Harley-Davidson Softail Motorcycle Platform Turns 40

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Harley-Davidson introduced the Softail motorcycle platform in 1984 with the FXST Softail. The company still offers the Softail Standard as part of its 2024 Cruiser lineup. (Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson.)

Iconic American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of its game-changing Softail cruiser motorcycle platform, introduced in 1984 with the FXST Softail. The model is notable for featuring a hidden rear suspension and a unique swingarm design that helped deliver a smoother ride while still presenting the profile of a vintage “hardtail” bike without a rear suspension.

The History Of The Harley-Davidson Softail

The origins of the Harley-Davidson Softail go back to the early 1980s when Bill Davis, an independent design engineer, created a concept motorcycle incorporating a suspension with hidden rear shock absorbers in a Big Twin frame. Harley-Davidson acquired the concept and later unveiled the FXST Softail to the world. The bike boasted classic hardtail lines, provided superior handling, and introduced the all-new Evolution V-Twin powertrain, which replaced Harley’s Shovelhead engine.

Harley-Davidson credits the Softail chassis and the Evolution engine with reversing its struggling financial fortunes at the time and propelling the company to a prominent position in the marketplace. Over the decades, the Softail platform was the foundation for numerous noteworthy models. Examples include the 1986 Heritage Softail, which used elements of the 1949 FL Hydra-Glide to create a classic look and feel, and the 1990 Fat Boy, which Harley-Davidson calls one of its most iconic models ever.

Into The Present

The Harley-Davidson 2024 Cruiser lineup includes eight Softail models, each with a hidden coil-over monoshock under the seat with pre-load adjustment functionality. Softail riders and passengers also benefit from dual counter-balancers employed by the Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin engines powering the bikes to eliminate all primary vibration at idle speed.

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The Breakout, which includes a Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine and 9.4-inch-wide rear tire, is one of eight Softail motorcycles in the company’s 2024 cruiser lineup. (Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson.)

The lineup includes the bobber-styled FXST Softail Standard, which sports a Vivid Black paint job and chrome finishes. Its pushrod-operated Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine is rated for 87 horsepower (65 kilowatts) at 5,020 rpm and 110 pounds-foot (149 newton-meters) of torque. Then there’s the Street Bob 114 with a mini-ape handlebar and a classic fuel tank graphic, the West Coast-styled Low Rider (S and ST configurations), and the Breakout 117 with an air- and oil-cooled 101-HP (75-kW) Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine.

Also on tap is the vintage-styled Heritage Classic 114, the Fat Boy 114 featuring cast-aluminum Lakester wheels, the “street-eater” Fat Bob 114, and the Panhead-influenced Hydra-Glide Revival from the company’s Icons Collection.

Find Harley-Davidson Motorcycles For Sale

Explore MotorSportsUniverse.com to find new and used Harley-Davidson motorcycles for sale, including several cruiser models.

Source: Harley-Davidson