Harley-Davidson FXSB Breakout

The $28,995 Harley-Davidson Breakout is based on the bike originally found in the company’s high-end Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) line-up, and that alone makes it somewhat of a unique proposition -- normally it’s the other way around. Out of left field, but a nice touch as Harley-Davidson celebrates 110 years in the motorcycle game this year -- and the Bikesales Network will be on location in Milwaukee in just a few weeks when that party reaches a crescendo. And we'll also be riding the 2014 tackle, so keep an eye out for that.

With the big price drop over the CVO version, it’s understandable that the Breakout isn’t as extravagant, and in a performance sense it forfeits the Screamin’ Eagle ride-by-wire Twin Cam 110 engine for the Twin Cam 103 (1690cc), 45-degree, air-cooled pushrod V-twin, which is rigid mounted in the Softail chassis. The wheels and handlebars are also different on the standard Breakout, as well as a slew of other ‘side’ trimmings.

But rest assured Harley-Davidson hasn’t left behind a version that struggles to take you along for the ride -- in fact it’s very much the opposite. For a start, the Twin Cam 103 engine still does some heavy lifting (and even more so with a few mods), and the bike’s smartly adorned with predominantly black-gloss accessories over the exhaust covers, fork legs, drag handlebars, brake rotors and cast-aluminium oil reservoir.

The Gasser-style wheels, which hark back to the 1960s and 1970s, are also garnished with gloss black powder coat -- but every second spike has been polished, as well as the rim. It looks exquisite, as do the short fenders.

“With the Breakout, we got down to motorcycle essentials, which means emphasising the powertrain and the wheels,” says Harley-Davidson Styling Manager Kirk Rasmussen. “The black and chrome engine visually pops out of the centre the bike, and then to maximise the impact of the tyres, the fenders are chopped. We wanted a lot of rubber showing to give the Breakout a tough, muscular look.”

The cast-aluminium Gasser wheels are adorned with Harley-Davidson-branded Dunlops, a 130-section 21-inch front tyre joined by a whopping 240-section 18-inch rear, which really puts a definitive stamp on the Breakout’s low-slung, beefy, menacing posture.

A 21-inch wheel normally stands out enough, and on the Breakout it does from a distance. But get closer to the Breakout and the fat rear hoop instantly comes into the picture, creating a start contrast between front and rear. How many production bikes have a rear tyre which is nearly double the width of the front?

The rear tyre doesn’t have too much ‘sporting’ DNA, but it’s not the killjoy you’d expect. The bike still corners with some real purpose, and you can go searching for turns with confidence rather trepidation. And if you’re after stability, look no further.

It’s obvious the H-D designers didn’t want to eradicate agility from the Breakout diet -- even allowing for the fact that the wheelbase sits at a lofty 1709mm and the rake is 35 degrees. But those flat bars are certainly great for taking the Breakout by the scruff of the neck, with the rider slightly bent forward to produce even more of a sporty, aggressive stance.

In all honesty, I felt the 240 tyre was more onerous in the city when subtle changes of direction were called for -- eg filtering through traffic. That’s when it’s almost an impossible task to get off the fat part of the tyre, which doesn’t help when you’re trying to deviate from a straight line.
Slow speed riding in general isn’t the Breakout’s best friend, and the lean angle before peg scraping kicks in is 23.4 degrees. But who doesn’t enjoy that?

It may be low-slung -- the seat height is just 660mm -- but that doesn’t mean the Breakout isn’t comfortable. The non-adjustable suspension -- the rear provided by coil-over shock absorbers mounted horizontally and out of sight within the frame rails -- is serviceable, while I’m a big fan of the saddle – which also provides a beautiful, continuous contour from the 18.9-litre fuel tank. That low seat height also helps to manoeuvre the 322kg (wet) bike around. There’s also a passenger seat on the Breakout.

It’s not a machine you can go ballistic on, as the reach to the bars can become an issue with excessive wind buffeting. 110km/h on the open road is about right, and at that point the engine is ticking over at 2350rpm. Peak torque is reached at a very accessible 3000rpm, when Harley-Davidson claims 132Nm. That’s more torque than a V-Rod, so there are your bona-fides right there. The Breakout has a six-speed transmission, neutral is easy to find, and the shift action is positive, but not overly slick -- typical fare from the Motor Company. The clutch action is also light.

Push the Breakout hard -- which is basically meaningless anyway -- and there are a few vibes to speak of, but on the whole the contra-rotating balance shafts do an excellent job. The Breakout chewed up an average of 5.6lt/100km during the test period, which was about a 50/50 mix of city and open riding.

I derived the most enjoyment from the Breakout away from the big smoke -- and on the twisty stuff, rather than straight roads. The straight stuff is easy, with all that weight and the rear tyre holding firm. Cornering is where the real challenge lies, and trying to maintain the momentum is great fun. It’s not a lighting fast bike per se, but it’s certainly involving and doesn’t mind some rough and tumble. Best to stick with equal measures of front and rear brake when the tempo rises, as the former won’t be able to handle the intense workload by itself.

As the newest member of the seven-bike Softail family, the Breakout, or the FXSB in Harley-Davidson nomenclature, hits the sweet spot. The lowrider has a nice engine, lovely rumble, great chassis, superb finish and it doesn’t become tiresome -- to the rider or onlooker. In many ways it’s a straightforward bike, but it has so much appeal.

>Harley-Davidson FXSB Breakout in Bike Showroom