Harley-Davidson has made significant updates to its Softail cruiser lineup, even though they look almost identical to the previous versions. They’ve got more power, more tech, and fresh colorways. We took them for spins around Austin, Texas, diving into the myriad changes to find out which Softail we like most.
There are now six Softails – the Fat Bob was pruned from the lineup – and what remains are the Heritage Classic, Street Bob, Fat Boy, Breakout, Low Rider S, and Low Rider ST. They’re powered by three variants of updated 117ci Milwaukee-Eight V-Twins: Classic, Custom, and High Output.
Cylinder heads borrowed from the recent 117/121 CVO and Grand American Touring bikes are the main reason for the increase in power across the Softail line. Designed for improved performance and efficiency, they also use the updated oil-routing passages for the oil-cooled heads, which is purported to reduce heat during low-speed operation.
Related: Harley-Davidson Launches $110,000 CVO Road Glide RR
Also new is a contoured aluminum intake manifold that creates a smoother transition from the round throttle body to the oval intake ports. Exhaust systems were redesigned to minimize high frequencies so that the bass volume from a pair of 961.5cc cylinders could be emphasized.
All Softails are now fitted with a 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit that tracks lean angles, g-forces, and speeds to enable cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control. The Softails also now include selectable ride modes that affect throttle response, power delivery, and the parameters for cornering ABS and traction control.
Also new to the standard-equipment list across all Softails are cruise control, tire-pressure monitoring, and USB-C charging points. New gauges feature analog speedometers above multifunction LCD panels that display ride modes and other information. New switchgear on the handlebars offers higher-quality tactile responses, and the front brake lever is now adjustable for reach.
Suspension has straight-rate springs replacing progressive coils for “a better balance between the springs and damping,” says H-D, adding that the straight-rate fork springs provide more predictable performance and feel.
Getting the opportunity to ride six bikes over two days was an unusual situation, allowing us to hone in on which Softail is our favorite. We’ll save the best for the last.
2025 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
The combination of wide tires on disc-style wheels gives the Fat Boy (starting at $22,599) a commanding presence, and its appearance in 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day earned it a place in pop-culture history. The Fat Boy and its steamroller stance remains one of Harley’s most iconic models, but it’s my least favorite Softail.
The Fat Boy is powered by the Custom variant of the new 117 M-8s, which boasts 11% more horsepower and 6% more torque than the 114ci powerplant in the previous Fat Boy. Harley says it cranks out 104 hp and 126 lb-ft.
You can identify the Custom engine by its Touring-style airbox (claimed to offer 50% more volume than the Ventilator used on the previous Fat Boy) and 2-into-2 exhaust – the only Softail motor not fitted with a 2-into-1.
This Boy hits the road with 6.3 inches of rubber up front and 9.4 at the rear: 160/60-18, 240/40-18 Michelin Scorcher radials. Lakester cast-aluminum wheels feature a machined inner section that mimics the solid discs of the original Fat Boy. The wide theme continues with the “beer can” covers over the 49mm Showa fork held by aluminum triple clamps.
GEAR UP
- Helmet: Shoei GT-Air 3
- Jacket: Highway 21 Motordrome
- Airbag: Alpinestars Tech-Air 3
- Gloves: Alpinestars GPX V2
- Pants: Saint Unbreakable
- Boots: Harley-Davidson Hagerman
To me, fat tires are like platform shoes – what is gained by a badass appearance is lost from its dynamic performance. Wider tires make any motorcycle feel less agile and heavier, simple as that. And with 25.6 degrees of lean angle before its footboards scuff the road, it digs in sooner than all the other Softails.
2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout
The Breakout (starting at $23,099) is essentially a Fat Boy with a skinnier front end. The 240mm rear tire remains, but up front is a narrower and taller 130/60-21 Scorcher to give it a raked-out chopper stance. The lighter wheels and tires help trim 13 lb from the Fat Boy’s 694-lb curb weight. It shares the Custom engine with its Boy brother, which feels and sounds burly and has smooth but reactive throttle responses.
While the Fat Boy uses a console-mounted 5-inch gauge, the Breakout has a 4-inch display mounted to its handlebar. The forward-canted position of the handgrips makes a rider feel engaged, and the forward-mount footpegs are able to accommodate longer legs.
The Breakout’s narrower front tire sends clearer messages through the bars than the duller feedback from the Fat Boy’s chunky rubber, and it steers more neutrally too. Still, the 240mm rear tire isn’t ideal for unwinding twisty roads, and a rider can feel the bike want to run wide when accelerating out of corners.
Brakes are shared with the Fat Boy, a 4-piston front caliper paired with a 300mm disc and a 2-piston rear caliper with a 292mm disc. They’re plenty adequate, but they pale in comparison to the dual-disc front end on the Low Riders.
2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob
For a bar-hopping scoot, the Street Bob (starting at $17,199) could be the best Softail of them all. Its narrower and lighter wheels/tires offer better suspension compliance than its fat-tired brethren, helping the 646-lb Bob feel 100 lb lighter than the Boy, even if the difference is only 48 lb.
The Street Bob shares the Classic engine tuning with the Heritage Classic, which can be identified by their round air cleaners. Rated at 98 hp and 120 lb-ft, the Classic variant is the least powerful 117 of the group, but it offers 4% more hp and 1% more torque than the Bob’s previous 114ci M-8, which was anything but sluggish.
As the most stripped-down Softail, the Street Bob has elemental beauty and a raw bobber attitude, with chopped fenders and the smallest fuel tank in the lineup: 3.5 gallons compared to the 5-gallon tanks on the other Softails. It’s also the least expensive of the bunch.
Straddling the low 26.8-inch seat (H-D prefers stating seat heights with riders aboard, i.e. “laden,” which is listed at 25.8 inches), a rider’s hands have a long reach up to the handlebar. The mini-apes made it difficult for me to keep my hands on the grips when the steering sweep was at full lock, and the tall handlebar adds leverage that a rider can feel flexing in its rubber mounts when shoving the grips at a standstill or when hard on the brakes.
Agility is the greatest asset of the Street Bob, feeling nearly as nimble as the old Sportsters (R.I.P.) but with a massive dose of extra power. And with 28.5 degrees of available lean angle, it’s behind only the Low Riders for maximum tilt when leaned over in corners.
The Street Bob’s most contentious aspect is its mid-mount footpegs. They are positioned fine for my body size, but long-legged riders complain they feel cramped. Adding a set of forward controls might be a simple solution for tall riders.
For some, the mid pegs and the small fuel tank might be dealbreakers. For an American-made bar-hopper, it doesn’t get better than this.
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
If you’ve got a sportbiker attitude, the Low Rider S (starting at $20,499) is the best Softail for you. It’s spritely and engaging, ready to romp at a moment’s notice with its performance-oriented components and the most powerful Softail motor.
The Low Riders are fitted with the High Output version of the 117s, with 11% more horses than last year’s 117. Key to the newfound grunt are the cams used in the CVO Road Glide ST that shift the powerband higher. Torque hits hardest all the way up at 4,000 rpm with 128 lb-ft, while power peaks at 5,000 rpm with 114 hp.
Low Rider ergonomics put riders in a sporty crouch, with forward-mount handlebars and mid-mount footpegs. The 4-inch gauge sitting front and center is minimalistic but functional.
As befitting a West Coast-style performance cruiser, the Low Riders have the best front ends of the bunch. A 43mm inverted fork offers well-damped suspension action, and dual 4-piston calipers bite firmly on 300mm discs. A longer rear shock yields an extra inch of rear-wheel travel, a relatively generous 4.4 inches, along with 5.1 inches up front.
A curvy road without traffic is the Low Riders’ preferred playground, able to be leaned over 31.3 degrees before scuffing footpegs. The High Output motor doesn’t feel deficient at lower revs, but it really comes alive when ridden at the other end of the tachometer. Happily, H-D extended the Low Riders’ rev limit from 5,600 rpm to 5,900 rpm, providing a few extra furious revs to play with.
The Low Rider S is the sportiest Softail, but it’s not my favorite.
2025 Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic
This Softail (starting at $22,999) is perfectly named, as it provides classic styling that leans on H-D’s heritage with similar bikes that stretch back to the 1950s. Nostalgia is the play here. What surprised me was how well this retro machine performs in contemporary terms.
Brad Richards, H-D’s VP of design, told us that customers now want bolder colors and designs, adding that chrome finishes are making a comeback. On the Heritage, a mix of black and chrome finishes is used throughout, and new colorways are slightly more daring.
Like the Fat Boy, the Heritage uses a 5-inch instrument panel mounted on the tank console. Riders enjoy a cushy seat with the largest pillion perch in this lineup, and hands have a natural reach to the grips. Footboards offer a variety of leg positions to alleviate cramping.
The Classic tuning of its M-8 has the lope-for-days cadence that makes a rider feel like going farther than whatever destination is on your itinerary. Like all M-8s, the gearbox is a bit clunky but has positive engagement, feeling more appropriate on the Heritage than the Low Riders.
The quick-release windshield provides excellent protection and allows riders to cruise with helmet faceshields open, and the new 2-into-1 exhaust enables symmetrical saddlebags that marginally increase storage capacity.
For its versatility and easy-going nature, the Heritage Classic nearly nabbed my top spot in Softails, but the next bike speaks to me most directly.
2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST
I’m a fan of H-D’s baggers, and I appreciate how the Pan America has expanded the definition of the MoCo, but the Low Rider ST (starting at $24,199) might be my favorite current Harley. It combines a hot-rodded air-cooled V-Twin with performance-oriented brakes and suspension, topping it off with a reasonable amount of wind protection and the road-trip ability of locking saddlebags.
Pretty much everything said about the Low Rider S applies to the LRST. The differences are only the addition of that cool FXRT-inspired fairing and color-matched hardshell saddlebags. The new 2-into-1 exhaust allows the right saddlebag to be symmetrical with the left and increase storage volume.
The West Coast club-style appearance isn’t for everyone, but the versatility provided by the fairing and bags – along with the natural beauty of an air-cooled engine – hits a sweet spot in my heart. Harley describes the LRST as “a weekend escape machine,” a PR claim I can’t refute.
The updated Softails break no new ground, but they do advance the cruiser ball forward by incorporating the latest technology along with a welcome boost of power. The formula of an air-cooled motor in a low-slung chassis has enduring appeal.
Check out more new bikes in Rider’s 2025 Motorcycle Buyers Guide
2025 Harley-Davidson Softail Specs
- Base Price: $17,199 – $24,199
- Website: Harley-Davidson.com
- Warranty: 2 yrs., unltd. miles
- Engine Type: Air-cooled, transverse 45-degree V-Twin, pushrods w/ 4 valves per cyl.
- Displacement: 117ci / 1,923cc (Classic; Custom; High Output)
- Bore x Stroke: 4.075 x 4.5 in. / 103.5 x 114.3mm
- Horsepower: 98 hp @ 4,600 rpm; 104 @ 4,800; 114 hp @ 5,000
- Torque: 120 lb-ft @ 2,500 rpm; 126 @ 3,000; 128 @ 4,000
- Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated wet clutch
- Final Drive: Belt
- Wheelbase: 63.6-66.7 in.
- Rake/Trail: Varies by model
- Seat Height: 25.6-27.0 in. (laden, factory claim)
- Wet Weight: 670-728 lb
- Fuel Capacity: 3.5-5.0 gal.
They look like every other Harley the Motor Company has released in the past 80 years.
Because the Soft-Tail series is a classic cruiser series. If you want “different” you look at other product lines. You look at the Adventure Touring series or Sport Series bikes. Grand American Touring bikes and Trikes will also resemble traditional HD styling. And Livewire Electric bikes will never be mistaken for “traditional” HD bikes. HD knows the “traditional” style market but has trouble making other styles/designs sell successfully in the marketplace. We all know it. What the world does NOT need is another manufacturer making yet more insectoid/robotoid-looking motorcycles… talk about DONE TO DEATH.
Cruisers. Yep. Ancient motorcycle designs of yesteryear. Before I was born. I learned to ride on UJMs, sport bikes and, in my 60s, a middleweight metric cruiser. They’re just fine to bop around on country back roads, city streets and such. Not long distances or rough roads as the shocks are short and the forward foot controls make this miserable. It’s not a bad commuter. It’s fine for it’s use for now.
An ST is a Honda.