Harley-Davidson 1920 Softail Breakout FXBR 2024 — Specifications

What makes a century-old manufacturer bolt its biggest engine into a chassis shaped like a sixties dragster? The answer comes down to one word: the Breakout. Since its debut in 2012 under the ultra-premium CVO banner, this bruiser of a Softail has never stopped dividing opinion. On one side, those who fault its skeletal ground clearance and schizophrenic cornering behavior, where the front and rear ends seem to live their own separate lives. On the other, the raw-sensation seekers who accept its dynamic quirks as the price of admission for riding a sculpture of chrome and steel. With this 2024 model year and its Milwaukee Eight 117, Harley-Davidson has picked its side.

Beneath the sculpted 18.9-liter tank, the 45-degree V-twin displacing 1923 cc delivers 102 horsepower at 5020 rpm and, more importantly, 167.7 Nm of torque available from just 3500 rpm. On paper, it falls well short of an Indian Challenger or a BMW R 18 in terms of outright power, but the Breakout isn't playing in the same league. Its playground is the straight line, the traffic light, the gaze of bystanders. Four valves per cylinder, a 103.5 mm bore with a 114.3 mm stroke, and a 10.2:1 compression ratio: the engine breathes hard, rumbles low, and pushes with a conviction the old Twin Cams never knew. The belt drive and six-speed gearbox do the job without fuss, even if you still wish for a quickshifter at this price point.

And let's talk about that price. At 29,650 euros, the Breakout FXBR sits in the stratosphere of American custom. For the money, you get 310 kg wet weight sitting on a 49 mm telescopic fork with 130 mm of travel up front and a hidden mono-shock under the seat offering just 43 mm of travel at the rear. Suffice to say, every pothole makes itself known to your spine. Braking relies on a 300 mm disc gripped by a four-piston caliper at the front and a 292 mm disc with a two-piston caliper at the rear. Adequate, nothing more. Traction control, meanwhile, remains optional. On a machine that sends nearly 170 Nm to a 240 mm rear tire, you'd expect Harley to include it as standard.

The Breakout's real strength is its design. The contrast between the 21-inch front wheel wrapped in a slim 130/60 and the massive 240/40-18 rear meat creates a silhouette unlike anything else on the market. The 26-spoke cast aluminum wheels evoke the lightness of wire spokes while retaining visual heft. Chrome invades every surface, from the triple tree to the mufflers, from the side covers to the turn signal mounts. The Heavy Breather air cleaner adds a touch of mechanical ferocity, while the wide polished stainless-steel handlebar imposes a posture of arms spread, feet far forward, backside planted 665 mm off the ground. You don't ride a Breakout — you inhabit it.

This motorcycle is aimed neither at beginners nor at tight-corner enthusiasts. It speaks to riders seeking a total sensory experience, a blend of raw power and stage presence that neither the Fat Bob nor the Fat Boy deliver with such radicality. Against an Indian Scout Bobber Twenty, the Breakout plays in a higher price and displacement category; against the BMW R 18, it counters with a wilder, less bourgeois temperament. It stays true to its calling as a boulevard dragster, with all the compromises that implies on twisty roads. But for those who know what they're getting into, the Breakout 117 puts on a show every time it rolls out. The entry fee is steep. So is the thrill.