2018 Harley Davidson Softail range launched in India

Harley Davidson has launched the 2018 Softail range in India. The revised lineup consists of eight new models out of which four will be available in India. The Fat Boy is priced at Rs. 17.50 lakh, Heritage Classic at Rs. 19.00 lakh, Fat Bob at Rs. 14.00 lakh and the Street Bob at Rs. 12.00 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The new Softail range is based around a more rigid and lightweight frame. According to the company, the carbon steel frame has 22% fewer welds and 50% less parts than before. It is 65% stiffer than the outgoing Softail chassis. The swingarms on the wide and narrow chassis are 15% (5.89 kg) and 20% (8.16 kg) lighter respectively compared to their predecessors. Overall, the new Softail models are up to 17 kg lighter than before. The bikes ride on dual-bending valve front suspension with 130 mm of travel and a new adjustable monoshock rear suspension.

The 2018 Fat Boy comes equipped with Lakester wheels shod with the widest front tyre ever fitted to a Harley Davidson. It measures 160 mm while the rear tyre is 240 mm wide. It is 16 kg lighter than the previous Fat Boy. ABS is offered as standard on this model.

As the name suggests, the Heritage Classic boasts a classic look. It comes with a detachable windscreen and gets rigid, lockable, sealed and water-resistant saddlebags. Payload capacity has gone up thanks to taller suspension and it weighs 17 kg less than the outgoing model. Features like cruise control and ABS are standard.

The Fat Bob comes with a 2-1-2 upswept performance exhaust, 43-mm inverted cartridge style front forks and dual front disc brakes. It rides on 150 mm and 180 mm wide tyres in the front and rear respectively. It has a 13.2 litre fuel tank and it weighs 15 kg less than the previous model.

The Street Bob is the lowest priced model in the Softail range. It rides on black spoke wheels with chopped fenders. It also gets a riser-mounted digital instrument screen. The Street Bob has a 13.2 litre fuel tank and its weight is down by 7 kg compared to the earlier model.

The 2018 Softail range comes with standard features like LED headlights with new instruments, keyless ignition with a security system, adjustable rear shocks, USB charge port on the handle and new fuel tanks on all models.

All the bikes use the same dual-counterbalanced Milwaukee Eight 107 engine. The 1,745cc V-twin engine delivers 114 Nm of peak torque @ 3,000 rpm. This figure varies from model to model. The engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox.