Harley-Davidson Low Rider S: FIRST RIDE

The $16,699 Low Rider S has shot right to the top of my favorite Harley list because it doesn’t act like a traditional Hog. It turns and stops better than anything with that badge I’ve ridden before, and goes with just the right amount of shake and rumble you’d expect from a Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110 motor.

I’ve fitted the same 110c.i Heavy Breather intake kit to the H-D Breakout we have here at Cycle News and it’s not half as much fun as the same motor found on the Low Rider S. On this bike, the motor shines. It punches into the midrange with solid force, giving a claimed 115 lb-ft of tire testing torque with a throaty roar from the induction, but more than that, the Low Rider S motor feels more eager, more energetic than the same kit on my Breakout. Chalk that down to less weight to push around and also a riding position that’s far more up my alley than the even lower rider position of the Breakout. And suspension. It’s got good suspension.

Compared to the standard Low Rider, this new S model gets Harley’s Premium Ride 49mm single cartridge fork and shocks. Now, having not ridden a standard Low Rider, I can’t confirm or deny that the new S’s suspension is better or worse. But I’d hazard a guess it’s better by a sizeable margin, because the ride quality on the S is pretty damn good. The shock action can be a little harsh at times and I certainly kept my eyes out for potholes and manhole covers while riding, but on the whole the Low Rider S’s suspenders gave a comfortable enough ride that I found myself forsaking the BMW S 1000 XR we had here for more Harley miles. Typing that felt strange.

The rider triangle of bar/seat/pegs plays a massive part in why I like this bike. The midmount controls are set at pretty much the ideal position for my 6’1” frame, putting me in a near streetfighter/naked-bike stance, albeit a bit lower to the ground. With that XR750-inspired solo seat, long-distance comfort was never an issue. The seat is shaped so that it doesn’t curve the base of your back, leading to slouching and the inevitable pain that follows. Instead, it places you in a position that allows good blood flow to the legs and allows you to move around in corners if you really want to get jiggy wit’ it, which is easily done with that wide, almost drag-racing-style handlebar giving great leverage and keeping your arms at near the perfect position for big-mile comfort.

There’re serious styling touches everywhere you look on the S. Blacked-out to hell, this is a solo bike in the purest form. That seat screams “f— off, you can’t get on the back!” and the chopped rear fender looks like something straight out of the RSD factory. There’s almost perfect symmetry between the handlebar, the teardrop gas tank, the seat and the fender, but for my money the best aesthetic feature of the S are the Magnum Gold, split five-spoke cast aluminum wheels. Those rings are as ’80s as Eddie Murphy in a red leather jacket and look absolutely badass.

What isn’t absolutely ’80s is the fact the S has cruise control, ABS and H-D’s keyless ignition mapped to the factory security system. I’ve never been a big fan of fob keys like this and on bikes like the Ducati Multistrada but their absence does clean up the appearance of the cockpit appearance, one dominated by two massive analog tachos for revs and speed and two chrome caps for the tank fillers.

The Low Rider S will no doubt represent a blank canvas for many custom-bike builders around the globe but I am not one such person. For me, I’d throw on a set of loud as heck pipes and not much else because the standard ride is too good for someone like me to go stuffing up with poorly-skilled workmanship. I love the look, much more than I thought I would at first glance, but the proof of how good the S is, is in the ride.

The Low Rider S is a great bike for people that want something a touch more on the sporty side from H-D. The ride position allows you to get at it physical, the engine wills you to push a bit harder and rev a bit higher.

This is the kind of Harley I like to ride.