Largest-ever Product Development Project launches Harley-Davidson® into its 115th Anniversary Year with brand new Fat Boy,® Heritage Classic, Low Rider,® Softail Slim,® Deluxe, Breakout,® Fat Bob® and Street Bob® motorcycles.
To celebrate Harley-Davidson’s® 115th Anniversary year, the Motor Company is launching a complete custom revolution: Eight all-new Softail® models that merge the hard-riding performance of the Dyna® line with the unparalleled custom look of the Softail line.
Designed under the largest Product Development Project in company history, the new bikes feature a stiffer and significantly lighter frame built to harness the high torque output of the new dual- counterbalanced Milwaukee-Eight® 107 and 114 engines.
With high-performance dual-bending valve front suspension and an easily adjustable hidden rear monoshock, the aggressively styled 2018 Softail models are faster, lighter and better handling than any of their Big Twin cruiser predecessors.
Paul James, manager of Product Portfolio, Harley-Davidson Motor Company:
“The new Softails are the result of the most extensive research and development program in the company’s history. Thousands of hours of research and testing were put into the complete ground- up design of these new cruisers. We focused on taking the total rider experience to a higher level, where authenticity, heritage and soul meet the modern edge of technology for a ride that must be felt to believe.”
And interpreting Harley-Davidson’s history, authenticity and styling DNA through a modern lens, the eight new Softails feature all-new designs that strongly differentiate them from their predecessors and each other. And from a new base of style, comfort and performance the next generation of factory custom cruisers is ready for riders to elevate even further with their own personalisation.
Brad Richards, vice president of Styling and Design, Harley-Davidson Motor Company:
“The authenticity of Harley-Davidson design comes by sweating the details from start to finish – it’s ‘hard to do and hard to copy.’ Harley-Davidson motorcycles are not a commodity; they are handed down from generation to generation. We look at every nut and bolt on the bike, all the finishes, and every small detail. The new Softail frame is like a piece of art and the more you take off the bike, the more beautiful it becomes. Its design speaks to the teamwork that our styling and engineering processes demand.”
