Design Philosophy
Mass centralization, pioneered and championed at Buell,
meant putting all the weight as close to the center of the
chassis as possible. An aluminum subframe and swingarm
make the back as light as possible. Cruisers tend to have a rear
weight bias, so the more weight removed from the back, the
better overall handling you'll have. The 2:1 pipe is similarly
tucked up and in, not extended to the rear of the bike. The
massive muffler, paired with the big high-flow airbox makes
the most of what the 114 pushrod twin has on tap.
The other reason for the high and tight pipe is lean angle.
Although it may resemble a pro stock drag bike, some very
smart designer at the Motor Company thought to make this
motorcycle want to lean over as well. Plentiful suspension
travel helps to absorb bumps, but also lifts the chassis up off
the tarmac a bit, while the forward pegs are lifted from their
position on most Softails. The higher pegs make for some chal-
lenging 'Rider Triangle' issues, so unlike the dropped-to-the-
weeds seating on most Softails, the FXDR has an actual built-up
area between the seat and frame, which gives some packaging
space for electronics. On the third side of that triangle are the
clip-on bars, to get the right ergonomics, while setting the right
tone for the bike.
Comfort and Controls
So, about those ergos; just like most bikes with forward pegs,
you're going to want to be on the high side of 5'8" (or at least
be long of limb) to ride this bike comfortably without modifi-
cation. The seat height, not so high at 28 inches, still puts you
in reach of a hot pipe and slightly wide spread to the ground.
A particularly short-limbed tester couldn't relax into the sup-
portive pocket while on the go and stay in touch with the pegs
(and, more importantly, controls) at the same time. For taller
folk, it's an aggressive position, but the seat cups the derriere
well. The feet are on the high side, but not uncomfortably so.
The massive air box is a presence, but not an intrusive one...
unless you're on the shorter side.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
FXDR
2019
CYCLE NEWS CRUISER BUYERS GUIDE
