Another Cruiser in the HD Lineup
Harley-Davidson has played the cruiser game for a long time. Some (including myself) would say the company has gone after that market for too long instead of branching out with its lineup. Harley seems to be trying to branch out, but it’s not leaving cruiser motorcycles behind. Harley just had a new model certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), according to Motorcycle.com. This means the Softail Standard will be coming.
This isn’t the first time a Softail Standard was in Harley’s lineup. The company had a FXST Softail Standard up until 2007. The new 2020 Softail Standard will use the Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine. It will utilize the Softail platform. It will be a stripped-down version of the Softail design.
While I’d like to see Harley move on to other areas of the motorcycle industry outside of the cruiser, V-twin segment, this is a smart move by HD. Offering a stripped-down Softail for a lower starting price is a great way to get riders on HD bikes without breaking the bank. Harley did the same with the Electra Glide Standard, and this new Softail should follow that same playbook.
What you’ll get is an affordable Softail motorcycle with very few technology features and amenities. It’s the Softail for the folks who want only the essentials. It should come with a price tag close to the Street Bob, which is offered at $14,599. If HD could price the bike at or below $13,000 I think it would be a success, though I’d love to see a Softail model for under $10,000. I’ll keep an eye out for an official announcement from Harley. This is a bike I hope I get to ride at some point.
“It should come with a price tag close to the Street Bob, which is offered at $14,599. If HD could price the bike at or below $13,000 I think it would be a success, though I’d love to see a Softail model for under $10,000.” Aye, there’s the rub. Or RUB as the case may be. I rode a Softail Sport and enjoyed it immensely. I started planning ways to take one home. Sitting down with the salesman, I was staggered to find out it was more than $17K, and that their manager “wouldn’t look at a trade not wearing a bar and shield.” Incidentally, the dealership now has a sign out front saying, “We take anything in trade.”
Given what $17K will buy in the other lines I’m tempted by, Triumph and KTM, there’s no way H-D is going to close that deal.