says H-D, adding that the straight-rate fork springs provide more predictable performance and feel.
Getting the opportunity to ride six bikes over two days was an unusual situation, allowing us to hone in on which Softail is our favorite. We’ll save the best for the last.
2025 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
All Softail lighting is now LED, including the turnsignal lamps that formerly were incandescent.
The combination of wide tires on disc-style wheels gives the Fat Boy (starting at $22,599) a commanding presence, and its appearance in 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day earned it a place in pop-culture history. The Fat Boy and its steamroller stance remains one of Harley’s most iconic models, but it’s my least favorite Softail.
The Fat Boy is powered by the Custom variant of the new 117 M-8s, which boasts 11% more horsepower and 6% more torque than the 114ci powerplant in the previous Fat Boy. Harley says it cranks out 104 hp and 126 lb-ft.
2025 Harley-Davidson Fatboy in Blue Burst
You can identify the Custom engine by its Touring-style airbox (claimed to offer 50% more volume than the Ventilator used on the previous Fat Boy) and 2-into-2 exhaust – the only Softail motor not fitted with a 2-into-1.
This Boy hits the road with 6.3 inches of rubber up front and 9.4 at the rear: 160/60-18, 240/40-18 Michelin Scorcher radials. Lakester cast-aluminum wheels feature a machined inner section that mimics the solid discs of the original Fat Boy. The wide theme continues with the “beer can” covers over the 49mm Showa fork held by aluminum triple clamps.
To me, fat tires are like platform shoes – what is gained by a badass appearance is lost from its dynamic performance. Wider tires make any motorcycle feel less agile and heavier, simple as that. And with 25.6 degrees of lean angle before its footboards scuff the road, it digs in sooner than all the other Softails.
2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout
2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout
The Breakout (starting at $23,099) is essentially a Fat Boy with a skinnier front end. The 240mm rear tire remains, but up front is a narrower and taller 130/60-21 Scorcher to give it a raked-out chopper stance. The lighter wheels and tires help trim 13 lb from the Fat Boy’s 694-lb curb weight. It shares the Custom engine with its Boy brother, which feels and sounds burly and has smooth but reactive throttle responses.
2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout in Brilliant Red
While the Fat Boy uses a console-mounted 5-inch gauge, the Breakout has a 4-inch display mounted to its handlebar. The forward-canted position of the handgrips makes a rider feel engaged, and the forward-mount footpegs are able to accommodate longer legs.
2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout
The Breakout’s narrower front tire sends clearer messages through the bars than the duller feedback from the Fat Boy’s chunky rubber, and it steers more neutrally too. Still, the 240mm rear tire isn’t ideal for unwinding twisty roads, and a rider can feel the bike want to run wide when accelerating out of corners.
The Breakout’s meaty 240mm rear tire adds style but affects handling.
Brakes are shared with the Fat Boy, a 4-piston front caliper paired with a 300mm disc and a 2-piston rear caliper with a 292mm disc. They’re plenty adequate, but they pale in comparison to the dual-disc front end on the Low Riders.
2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob
Wire-spoke wheels add timeless appeal to the Street Bob, now in a tubeless design.
For a bar-hopping scoot, the Street Bob (starting at $17,199) could be the best Softail of them all. Its narrower and lighter wheels/tires offer better suspension compliance than its fat-tired brethren, helping the 646-lb Bob feel 100 lb lighter than the Boy, even if the difference is only 48 lb.
2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob in Centerline
The Street Bob shares the Classic engine tuning with the Heritage Classic, which can be identified by their round air cleaners. Rated at 98 hp and 120 lb-ft, the Classic variant is the least powerful 117 of the group, but it offers 4% more hp and 1% more torque than the Bob’s previous 114ci M-8, which was anything but sluggish.
2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob
As the most stripped-down Softail, the Street Bob has elemental beauty and a raw bobber attitude, with chopped fenders and the smallest fuel tank in the lineup: 3.5 gallons compared to the 5-gallon tanks on the other Softails. It’s also the least expensive of the bunch.
The Street Bob has the Classic variant of the Milwaukee-Eight 117.
Straddling the low 26.8-inch seat (H-D prefers stating seat heights with riders aboard, i.e. “laden,” which is listed at 25.8 inches), a rider’s hands have a long reach up to the handlebar. The mini-apes made it difficult for me to keep my hands on the grips when the steering sweep was at full lock, and the tall handlebar adds leverage that a rider can feel flexing in its rubber mounts when shoving the grips at a standstill or when hard on the brakes.
Agility is the greatest asset of the Street Bob, feeling nearly as nimble as the old Sportsters (R.I.P.) but with a massive dose of extra power. And with 28.5 degrees of available lean angle, it’s behind only the Low Riders for maximum tilt when leaned over in corners.
2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob
The Street Bob’s most contentious aspect is its mid-mount footpegs. They are positioned fine for my body size, but long-legged riders complain they feel cramped. Adding a set of forward controls might be a simple solution for tall riders.
For some, the mid pegs and the small fuel tank might be dealbreakers. For an American-made bar-hopper, it doesn’t get better than this.
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
If you’ve got a sportbiker attitude, the Low Rider S (starting at $20,499) is the best Softail for you. It’s spritely and engaging, ready to romp at a moment’s notice with its performance-oriented components and the most powerful Softail motor.
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S in Brilliant Red
The Low Riders are fitted with the High Output version of the 117s, with 11% more horses than last year’s 117. Key to the newfound grunt are the cams used in the CVO Road Glide ST that shift the powerband higher. Torque hits hardest all the way up at 4,000 rpm with 128 lb-ft, while power peaks at 5,000 rpm with 114 hp.
Braking power from the Low Riders is in a different league than the single front discs on other Softails.
Low Rider ergonomics put riders in a sporty crouch, with forward-mount handlebars and mid-mount footpegs. The 4-inch gauge sitting front and center is minimalistic but functional.
As befitting a West Coast-style performance cruiser, the Low Riders have the best front ends of the bunch. A 43mm inverted fork offers well-damped suspension action, and dual 4-piston calipers bite firmly on 300mm discs. A longer rear shock yields an extra inch of rear-wheel travel, a relatively generous 4.4 inches, along with 5.1 inches up front.
The Heavy Breather intake is found only on the Low Riders.
A curvy road without traffic is the Low Riders’ preferred playground, able to be leaned over 31.3 degrees before scuffing footpegs. The High Output motor doesn’t feel deficient at lower revs, but it really comes alive when ridden at the other end of the tachometer. Happily, H-D extended the Low Riders’ rev limit from 5,600 rpm to 5,900 rpm, providing a few extra furious revs to play with.
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
The Low Rider S is the sportiest Softail, but it’s not my favorite.
2025 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic
This Softail (starting at $22,999) is perfectly named, as it provides classic styling that leans on H-D’s heritage with similar bikes that stretch back to the 1950s. Nostalgia is the play here. What surprised me was how well this retro machine performs in contemporary terms.
The Heritage Classic is fitted with cast-aluminum wheels as standard equipment, while the tubeless laced wheels on our test bikes are optional.
Brad Richards, H-D’s VP of design, told us that customers now want bolder colors and designs, adding that chrome finishes are making a comeback. On the Heritage, a mix of black and chrome finishes is used throughout, and new colorways are slightly more daring.
Like the Fat Boy, the Heritage uses a 5-inch instrument panel mounted on the tank console. Riders enjoy a cushy seat with the largest pillion perch in this lineup, and hands have a natural reach to the grips. Footboards offer a variety of leg positions to alleviate cramping.
2025 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic in White Onyx Pearl
The Classic tuning of its M-8 has the lope-for-days cadence that makes a rider feel like going farther than whatever destination is on your itinerary. Like all M-8s, the gearbox is a bit clunky but has positive engagement, feeling more appropriate on the Heritage than the Low Riders.
The Heritage Classic is the most lovable Harley. Change my mind…
The quick-release windshield provides excellent protection and allows riders to cruise with helmet faceshields open, and the new 2-into-1 exhaust enables symmetrical saddlebags that marginally increase storage capacity.
The Heritage Classic and the Fat Boy both the Heritage have a 5-inch instrument panel on the tank console.
For its versatility and easy-going nature, the Heritage Classic nearly nabbed my top spot in Softails, but the next bike speaks to me most directly.
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST
I’m a fan of H-D’s baggers, and I appreciate how the Pan America has expanded the definition of the MoCo, but the Low Rider ST (starting at $24,199) might be my favorite current Harley. It combines a hot-rodded air-cooled V-Twin with performance-oriented brakes and suspension, topping it off with a reasonable amount of wind protection and the road-trip ability of locking saddlebags.
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST in Blue Burst
The stylish Low Rider ST tips confidently into corners.
Pretty much everything said about the Low Rider S applies to the LRST. The differences are only the addition of that cool FXRT-inspired fairing and color-matched hardshell saddlebags. The new 2-into-1 exhaust allows the right saddlebag to be symmetrical with the left and increase storage volume.
The sculpted shape of the Low Rider ST’s saddlebags follows the line of the rear fender.
The West Coast club-style appearance isn’t for everyone, but the versatility provided by the fairing and bags – along with the natural beauty of an air-cooled engine – hits a sweet spot in my heart. Harley describes the LRST as “a weekend escape machine,” a PR claim I can’t refute.
There are two downsides to choosing the Low Rider ST over the S version: Weight is bumped from 670 lb to 712 lb, and MSRPs jump by $3,700.
The updated Softails break no new ground, but they do advance the cruiser ball forward by incorporating the latest technology along with a welcome boost of power. The formula of an air-cooled motor in a low-slung chassis has enduring appeal.
The Softail lineup ranges from classic to kinda modern, all powered by new 117ci Milwaukee-Eights. From left to right: the Low Rider ST, Street Bob, Low Rider S, Breakout, Heritage Classic, and Fat Boy.
The Street Glide gets Ultra-fied for 2025, boasting luxurious accommodations for both rider and passenger.
The remainder of the 2025 Harley-Davidson lineup has been revealed, with a new Ultra version of the popular Street Glide, a street-ified Pan America, and tweaks to various cruisers. Also in the lineup are four new CVO models.
2025 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Ultra
We’ve seen Ultra variants of various Harleys over the years but never on a FLHX Street Glide. That changes in 2025 with the new FLHXU. Like previous H-D Ultras, this one is equipped with a more robust touring setup that includes fairing lowers to shelter legs, a well-padded passenger seat with a large backrest and armrests, and a nicely sized Tour Pak topped with a luggage rack.
In the engine room is… unknown at press time. H-D gave us access to limited details of the newly released bikes before their official reveal on Jan. 23. Here’s what we know so far.
Harley says vaguely that the FLHXU “combines the comfort, technology, performance and design elements introduced on the 2024 Street Glide, with new features intended to support two-up, long-haul travel for riders seeking freedom and adventure.”
2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST
The Pan America has been one of Harley’s few success stories of bikes produced with liquid-cooled engines. It makes for a surprisingly good adventure bike, and it really excels on twisty roads when its 150-hp 1,250cc V-Twin can be unleashed.
The 2025 Pan America ST features a 17-inch front wheel/tire combo for more confident handling on twisty paved roads.
The 2025 Pan America 1250 ST leans heavier on the pavement side of roads, using a 17-inch front wheel instead of the regular Pan America’s 19-inchers. Wheels, including the 17-inch rear, are cast aluminum. Other than the black paint with snazzy red pinstriping, the bike doesn’t reveal many other changes.
“The Pan America 1250 ST model, says Harley, “is a dynamic adventure-sport motorcycle that can be a practical daily ride, an exciting backroad apex chaser, and a capable weekend touring mount.”
2025 Harley-Davidson Cruisers
New to Harley’s 2025 Cruiser collection are six refreshed models in its Softail lineup: the club-style Low Rider S and ST, the nostalgic Heritage Classic, the iconic Fat Boy, the badass Street Bob, and the fat-tire Breakout.
This is the only view we received of the updated Street Bob.
Not much more was shared about these models, but we do know that each will feature a 117ci Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin for power. We suspect that the Low Riders will feature a High Output variant of the 117ci mill, as seen in certification documents. Expect power to jump from 103 hp to 114 horses and for weight to be trimmed slightly.
2025 Harley-Davidson Sportster S
The Sportster S and its Revolution Max engine sourced from the Pan America entertained us when ridden at its launch in 2021. It was fast and looked distinctive but with an old-school flat-track vibe.
“Its light weight, technology features, and bold design appeal to experienced riders, new riders, and those ready to step away from the crowd on a motorcycle that discards traditional styling tropes,” H-D says inspirationally.
The 2025 Harley-Davidson Sportster S gets a praiseworthy 60% increase in rear suspension travel – hallelujah!
The bike’s most obvious shortcoming was found in the rear suspension, with only 2.0 inches of travel. This appears to have been addressed in the 2025 Sportster S.
Harley says the front and rear suspension components have been revised and revealed a 60% increase in rear-wheel travel. That computes to 3.2 inches of stroke to smooth out bumps. Both ends are fully adjustable for compression and rebound damping and spring preload. The suspension tweaks apparently haven’t affected the bike’s 29.6-inch seat height.
Harley-Davidson CVO models are the crème de la crème of the MoCo’s lineup, always with the latest features and stunning paintwork. The 2025 editions comprise four models that “offer discerning riders super-premium, limited-production motorcycles.”
Here’s a look at the CVO Road Glide ST. Harley is playing coy with photos that don’t reveal much.
Naturally, there are CVO versions of Harley’s most popular models: the Street Glide and the Road Glide baggers, plus a CVO Road Glide ST, which is the MoCo’s racing-inspired bagger that debuted last year and was powered by an exclusive Milwaukee-Eight 121 H.O. engine.
Joining the CVO party for the second time is the versatile Pan America. It will be outfitted with special paint and a bunch of off-road accessories. “It’s capable of seeking adventure where any paved and unpaved route leads its rider.”
Stay tuned here for additional information and prices as they become available.
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