About curvature and steepness: on a Harley-Davidson in Sicily

Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe Cruiser
The Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe is a heavy dose of nostalgia and classic design with a powerful Milwaukee Eight 107 engine. Its 147 lb-ft of torque translates into the fastest top-gear acceleration of any of the company's 45-degree V-twins. The charm and ragged rhythm of the engine, which even the brand's oldest fans will easily recognize, has not been lost, and ABS and an old-school feel are included as standard, so it truly is a fusion of two different eras.

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“Everything is so complicated, everything is so confusing, but there’s no time to figure it out, brother...” First, the narrow streets of Sicilian towns paved with cobblestones, then a bit of the same hook-shaped highway, and then... Then, the real serpentines in the vicinity of Etna. And not perfectly licked, like Hidden Hills in California, where we tested Harley in the spring (see “Moto” No. 05–2011), but sprinkled with sand or yellowed needles... Here you need to walk not on cruisers, but on motards and street bikes drive!

And certainly not on Night Rod. The “34th” rake and the “240th” rear wheel make the device very thoughtful and “soft” in turns, and at the same time you shift gears often, like on a sportbike. On the other hand, the chassis of the device is the most rigid of all motorcycles with the H.-D. emblem, Brembo brakes, and the ergonomics are quite conducive to energetic riding - both the high position of the footpegs and the straight back. Moreover, the back is now even slightly tilted. Night Rod and the “basic” VR received (along with new plastic and wheels and a “reversal” from Muscle Rod - neither of which affected the driving performance) also received a new steering wheel. It is now moved significantly forward and slightly down, which makes the fit really comfortable. The rest of the motorcycle remained the same. With the “Japanese” sound of the engine and gearshift, instant search for “neutral”, sportbike ergonomics of the passenger seat, no “bottoms” - and devoid of any real associations with real Harleys. It's not a chopper, baby. This is a motorcycle.

I switched to Switchback with caution. If it’s so hard to walk along serpentines on VR, with its chassis, then what can we say about the old-school device? It turned out that we were afraid of teeth... Thanks to the less radical geometry and narrow rear tires, the motorcycle steered superbly, despite the weak frame, one brake disc at the front and low foot platforms (also known as “frying pans”), which grinded in turns in vain. It was Switchback that became the main character of the test session. And not only because this is the only any serious new product from H.-D. from those presented in the fall. The very idea of ​​the motorcycle is interesting: the “budget” Dyna platform was fully equipped. And the new old (it has been known for several years on CVO, the second year on “electric trains”, and now it has reached “software”, and even not to all) “103rd” engine, and the equally rapidly introduced ABS. And a complete “body kit” - including a windshield and panniers.

The Americans are positioning the device as a cruiser for every day and a “tourist” for the weekend. A sort of Road King-lite. Well, they clearly went overboard with the tourism potential. The volume of the panniers is very modest, and the passenger, although at first delighted by the plump seat cushion, after a hundred to one and a half kilometers will be upset due to the shaking of the footpegs, which are attached, as it should be in Dyna, directly to the pendulum. But these trunks, unlike the electric ones, practically do not interfere in traffic jams; a compact but very effective quick-release windshield will be appreciated by those who like to ride in open helmets; and the ergonomics... For me, being 183 cm tall, the space behind the wheel was tight, but my colleague, who is 10 cm shorter, was very comfortable. The steering wheel, which was initially intimidating by its height, turned out to be very comfortable thanks to the handles curved down, and its small width facilitates traffic jams.

Well, the limousine-like smoothness inherent in the “dunes” has not gone away. Smooth and “analogue” sensations from riding a thoroughbred old-school motorcycle. After “digital” VR, the pulsations (who said “vibrations”?) of the engine are perceived with particular warmth, and the engine itself... Compared to the “96”, the lows and mids have grown slightly, but the “highs” have become noticeably larger. As a result, at speeds up to 100, the new old motor pulls you much more vigorously than the new-generation VR unit that remains the same. Not to mention the fact that you need to switch here twice (if not three times) less often.

Soft, comfortable, lively - compared to what? Yes, at least with Softail, which is the majority in the test fleet. And the recently launched Blackline, and the good old Fat Boy Special and Heritage. Although no, not old. The 2012 “softs” (with the exception of the Blackline) have a stock 103-inch engine and ABS (from Dyna, only the Switchback has them). For comparison, I chose the Deluxe - but not because of the retro style, which just makes me sick, but because of the similar geometry and similar wheel sizes. One couldn't even dream of a better opportunity to compare two chassis head-on!

Gritting my teeth about the ergonomics - the steering wheel is too high and close, and it’s too wide for me, and the double-armed gearbox pedal takes up too much legroom - I continue along the serpentines. The road has become almost perfectly smooth, and I don't feel the stiffer rear suspension. I will feel it later, when I go down to the plain and walk along the cobblestones and pits of the city pavements. And up there, you can clearly feel the difference in the characteristics of the frames: in the Softail it is much stiffer, which allows you to go significantly faster. This is also helped by the “frying pans” located higher – and therefore less likely to scrape the asphalt in turns. The low-profile tires on the Switchback didn’t help the situation either. The forks and brakes are identical.

Vibrations? The “software” has practically none, only high-frequency tickling appears at the very “top”. The “switch” motor does not have balance shafts, but is installed in the frame on silent blocks, and therefore the soles do not feel itchy. Mid-frequency vibrations - as befits Dyna - are throughout the entire range. Is it good or bad? Personally, I perceive the Switchback as a more lively and honest motorcycle. Real old school American school, devoid of tricks hidden in the belly. And therefore I am somewhat surprised that “dunes” are much less popular here than “software”. (Although what kind of software are they? Hard and heavy!) They say it’s not cool!

I returned to the hotel along the flat (but slightly less winding) autobahn in last year's Muscle Rod. I didn’t “roll like hell,” but peacefully rolled 140. And I did it with undisguised pleasure. Compared to the Night Rod, the only difference here is that the steering wheel is lower and thicker, the saddle is higher, and even a couple of nuances that are invisible from behind the wheel - and what a difference in perception! Yes, this model is even more unique than the Knight, and even less cruiser. But it was precisely thanks to this originality and its nuances that the “muscle,” as they say, fell into the hand and caused a storm of delight. Moreover, a couple of months before the Sicilian raid, when for two weeks I carelessly drove it along Moscow avenues and embankments.

But more about this some other time.

Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe Design

For 2021, Harley Davidson has changed everything possible in the Softail family. The Softail line was not only completely redesigned, but also absorbed key models from the defunct Dyna line, becoming the only cruiser family among baggers, Sportsters and Streets.

Today's Softail Deluxe traces its lineage back to 1949, when Harley Davidson first installed a hydraulic fork on a motorcycle, replacing the springer front suspension on a dry FL frame, marking the beginning of the Hydra-Glide. The essence of the nature of Softails is that they retain the original geometry of “dry” frames, starting with the upper contour, a continuous line running from the steering column to the rear axle, ending with a triangular pendulum, imitating part of a rigid frame in appearance, but, fortunately, not in feel from driving.

The front fender is a nod to the old FL series, with a chrome lip at the front and a small trim at the lower end reminiscent of the old deep fenders that covered half the wheel. But today's fender doesn't have a deep skirt at all, revealing a spoked wheel and a gangster tire with whitewalls. The chrome cover masks the hub on the right side, where there is no brake disc, and the motorcycle, like a fashion model, has a “working” side and an “ugly” side.

The standard non-upside-down cruiser fork is covered with classic chrome “beer can” shrouds, like the triple clamp, adding visual weight to the front of the motorcycle and masking the “ugly” mechanical elements. The manufacturer abandoned the large headlight housing in favor of a simple classic design with a super-bright LED headlight surrounded by running lights, under which there are LED turn signals. The rear turn signals follow the design of the front ones, also located on curved chrome “whiskers”.

The low, wide, and swept-back handlebars are mounted in long, similarly swept-back spacers, providing an upright (and for tall riders, somewhat slouched) position, while forward platforms with foot controls complete the classic American cruiser riding position.

The 68cm seat height (unloaded) is comfortable for all but the shortest riders, and while a two-person seat is available in the accessories catalogue, the stock solo seat has a great, classic look that almost replicates the hardtail seats of bygone eras. The original seat of the old models was folding in the front and had a spring suspension, partially compensating for the lack of suspension on the rear wheel, but nowadays “frogs” are already a styling element that is not installed in stock.

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It's hard to perceive VR as a Harley.
This is a very, very good modern motorcycle. But he's not real enough for Harley. It's hard to perceive VR as a Harley. This is a very, very good modern motorcycle. But he's not real enough for Harley.

RESULT. Night Rod just got better. Finally, the ergonomics were corrected, the appearance was modernized, but... The decent chassis of a high-tech cruiser is still combined with an engine that would be more suitable for a crossover or even a roadster, and this makes the motorcycle very niche. And this niche is doomed to narrow further - there are more and more interesting alternatives in the segment - and the combination of the famous logo with a motorcycle that is far from Harley’s generic traits is becoming more and more strange.

Switchback is not a “tourist” at all (unless a raid on Moscow restaurants or a trip to a dacha is considered tourism). It's "just" a well-dressed cruiser. Stylish, comfortable and Harley-like lively. At the same time, it is suitable not only for brutal guys, but also - attention! - graceful lady. And the cases and glass are elements of practicality, nothing more. As well as the tire size, which allows you to choose softer and (or) “wetter” tires.

Softail Deluxe, like other “software”, is brutality itself. If we put aside my purely private moments (well, I don’t like either the style of the 30s or the riding position with the steering wheel next to an ungrown belly!), we will see the further evolution of the most popular series of “big twins”. And I can only welcome the appearance of a more powerful “103” engine and ABS here. As well as the fact that not all “softails” switched to wide tires.

The test is organized. Berik jacket provided.

About curvature and steepness: on a Harley-Davidson in Sicily

Milwaukee-Eight engine

The Softail Deluxe has received many new goodies and tricks, but the main one remains the Milwaukee-Eight engine. Harley Davidson is stubborn in its love for 45-degree V-twins, and here we agree with them. To our great joy, they abandoned the ugly Twin Cam engines in favor of a single-shaft design, time-tested and quite effective.

The engine is long-stroke, with a 100 mm bore and 111 mm stroke, a total volume of 1746 cc (107 cubic inches) and a compression ratio of 10:1. The engine has the same uneven combustion pattern as before, since the connecting rods are still on a common journal, but thanks to the addition of a balancer shaft, the engine has lost almost all of its vibrations, which are an eternal cause for disputes between fans and opponents of the brand.

The Mil-8 has more powerful acceleration than previous engines. It doesn't matter if you're in fifth or sixth gear, the engine always has something to say when you lift the throttle. In sixth gear, the Deluxe has no problem cruising at highway speeds at low revs, and although the bike may lack panniers, it has everything else to last a couple of hundred kilometers.

The engine turned out great: 147 Nm of torque puts the new Softail in the category of power cruisers , and given that this torque is already available at 3000 rpm, there is no need to rev it up to drive.

So far it doesn’t have any electronic miracles such as traction control or riding modes, but since this is not the first time that the company’s factory trikes have been testing new technologies, and this year they received new active safety equipment, we expect that in a year or two everything this will also appear on two-wheeled models.