2020 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S launch review

The 2020 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S may trade, in the best tradition of the Motor Co, on a heritage that stretches back over decades, but make no mistake: the 'factory custom' looks are backed by a hefty dose of real-world performance…

Sure, I'm not talking 'performance' in the Japanese or European sports bike sense – little on this planet can stir the senses like the thrill of a supersport in-line four, V-twin or V-four – but as far as power cruisers go, the Low Rider S taps into a primal nerve in a way that Harley does so well.

With its Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine, uprated suspension and brakes, competent Softail chassis and relatively skinny Michelin Scorcher 31 rubber, the Low Rider S has no trouble in carving corners and powering away from a standing start, as I recently discovered at the model's national press launch in Sydney.

This latest Low Rider S, or FXLRS, is loosely based on the 2016 Low Rider S. That bike was powered by a Screamin' Eagle Twin Cam 110 engine and was a part of the Dyna family, which was effectively absorbed into Harley's next-gen Softail range in 2018.

But the lineage goes back way beyond that, to the birth of the FXR models in the late 1970s and 1980s and the Dynas that followed.

The very first Harley-Davidson Low Rider, the FXS, arrived in 1977. Capitalising on America's prevailing West Coast trend of the time of 'tall-bike customs', it was arguably the first 'factory custom' and for H-D it was a resounding sales success.

It was closely followed by the birth of the Dyna family in the early '80s, which blended custom-bike styling with a performance edge – a kind of hybrid of Big Twin muscle with Sportster agility and handling.

Fast forward four decades, and the new Harley-Davidson Low Rider S slots straight into the performance end of the Harley-Davidson spectrum, alongside the likes of the Fat Bob, Breakout 114 and FXDR.

All four are powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 114 – at 1868cc, the biggest Big Twin offered outside of the CVO family's Milwaukee-Eight 117 – but with mid controls and narrower rubber, this is one of the sportiest models in Harley's line-up.

Priced from $27,995 plus on-road costs, it falls mid-pack for moolah in the Softail family but commands a $3500 premium over the standard Low Rider. For the extra dosh you get that Milwaukee-Eight 114 (Milwaukee-Eight 107 for the standard Low Rider), an inverted front fork, a twin-disc front brake, a solo seat, a bikini fairing and a sharper rake – 28 degrees on the Low Rider S, instead of 30 degrees on the Low Rider.

On the styling front, the Low Rider S receives 'Radiate' cast alloy rims in matte dark bronze, a one-inch diameter 'moto' style handlebar on a four-inch riser, a 2-into-2 offset shotgun exhaust, and a heap of blacked out components – the powertrain, primary cover, air filter cover, and pretty much any other bit that's bright or chromed on the standard model.

The Low Rider S is spearheading Harley-Davidson's refreshed 2020 model-year range, with the only other new model at this point being the new CVO Tri-Glide Trike. New paint options and Harley's Reflex Defensive Rider Systems (RDRS) suit of safety tech (available on CVO, Trike and most Touring models) rounds out the changes.

For a first taste of the Harley-Davidson Low Rider S, Bikesales headed to Manly, Sydney, where a deluge of biblical proportions delayed the launch by a day and subsequently led to a shortened ride format.

After a technical presentation the night before – complete with a brief appearance of none other than global Harley-Davidson CEO, Matt Levatich – we headed north along Sydney's Northern Beaches to Church Point, before letting the Low Rider S stretch its legs a little through Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, to West Head and Akuna Bay.

We'll get our hands on a press bike a little down the track for a thorough test, but at least the sun finally emerged in time for the road to dry for our brief sprint through the bush.

The first thing that strikes you about the Low Rider S is the ride position. The solo seat is low, at a height of 690mm, but of more note is the fact that it's set low in relation to the mid-mount footpegs.

While riders of average height or shorter probably won't take issue, at 188cm I found the riding position a little odd, with quite a bend at my hips required, knees high and above my hips, to get my feet on the pegs.

I got used to it after half an hour or so, but I didn't find it comfortable even though the well-sculpted and padded solo seat was. If you're on the taller side and your heart is set on this bike, I'd be investing in some forward controls from Harley's parts and accessories catalogue.

That aspect aside, it's an easy reach to the pulled-back handlebar and it's certainly no drama to get a foot down at the lights, and while this is still a big bike with a wet weight of over 300kg, that weight is carried low and it's no difficult task to control the bike when trickling along in heavy traffic.

Pillion appointments? Forget it; the Low Rider S is set up purely for solo travel, underlining its sportier focus.

For me, it's the smooth but evocative Milwaukee-Eight 114 that's the star of this show. With a claimed 155Nm at 3000pm, there's a heap of urge at pretty much any point in the rev range, from just off idle all the way to its 5500rpm redline.

Open the taps and the Low Rider S surges forward. At around-town speeds I got the sense that, while not 'hunting', it was straining to slip its leash and run. It's responsive, that's for sure, but this was never intended as a pure boulevard cruiser or bar hopper.

While it can serve in both those roles, the Low Rider S is in its element on a winding road. It doesn't display the clinical precision of a sports bike and even with its sharpened steering it still takes a decent shove of the bars to tip in, but once it's cranked over it rails through the bends beautifully, without any of the wallowing you might expect for a bike of this weight and length.

The suspension offers limited adjustment – just preload on the rear shock, the adjuster accessed beneath the seat – but it does a thoroughly competent job of keeping things neat and tidy, even when pushing on.

Ground clearance seems pretty healthy – I decked the pegs a couple of times in the tighter bends on the run down to Akuna Bay, but there's really nothing to complain about here for a bike of this ilk. Harley says it offers up to 33.1 degrees of lean each side.

The twin-disc front brake set-up works a treat. With four pistons gripping a 300mm disc each side, there's not perhaps a heap of initial bite but there is plenty of progressive power and a good level of feel at the lever.

As for the back brake, I'm not sure if it just doesn't have much power or if it was more I couldn't push the pedal down far enough because of the angle of my lower leg relative to the footpeg. I'll reserve judgement until we've spent some more time on the bike, but the strength of the front stoppers is ample for slowing the show.

Give it some stick and that Milwaukee-Eight 114 slingshots the Low Rider S to gaol-term speeds in short order, so I was pleased to find that small bikini fairing is actually pretty effective at deflecting the wind's blast.

These latest-gen Harley-Davidson engines really are gems – in this instance, relaxed enough to lope along at 2250rpm at 100km/h in sixth, yet willing to erupt at a moment's notice for fast overtakes, and all to that familiar Harley Big Twin soundtrack.

My test bike's gearbox was fine for the most past but on a few occasions, at low speed, it required an additional prod of my left foot to effect a change. The bike only had a few hundred kays on the clock, so it could well loosen up with more mileage.

The Low Rider S features an analogue speedo and tacho on its tank but the former has an inset LCD screen that can be cycled through an odometer, two trip meters, a clock and a range-to-empty feature. Oh, there's a gear indicator too.

I like the look of the Low Rider S as it is, but of course Harley-Davidson is the master of accessorising and there's a wide range of genuine Motor Co bits with which you can tailor this bike to suit your taste, bank balance permitting. A higher riser, flush-mount fuel filler, a more angular solo seat and a thicker handlebar are just the beginning.

And the Low Rider S is available in two hues: the standard Vivid Black or the optional Barracuda Silver, the latter adding $345 to the ticket price.

Speaking the night before this ride, Harley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich told the assembled press that the Motor Co's products have never been better than they are today, and I have to agree.

The Low Rider S is yet another classy addition to the stable. It's a well-made, attractive and substantial motorcycle. If you're a fan of the brand and you're hankering for some Big Twin performance, grab one for a test ride – if the ergonomics suit, there's plenty to like aboard the Low Rider S.

Specs: 2020 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S

ENGINE
Type: Air/oil-cooled, SOHC, four-stroke, four-valves-per-cylinder, 45-degree V-twin
Capacity: 1868cc
Bore x stroke: 102mm x 114mm
Compression ratio: 10.5:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: N/A
Claimed maximum torque: 155Nm at 3000rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate
Final drive: Belt

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Tubular steel
Front suspension: 43mm inverted fork, non-adustable
Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable for preload
Front brakes: Twin 300mm discs with four-piston calipers, ABS equipped
Rear brake: 292mm disc with twin-piston caliper, ABS equipped
Wheels: 'Radiate' cast alloy – 19-inch front, 16-inch rear
Tyres: Michelin Scorcher 31; front 110/90B19, rear 180/70B16

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed kerb weight: 308kg
Seat height: 690mm
Wheelbase: 1615mm
Rake: 28 degrees
Trail: 145mm
Fuel capacity: 18.9 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: from $27,995 plus on-road costs
Colours: Vivid Black or Barracuda Silver
Test bike supplied by: Harley-Davidson Australia
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres