VOL. 53 ISSUE 23 JUNE 14, 2016 P65
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 stan-
dard 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 rid-
ing, 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.
"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."
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 street-
fighter/nakedbike stance, albeit a bit
lower to the ground. With that XR750-in-
spired 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 inevi-
table 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
It's low all right, so
you'll still scrape the
pegs if you push it
remotely hard.
