The modern Harley-Davidson
When we hear the term "Harley-Davidson" we automatically picture out the iconic cruisers of the past and picture out our grandfathers riding them. Yes, the motorcycle maker has been around that long. And they are celebrating their 115th Anniversary year with a whole new lineup of modern motorcycles that will appeal even to the younger demographic.
This is the largest-ever Product Development Project of Harley-Davidson. Which introduces an all new Fat Boy®,Heritage Classic®, Low Rider®, Deluxe®, Breakout®, Fat Bob® and Street Bob® motorcycles.
• Seven brand-new Softail® custom motorcycles ready for 2018
• All with stiffer, lighter steel frame and swingarm plus premium front and rear suspension
• Powered by the new Milwaukee-Eight® 107 engine, with a stock 114 option also available
• Authentic style and contemporary design blends to combine unique and stunning looks
This year, Harley-Davidson of Cebu is launching a complete custom revolution: Seven all-new Softail® models that merge the hard-riding performance of the Dyna line with the unparalleled custom look of the Softail® line. These new bikes feature a stiffer and significantly lighter frame built to harness the high torque output of the new Milwaukee-Eight 107 and 114 engines. All of the bikes now feature a dual-bending valve front suspension and an adjustable rear mono shock. This makes the new 2018 Softail® models faster, lighter and have better handling than their predecessors.
As Paul James, manager of Product Portfolio of Harley-Davidson Motor Company put it: "The new Softails are the result of the most extensive research and development program in the company's history. Thousands of hours of research and testing were put into the complete ground-up design of these new cruisers. We focused on taking the total rider experience to a higher level, where authenticity, heritage and soul meet the modern edge of technology for a ride that must be felt to believe."
New Technology Featured On Every Softail
• Unique Daymaker Signature LED Headlamps on all models
• Improved electrical system charging, more than doubled at idle speeds
• Easily adjustable rear shock pre-load settings (method varies by model)
– Under seat spanner wrench: Softail Slim, Street Bob, Low Rider
– External hand adjustment knob: Fat Bob, Fat Boy, Breakout
– Under seat socket adjustment: Deluxe, Heritage Classic
• New instrumentation
• Keyless ignition and security system standard
• Steering head mounted USB charge port
• New fuel tanks
And if you think all these new technology is actually making the bikes heavier, well, the all-new Softail models are up to 17 kilograms lighter than before, delivering an improved power-to-weight ratio that provides quicker acceleration, better braking and dynamic cornering capability combined with increased lean angles for many models.
One standout for me is the new 2018 Fatbob. I had the chance to inspect it up close. And being a sports bike kind of guy, a few things stood out for me. It has dual discs up front which none of the other softail models have and lesser front caster which tells me this is one cruiser that is built to be ridden on the twisties and not on the straights. It is like taking the technology you have on your sports bike and putting it in a cruiser. And with the new blacked out styling that is both retro and modern, the 2018 Fatbob actually has me speechless. I actually want one.
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