2020 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S Review – First Ride

2020 Harley-Davidson Models Announced

That new frame was necessitated by the new-for 2017 Milwaukee 8 engine – a 114-cubic incher here (1868 cc) – which now finds itself bolted solidly in place instead of rubber-mounted like in the old bike: Dual counterbalancers counter-rotating on each end of the crank make that possible. More information than you need about all that is here.

The end result of all that is a new Low Rider S that Harley says is 26 pounds lighter than before, at 679 pounds; 0.6-inch shorter of wheelbase, at 63.6 inches; and even lower of seat, at 26.5 inches.

The LR-S is a great motorcycle for blasting around town on, particularly if you’re a large and in-charge extrovert. For sporty riding in the curves it’s a pretty fun thing to ride, too. But that weight, long wheelbase, and old-tech bias ply tires give it an old-fashioned feel. Wait, does nostalgic sound better?

They steepened the rake to 28 degrees, but the specs say the new bike’s trail has grown from 5.1 to 5.7 inches; 145mm is a lot of trail. Steering requires a heave. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been passed by guys in flapping flannel shirts on these things like I was standing still – on fast roads, anyway. It’s actually more stable than a freight train. The new one does have a bunch more cornering clearance than the Dyna version did.

Anyway, the guys in the flannel shirts will little note, nor long remember what we criticize here. It’s the style and Harley-Davidness of the thing that matters. The LR-S “is rooted in the legacy of the Low Rider models of the 1980s, that has a devoted following which has spread world-wide from origins in Southern California,” according to H-D’s VP of Styling and Design Brad Richards. The H-D faithful love these things, with their black blackness and bronze wheels: All bright finishes are replaced with black finishes for an aggressive look. The powertrain, primary cover and tank console are finished in Wrinkle Black; the derby cover, intake, and lower rocker covers are Gloss Black. Mufflers and exhaust shields are Jet Black. Forks, triple-clamp, riser and handlebar, and rear fender supports are Matte Black. The LED layback tail lamp has a smoked lens…

At the end of a day’s ride on the LR-S, around a bunch of San Diego County’s finest backroads, I have to conclude the people who love these things are generally tougher and harder of core than yours truly. (Speaking of which, on no other brand will so many hard-core women emerge from the woodwork to tell you about the Harley they used to have, their ex-SO had, they aspire to have… a couple of men, too.)

My soft upper body and tiny fists in the wind were a little tired of hanging on by the end of the day, my lumbar was a little bent, but mostly my butt was tired of being locked into the same spot all day; I tried to stand up on the midmount pegs a couple of times, as I typically do on all other motorcycles, but couldn’t pull it off. I couldn’t find the cruise control button, maybe because they removed it on the new LR-S. At the end of the day, I’m Madeline Kahn in Blazing Saddles: I tell ya I’m bushed. They tell me cruiser riders develop a different set of muscles. I don’t know if I’m buying it. Harlissimus dorsi?

Luckily I bounced back in time for cocktail hour, electric-scootering around downtown San Diego, karaokeing – and was able to ride a bunch of the excellently upgraded FL touring bikes the next day. More on them next week.