Harley-Davidson 1745 Softail Slim FLSL 2020 — Specifications

When Milwaukee decides to overhaul everything without changing anything, the result is called the Slim. On the surface, the recipe stays true to itself: clean lines, low silhouette, that hint of Bobber that has clung to this Softail since its earliest days. But beneath that familiar bodywork, the 2018 revolution profoundly reconfigured the machine. This 2020 model year inherits all of it fully.

The Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine, displacing 1745cc, sits at the heart of the matter. This 45-degree V-twin, with four valves per cylinder, produces 86 horsepower at 5,020 rpm and, more importantly, 145 Nm of torque at just 3,000 rpm. It's that second figure that truly tells the story of this machine's personality. No need to wring out the revs to feel the bike surge forward on an open road: the big V-twin pulls from the bottom of the rev range with a directness that the old Twin Cam units never delivered with such clarity. Thermally cleaner, better insulated from vibration thanks to its balancer shafts, the Milwaukee-Eight transforms the Harley experience without betraying it. The rumble is still there, the heritage too, but the overall refinement has genuinely moved forward.

The chassis is the other major project of this generation. The steel tubular frame with rectangular backbone features an optimized design, with fewer weld points and superior structural rigidity. The claimed weight saving is 17 kilograms over the previous generation — no small feat on a motorcycle that tips the scales at 304 kg fully fueled. The rear suspension also undergoes a philosophical change: out go the pair of shock absorbers tucked beneath the engine, replaced by a monoshock hidden under the seat, freeing up the visual line and improving handling. Up front, the dual-valved 49mm telescopic fork carries proven technology borrowed from the Touring lineup, with 130mm of travel. The Slim is no sportbike, and no one expects it to be, but it holds a line with far more conviction than its predecessors.

A seat height of 660mm makes it accessible to a wide range of riders, and its temperament as an urban cruiser and unhurried tourer fits perfectly with the profile of an experienced rider seeking the pleasure of a good ride without fighting the machine. The 170 km/h that the spec sheet theoretically grants it is beside the point: the Slim prefers cruising at an easy pace, drawing on available torque effortlessly, letting the 18.9-liter tank stretch across the miles. Against an Indian Scout Bobber or a Triumph Bonneville Bobber, the Slim plays in a different price dimension at €19,590, and owns that premium positioning without apology. The competition sometimes offers more agility or comparable finish for less money, but it doesn't carry the same symbolic capital.

What truly draws you to this version is its coherence. The wire-spoke wheels, the Hollywood handlebar, the dark accents on the fork — together they form a stylistic whole that needs no excess to make its presence felt. The Milwaukee-Eight Slim is a mature motorcycle, built for a rider who knows what he wants and has the means to make no compromises.