Harley-Davidson 1870 Softail Breakout FXBRS 2022 — Specifications

Who can boast about riding on a 240 mm rear tire without blushing? The Breakout FXBRS is the Softail that owns everything about itself. Its dragster physique, its chromed bad boy attitude, and above all that Milwaukee-Eight 114 displacing 1868 cc, pushing 94 hp at 5020 rpm and more importantly 155 Nm of torque from just 3250 rpm. On paper, that's more generous than the old Screamin' Eagle 110 from the early CVO versions, at least in pure torque. The 45° V-twin rumbles through its 4 valves per cylinder with a 10.5:1 compression ratio, and all that power is transmitted via a 6-speed gearbox and a belt drive. No greasy chain, no discreet shaft drive. A belt, like a statement.

On the style front, Harley pushed the sliders hard on this generation. Daymaker LED headlight, blacked-out mirrors and fork triple clamps, a digital dashboard replacing the old analog gauge, redesigned wheels with a split-spoke pattern. The tank has lost volume, just 13.2 liters, which limits range but sharpens the silhouette. The two exhausts are now stacked rather than staggered. The visual result is clean: the Breakout looks like nothing else in the lineup. It leans toward radical custom without falling into unusable show bike territory. Compared to a Fat Bob or even a Fat Boy, it clearly plays the long, low, and stretched card. Its 665 mm seat height welcomes all body types, even the most modest.

The real progress hides beneath the bodywork. The Softail steel double-cradle frame has been rethought from the ground up. Fewer parts, fewer welds, and a 34% increase in rigidity once the bike is assembled. Harley claims 17 kilos shed compared to the previous generation. The result is a wet weight of 305 kg. That's still heavy, very heavy even compared to an Indian Scout Bobber or a Triumph Bonneville Bobber. But the improvement is felt from the very first corners. The 49 mm telescopic fork with dual-rate damping valves, inherited from the Touring range, delivers far more precise damping than the old unit. The hidden rear mono-shock under the seat features a preload adjuster accessible without tools. It's a detail, but on a Harley, that kind of mechanical attention deserves to be highlighted. Suspension travel remains limited, 130 mm up front and 86 mm at the rear, which clearly confines the machine to smooth tarmac.

On the road, the Breakout is ridden on torque. You stay in the low rev range, let the twin pull, and enjoy the rumble. Top speed caps out at 180 km/h, which places the machine far from any sporting ambitions. Braking delivers the bare minimum: a 300 mm front disc with a 4-piston caliper, a 292 mm rear with 2 pistons. Adequate for boulevard and highway use, just enough for a machine this size on fast back roads. The 130/60-21 front tire adds inertia on corner entry. That's the price of the look.

At 25,490 euros, the Breakout plays in the premium custom league. That's the price of an Indian Challenger or nearly a BMW R 18. The target clientele isn't looking for versatility or daily mileage. They want an object, a presence, a motorcycle that turns heads on the boulevard and delivers visceral sensations with every twist of the throttle. On that front, the Breakout FXBRS fulfills its contract with aplomb. It remains, however, a pure pleasure tool, limited by its famished tank and short-travel suspension. For touring, you'll need to look elsewhere. For showing off with style, it's hard to find better.