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Harley-Davidson unveils 2018 Softail models

2018 Harley-Davidson Softail

Harley-Davidson has reinvented the Softail and unveiled its 2018 line-up including three different Milwaukee Eight engine capacities.

The Dyna family is now gone and in its place is an eight-model Softail family. The combined Softail/Dyna family have lost the Wide Glide, Low Rider S, Fat Boy Lo and Softail Slim S models.

The 2018 Softails now include LED headlights, digital instruments, hand-adjustable rear shock and a mix of Milwaukee Eight 107 and 114-cube engines.

The V-Twins have also been counter-balanced for the hard-mount fit to the frame for a smoother ride.

With a 34% stiffer frame and new Showa forks, Harley claims they are up to 17kg lighter, handle better and accelerate faster.

2018 Harley-Davidson Breakout
2018 Harley-Davidson Breakout

Earlier this year Harley CEO Matt Levatich said they would introduce 100 new models in the next 10 years, which is 10 per year.

His announcement was quickly followed by the new Road King Special and the 750 Street Rod. The eight new Softails put Harley on track for its 100-model target.

However, there are several model deletions as already mentioned, plus the V-Rod Night Rod and Muscle have now ceased production.

The new line-up marries the Dyna models with the Softail family, so the Dyna Fat Bob, Low Rider and Street Bob are now part of the Softail family.

The rest of the Softail family are the Slim, Deluxe, Breakout, Fat Boy and Heritage Classic.

2018 Harley-Davidson Softail range

2018 Harley-Davidson Softail
Street Bob
  • Smooth-top 13.2 litre fuel tank
  • Black spoke wheels with chopped fenders
  • Low-profile riser-mounted digital instrument screen
  • 7kg weight reduction to previous model
  • Lowest rideaway RRP in Softail range
  • Priced from $23,495 AUD and $24,495 NZD rideaway.
2018 Harley-Davidson Softail
Fat Bob
  • 2-1-2 upswept performance exhaust with a custom finish
  • Largest aggressively treaded tyres from the Motor Company: 150 mm front and 180 mm rear
  • Dual disc front brakes
  • 13.2 litre fuel tank
  • 15kg weight reduction to previous model
  • Inverted 43mm cartridge style front forks
  • Optional: Milwaukee-Eight 114 Engine
  • Priced from $27,495 AUD and $28,750 NZD rideaway.
2018 Harley-Davidson Softail
Heritage Classic
  • New detachable windscreen
  • New rigid, lockable, sealed, water-resistant saddlebags
  • Taller suspension with increased passenger and cargo payload capacity
  • 17kg weight reduction to previous model
  • Optional: Milwaukee-Eight 114 Engine
  • Standard cruise control and ABS
  • Priced from $31,750 AUD and $33,250 NZD rideaway.
2018 Harley-Davidson Softail
Deluxe
  • Signature all-LED lighting from front to back: headlight, Tombstone taillight and blade-like turn signals
  • Signature pull-back handlebar
  • 17kg weight reduction to previous model
  • Priced from $29,495 AUD and $30,995 NZD rideaway.
2018 Harley-Davidson Softail
Fat Boy
  • Aggressive, steamroller stance and front end design
  • Modern-day interpretation of the classic headlight nacelle
  • A 160mm front tyre, the widest-ever on a Harley-Davidson production model, wraps the solid Lakester front wheel
  • 16kg weight reduction to previous model
  • Standard ABS
  • 240mm rear tyre with solid Lakester rear wheel
  • Optional: Milwaukee-Eight 114 Engine
  • Priced from $30,995 AUD and $32,495 rideaway.

 

2018 Harley-Davidson Softail
Slim
  • Dark finishes adorn the laced wheels, Hollywood handlebar, and all-new front-end design
  • Low-slung tuck and roll seat
  • Bold and smooth new front nacelle and fork cover styling
  • 17kg weight reduction to previous model
  • Priced from $26,250 AUD and $27,250 NZD rideaway.
2018 Harley-Davidson Softail
Low Rider
  • Throwback-style dual tank-mount speedo and tachometer gauges, headlight visor and fuel tank graphics
  • 19-inch front and 16-inch rear Radiate cast wheels
  • 2-into-2 Shotgun exhaust
  • Priced from $24,250 AUD and $25,495 NZD rideaway.
2018 Harley-Davidson Softail
Breakout
  • New smooth-top 13.2 litre fuel tank
  • Long and wide with low-slung raked out 49mm front forks
  • 18-inch rear (240mm tyre) and 21-inch front (130mm tyre) Gasser-style gloss-black powder coated cast aluminium wheels
  • Distinctive Daymaker Signature LED headlamp
  • Low-profile riser-mounted digital instrument screen
  • 17kg weight reduction to previous model
  • Optional: Milwaukee-Eight 114 Engine
  • Priced from $31,250 AUD and $32,750 NZD rideaway.

Aquaman among gifted celebs

Before the launch of the new Softails, Harley sent models to various celebrities around the world including rappers, singers, actors and sport stars.

The bikes were inside large bklack boxes with “FreedomMachine on the side, prompting an explosion of celebrity Instagram posts.

One of the recipients was Aquaman star Jason Momoa who is currently filming on the Gold Coast.2018 harley-Davidson Softail Jason Momoa

Three Milwaukee Eight engines

The Softails get the 107 (1746cc) engine from the Touring range with 92.5hp (69kW) at 5000rpm, compared with the previous 103m (1688cc) Twin Cam’s EPA-rated 80.5hp (60kW) at 4000rpm.

The Fat Bob, Fat Boy, Breakout and Heritage Classic also come with a choice of the 2017 CVO 114-cube 1868cc engine rated at 100.6hp (75kW) at 5000rpm compared with the current 1802cc engine’s 87.2hp (65kW) at 4000rpm.

Now the CVO range gets a 117 (1923cc) engine pumping out 105bhp (78.3kW).

Also, to celebrate Harley’s 115th anniversary in 2018, there will be a range of limited-edition anniversary models across most families.

Anniversary models include the CVO Ultra Limited, Tri Glide Ultra, Street Glide, Street Glide Special, Ultra Limited, Breakout, Fat Boy, Heritage Classic and Sportster Forty-Eight.

For the first time, Harley-Davidson Australia can offer their trikes thanks to finally overcoming ADR roadblocks.

Nigel Keough on a Freewheeler Harley-Davidson trikes 2018
Nigel Keough on a Freewheeler trike

Harley-Davidson 2018 full price list

Harley-Davidson Australia has increased prices between $500 and $2000 for the extra oomph of the new 107 Milwaukee Eight engine in the new Softail family.

Meanwhile, the price for the learner-approved Street 500 has actually gone down from $11,495 to under $10,000 where it started a couple of years ago.

Prices have remained the same for most of the Sportster range.

Models arrive in October.

Motorbike Writer is flying to LA next week to ride the new Softail family. Stay tuned for full reviews.

(Prices listed below are followed by the 2017 prices only where they differ.)

STREET

Harley-Davidson Street Rod
Street Rod

XG500

Street® 500

$9995 (was $11.495)

XG750A

Street Rod™

$12,995

SPORTSER

XL 883N

Iron 883™

$15,495

XL 883L

SuperLow®

$15,495

XL 1200X

Forty-Eight®

$18,995

XL 1200X_ANX

Forty-Eight® Anniversary

$19,250

XL 1200C

1200 Custom

$19,250 ($18,750)

XL 1200CX

Roadster™

$19,495

SOFTAIL

2018 Harley-Davidson Street Bob
Street Bob

FXBB

Street Bob® (107)

$23,495 ($22,495)

FXLR

Low Rider® (107)

$24,250 ($23,495)

FLSL

Slim® (107)

$26,250 ($25,495)

FXFB

Fat Bob® (107)

$27,495 ($25,495)

FXFBS

Fat Bob® (114)

$30,250

FLDE

Deluxe (107)

$29,495 ($28,995)

FLFB

Fat Boy® (107)

$30,995 ($29,250)

FLFBS

Fat Boy® (114)

$33,995 ($31,750)

FLFBS_ANV

Fat Boy® Anniversary (114)

$34,750

FLFBS_ANX

Fat Boy® Anniversary (114)

$34,750

FXBR

Breakout® (107)

$31,250 ($29,750)

FXBRS

Breakout® (114)

$33,995

FXBRS_ANX

Breakout® Anniversary (114)

$34,495

FLHC

Heritage Classic® (107)

$31,750 ($30,250)

FLHCS

Heritage Classic® (114)

$33,995

FLHCS_ANV

Heritage Classic® Anniversary (114)

$34,750

TOURING

2018 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special
Street Glide Special

FLHR

Road King® (107)

$34,250 ($33,995)

FLHRXS

Road King® Special (107)

$35,250 ($34,995)

FLTRX

Road Glide® (107)

$36,495

FLTRXS

Road Glide® Special (107)

$37,495 ($36,495)

FLHX

Street Glide® (107)

$36,495

FLHX_ANV

Street Glide® Anniversary (107)

$36,995

FLHXS

Street Glide® Special (107)

$37,495 ($36,750)

FLHXS_ANX

Street Glide® Special Anniversary (107)

$37,995

FLHTK

Ultra Limited (107)

$39,995

FLHTK_ANV

Ultra Limited Anniversary (107)

$40,495

TRIKE

FLRT

Freewheeler® (107)

$40,250

FLHTCUTG

Tri Glide® Ultra (107)

$50,995

FLHTCUTG_ANV

Tri Glide® Ultra Anniversary (107)

$52,250

CVO

2018 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide
CVO Road Glide

FLHXSE

CVO™ Street Glide® (117)

$49,750 ($48,995)

FLTRXSE

CVO™ Road Glide® (117)

$49,995

FLHTKSE

CVO™ Ultra Limited (117)

$52,995 ($52,495)

FLHTKSE_ANV

CVO™ Ultra Limited Anniversary (117)

$53,995