Harley-Davidson embodies the American spirit of freedom
For 115 years, people have been riding in saddles of Harley-Davidson motorcycles for a reason. The need for freedom is deeply rooted in each of us.
The company’s founders did not fit the engine into the frame to build the motorcycle. They did it so they could go further and faster, looking for more adventures. They did it in the name of freedom. Everything Harley-Davidson has done since then was for the same reason. For generations, this unbridled feeling has bound Harley-Davidson motorcycle owners around the world. That’s why Harley-Davidson motorcycles are always much more than just a means of transport. They allow you to express yourself. They are not a compromise that satisfies everyone. Isn’t that what the expectation is? On the 115th anniversary, Harley-Davidson offers more opportunities for self-liberation than ever before. From the top models of touring bikes traversing continents to raw machines running through city canyons. Also check out nine new Softail models that change the look and feel of custom bikes. All built so that every motorcyclist can find something for himself.
Welcome to the next custom revolution
Nobody really knows when a motorcycle was first personalized. It was probably shortly after the first Harley® left the wooden shed. After the Second World War, soldiers returning home began to establish motorcycle clubs. They reworked their machines to be lighter and faster, which started the era of bobber motorcycles in the 1940s and 1950s. This paved the way for the creation of choppers in the late 1960s and early 1970s and sparked a revolution in factory customization of motorcycles. The pioneer of these changes was Willie G. Davidson, who in 1971 fitted the front of the Sportster motorcycle to the Touring (touring model line), creating the FX Super Glide.
Thus, it gave rise to a new platform – factory-built custom motorcycles with the ability to ride hard. Over the years, the bikes have evolved from the traditional custom style of FXR motorcycles. Then came Softail motorcycles with an original 1940s stiff hardtail rear that ran smoothly thanks to the hidden suspension, and set a new standard for custom style. These are machines for those who value freedom, individuality and their own style above all else. Harley-Davidson has led the way in factory customization of motorcycles for nearly five decades. This year, he is proud to announce another revolution in custom motorcycle manufacturing: nine all-new Softail models that combine Dyna performance with the unparalleled Softail style. This is where authentic heritage and custom spirit meet modern shapes and technology. Now more motorcyclists will find something for themselves.
Softail – what’s new for the customer?
No company in the world has produced as many iconic custom bikes as Harley-Davidson. They could have stopped there but went even further because building custom bikes is in their blood. The 2018 model line features the completely redesigned Softail frame, harnessing the pulsating power of the new Milwaukee-Eight® 107 and 114 engines (1745cc and 1868cc) with two balancer shafts designed exclusively for Softail models. It is stiffer and much lighter than its predecessor, which significantly affects the ride quality.
Never before have Softail motorcycles been so agile and so easy to handle. All thanks to the use of an all-new front suspension and an all-new, easy-to-adjust single mono-shock rear suspension. The new Softail bikes have greater lateral tilt, better cornering, faster acceleration and more agility, and they lift more easily from the footrest. However, the purebred appearance remained. A new generation of custom motorcycles has arrived.
Tourism – everything at your fingertips
The world opens up to you when you board a Harley-Davidson touring motorcycle. The menu includes city streets, country roads and highways that stretch across entire continents. And with them all the routes, pubs, roadside attractions or wonderful views that can be seen by swallowing the next kilometers. No continent is too broad, no mountain range too high, no road too curvy, no journey too ambitious for the power, comfort and agility of the newest H-D Touring bikes. You also have the look that makes Harley-Davidson bikes leave all the other machines on the road far behind. You will understand this when a stranger approaches you for the first time and asks you about a motorcycle, or when, passing a truck driver, he nods his head out the window.
Dark Custom – It’s not a club, but it’s something to join
Places to go to. Friends to hang out with. A motorcycle that looks even better when it is dusty after riding. And a little wild power to rush through the streets or on the highway. Explore the world of Dark Custom. Fun-loving people. Minimalist, dark motorcycles. Powerful torque and the sound of a Harley-Davidson V-Twin engine in the palm of your hand. At a price you can calmly accept. It doesn’t take much to feel that you have everything you need.