Earlier this month Harley-Davidson announced two mid-year additions to its 2020 lineup — the CVO Road Glide and Fat Boy 30th Anniversary. Now they’ll be joined by a third new model, the Softail Standard.
Like the stripped-down Electra Glide Standard introduced for 2019, the Softail Standard was designed to deliver an essential, no-frills cruiser experience. With a lean bobber profile, a Softail chassis and a Milwaukee-Eight V-twin, the Softail Standard is a back-to-basics Big Twin.
2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard
Offered only in Vivid Black, it has a solo seat that exposes
the chopped rear fender and a smooth, 3.5-gallon fuel tank that shows off the
frame and engine. The all-black Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-twin engine is
highlighted with polished rocker, primary and timer covers and a center-bolt,
round air cleaner. With chrome shields and mufflers, the 2-into-2 offset
shotgun exhaust enhances the Softail Standard’s long, low profile.
Classic laced wheels (19-inch front, 16-inch rear) with
steel rims are finished in brilliant chrome, and the front end features
clear-coated fork sliders, polished triple-clamps, polished top clamp and
riser, and chromed headlamp bezel and turn signals. A mini-ape handlebar adds a
touch of attitude.
2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard
With the look of a classic hardtail frame, the Softail swingarm is stout for dynamic handling and the rear coil-over shock is hidden under the seat. Removing the seat allows access to the shock for easy preload adjustments. The Softail Standard has a Showa dual bending valve fork, front and rear disc brakes, and standard ABS.
Priced at $13,599, the 2020 Softail Standard is affordable and provides a solid foundation for customization. Harley-Davidson has created four Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories packages for the Softail Standard model, and they’re offered at a discounted price when ordered as a package (price does not include labor for installation by an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer):
Day Tripper Custom Package ($1,409.95): Combine classic bobber style with next-level versatility by adding a pillion and a 21-inch detachable sissy bar with pad so a passenger can come along for the ride. This package also includes passenger footpegs and mounts, forward foot controls, and a black leather Single-Sided Swingarm Bag designed to hold essentials.
Coastal Custom Package ($1,599.95): Capture the elements of the performance-oriented, West Coast style. Components include a Softail Quarter Fairing, black anodized aluminum Moto Bar handlebar and matching 5.5-inch tall riser, a Bevel two-up seat and passenger footpegs, and BMX-style foot pegs from the rugged 80GRIT Collection.
Touring Custom Package ($1,699.95): This package outfits the Softail Standard model for the long haul, with a comfortable Sundowner two-up seat and passenger footpegs, a 14-inch-high light smoke quick-release windshield, classic black Detachables saddlebags, and a 14.5-inch detachable sissy bar and backrest pad.
Performance Custom Package ($1,299.95): Amplify throttle response and mid-range acceleration with a Screamin’ Eagle Stage II Torque kit for the Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine and a Screamin’ Eagle Pro Street Tuner to dial it in. Complete the package with a free-flowing Screamin’ Eagle Heavy Breather Performance Air Cleaner and Screamin’ Eagle Street Cannon mufflers for a deep-bass exhaust note. It’s a 50-state street legal, factory-engineered performance upgrade that retains the original equipment factory warranty when installed by an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer.
2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special with the Eagle Eye Special Edition Paint Option
The new Eagle Eye Special Edition Paint Option is a custom
paint scheme only available as installed at the Harley-Davidson factory on the
Road Glide Special model.
Factory installation offers the customer an attainable
custom paint option that eliminates the need to either re-paint the original
components or install an accessory paint set that leaves take-off painted parts
on the shop floor. The Eagle Eye Special Edition Paint Option finish meets
demanding Harley-Davidson standards for quality and durability, and is backed
by the Harley-Davidson limited warranty.
The Eagle Eye paint option is executed on a brilliant yellow
base color with a glossy clear coat finish. A design highlight is a black eagle
graphic with spread wings that flows from the right side of the fuel tank to
the right side of the fairing. A simple Bar & Shield logo is on the left
side of the tank. Harley-Davidson script is aligned on the outside edge of each
saddlebag lid, and the saddlebag latches are color-matched. The special edition
paint is applied to the fairing, fuel tank, front and rear fenders, saddlebags and
sidecovers.
MSRP for the 2020 Road Glide Special with the Eagle Eye Special Edition Paint Option is $29,294, a $1,495 premium over the base price with a standard solid color.
Harley-Davidson has announced two mid-year additions to its
2020 lineup: the return of the CVO Road Glide and a limited-edition Fat Boy 30th
Anniversary model.
2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide
2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide
Joining the CVO Limited, CVO Street Glide and CVO Tri Glide
in Harley-Davidson’s ultra-premium Custom Vehicle Operations lineup is the CVO
Road Glide, with its distinctive frame-mounted sharknose fairing. Like other
CVO models, it’s powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin, which makes a
claimed 125 lb-ft of torque.
Standard features on the 2020 CVO Road Glide include H-D
Connect, the Reflex Defensive Rider Systems electronics package, Kahuna
Collection components, Boom! Box GTS with Premium Boom! Audio, a Boom! Audio
30K Bluetooth Helmet Headset, a low-profile two-piece fuel tank console with
lighted CVO logo, a Fang Front Spoiler, a Screamin’ Eagle Heavy Breather
intake, Knockout 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels and more.
For 2020 there is a single color choice: Premium Sand Dune
with pearl topcoat and subtle graphics highlighted by Smoked Satin Chrome,
Gloss Black and Black Onyx finishes. Front and rear wheels are finished in
Gloss Black/Smoked Satin, and the Heavy Breather air cleaner is finished in
Gloss Black.
Pricing for the 2020 CVO Road Glide starts at $40,999.
Harley-Davidson is celebrating three decades of the iconic
Fat Boy with a limited-edition 30th Anniversary model—only 2,500 will be built,
each serialized with a number plate on the fuel tank console.
Introduced for the 1990 model year, the “Fat Boy took the
look, proportions and silhouette of a 1949 Hydra-Glide motorcycle and
completely modernized it for a new generation of riders,” explains Brad
Richards, Harley-Davidson Vice President of Styling and Design. “Those riders
appreciated our post-war design DNA but also found themselves drawn to the
clean simplicity of contemporary industrial design. Each of these elements was captured
in the new 2018 version of the Fat Boy model. For this 30th Anniversary model
we wanted to create something very special, so we leaned into the popularity of
darker finishes and a limited run/serialized strategy to make the bike truly
unique and exclusive.”
The Fat Boy 30th Anniversary offers a bold reinterpretation of the original with dark finishes and a single color option, Vivid Black. The cast-aluminum Lakester disc wheels are finished in Satin Black with machined highlights. The blacked-out Milwaukee-Eight 114 powertrain is finished with engine covers in gloss black and subtle bronze-tone lower rocker covers and timer cover script. The exhaust finished in a Black Onyx, a durable physical vapor deposition paint finish that reveals the underlying chrome in bright light. A Vivid Black headlamp nacelle, handlebar and controls as well as a new bronze-tone waterslide Fat Boy tank logo complete the dark look that is distinctive from the regular production model.
Based on the Harley-Davidson Softail platform launched in 2018, the Fat Boy redefines an icon with power and presence. The entire Fat Boy front end is massive and topped with an LED headlamp in a newly shaped nacelle. The Lakester disc aluminum wheels update one of the Fat Boy’s defining styling features, with a 160mm front and a 240mm rear tire that deliver a factory custom look.
Pricing for the 2020 Fat Boy 30th Anniversary starts at $21,949.
Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250. Photos by Harley-Davidson.
Harley-Davidson made some waves at EICMA this week, showing off two models it teased in 2018, the Pan-America adventure-tourer and the Bronx streetfighter. Both are powered by a new liquid-cooled 60-degree V-twin engine platform called the Revolution Max — 1,250cc in the Pan America and 975cc in the Bronx. Harley also confirmed that both models will launch in late 2020.
The Revolution Max is a bold new step for a company invested so heavily in (air-cooled) tradition — although perhaps not as bold as its LiveWire electric motorcycle unveiled earlier this year and now on sale at H-D dealerships nationwide. (Read our First Ride Review here.) Harley says the Revolution Max is designed to minimize weight and maximize performance, with a narrow profile that integrates into the bike as a stressed member of the frame. It also features a counter-balancer for smooth and comfortable operation.
Harley claims performance targets of more than 145 horsepower and 90 lb-ft of torque from the Revolution Max 1250, and more than 115 horsepower and 70 lb-ft of torque from the Revolution Max 975.
A few other details about the new Pan America and Bronx were released as well, including a collaboration with Brembo to create a new radial monoblock caliper that complements Harley’s unique design, and a continuing partnership with Michelin to develop co-branded tires specifically for each model.
Thanks to a smattering of new images (scroll down to see them all), we can also glean a bit more info about the new bikes.
Pan America looks to have a large, full-color TFT display, electronic suspension, cruise control and a one hand-adjustable windscreen.The Pan America also sports a chain final drive and tubeless spoked rims.Brembo brakes have ABS.Pan America’s luggage looks adventure-ready.This dark rendering of the Revolution Max 1250 gives us a few more hints, like a skid plate and side radiator guards.Is the world ready for a Harley ADV tourer? There’s only one way to find out….Harley-Davidson Bronx.It’s hard to tell if this is a backlit LCD or a TFT. The Bronx looks to have cruise control and an adjustable fork, though.Smaller version of the Revolution Max powers the Bronx. Notice the footpegs, a sporty rearset design that’s positioned right underneath the rider.
New or updated Harley-Davidson models for 2020 include the LiveWire electric bike (above), Low Rider S, Road Glide Limited, a restyled Heritage Classic and three CVO models. (Photos courtesy of Harley-Davidson)
The biggest news to come out of Milwaukee for the 2020 model year is the all-new LiveWire electric motorcycle, which we’ve already ridden and reviewed. Harley-Davidson has announced the wider availability of technological features that debuted on the LiveWire, as well as several new or updated models, including the Low Rider S, Road Glide Limited, Heritage Classic and three CVO models.
H-D Connect
H-D Connect sends vehicle information and security alerts to your smartphone through the Harley-Davidson app.
First seen on the LiveWire, H-D Connect is a subscription-based
cellular service that allows riders to connect with their motorcycle using
their smartphone and the Harley-Davidson app. H-D Connect provides key vehicle information
(e.g., battery voltage, fuel level, available range, riding statistics and
more) as well as remote security monitoring, including tamper alerts and stolen
vehicle assistance. H-D Connect is a standard feature on 2020 Touring (except
Road King/S and Electra Glide Standard models), Tri Glide Ultra, CVO models and
LiveWire, and it includes free service for one year.
Reflex Defensive Rider Systems (RDRS)
Also seen on the LiveWire, Reflex Defensive Rider Systems (RDRS) is a suite of electronic riding assistance features, including cornering enhanced linked braking, ABS, traction control and drag-torque slip control; hill hold control; and tire-pressure monitoring. All RDRS features are standard on CVO models (though on the CVO Tri Glide, nothing is “cornering enhanced”), and they are available as options on all Touring models except the Electra Glide Standard.
2020 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
2020 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
Chopper-style Low Rider models have been in Harley-Davidson’s lineup almost continuously since 1977. When Dyna models were rolled into the Softail family for 2018, the Low Rider got a new chassis and a Milwaukee-Eight 107ci V-twin. The last Low Rider S model, which we reviewed in 2016, was built around a 110-cubic-inch Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam V-twin. For 2020, the Softail-based Low Rider S flexes its muscles with a Milwaukee-Eight 114 that churns out 119 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm (claimed).
2020 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
Radiate cast wheels (19-inch front, 16-inch rear) finished in Matte Dark Bronze, a 1-inch-diameter motocross-style handlebar on 4-inch straight risers, a color-matched mini-fairing, a high-back solo seat and black finishes on the powertrain and mufflers add plenty of attitude.
The Low Rider S also gets premium suspension components (including a 43mm USD fork) and triple-disc brakes with standard ABS. It’s available in Vivid Black and Barracuda Silver (shown above), and pricing starts at $17,999.
2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited
2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited
Replacing the Road Glide Ultra model for 2020 is the new Road Glide Limited, which offers premium luxury-touring features, including painted pin striping, a gloss-finish inner fairing, heated grips, Slicer II Contrast Bright wheels and new tank, front and rear fender medallions. The Road Glide’s distinctive shark-nose fairing has triple split stream vents that improve airflow and reduce buffeting.
The Road Glide Limited is powered by the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight
114, and features premium suspension, Reflex linked Brembo brakes with ABS, a Boom!
Box GTS infotainment system with color touchscreen, H-D Connect and dual
Daymaker LED headlamps.
2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited
A new Black Finish Option (shown in the photos above), which is also available for the 2020 Ultra Limited, includes Slicer II cast wheels finished in Gloss Black; fuel tank, front and rear fender medallions with a Gloss Black fill surrounded by a Charcoal border; Gloss Black powdercoat powertrain, covers and exhaust; black Tour-Pak luggage carrier hinges, latches and rack, console, footboards, handlebar, gauge trim rings, hand control levers, mirrors and foot controls; black LED Daymaker headlamp, trim ring and LED fog lamps (Ultra Limited only); and black fork lowers, fork covers, engine guard and saddlebag guards.
Pricing for the 2020 Road Glide Limited starts at $28,299.
2020 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic
2020 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic
The Softail-chassis Heritage Classic has been re-styled for 2020, swapping the previous model’s blacked-out look for a generous helping of chrome. (The Heritage Classic 114 model powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine will retain the model’s original, blacked-out look.) The updated Heritage Classic has a bright powertrain with chrome air cleaner and covers; chrome steel laced wheels; chrome headlamp bucket and auxiliary light buckets, bright fork legs and chrome fork covers and nacelle; chrome rear fender struts and side covers; a chrome console; a polished stainless steel handlebar with a chrome riser and top clamp; and a full clear windscreen with chrome support hardware.
The Heritage Classic is powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-twin and is mechanically identical to the 2019 model. This touring-ready Softail features lockable hard saddlebags, a detachable windscreen, a two-piece skirted seat and pillion with black studs, and standard cruise control and ABS. Color options include: Vivid Black, Billiard Burgundy, two-tone Silver Pine/Spruce and Billiard Red/Vivid Black. Pricing starts at $18,999.
2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide
2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide
Returning for 2020 with a new look and new premium features, the CVO Street Glide is one of Harley-Davidson’s most popular limited-edition Custom Vehicle Operations models. Powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-Twin with red rocker covers, it gets premium custom paint, premium Talon wheels, custom controls and an all-new BOOM! Box GTS infotainment system with three separate amplifiers, 75 watts per channel and 900 watts of audio performance. It also includes the Reflex Defensive Rider Systems (RDRS), smartphone-linked H-D Connect and a wireless Bluetooth headset interface.
Pricing for the 2020 CVO Street Glide starts at $40,539.
2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Limited
2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Limited
For the ultimate in two-up V-twin touring, the 2020 CVO Limited offers the rider and passenger plenty of comfort, luggage capacity, style and performance. Its Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117 grunts out 125 lb-ft of torque. Premium suspension, premium paint and finishes, premium audio, RDRS, H-D Connect, wireless Bluetooth—the CVO Limited gets it all.
Pricing for the 2020 CVO Limited starts at $44,039.
2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Tri Glide
2020 Harley-Davidson CVO Tri Glide
Said to be the most-requested CVO model, a new addition to
the lineup for 2020 is the CVO Tri Glide, the ultimate Milwaukee-built trike.
Like its Custom Vehicle Operations stable mates, the CVO Tri Glide gets big
power from a Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin, big sound from the BOOM! Box GTS
infotainment system and big style courtesy of premium paint and finishes and
the Kahuna collection of grips, levers, pegs and floorboards, and Tomahawk
contrast-cut wheels. RDRS, H-D Connect, wireless Bluetooth, Daymaker LED
headlamps and the choice of two custom paint finishes round out the wish list.
Pricing for the 2020 CVO Tri Glide starts at $48,999.
This handy guide includes all new or significantly updated street-legal motorcycles for the 2020 model year. Organized in alphabetical order by manufacturer, it includes photos and links to details or, when available, first rides and road test reviews about each bike. This guide is updated regularly as more new/updated models are announced, and when we’ve had a chance to ride them and report our impressions.
Receiving updates similar to those that other models in the
R family received for 2019, the BMW R 1250 R roadster gets a larger 1,254cc
boxer twin with ShiftCam variable valve timing and valve stroke and updates to
its electronics package. It also gets a mild style refresh with a TFT display,
a DRL option for the halogen headlight and new color options. Although originally
announced as a 2019 model, the R 1250 R didn’t make it to the U.S. in time. BMW
says it will be available as a 2020 model with an MSRP starting at $14,995.
Receiving updates similar to those that other models in the
R family received for 2019, the BMW R 1250 R roadster gets a larger 1,254cc
boxer twin with ShiftCam variable valve timing and valve stroke and updates to
its electronics package. The RS also gets a style refresh that drops the
asymmetrical, winking look of the S 1000 RR in favor of a sporty twin-LED
headlight assembly, and an LED DRL (daytime running light) is an option.
Although announced as a 2019 model, the R 1250 RS didn’t make it to the U.S. in
time. BMW says it will be available as a 2020 model with an MSRP starting at
$15,695.
More power (205 hp), less weight (434 lbs), updated
technology and a new up-spec Motorsport version. The 2020 BMW S 1000 RR is at
the pointy end of the sportbike spear. Pricing starts at $16,995 and bikes will
be in dealerships in summer 2019.
Harley-Davidson’s new LiveWire electric motorcycle is seriously sporty, shockingly fast and whisper-quiet–everything a typical Harley isn’t. And that’s just the way Milwaukee wants it. It’s propelled by a liquid-cooled electric motor that makes a claimed 105 horsepower and 86 lb-ft of torque, drawing power from a 15.5 kWh battery that offers, according to H-D, a range of 146 miles in the city and 95 miles of combined stop-and-go and highway riding. Single-speed transmission offers twist-and-go convenience, and styling, ergonomics and components are the sportiest offered on any Harley-Davidson. MSRP starts at $29,799.
The 2020 Suzuki Katana features styling cues that pay direct homage to the 1981 original, and it’s built around the potent GSX-S1000 999cc inline-four. It features ABS, traction control, Easy Start and Low RPM Assist, as well as a twin-spar aluminum frame, braced superbike-style swingarm, KYB suspension, dual front Brembo monoblock four-piston calipers, 310mm floating rotors and a model-specific LCD panel. We got a chance to ride the new Katana in Japan last March, but pricing and availability are TBD.
Announced in the fall of 2018, we’re still waiting to see the
new Ténéré 700 (T7, for short) in the flesh–Yamaha says it will be coming to
the U.S. in the second half of 2020 as a 2021 model. We know it will be
powered by the 689cc CP2 parallel twin used in the MT-07, housed in a new
tubular steel double-cradle frame. Other details include a 62.6-inch wheelbase,
9.5 inches of ground clearance, a fully adjustable USD 43mm fork with 8.3
inches of travel and a remote preload-adjustable rear shock with 7.9 inches of
travel.
Yamaha has updated its flagship sportbikes, the YZF-R1 and the track-ready YZF-R1M, for 2020, with both featuring refinements to their CP4 crossplane crankshaft engines, an augmented electronic rider aids package, enhanced suspension and redesigned bodywork. MSRP is $17,300 for the YZF-R1 and $26,099 for the YZF-R1M (the latter is available in limited quantities through Yamaha’s online reservation system).
The first new model from Zero Motorcycles since 2016, the 2020 SR/F’s streetfighter look and steel trellis frame blur the styling lines between gas and electric motorcycles. Powered by a new ZF75-10 IPM (Interior Permanent Magnet) motor and ZF14.4 lithium-ion battery, it delivers a claimed 140 lb-ft of torque and 110 horsepower. It also features Bosch’s Motorcycle Stability Control System and Zero’s new Cypher III operating system. Pricing starts at $18,995.
Harley-Davidson’s new LiveWire electric motorcycle is seriously sporty, shockingly fast and whisper-quiet–everything a typical Harley isn’t. And that’s just the way Milwaukee wants it. (Photos courtesy Harley-Davidson)
Imagine
telling the average Harley-Davidson or American V-twin enthusiast a few years
ago that not only would the Motor Company produce and sell a naked sportbike in
2020—certainly not an outrageous concept—but that it would be an all-electric one.
That last bit
would have not only raised an eyebrow or two among the faithful, it would have
likely burned a few clean off their respective foreheads simply from the heated
blowback of the responses. Just about any Motor Company fan will tell you: Harley-Davidsons
and electric-power EVs just weren’t meant to be talked about in the same
sentence.
With 17-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, fully adjustable Showa suspension and 45 degrees of cornering clearance, the LiveWire is by far Harley-Davidson’s sportiest motorcycle.
But as we all
know, that’s exactly what’s happened. Harley-Davidson has not only built a
naked sportbike that’s sleek, futuristic and sexy, with wide wheels, sticky
tires, sporty suspension and a lean-forward riding position, but one that’s electrically
powered, with not a molecule of internal combustion waste emanating from its
non-existent exhaust system.
It’s a simple
truth: Harley-Davidson can’t continue to exist solely by selling Big Twins to
aging baby boomers who, in a decade or so, will be mostly out of motorcycling.
Like the rest of the motorcycle industry, Harley needs new blood and new
markets, and feels very strongly that a line of electric two-wheelers led by
the high-end and high-price ($29,795) LiveWire is a prime way to reach them and
teach them.
Look Ma, no pipes! No pipes means no “potato-potato-potato” rumble that has been Harley-Davidson’s signature sound for decades.
“It’s a bold
goal, helping encourage and develop the next generation of riders,”
Harley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich told me over breakfast at the launch, “but we
think we’re on the right track with the LiveWire, our future electric
offerings, and our More Roads To Harley-Davidson efforts. Motorcyclists know
that nothing is more spectacular than two-wheeled travel, right? Spreading that
word among a more general population, and building riders in addition to
building great motorcycles…well, that seems like a pretty strong concept to us.
“That said,”
he continued, “we are not limiting in any way our emphasis on traditional
Harleys; if anything, we’re more energized than ever about Sportsters and
Softails and baggers and the like. But we do need to branch out, and see
electrification as a key avenue there. We very much intend to lead the way in
the electrification of the sport.”
The LiveWire comes standard with a Level 1 charger that can be stored under the seat. At standard 110V, Level 1 charging takes 12.5 hours to go from 0% to 100% battery charge.
If leading
the way means introducing the world’s most advanced electrically powered
motorcycle, then Milwaukee has very clearly put its money where its mouth is. I
was only able to get a few hours on a LiveWire during the July launch, but thanks
to a thorough tech briefing, and following that a morning and afternoon ride
around town and on some of the faster roads in the hills surrounding Portland,
Oregon, I got a pretty good idea of what it is and how it works.
First off, there’s a lot of tech here. Leading the list is an all-new electric motor that’s liquid-cooled, offers 105 horsepower (78 kW) and 86 lb-ft of torque, and produces 100 percent of that torque the instant the throttle is turned. It gets its power from a 15.5 kWh battery that offers, according to H-D, a range of 146 miles in the city and 95 miles of combined stop-and-go and highway riding. Level 1 plug-in charging (e.g., at home or work) takes 12.5 hours for a full charge via an included charger cable. Since the bike has an SAE Combo CCS connector like many American and European electric cars, it can also be charged at thousands of Level 2 stations around the country (but at Level 1 speed). Approximately 150 Harley dealers nationwide (with more to come over time) will also offer fast Level 3 one-hour charging and two full years of free charges.
The LiveWire’s frame wraps around a massive lithium-ion battery pack, below which is the all-new Revelation internal permanent magnet synchronous motor with water jacket cooling.
The LiveWire also has ABS and traction control, a 4.3-inch color TFT touchscreen display centered just above the handlebar, seven selectable Ride Modes (Sport, Road, Range and Rain, plus three customizable modes) and HD Connect, which links owners to their motorcycles (free initially, then for a monthly fee) and offers tons of status and service information via a smartphone using the Harley-Davidson app.
Climb aboard and you’re
immediately struck by the riding position, which is more Ducati Monster or Suzuki
GSX-S than Sportster or Softail. Its ergos invite a slight forward lean, with
semi-rearset pegs, a mildly upward-bent handlebar and scooped seat locking you
into position—the reason for which will become apparent soon enough. It all
feels reasonably normal…right until you push the starter. The color info-screen
lets you know that things are ready to roll with a green light, but in place of
a chugga-chugga/potato-potato rumble you have silence (though the battery and motor give off a little “buurp” of movement
to let you know the bike is alive and running). Give the throttle a little twist and you’re off, the bike
moving forward smoothly and predictably to your right wrist’s commands.
The LiveWire’s 4.3-inch color TFT touchscreen display offers massive info. “Green” means twist-and-go!
In stop-and-go traffic I
found the LiveWire super easy to ride, which says a lot about the refinement
that’s been baked into it during eight years of development. Throttle response
at slower speeds was immediate, linear and controllable, the bike demonstrating
no lurching or driveline lash whatsoever. Steering was light and precise, and the
brakes crisp and predictable, both of which helped the LW feel considerably lighter
than its 540-plus pound wet weight might suggest.
Other than a low whine
under acceleration the LiveWire is totally quiet, eerily smooth and almost
completely unobtrusive in an aural and vibrational sense. The Harley folks call
this “Minimal NVH,” which means minimal noise, vibration and harshness.
Accelerating away from a light or tearing down a side street you find yourself
listening to wind noise and the tires slapping against the asphalt. It’s an entirely
new experience, and one that proved compelling all day long.
The LiveWire’s chassis specs are decidedly sportbike-like: 24.5 degrees of rake and 4.3 inches of trail, with 120-70 and 180/55-spec wheels and tires, in this case sticky Michelin Scorchers. It’s a bit heavy at 549 pounds and has a longish, 58.7-inch wheelbase, but doesn’t feel it on the road thanks to crisp steering manners and firm suspension settings.
You’ll get that same feeling
when you ride the LiveWire hard and fast, too. I immediately found myself
running through turns faster, looking for pavement irregularities to hit while
leaned over to see how the chassis behaved, and then hammering the throttle at
the exit, trying—in vain, for the most part—to find what I figured would be mid-level
traction, suspension and handling limits. I didn’t find much of that at all,
which tells me that all the bluster I’d heard at the tech briefing about
chassis and engine refinement, optimized frame geometry, suspension quality and
power delivery wasn’t bluster at all. The thing is shockingly fast, amazingly
smooth, easy to get used to and ride quickly, forgiving and, most of all, big fun.
Stubby, stepped two-up seat perches the pilot 30 inches off the ground. Tuning knobs for the fully adjustable Showa BFRC-lite shock are easily accessible between the seat and rear wheel.
Nitpicks are few and far
between, unless you’re talking seat-to-peg distance, which for my multi-surgery
knees is a little tight. Suspension settings, which worked well for my XXL-sized
butt, are probably too firm for average humans in terms of spring rate and
compression. The bar could use a little more pullback and maybe an inch or two extra
in height, and the seat seemed a little thin on padding.
The larger questions, of
course, involve range and price. The first isn’t going to be quite enough for a
lot of folks, and the latter is likely to be too much. That’s just the way
things stand at this point in EV development. You’re either on board and
willing to accept the trade-offs for the bennies, or you’re a skeptic.
Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire is a break from tradition in more ways than one, with a sport-standard design and ergonomics. Which makes sense given that it will go from 0 to 60 in 3 seconds flat.
But EVs are coming,
like it or not, and despite one’s perspective on price and range, the LiveWire is
a superbly designed, compellingly competent, seriously fun and
fascinating-to-ride motorcycle…a Halo bike that should represent
Harley-Davidson well as it moves into the EV space in the coming years with a
wide range of electric two-wheelers, from mid-range EVs to mountain bikes to
kids bikes and lots more.
So while that futuristic fortuneteller
might have seemed pretty crazy a few years back, this time he was absolutely
right.
Styling-wise, the LiveWire is an impressive machine, with fit and finish on par with its premium price. Its available in three colors: Orange Fuse (shown), Yellow Fuse and Vivid Black.
Author Mitch Boehm is the Editor of Rider’s
sister publication Thunder Press and
a former Editor of Motorcyclist
magazine.
2020 Harley-Davidson LiveWire Specs Website: harley-davidson.com Base Price: $29,795 Motor Type: Revelation internal permanent magnet synchronous motor w/ water jacket cooling Battery: 15.5 kWh lithium-ion Transmission: Single speed w/ spiral bevel gear primary Final Drive: Belt Wheelbase: 58.7 in. Rake/Trail: 24.5 degrees/4.3 in. Suspension, Front: Showa 43mm inverted SFF-BP fork, fully adj. w/ 4.5-in. travel Rear: Showa BFRC-lite shock, fully adj. w/ 4.5-in. travel Tires, Front: 120/70-ZR17 Rear: 180/55-ZR17 Seat Height: 30.0 in. Claimed Wet Weight: 549 lbs. Claimed Range: 146 mi. city, 95 mi. combined stop-and-go/highway
With Harley’s iconic batwing fairing, cruising was comfortable on the outskirts of the Ocala National Forest near Daytona Beach, Florida. Photos by Brian J. Nelson.
Raw and bare, stripped of all the arguably distracting bells and whistles that Bluetooth-connected, GPS-dependent riders have been coddled with, Harley’s new FLHT Electra Glide Standard is the epitome of simplicity. As a mid-year release, the bike signifies a back-to-basics, cut-the-fat approach geared to attract riders at a reasonable $18,999. Compared to the Electra Glide Ultra’s $24,589 or the Street Glide’s $21,289, the Standard is the lowest-priced offering in H-D’s touring line.
Described as a dressed down dresser, the Electra Glide Standard does away with the radio and instead depends on the ultra-smooth Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-twin to set the tempo. Importantly, the iconic batwing fairing with a clear, mid-height windshield and a single halogen headlight are retained, though its foam-covered speaker holes are empty as is the gaping slot for the LCD screen, which now serves as a phone or glove holder during pit stops.
No speakers or LCD screen, just four essential gauges.
The dished solo seat sits at 26.1 inches, which made it extremely comfortable for my 6-foot-3 build. With a minimalist amount of chrome, the bike maintains a sleek and intimidating look that will still turn heads with the purity of its black paint job (and it only comes in Vivid Black).
The Electra Glide Standard comes with large One Touch saddlebags. spacious floorboards and a standard shift lever in place of the usual heel-toe shifter. Its naked front fender covers a 17-inch black machined Impeller wheel that is accented by chrome fork skirts.
The ultra-smooth Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-twin engine is the bike’s biggest selling point.
Handling was impressive at all speeds during a daylong press ride through Florida’s swampland near Daytona Beach. The fat 130/80 front tire meant I had to put a little more effort into steering it, but the still-nimble, 820-pound bike felt firmly connected to the asphalt. With 26 degrees of rake and 6.7 inches of trail, it provides stable, comfortable cruising for days, especially with the Showa Dual Bending Valve front fork and dual emulsion shocks in the back.
The 2019 Harley-Davidson FLHT Electra Glide Standard’s minimalist approach focuses on utility.
This no-frills bike is not for beginners, nor is it billed as such. It is an attractive and attractively priced piece of American iron that will appeal to a wide swath of financially conscious riders. It gives a rider the basics that matter to get them out on the open road or into a dealership. And it is prepped to be incrementally customized as riding seasons pass–a deliberate Harley marketing plan.
The streamlined beauty and Milwaukee-Eight power should hopefully make the Electra Glide Standard a lasting hit in Harley’s touring line.
Generous saddlebag capacity is retained, while removing the left saddlebag with one click gives easy access to make quick, toolless preload adjustments.
Kali Kotoski is the Managing Editor of Rider’s sister publication Thunder Press.
The time comes to us all when age and experience send us looking for a change, something less hard-edged and more focused on comfort and a laid-back riding style. For a lot of riders that means boning up on Harleys to see why so many of their peers eventually end up aboard Milwaukee iron. The lucky ones find the FXDF Fat Bob. With a torquey engine, decent if not outstanding suspension and brakes, and a more basic look than some of the brand’s gaudier models, it’s one of the smoothest transitions into the Harley world from outside.
Introduced in 2008, the Fat Bob came with a Twin Cam 96 engine, and in 2012 got an upgrade to the TC103. Both iterations of the archetypal Harley V-twin put out enough low-end power to launch the big Bob from stoplights with ease, and although neither is a match for high-revving Japanese and European bikes in the upper reaches of the rev range, the Harley is no slouch for a bike its size. The engine’s 45-degree cylinder spread, a holdover from the company’s early days, is practically a prescription for vision-blurring vibration, but the worst of it is held in check by rubber engine mounts that isolate you from all but the most pleasant mechanical sensations. Harley’s maintenance-free belt final drive gives you more time to enjoy the ride, too.
We featured the Fat Bob on the cover of our June 2012 issue.
If the Fat Bob has a signature styling lick, it’s the slotted disc wheels and fat, wide tires. They take some getting used to if you’re accustomed to the sizes used on most other bikes, but they don’t take away much from the bike’s handling, as long as you accept that you’re not on a sportbike or an adventure tourer. With that in mind you’ll find braking and cornering clearance sufficient to enjoy a brisk ride down a twisty road. Rougher surfaces, though, highlight the twin rear shocks’ dismally short travel, and make you wish as much attention had been lavished on the inside of the front fork as the outside. Still, riders who’ve sampled both the Fat Bob and other Harley baggers and touring models say the FXDF is probably the best all-day ride in Harley’s cruiser fleet, and that with some soft luggage and a quick-detach windscreen it makes a versatile touring mount.
Rubber engine mounts, decent suspension, belt final drive and strong midrange power delivery made the TC96 and TC103 Fat Bob a versatile choice among Harley’s 2008-2013 cruiser lineup.
Shopping for a used Fat Bob takes patience, especially if you’re looking for a stock(ish) one. The biggest obstacles are “performance” mods that add little to the otherwise bulletproof Twin Cam engine apart from more noise, worse gas mileage and decreased reliability. The FXDF’s big draw is its tractability, and you’re not likely to improve much on that. Two areas of the chassis–the drive belt and the rubber engine mounts–warrant close inspection. You can inspect the belt visually for holes, tears or other damage, and see if the sides of the belt or the rear pulley are worn, indicating an alignment problem with the rear wheel. But the only way to check the engine mounts is to ride the bike. The rowdy vibes should smooth out just above idle and stay that way until redline.
The market for used Harleys seems to be cooling lately, but you should still expect to see Fat Bobs ranging from $10,000 for an early model with the TC96 engine to $12,500 for the later TC103. Beware the seller who thinks every accessory added to the bike is still worth its retail value on top of the asking price. Service records are nice to have, but a valid title is a must–accept no excuses on this point.
2012 Harley-Davidson FXDF Fat Bob.
PROS
Strong engine, decent chassis and good reliability, plus a huge dealer network for parts and service.
CONS
Big and heavy with short-travel suspension. Endless “fat” jokes, especially if your name is Bob.
Engine: Air-cooled 45-degree V-twin, 1,570cc (TC96), 1,690cc (TC103) Final drive: Belt Weight: 706 lbs. Fuel capacity: 5.0 gals. Seat height: 27 in.
Harley-Davidson has announced a stripped-down, fundamental version of its Electra Glide touring bagger dubbed the Electra Glide Standard. Powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 107, the new Electra Glide Standard is aimed at the rider looking for a simpler experience: no screens, no infotainment, just a motorcycle.
The Electra Glide Standard features chrome trim pieces and polished rocker, cam and derby covers, along with selected blacked-out components for a blend of timeless and traditional. It’s also equipped with many of the ride and handling technology of the rest of Harley’s Touring line, such as electronic cruise control, hand-adjustable emulsion-technology rear shock absorbers, a 49mm front fork with Showa dual bending valve suspension, and Brembo brakes with optional Reflex Linked and ABS features.
Behind the classic batwing fairing, a glovebox takes the place of an audio system, and a single scooped touring seat is standard (a pillion seat is available as an accessory).
The Electra Glide Standard is available in dealerships now, in Vivid Black, starting at $18,999.
For more information, visit harley-davidson.com. Scroll down for more photos.
