Harley-Davidson 1920 Softail Low Rider S FXLRS 2022 — Specifications

What drives Harley-Davidson to drop the engine from its most prestigious models into a dark, aggressive cruiser sold at 20,590 euros? The answer comes down to one number: 1,923 cc. With the 2022 vintage of the Low Rider S FXLRS, Milwaukee isn't settling for a cosmetic update. The firm transplants the Milwaukee Eight 117—previously reserved for CVO models priced much higher—into a Softail chassis built for battle. The result is a 45° V-twin that unleashes 167.7 Nm of torque from just 3,500 rpm and 105 horsepower at 5,020 rpm. On paper, it's the best power-to-weight ratio in the entire lineup equipped with this powerplant. In practice, it's a slap in the face with every twist of the throttle.

Compared to the previous generation, the changes are less radical than during the transition from the Twin Cam to the Milwaukee Eight, which had overhauled the frame, fork, and running gear. Here, the revolution is concentrated beneath the crankcases. Pistons with a 103.5 mm bore travel a 114.3 mm stroke, four valves per cylinder breathe through an oversized air filter, and a high-performance camshaft orchestrates it all with a 10.2:1 compression ratio. The gain in displacement and character is unmistakable. This is no longer a simple muscular cruiser—it's a power cruiser that fully embraces its mechanical brutality.

The chassis largely carries over from the former Low Rider 114. The steel double-cradle frame houses a 43 mm inverted fork with 130 mm of travel, enough to smooth out imperfections without turning the machine into a magic carpet. At the rear, the mono-shock hidden beneath the seat has been lengthened, slightly raising the tail. The benefit is threefold: a touch more ground clearance, sharper agility through direction changes, and improved comfort over long stretches of rough pavement. At 308 kg wet and with a seat height of 710 mm, the bike remains accessible to most riders, even if the weight makes itself known during low-speed maneuvers. Braking duties are handled by twin 300 mm discs clamped by four-piston calipers up front, paired with a single 292 mm disc at the rear. Adequate, without being sporty.

On the equipment front, the instrumentation has migrated from the tank to a small circular gauge mounted on the handlebar. The 18.9-liter tank now bears nothing but an FXLRS badge as decoration, reinforcing that stripped-down, almost hostile aesthetic. Lighting switches entirely to LEDs, the 19- and 16-inch wheels sport a bronze finish that contrasts sharply with the black bodywork, and the Drag Bar handlebar imposes a riding position with arms outstretched, chin down. Nothing is superfluous. Harley also offers an ST variant in the lineup, fitted with a fork-mounted fairing and saddlebags for those who want to devour miles without sacrificing the 117's temperament.

Against an Indian Chief Dark Horse or a Triumph Rocket 3 R, the 2022 Low Rider S plays a different card. It seeks neither technological refinement nor maximum brute power. It banks on low-end torque, attitude, and that unique ability to pin you against the backrest from the very first meters. This is a motorcycle for the rider who wants to feel every combustion pulse through the crankshaft, who prefers the deep rumble of a long-stroke V-Twin to the wail of a triple. Not a machine for beginners, nor for those seeking versatility. A tool of raw pleasure, built for endless straightaways and ferocious corner-exit surges. At this price, with this engine, Harley places the bar exactly where its rivals don't dare to go.