First ride: Harley-Davidson Softail Slim

The seismic shift in fortunes has released the financial shackles – for now, because who knows how the capricious international economy will be tracking in a few years time -- and outside the boardroom new models continue to be unveiled, most recently the Softail Slim and Seventy-Two, both of which will go on sale around September, 2012.

And another recent addition, the Forty-Eight, is already a sales success story for Harley-Davidson, helping to bridge the gap between the lower-priced Sportster range and the traditional big fare.

But that aside, the Slim is today’s centre of attention, as we won’t be riding the Seventy-Two for another few months.

SHREWD THINKING
To the naked eye, it’s obvious the Slim isn’t a massive departure from what we’ve seen before in the Softail ranks, particularly the tank (you wouldn’t want to change something like that), engine and frame. The retro-styled ‘Slim’ part of the equation is mainly down to the bobbed fenders, holding tight with the chunky 16-inch Dunlop tyres and a minimalist rear end. And the general finish is top notch.

There are also retro-inspired 1940s ‘Hollywood’ handlebars for the $26,995 machine, as well as a gloss black headlamp cover, “cat’s eye” console, and different footboards. The solo seat is also a low-slung number.

The LED inset on the console features a fuel range countdown, clock, two trip metres, odometer and digital tacho. But the inset’s just way too small in my books, and is something H-D has to revisit.

As far as standard specification is concerned the Slim’s probably bordering on the lean side, but the Forty-Eight has already proven that raw-boned styling is resonating with the public, so unless there’s a sudden outpouring of discontent Harley-Davidson has made another shrewd business case.

Often it’s a difficult exercise to compare Harley models to tackle from other manufacturers, but we reckon we may have found a Slim ‘fit’ – the Victory Judge, which the Bikesales Network rode at the international launch in America earlier this year.

The Victory may have a little more ‘nastiness’ – it is after all based on the 1970s muscle car era -- but there are a number of similarities between the two models, and even engine performance is line ball. I can feel a comparison test in the wings.

Power pulses are transferred to the belt drive from the marque’s air-cooled, fuel-injected, 1690cc (103ci) 45-degree twin, which is now standard fare for the Touring and Softail families.

It’s a big donk, and it produces the goods accordingly – not in a ferocious and manic way but still with enough aggression to get you hustling along at a fair clip. Of course, a deliciously low peak torque figure of 134Nm at 3000rpm is a nice attribute to have, which tends to mitigate the 304kg dry weight as you don’t have to grab an absolute first full of throttle to get it spinning in its sweet spot. It just happens, and winds up quite freely, if not quite all the way to the redline.

And that’s good for powering out of corners with plenty of purpose, and when things mellow out you’ll be loping along at 100km/h in top gear with the engine ticking over at just 2200rpm. And with such a gentle purr, you’ll be racking up some decent mileage out of the 18.9-litre fuel tank if that type of travel is your staple.

The Slim’s six-speed gearbox is a pleasant unit, and joins a number of other big cruisers I’ve ridden recently which have also improved a lot in that area. Gone are the clunky units of old, seemingly across the board.

PRETTY AS A PICTURE
Stability is Harley-Davidson’s timeless trump card, and with a wheelbase of 1636mm and rake of 31 degrees the Slim certainly maintains the tradition.

Ground clearance is limited, so it’s probably a good thing the Slim is a single-seater – as you’d expect from something which is being marketed as a bike with a pared-back less-is-more approach. And in all honesty the low ground clearance isn’t an issue, as the Slim’s existence is not based on hostility and attack but rather a much more urban-based ‘look at me’ stress-free personality. And plenty of people will admire the Slim when it goes on sale, as it’s a tough looking thing.

Overall, the Slim offers a respectable ride quality from the 41.3mm fork and hidden monoshock, although compliancy can be exposed when the road gets a bit choppy – and that jarring can transfer through to the base of the spine on some of the heavier hits.  But despite that it’s easy to work into a groove on the Slim in just a short period of time, and it certainly knows how to hold a line with conviction.

And that’s with the 16-inch Dunlop D402 front being wider than the rear, which may sound like a uninviting proposition for the corner jockeys but that’s far from the case. And the stout tyre looks great with the spokes wheels – I don’t think I’d like it any other way.

ABS is a standard feature on the Slim, although you’d be hard pressed to lock up the front end based on weight distribution, geometry and a brake that is serviceable at best. Both the front and rear discs are 292mm units, and it’s best to use both in concert when you’re pulling up for that extra oomph and reassurance.

The seating opposition is fine for around town, although on the open road the wind blast does mean that you have to hold onto the bars with a fair amount of pressure. But I do love the bars – both the size and the placement.

So what does the Slim offer? Plenty, for many of the reasons extolled above. Quite simply, for so many riders the Slim’s a good fit – but with an emphasis on unruffled riding. And the styling works its way beautifully into the current minimalist rage, so it looks like Harley-Davidson has hit the nail on the head yet again. It’s a fun piece of kit.