Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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each (30-50) on varied roads in the mountains outside of Los Angeles. These are by no means complete tests, but a good sampling of each machine. Since these are all made to be changed, I'll be chiming in with what I'd change about each one to better fit my six-foot, 200-pound frame. I STREET BOB With fists in the air and feet tucked in tight, the first new Softail I rode made me feel like an extra on Sons of Anarchy. It's most non-motorcyclists' vision of an H-D. Harley's never made a Softail with midmount controls before, which underscores how different a machine this is for them. This bike is designed to feed your inner badass. It's a single seat "bobber" (hence the name), designed to be a nimble and fun ride. The riding position is not going to be everybody's cup of cold brew, but it does put you in an "active" stance, perfect for bombing through traffic, or attacking a back road. It's missing the cool vintage-style tail light of previous versions (opting for the combo turn sig- nals common to several other H-Ds), but cuts basically the same look (something you'll be reading several times in this article). The brief "cool-guy" seat (that is shared with the Slim) has me missing the great H-D seats of just a few years ago. In general, across the board seat quality is reduced on the Softails. The 'Bob rocks the smaller of Harley's two tanks, which is perfect for the look of the bike. The clean looking tank and bars are made possible by an impossibly small (but easy to read) display in the top handlebar clamp. As one of the lighter bikes in the lineup, the 107-inch v-twin felt really strong; and the new frame, totally stable. Suspension and braking is about what you'd expect: totally up to the task, but nothing extraordinary. Shifting is deliberate, but tight and accurate, with a clutch that won't lead to arm-pump. If the Street Bob was mine it would need forward controls and a better seat. I might be able to adapt to the foot CYCLE NEWS CRUISER BUYERS GUIDE