Tiernan’s His and Hers Low Riders

Carl and Julie Tiernan have a pair of Low Riders built to handle. 

When Carl posted a pic of his FXLR Low Rider on the HEAVY DUTY Facebook page I thought it looked fast - and interesting, so we set up a meeting at Sunshine Coast H-D so I could find out more about the bike. 

When he unexpectedly arrived with his wife Julie on her modded 2020 Softail Low Rider S, we sat down on the benches out in front of the store to talk about this great looking pair of Harleys. 

I sat looking at the bikes parked next to us for a while, impressed, and eventually asked Carl to tell us what he’d done to his bike. 

HIS

“It’s a 2018 Low Rider that I bought from here (Sunshine Coast Harley) brand new, and it’s been through quite a chop since I’ve had it”, he began.

“It’s been built to ride, so it’s been lifted two inches, both front and rear. It has Ohlins forks up front and a Low Rider S shock at the rear, with seamless pre-load, which was actually out of Julie’s bike – to which I added a Bung King extension for the lift.

The Ohlins kit is standard, but extended with two-inch over fork tubes. I also upgraded the brakes with a Hard Case Performance 14” disc and fitted Goodrich HH pads and lines to the stock caliper.

The handlebars are H-D Street Slammers, with 2” LA Chopper extensions, the fairing is just a generic aftermarket that took a little bit of modification, but it fitted the look I was after really well and the fork covers are home made too.

The tank is stock Low Rider, but the gauges have been removed, the holes filed and smoothed, and the original speedo has been mounted on the handlebars for better visibility.”

“Was that a complicated process?” I asked.

“No, not really, I’m a Panel Beater by trade, so all that sort of stuff came naturally. It was just a few hours mucking about really. I also chopped the rear guard in length and depth, so it now finishes level with the fender struts rather than hang down below them, and the tail tidy is all built-in and welded into the guard with Coughlin LED Tail lights and a Custom Dynamics plate surround. 

The chainguard has been modified top and bottom and it’s got a Low Rider S seat.”

“Any engine mods?”

“The motor has been mostly blacked out and it’s running a CR480 cam, with high performance Feuling lifters, Cyclerama billet tappet cuffs, adjustable pushrods, and an oil pump from a 2020 Softail. It’s still a 107 cube, but it’s putting out 110 horsepower and 121ft lbs of torque. So it’s ‘pretty good’ for a 107, she goes pretty well!

It’s also running a Maximus tuner, Freedom Radical Radius Pipes and a Performance Machine Max HP Air intake which has been modified.”

The Paint and colour scheme is all Carls own work. “It’s a Nissan Grey Pearl and it has my custom work over the top - and the wheels are stock, painted to match.”

When asked if there are any further plans for the bike Carl grins, “There’s always plans! I’d like to lift the back a bit higher and put an Ohlins rear shock in there, to finish the suspension off … a 124 Cube is on the cards, with a bigger cam and a few other bits for some more power … and a twin disc front end is probably the most important thing I need, because even with the setup on it now, I still run out of brakes if I’m pushing it hard. And it will probably change paint again. 17” rims might be a nice conversion too.” He grins yet again. 

“Apart from that ride the wheels off it, that’s about it. And it does get ridden quite a lot, it’s got 63,000km on it now, it’s not a bike that just looks nice, it gets well-used, and between it and my other bike, an Indian FTR1200 Carbon, they are true everyday riders. And yeah, I like bikes that stop and go around corners.

And that’s what this bike is about. It’s very nice to ride actually, it’s a big improvement over a stock Low Rider, with better handling, and the cornering clearance is so good it very rarely scrapes any hard parts.”

HERS

Which seemed like a good time to ask Julie about her Low Rider S. 

“I’ll let Carl tell you about it.” She said, “He’s better at the mechanical aspects.”

And he beams. “Julie’s bike is a 2020 Low Rider S and we have fitted fork shims up front so we could lift it by an inch and a quarter. It’s got an Ohlins cartridge kit in the front, it also has an Ohlins HD505 rear shock with 1.5” lift and it’s fully adjustable. 

The tank is off a Breakout and it has a Street Bob dash and instruments, because like when you guys tested the LRS, she didn’t like the tank mounted instruments – so we moved them onto the handlebars. 

It’s got Thrashing Supply 6.5” pull back risers and Thrashing mid bend handlebars that go really well with the line of the bike. That’s also helped by the modified rear guard that’s been cut and had a Custom Dynamics plate holder set into it. 

Peformance-wise it’s pretty much stock. It does have the Performance Machine Max HP air filter, Radical Radius pipes and a maximus tuner.”

“So, Julie, what’s it like to ride?”

This time she smiles. “It’s really nice now that the suspension is on there. The Ohlins really made a huge difference to the way it handles. I don’t get to ride it as often as I’d like due to being a shift-working Nurse, but I didn’t want to be on the back of Carl’s bike anymore, so I do get out on it when I can.”

When asked if there’s any further plans for the bike, she notes, “The rear wheel is going to be … bigger.”

At which stage Carl adds, “Yes, we’re going to fit a 200-section rear tyre and the rims are going to be painted, along with the rest of the bodywork. I’ve just got to work out how to do it the way Julie wants it.”

At which stage I suggested that we should mount up and go and take some photos. 

“Before we do, Dave,” Carl said, “There is just one more thing I’d like to add, and that is to give big thanks to Brian Farrow and his crew at Farrow’s customs. I can do most of the work on these bikes myself, but when I have got stuck on something, Farrow’s have been a fantastic help, and nothing is too much bother. I highly recommend them.”

And with that sage advice we headed towards the hinterland and a photo shoot with Julie leading the way.

GUTS & BOLTS

CARL’S

Bike: 2018 FXLR Low Rider

Builder: Carl Tiernan

ENGINE

Type: 107Cube, Maximus Tuner , CR 480 cam, Feuling lifters & pushrods ,Cycle Rama billet tappetcuffs, 2020 8lobe oilpump ,110hp/121Nm,

Air Cleaner: Performance Machine Max HP

Exhaust: Freedom Sharp Radical Radius

Seat: FXLRS Low Rider S

WHEELS & TYRES

F Tyre: Avon cobra chrome

R Tyre: Avon cobra chrome

F Brake: Stock caliper, Goodridge h/h pads , Goodridge brake lines extended ,Hard Case Performance 14” disc

R Brake: stock

SUSPENSION

Front: Ohlins Nix 22 cartridge kit with 2’ lift 

Rear: FXLRS with Bung King extension

CONTROLS

Bars: HD Street Slammer with LA customs 2” riser extension and relocated speedo Grips/Levers/Change: Stock grips Custom gear change 

Footpegs/Forward Controls: stock mids with Burly MX pegs

Headlight: Stock / under perch front indicators

Taillight: Kodlin strut lights & Custom Dynamics 3-1 licence plate surround

GUARDS & TINWORK

R Guard: FLXR cut and chopped 

F Guard:stock

Trim: Stock tank with shaved top / flush filler

PAINT & FINISH;

Colour: Nissan stealth grey with custom airbrush graphics by owner

JULIE’S

GENERAL

Bike: 2020 FXLRS Low Rider S

Builder: Carl Tiernan / Julie Tiernan

ENGINE

Type: 114 cube with Maximus Tuner 

Air Cleaner: Performance Machine Max HP

Exhaust: Freedom Sharp Curve Radius

SUSPENSION

Front: Ohlins Tks 508 cartridge kit with hairy customs fork shims 1.5” lift 

Rear: Ohlins HD505 1.5” lift

CONTROLS

Bars: Thrashin supply mid bend

Grips/Levers/Change: Arlen Ness grips, Thrashin Supply gear peg 

Footpegs/Forward Controls: stock mids with Thrashin Supply pegs 

Risers: Thrashin supply 6.5 pull back with FXBB digital dash 

Headlight: stock, under perch indicators

Taillight: Alloy Art fender strut lights & custom dynamics 3-1 licence plate surround

GUARDS & TINWORK

R Guard: Shortened with Frenched licence plate 

F Guard: stock

Trim: Breakout fuel tank with Flush filler

2022 H-D Low Rider S Test

Steady Progress.

One of the many great quotes attributed to storied American Basketball Coach John Wooden was, “We can have no progress without change.”

The changes Harley-Davidson have incorporated into the latest Softail Low Rider S are not major, but they do represent significant progress. 

Not long after I collected the 2022 Softail Low Rider S I started trawling back through my library for points of reference to see just how much had changed.  

This is the sixth Low Rider S I’ve spent time with, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of them. (See side bar.) Model-wise, each one has been a better bike than the version that came before it.

Dyna diehards

Back in 2016, around the editorial desk, we all agreed that the 110 cube Dyna Low Rider S was the best Dyna ever (HEAVY DUTY # 146).  We also thought it was a crying shame that ‘peak’ Dyna also roughly coincided with the platform’s demise.

Its true potential was really brought home with a 117cu.i custom build by Morgan & Wacker that we featured in Issue #147.

That big-bore Screamin’ Eagle unit was a performance Harley with great road manners, handling, power and looks. 

Its ergonomics and mid-controls weren’t universally popular, but as a Harley for a twisty road and getting amongst it with the sports riding crowd, it was a peach. 

M8 Revival

Our lamentations were short lived, because in late 2019 we had a first taste of the 114-cube M8 Softail variant and the whole game changed.

The new platform retained or improved the handling, road manners and some of the style of the Dyna, but removed the harsh vibes and shakes while adding the tractability, compliance and responsiveness of the 4-valve. We even said it had the ‘Soul of a Dyna’ in Issue #167.

We still had a few gripes, but it was the first time that Mick, Paul and I universally agreed that this is a Harley we would buy, and do very little to, apart from ride it … a lot.

That model’s full potential was really unlocked when we tested Morgan & Wacker’s custom built, full-noise, 131-cube crate motor example that developed 150+ horsepower. (Tested in #171.)

But now, Harley have upped their ante again with the latest 117-cube version and it’s an absolute peach.

Problems solved.

Our gripes with the 2020 and 2021 Models have been well and truly addressed. 

The first issue we had was with the tank mounted instrument cluster. 

Harley maintained that this mounting paid homage to earlier Low Riders, but for a performance machine it was incongruous, counter-intuitive or just plain daft to have to lower your eyes so far from the road to check the tachometer which sat underneath the Speedo. Naval gazing was never so dicey. Particularly for a bike that was so enticing to tap out.

For ‘22, sitting atop the handlebars and (almost) nestling behind the sports fairing is a 

4-inch gauge that displays an analogue tachometer with inset digital speedometer, gear indicator, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip and range readouts. It’s compact, legible and a significant improvement.

The fact that it now has a plain console on the tank with a badge inset is apparently more important to H-D that it is to us. But the console does look pretty good and gives the bike a leaner profile.

Another tick

Owing to the bike’s very capable handling and sporty ergonomics, the next thing we wished for was better cornering clearance. 

The suspension is still premium quality with single cartridge 43 mm inverted forks with triple rate springs up front and a free piston, coil-over monoshock with 56 mm stroke and hydraulic preload adjustment on the rear.

Our wish for improved clearance has been achieved with a slightly longer rear shock, that not only gives more suspension travel, but adds a degree of tip-in ability. It might not read like much on paper, but it is quite noticeable on the road. 

The mid controls give a knees-up ergonomic for taller riders, and probably not something I’d like for a long touring run, but for pure sports riding the bike remains one outstanding Harley. The mids make getting a knee out and moving weight off-board easy and are in keeping with the bike’s character.

That said, it would be easy to convert it to a bike that would be very happy on the interstate too. The sports screen offers surprisingly good wind protection for the torso and the drag bars sitting on 4” risers are all-day comfortable, so is the solo saddle. 

To add a forward controls kit costs around $1150 fitted and cruise control is another $570 (fitted), but with those options it would be good to go a very long way. We all think Cruise should be standard on this bike.

117 Cube Sweetness

The new power plant displaces 1923cc and produces a healthy 167Nm at 3,500rpm – which is up 5% on the 114-cube model. 

Harley claims the Cam has been specified to maximise performance from the Heavy Breather intake and 2-into-2 shotgun exhaust. That all works on paper too.

One thing that is very noticeable on the road is the capability and refinement of the 117 Cube powerplant. 

This is undoubtedly the smoothest and most responsive stock motor I have encountered in any new H-D. Yes, yes, we’ve said that many times before, but it’s a fact. They do keep getting better. 

Harley specifically makes a repeated point that this motor is dual counter-balanced to reduce primary vibration at idle. 

The absence of vibes on both the Press Bike, in bone stock form, and Gasoline Alley’s accessorised demo unit which we featured last month, were quite remarkable for big Vee twins. Very far removed from paint shaker at the lights and highway buzz of the old Dyna.

The other ticks.

I spent the first week of the test cruising the city and freeways with occasional blasts up or down the coast and Mountains in dry conditions.

Around town the bike is narrow and lane splits easily and the clutch and gearbox remained a sure shifting delight in hot stop-start. 

Carving up a back road is where the bike really shines and has a huge grin factor. Spooling it up and third gear is reminiscent of a Buell XB on ‘roids. 

On the freeway it’s relaxed and solid and but I did really miss cruise control. It’s easy for the speed to creep.

For the second week of testing the late May rain set in and in the wet I got a chance to properly test the ABS. That system gets better with every model too. The big twin 4-piston calipers up front clickety-click it to a comfortable stop. 

Style-wise?

The Dyna was arguably a better-looking Low Rider S. Its lines were leaner and lower. The ’22 Model is still a great looking machine with it’s black on black finishes and Radiate cast aluminium wheels finished in Matte Dark Bronze. Harley calls it ‘West Coast’ style.

The big heavy breather adds a certain toughness to the aesthetic and the livery and engine finishes work well. 

Mick isn’t a huge fan of all black bikes and would probably go for the Gunship Grey paint, whereas I’d be all over the Vivid Black.

As tempting as it is to proclaim, that with the current raft of changes, the Softail Low Rider S is approaching ‘peak’ Harley-Davidson, experience tells us that really is folly. 

But it’s most certainly progress.

WOULD I OWN ONE

For sure. Not as my only bike, due to passenger and touring considerations, but it would be the one I would ride the most. 

WHAT I WOULD CHANGE

Add forward controls, cruise control and open up the exhausts slightly. 

WHAT I DON’T LIKE

No passenger accommodation. Mid controls with old knees on long ride. 

(*** SIDEBAR ***)

Storied History

The original Harley-Davidson Low Rider evolved from the 1971 FX Superglide that Willy G reportedly designed utilising a combination of Big Twin (FL) and Small Twin (Sportster) Parts. 

The FX designation stood for ‘Factory Experimental’ and at first, sales wise, it was something of a failed experiment. 

Several variations followed with increased success until in 1977 the first Low Rider, the FXS became an instant hit. 

It was something of a milestone model with alloy wheels, twin disc brakes and extended forks with a 32° rake.

In 1983 it evolved into the FXRS Low Rider with a new frame, rubber mounted engine and 5-speed transmission.

1991 saw the introduction of the Dyna chassis and two years later the FXDL Dyna Low Rider was released. 

Engine capacity and chassis improvements continued on the Dyna platform over the next two decades. In 2010 the FXDL was discontinued. 

A revised version was then re-released is 2014 and in 2016 the first FXDLS Dyna Low Rider S hit the market. 

It was fitted with a Screamin’ Eagle 110-cube engine and set the tone for the current batch of ‘S’ model designations we see today. 

The Dyna platform was retired in 2017 and in 2018 the Softail Low Rider S was released with the new Milwaukee 8 114-cube engine and improved chassis. 

2022 sees the engine capacity increased to 117-cube and fitted revised suspension and instruments.

Low Rider S As Tested in HEAVY DUTY. 

2016. We had our first taste of the Dyna version. 

2016-2. Later that year Morgan & Wacker showed its potential with a 117-cube monster. 

2019. Saw our first run with the Softail version and we loved it.

2020. M&W blew us away again with a 150 horsepower 131-cube custom build.

2022. Gasoline Alley gave us a glimpse of the shape of things to come with a modified 117-cube demo. 

2022-2. The current 117-cube HD-A Press bike

(*** SPECS ***)

FXLRS Low Rider® S

Test Bike: HD-A

Price as Tested: $30,750.

Engine Milwaukee-Eight® 117

Valves Pushrod-operated, overhead valves

Bore 4.075 in. (103.5 mm)

Stroke 4.5 in. (114.3 mm)

Displacement 117 cu in (1,923 cc)

Compression Ratio 10.2:1

Fuel System Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)

Air Cleaner Heavy Breather intake with synthetic media, washable exposed element

Exhaust 2-into-2 offset shotgun

Primary Drive Chain, 34/46 ratio

Final Drive Belt, 32/66 ratio

Clutch Mechanical, 10 plate wet, assist & conventional

Transmission 6-Speed Cruise Drive

Frame

Mild steel, tubular frame; rectangular section

backbone; stamped, cast, and forged junctions;

MIG welded; aluminum forged fender supports

Swingarm

Mild steel, tubular sections, stamped x-member,

forged axle junctions; MIG welded; removable

belt spacer

Front Fork Single cartridge 43 mm inverted with aluminum

fork triple clamps; triple rate spring

Rear Shocks Hidden, free piston, coil-over monoshock; 56 mm

stroke; hydraulic preload adjustment

Wheels:  Radiate cast aluminium

Dimensions

Seat Height, Laden: 686 mm

Rake 28 Degrees

Trail 145 mm

Wheelbase 1,615 mm

Tyres, Michelin® Scorcher® "31" front and rear

Front 110/90B19,62H,BW

Rear 180/70B16,77H,BW

Fuel Capacity 5 gal. (18.9 l)

Weight, In Running Order  308 kg 

'22 Low Rider S On-board

Here's some on-board footage from a Sunday afternoon cruise around Brisbane on the latest Harley Softail Low Rider S. 

On a production note, I'm happy with the performance of the Go Pro 10, in light of the muck-up on the Sportster S attempt.
There are a two grabs here where I tried using the rear facing microphone on the Media Mod instead of the the lavalier mic - and that didn't work very well.
But the image quality and the horizon levelling from the Max Lens Mod are quite pleasing.

Stage 4 Low Rider S

M8 Power Build

Potential Tapped. M&W Low Rider S Rocket Ship.

“While you’re here, Dave, we’ve just finished a build you’ll be very interested in,” Paul Lewis said.

I was loitering around the Morgan & Wacker showroom waiting to pick up a test bike when the Dealer Principal dangled that titbit. “Do tell?”

“How does a 153 Horsepower Low Rider S sound to you?” continued Lee Negus, their Customer Service Manager who had just walked out of his office.

“Mighty fine” I grinned, “Like I said when I returned the stock Low Rider S Press Bike a few months ago, I can’t wait to see what some of you guys will do with this platform.”

And here it was, that wish had come to fruition.

Back in issue #167 of HEAVY DUTY I was pretty effusive about the newest Low Rider S. I really rated its sporty handling courtesy of the inverted cartridge forks, solid new Softail chassis and mid controls and ergos. Plus, I really liked the mean looks of the machine. The 114 Cube M8 pushed it along very rewardingly too.

I said it then and I’ll reiterate now, it’s simply a better bike than the Dyna version: more power, less vibration, better handling and comparable looks. Then there’s the ease of squeezing more power from the engine at much lower costs - to wit: “Well, we’ve just now finished the build and the dyno tune so we can put a trade plate on it and you can take it for a spin if you like.” Paul offered.

“Would I like! Does Dolly Parton sleep on her back?”

So, while the plate was being affixed and the fuel tank topped up, I sat down with Lee to get this Low Rider’s low down.

My first question was, “What was the goal with this build?”

“Well, Harley has just released the 131 cubic inch kits and we wanted to see how far we could go with one using as many genuine H-D components as possible. We also wanted to see how it stacked up against the S&S 128 cube. So, Luke, our Service Manager and Glen, our Tech started putting a plan together.

We got a 131 piston kit – genuine Harley, we got a 131 barrel kit - genuine Harley, and just sort-of went from there. We used a lot of components that are in the Screamin’ Eagle catalogue right now, like the throttle body with the CNC manifold, which we ported and polished to suit the heads.

We used genuine injectors, genuine pushrods and the new heavy breather that you will see on the bike. That’s also now available in black but the stock hadn’t landed when we were building it, but that breather is an important part of how it made the numbers.

Another important factor in the performance of this build is that we’ve started building our own heads in-house. That offers our customers a much quicker turn-around and the results speak for themselves.

Glen ordered AV&V valve guides, springs, studs and everything else we usually get from Rams, all together, and then he ported and polished the heads to match the manifold - again, this was all done in-house and it’s a big part of how we got so much ‘squirt’ out of the engine.

We also used Feuling short travel race lifters with a 544 Rocket cam and that helped a lot too.

From there it was a matter of finding the best exhaust system. We tried several systems on the dyno but found the best performance overall was from the Supertrap with open ends. Some of the exhausts we tried were producing 17 horsepower less than the Supertrap that is on it now.

What we were able to achieve with the TTS tuner and that pipe is outstanding. As I said the results speak for themselves, it’s producing 153 horsepower and 150 ft lbs of torque and you can’t argue with that! And another thing to remember is that our Dyno is brand new and it reads accurately, and it isn’t giving exaggerated figures - they are the genuine numbers.” Lee said emphatically.

“Have you done any work to the chassis or suspension?” I asked.

“No, it’s all stock, you’ve ridden the Low Rider S - it’s all premium anyway. It’s got a wicked front end, great brakes and there wasn’t anything we felt we needed to do.”

“What about the clutch?” I ventured.

“It has a basic stock clutch, and it handles it easily, but in the end, it would depend on how the customer was going to ride the bike. If it was someone that was really going to wring its neck, then we’d upgrade the clutch and maybe add an S&S oil pump and cam plate, there’s plenty of other things we could do if someone was really planning to ‘ride the shite’ out of it, but really the combinations that are in it now are quite bulletproof as we’ve found out with many of our previous power builds.”

At which stage Paul came back handed me the key fob and said, “It’s ready to go”.

The first thing I noticed as I pulled out of the yard and headed into the city was just how normally at low speed the bike behaved. Some of the older, big horsepower twin cam builds we’ve tested have felt like they fired at every second telegraph pole, and had a hair trigger, but this unit is tractable and quite well-mannered around town … until I got to the M1 on ramp, on then … oooh baby! Twist and hang on tight. The power delivery is very linear and showed no sign of dropping off - until I pillowed as the disqualification zone beckoned. From low down in the rev range it pulls and pulls and is very potent, strong and quite exhilarating. 153 ponies worth.

Marry that with all the niceties of handling, brakes and cornering that the Low Rider S affords and it makes for a real sports-bike-like Harley-Davidson.

And Lee was right, even the exhaust system sounded great without rattling the windows in the next suburb. It is quite loud, but rich and throaty with being too anti-social.

I returned the bike with a huge grin on my face and asked the next obvious question, “How much?”

If you start with a Stage 1, 114 Cube Low Rider S the extra components and labour add up to around $9,550 installed and the H-D limited warranty stays intact on the Genuine components.

For that you get a simply superb motorcycle. If you are looking for a real high performance, genuine H-D, contact Morgan & Wacker Brisbane for more info.


GUTS & BOLTS

GENERAL
Bike: Low Rider S       
Builder: Morgan & Wacker       

ENGINE   
Type: 131 Cube Milwaukee 8          
Carburetion: TTS       
Air Cleaner: Screamin’ Eagle   
Exhaust: Supertrapp   

2020 Low Rider S Test

Heart Un-breaker.
Is the New Softail Low Rider S the remedy for the missing Dynas?

Brum said, “You know that Bee Gees song ‘How do you mend a broken heart?’, that’s what I reckon the angle should be, Dave.”

“You mean the readers who were so annoyed when the Dyna was discontinued now have a bike to rejoice?” I asked.

“Precisely!” said the Boss.

“I think you are right in principle, but we do know what some Dyna owners are like.” I mused as I headed to our Facebook page and posted up some pics from my first ride on the latest Low Rider S.

Sure enough the response was immediate. “Nice Bike, but it’s not a Dyna.” And sundry other … let’s say … less complimentary comments.

However, after a pretty thorough 2-week test that included all manner of riding and conditions, Urban crawl, commutes, open road, freeway and twisty mountain byways I’ve come around to agree with Brum’s point.

Let me qualify by saying that when I tested the 2017 Dyna Low Rider S in Heavy Duty Issue #146 I had a huge wrap on the bike. I called it the best Dyna ever and with many others bemoaned that the platform was discontinued right after H-D released the best-ever model. The strap line even trumpeted ‘Dave says yes to the 110-S.”

That Dyna had emulsion shocks, cartridge forks, mid controls and was the ‘sportiest’ big block since the vaunted FXDX. It had great handling, a responsive engine, good brakes and an ergonomic that allowed for more body English when hard charging.

The 2020 Softail version has all that … more and less: Less vibration, less flex, with more comfort, performance and overall ride-ability.

Put the two side-by-side and unless you have Dyna-only eyes there isn’t a lot of difference in the aesthetic. They are both great looking motorcycles with a beautiful, menacing blackness that sucks the light from the air as you ride by.

What the Dyna Diehards will probably have trouble coming to grips with is the fact that the Softail is simply a better motorcycle.

For starters it’s a stiffer chassis, it has USD Cartridge forks mounted at a noticeably sharper rake, it has longer rear suspension travel with pre-load adjustment and it has the 114-Cube Milwaukee 8 power plant and gearbox. The latter means it doesn’t have that big dose of engine vibration that came with the rubber mounted Twin Cam. That’s not to say that the 114 is vibration-free, it still transmits a pulse through the bars and foot pegs, but not nearly as prevalent as on the Dyna. It means that the Softail isn’t as tiring to spend a 400km day aboard without ‘vibe-fatigue’.

The four-valve M8 also means that it will be easier (and cheaper) to coax higher performance out the engine when time for upgrades comes around. Both models offer a head start with their larger capacity, higher-performance engines and air cleaner assemblies fitted as standard.

But in the here-and-now, the Softail’s saddle is plusher and the revised pull-back Handlebars and risers fall to hand more comfortably than the Dyna’s drag bars and while the new 2-into-2 offset shotgun exhaust system is similarly quiet to the 2016’s it’s much harder to scrape it on the tarmac.

Both models are fitted with 19 inch front wheel, a 100 section on the Dyna and 110 section on the Softail, but the 17” x 160 Rear on the Dyna has been modified to a 16” x 180 on the Softail. The Softail’s wheels have slimmer spokes and while colour is always subjective the new model’s shape, graphics and livery seem nicer.

Lean angles are similar on both incarnations. The Dyna has 29.5° and 30°. The Softail’s are 30.1° on both sides. The difference in dynamic between the bikes comes the rake. 30.5° for the Dyna and 28.5° for the Softail. It’s quite obvious when you look at the bike and even moreso when you ride it.

Side-to-sides and direction changes on the Softail are joyous. Like the Dyna it is an eminently ‘chuckable’ Harley, but now it’s even more so. The front end works a treat and the shorter wheelbase 1615mm v 1630mm hasn’t made any noticeable difference to the Softail’s stability and planted feeling on the open road and Freeways.

Out on the Interstate the Speed Screen fairing is also remarkably efficient at keeping wind off the torso. In concert with the low saddle height (690mm unladen) it meant that my helmet was out in clean turbulence free air, while the mid controls and wide bars meant that I was leaning in to the remaining wind blast and had no need to clench anything or lock elbows even at higher speeds. With the relaxed lope of the 114 it is a very easy bike to rack up decent K’s on.

Like those fitted to the Dyna, the mid controls will be a love ‘em or hate ‘em affair. Most of my pals said they would convert to forward controls if they bought one. I wouldn’t. I liked the way they make it easier to get a knee out and shift buttocks off the saddle to get weight off-board when hooking in. The bike has handling and cornering capabilities that goes well beyond the available lean angles. The mid control’s ergos help make the most of that capability.

The lighting on the 2020 is also an improvement. The headlight casts a wide flat pattern and the high beam is really good. The prominent taillight is a very interesting design and quite a contrast to the Dyna’s combo indicators and lack of taillight. The older model’s number plate mounting was much nicer however. The horn on the new one is a bit beep-beep embarrassing.

As per the ’17, The instruments comprise a pair of piggyback 4-inch analogue dials mounted on the tank with Speedo sitting above the tacho in the traditional Low Rider configuration. The new model has a larger and more legible digital trip computer inset in the Speedo but the Tacho’s position on both models means taking your eyes off the road to read it – particularly in a full-face helmet. It looks good, but it’s not a particularly efficient design. It’s noticeable when compared to how well-sorted the rest of the new model is overall.

From its black wrinkle finishes and sparingly used chrome highlights to its great handling, excellent twin disc 4-pot brakes and sweet road manners the Low Rider S already has an array of customizers licking their chops at the bike’s potential. I can’t wait to see what the Power Build specialists do with the platform. It will be awesome.

Starting at $27,995 the 2020 Low Rider S might just be the cure for a broken Dyna’s Heart.


Engine

Engine2 Milwaukee-Eight® 114
Bore 102mm
Stroke 114 mm
Displacement 1,868 cc
Compression Ratio 10.5:1
Fuel System Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Exhaust 2-into-2 offset shotgun; catalyst in muffler

Dimensions

Length 2,355 mm
Seat Height, Unladen 690 mm
Ground Clearance 120 mm
Rake (steering head) (deg) 28
Trail 145 mm
Wheelbase 1,615 mm
Tires, Front Specification 110/90B19,62H,BW
Tires, Rear Specification 180/70B16,77H,BW
Fuel Capacity 18.9 l
Oil Capacity (w/filter) 4.7 l
Weight, As Shipped 295 kg
Weight, In Running Order 308 kg

Performance

Engine Torque Testing Method EC 134/2014
Engine Torque3 155 Nm
Engine Torque (rpm) 3,000
Lean Angle, Right (deg.) 33.1
Lean Angle, Left (deg.) 33.1

Drivetrain

Primary Drive Chain, 34/46 ratio

Chassis

Wheels, Front Type6 Dark bronze, Radiate cast aluminum wheel
Wheels, Rear Type Dark bronze, Radiate cast aluminum wheel
Brakes, Caliper Type 4-piston fixed front and 2-piston floating rear

Electric

Lights (as per country regulation), Indicator Lamps High beam, turn signals, neutral, low oil pressure, engine diagnostics, auxiliary lighting, ABS, immobiliser, low battery voltage, low fuel warning.
Gauges 4-inch analog speedometer with digital gear, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip, range and tachometer indication; 4-inch analog tachometer

117 Cube Dyna Low Rider S

After falling in lust with the Low Rider S, Dave finds Morgan & Wacker have made a good thing even better.

“The bike is a new 2016 Dyna Low Rider S. It’s a sensational bike to begin with but we set out to make it phenomenal, so we added a Factory 117 Cube kit, exhaust system and suspension upgrade.” began Paul Lewis, the Dealer Principal at Morgan & Wacker H-D in Brisbane.

“We were keen to see if we could produce the same sort of horsepower that we developed in the ‘Mountain Mauler 120R’ – the bike you recently featured in HEAVY DUTY. Well … we did. In fact it’s even stronger. The peak output from the 117 Cube is 122 rear wheel horsepower at 5750 rpm on our Dyno. It’s also worth pointing out that our Dyno is calibrated for accuracy, not egos” Paul continued. “Really, power is on par with the 120R, but the good news is that is develops a whopping 127ft lbs of torque between three and four thousand RPM (more that the 120R) and if anything it’s more ‘rideable’ – as you know.”

I ‘knew’ because before we sat down to discuss the build he threw me the security fob and said, “Enjoy this, Dave”. I spent a couple of glorious hours hammering it on the various Brisbane Freeway on-ramps, around the airport drive, cross-town tunnels and a loop along Sandgate Road back to the shop – and returned absolutely beaming.

If you check out the test in last month’s Mag, you’ll see that we (Brum rode one too) were already gushing about the ability of the ‘S’ in standard trim. I’ve been flirting with the ‘best stock big-block ever’ epithet since day one, but this build really takes it to a whole new level.

It’s quite frankly … sick. I didn’t get a chance to fully tap it out because it’s that quick – way too fast to give it the full noise on a public road kind-of-fast. The front wheel lifts and the rear breaks traction, like a late model sports bike, if you really give it a handful, and it happens right through the mid range. But what I thought was even more remarkable is that the big hammer doesn’t come at the expense of ‘ride-ability’. It will still chug along happily at 60kph in top gear and remains as eminently tractable as the stock 110, but then, when you do wind it on … well … ‘fark me’ I thought to myself more than once as I gave it the business. It’s a thing of beauty.

The engine’s higher performance is enhanced by a great looking stainless steel Bassani exhaust system that is as loud as it is proud. Where the standard engine and exhaust system starts to ‘run out of breath’, the 117 really pulls and it keeps on pulling.

Then, when you do come to a corner the upgraded Gazi shocks have raised the rear another one and a half inches to aid cornering clearance. The stock emulsion shocks did a surprisingly good job considering they only offered two-and-a-bit inches of travel. The Gazis have a remote reservoir and are fully adjustable for pre-load, damping and rebound and are a worthwhile addition. Paul noted “They take away some of that cool ‘slammed’ rear end look, but this is ultimately a performance bike. We also fettled the standard cartridge forks to get the best out of them too.”

The performance really starts with the 117 Cube Kit. We pulled one from stock and opened it up in the workshop. It was typical Screamin’ Eagle – very well sorted. It features bolt-on 4.125" cylinders engineered with high strength slim-wall spigots that slip into the 110 crankcase without any additional machining. The matching flat top pistons and rings team with the stock cylinder heads to produce a 9.9:1 compression ratio while the high-lift SE-259E cam produces the boost in torque throughout the RPM range. The new 58mm Throttle Body and High Flow Fuel Injectors feed the beast perfectly. On the test ride there was some popping on deceleration but it is minimal. When on the gas however, it is joyous. Perfect-Fit Pushrods, High-Capacity Roller Tappets, Inner Cam Bearing, Top End & Cam Cover Gasket - even the Emissions Label is included to complete the kit. An ECM calibration download or Screamin' Eagle Street Tuner Kit are also required.

“We have the kits in stock and can turn the build around quickly for anyone interested” Paul continued, before I followed him out for a quick photo session on the bike.

If you aren’t familiar with Paul Lewis’ pedigree, do a quick Goggle search. He won a gazillion Australian Road Racing championships and went to all the big dances, including Daytona and a top 10 season in the 500GP’s. It’s the old adage: you can take the bloke out of the Grand Prix but you can’t take the GP out of Paul. “The 120R and this build are testament to the sort of bikes I like: big, powerful twins.”

As I watched him make it hop and squirm and step the rear out on exits it really brought home the capability of the machine.

“It has great power, excellent brakes, a terrific chassis, nice narrow tyres for excellent cornering, awesome performance and every day ride-ability thanks to the work of Luke Spence and Glen Riley and the time they spent with the machine on our Dyno. That said – with 127 ft lbs of torque and 120 Horsepower on tap it ‘can get away from you’ - so we recommend this kit for experienced riders only. It’s also worth noting that this bike only has 300km on the build – so we would expect the numbers to improve as the engine loosens up.”

If you are lucky enough to already own a 110 cube Harley (and it only fits a 110), the kit will set you back $2950. A Super Tuner is $645. The Bassani R/Rage 111 Stainless Exhaust System is $1,395 and the Gazi Hyper X Shocks are $780.

Alternatively, Morgan & Wacker are taking orders to supply the Low Rider ‘YES!’ in completed form – with 117 kit, pipe, suspension work and dyno run as a turn-key project for $32,990. For more info Give Paul Lewis a call on (07) 3606 8888.

‘Yes’ indeed.


Guts

GENERAL
Make H-D
Model FXDLS Low Rider S

ENGINE
Type Air-cooled, Twin Cam 110
Capacity 1917 cc (117 cu. in.)
Bore 104.8
Stroke 111.1
Compression 9.9:1
Carburetion 58mm Throttle body Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Air cleaner Heavy Breather intake with black covers, fiberglass media, washable exposed element with rain sock
Exhaust The Bassani R/Rage 111 Stainless Exhaust System

TRANSMISSION
Type 6-Speed Cruise Drive
Clutch Mechanically actuated, 9-plate, wet,
with high-performance spring
Primary drive Chain, 34/46 ratio
Rear drive Belt, 32/66 ratio

WHEELS & TYRES
F rim 19 in. x 2.5 in. (483 mm x 64 mm)
R rim 17 in. x 4.5 in. (432 mm x 114 mm)
F tyre Michelin Scorcher 160/17
R tyre Michelin Scorcher 100/19

F brake 300 mm x 5.1 mm 4-piston fixed with floating uniform expansion rotors
R brake 292 mm x 5.8 mm 2-piston torque-free floating

FRAME
Model Dyna
Rake 30.5°
Trail 128.3 mm

SUSPENSION
Front Premium ride, single cartridge,
49 mm diameter
Trees black powder-coated aluminum
fork triple clamp
Rear Gazi Hyper X Shocks Seat Solo

CONTROLS – all H-D stock

Bars
Switchgear
Levers
Grips
Mirrors
Footpegs
Gearchange
Speedo
Headlight

GUARDS & TINWORK
F guard
R guard
Fuel tank
Oil tank

PAINT & FINISH
Painter
Paint
Colour
Artwork
Chrome
Polisher
Upholstery

Low Rider S Photo Set

Images for the Heavy Duty Magazine Set:

Harley Dyna Low Rider S

A Quick Spin on a great new Dyna.




The 2016 Dyna Low Rider S is powered by the new Screamin’ Eagle, Twin Cam, 110 Cube power plant running through the Six-speed Cruise Drive transmission - and it’s the best stock air cooled Harley engine yet.

It is more responsive than the other 110 cube engines currently available from the Softail range although it does vibrate more than the counterbalanced ‘B’ variants. However it launches better than the softails and pulls noticeably harder and longer than stock 103 cube dyna motors.

It features a 101.6mm x 111.1mm bore and stroke to give a 1801cc displacement and a heavy breather intake is fitted as standard. Harley claims 156Nm @ 3,500rpm. Numbers aside, the torque that the 110cube produces and the way it is delivered is a perfect compliment to the bike’s road manners.

The real-worldly 17” x 160 Section (rear) and 19” x 100 Section (front) rubber on new Magnum Gold 5-spoke wheels are suspended by 49mm cartridge ‘Premium ride’ forks up front and ‘Premium Ride’ emulsion shocks at the rear.

After a few days riding I was genuinely surprised when I checked the specs to find that the rear only has 54mm of travel available. I didn’t bottom out once, and found the ride comfortable and the handling, tracking and ride solid and reliable - no doubt testament to the quality of the suspension.

The twin 300mm discs up front (with floating rotors) and 292mm rear brakes continue to make any barroom arguments about Harley brakes redundant. The ABS units aren’t quite as effortless as the latest batch of Softail stoppers, but even so – I rarely called the rear into play in general riding as the fronts are just that good.

As well as the solid Dyna chassis, proven geometry (with 1630mm wheelbase) and quality suspension, the bike’s riding position and ergos also help make it tip tidily. The mid-mount foot controls fit well with the slightly turned down or ‘dropped’ drag handlebars that sit on relatively low risers. Nestled in behind the ‘Speedscreen’ it all adds to the sporty feel of the ride. I also found the Solo seat to be surprisingly comfortable and it gave me no grief after some long afternoons aboard.

It has performance, brakes, and handling - and then there’s simply just looking at it.
Maybe it is the memory of halcyon days, lusting over the 1971 XLCR Café Racer that made me look so fondly at the Low Rider S. The ‘John Player Special’ colour scheme, the black on black and the way the line of the bike worked so well to my eye. Just walking in to the garage and seeing it there made me smile.

Any gripes I had with the bike were minor. I liked the way the ‘Tommy Gun’ exhausts look, but I’d like a system that offers a little more clearance to match the bike’s tipping ability.

I liked the separate tank mounted tacho sitting below the speedometer in the new wrinkle finish console, but the problem with the piggyback arrangement is that I needed to actually tilt my head and look down to see it clearly.

But overall the low Rider S is a versatile motorcycle with a host of Harley niceties: It has excellent cruise control, great ancillaries, self-cancelling indicators, powerful headlight, security fob, ergonomic switchgear, good brakes, a big torque hammer - and an encyclopaedia’s worth of accessorising options.

The Low Rider S is well worth a test ride if you are looking for a real ‘riders’ Harley-Davidson.

A Harley Low Rider S Ride

THE BIG CALL

I had already submitted the Low Rider S article and pics to Heavy Duty Magazine, but Friday afternoon was warm, mostly sunny and the temptation to leisure-ride over Mt Glorious proved too strong to resist.

I left before the cross-city traffic was too heavy and made my way to Samson west of Brisbane for the more Northerly of the two ascents. After 11 years living in NZ it still mildly amuses me that these weathered hills are 'mountains' but the ranges near of the metropolis do offer some good and twisty motorcycle roads, albeit with ridiculously low speed limits and a prominent police presence. However, they do make for an enjoyable ride and a really good way to really test a bike's road performance. 

The elevated sub-tropical rainforest atop the range is a wonder in itself, but the enjoyment factor I got from the Low Rider made it a real special.

I always had a soft spot for the 2002 FXDX - partly because it was one if the first H-Ds I had for a longer term test, and partly because it was such a capable bike. Good suspension and road manners made it more of a 'rider's bike' than anything in the range at the time.

A Road King suits my personal needs better - with the ability to regularly carry a passenger for starters, and I still think a V-Rod is fantastic ... but ... practicality considerations aside ...

This is the 'rider's bike' that the FXDX was - on 'roids.

The 110cube Screaming Eagle engine is superb. a torque monster - smooth for a rubber mounted unit and while the way it launches is no V-Max - or V-Rod, it's still quite potent. The cartridge forks and emulsion shocks fitted as standard make its road manners very pleasant and capable while the twin discs up front are pretty good stoppers.

Just about everyone I've spoken to about the bike has said 'forward controls', but I actually like the mid-mounted units. They obviously don't work as well on the freeway, but this is so much more than a freeway bike. To really appreciate the bike's ergonomics a blast over the mountain is key. Combined with the turned down (slightly dropped) drag bars, the mid mounts let the rider adopt a more sports-like position. You can get a knee 'out' and it's easy to get body off-board, compensating somewhat for its non-sportsbike lean angles, while really hitting the picks on entry and swinging the big torque hammer on exits is pure pleasure. The way the suspension and chassis work in holding a line during such hijinks, even over rippled surfaces, adds to the enjoyment (and safety).

Over the mountain I took the round trip home with open road touring conditions through the Brisbane river valley and then a fair bit of congested Freeway back to base - on some of which I used the cruise control - which also works well.

After three hours aboard I was just starting to feel the solo saddle a bit, but it's surprisingly comfortable for its size and works well for moving around and side to sides in sports mode.

I arrived home beaming.

It's a stunning presentation that reminds me so much of my favourite 'looking' Harley ever - the XLCR, while it actually goes, handles, stops and performs well enough to now call it my favourite new Harley - ever.