Harley-Davidson 1920 Softail Low Rider S FXLRS 2025 — Specifications

What drives Harley-Davidson to wake up an already brutal engine and make it even meaner? The answer can be summed up in two words: Low Rider S, model year 2025. Visually, the changes can be counted on one hand. A larger air filter, a slightly narrower handlebar, an exhaust now merged into a single outlet, wheels that lose their bronze tint. Nothing spectacular at first glance. Except that beneath the 18.9-liter tank, the Milwaukee Eight 117 V-twin has undergone a methodical meanness treatment.

The engine retains its 1,923 cc but changes character thanks to a battery of internal modifications. New cylinder heads, revised intake, optimized cooling, freer-flowing exhaust, a Heavy Breather filter to let the beast breathe, and above all a camshaft borrowed from the 121 engine. The result: 114 horsepower at 5,020 rpm and 127.6 lb-ft of torque available from just 4,000 rpm. That's nine more horses than the previous generation, an eleven percent gain. On paper, it seems modest. In practice, on a 650-pound machine sitting on a steel double-cradle frame with a seat just 28.1 inches off the ground, the shove in the small of your back tells a very different story. The Low Rider S actually boasts the best power-to-weight ratio in the entire Milwaukee Eight lineup. Against an Indian Sport Chief and its 122 horsepower or a Triumph Rocket 3 R playing in a higher displacement league, the Harley isn't chasing raw power. It banks on character—that way the 45-degree V-twin has of rattling your wrists with every twist of the throttle.

The real novelty of this model year lies in the electronics. The 2025 Softails finally receive riding modes—three maps that alter engine response and the behavior of the electronic aids. Traction control, formerly relegated to the options list, becomes standard equipment. It works in concert with an inertial measurement unit, cornering-sensitive ABS, and engine brake management. For a custom this aggressive, that arsenal of safeguards is reassuring. Cruise control was already present; Harley adds tire pressure monitoring, a USB-C port, and redesigned instrumentation with a speedometer repositioned higher on the risers. Details that modernize the package without betraying the machine's rebellious spirit.

On the chassis side, the Softail frame houses a 43 mm inverted fork with 130 mm of travel and a mono-shock hidden beneath the seat offering 112 mm of travel. The suspension has been recalibrated for greater rigidity without sacrificing comfort on long rides. Braking relies on two 300 mm discs gripped by four-piston calipers up front and a 292 mm disc with a two-piston caliper at the rear. The front lever gains reach adjustability—a rare touch on this type of motorcycle. The 19-inch front and 16-inch rear wheels wear 110/90 and 180/70 tires, a balance between stability and maneuverability typical of the genre.

At €22,995, the Low Rider S isn't aimed at beginners or the undecided. It's a machine built for muscular custom enthusiasts who want real temperament under the seat, not a show bike parked in a garage. Those seeking touring versatility can turn to the ST variant, equipped with a fairing and hard saddlebags. But the Low Rider S stays true to its calling: a Drag Bar handlebar, a fierce V-twin transmitted by belt drive through a six-speed gearbox, and the promise of a 112 mph top speed that you savor long before the last digit on the speedometer.