The Devil in the Detail
Rob’s El Diablo is a wicked commuter.
The last time we sat down with Gasoline Alley’s Rob Keuning was to talk about the Custom Breakout build featured in Issue #179.
“But I parted company with my beloved Breakout. I wasn’t riding it much.” Was his take. “I wanted a daily commuter with some carrying capacity and power enhancement, but my Road Glide was a bit too much bike for dealing with the daily grind.
So, when the opportunity came up to put my name on a Diablo … well, it’s number 484 of only 1500 made.” He smiles. “And I really wanted another bike with a fairing.”
An Icon
As part of their Icons Collection, Harley’s official line says that, “The Low Rider El Diablo is a nod to an American West Coast custom styling trend and a modern expression of the iconic 1983 Harley-Davidson FXRT.”
So, when I got the bike the first thing we did was hop the motor up to 132 cubic inches. It has a Screamin’ Eagle Stage 4 kit with heads and throttle body, as well as S&S barrels, Pistons and Camshaft. With a Maximus tuner, now it does everything I want it to do … and more. That’s it for the motor and I’m very, very happy with it.
The goal was I wanted it to be rideable. I do change gear a little bit more at Freeway Speeds with this motor and the 550 cam … 4th, 5th and 6th, whereas with a standard engine you can leave it in top and roll on.
But it’s a good street bike with lots of usable power, but not too out of control. And at the same time we can take it to the drags and it will turn in a respectable time.
For a stock Harley it handles really well, although in saying that, my next upgrade will be the suspension front and rear. We’ll go with JRi and I’ll send the forks to Suspension Improvements for a cartridge style setup and run the JRI shocks on the rear.
I’ve also fitted Arlen Ness jagged 15-inch rotors to the front, with stock calipers. This is the fourth bike I’ve done that combo because it’s not a lot of spend for a hell of a lot of braking improvement.”
The Plans
“What else is on the agenda?” I asked.
Again, Rob grins. “Next up is wheels. I’ll probably throw some Performance Machine wheels into it, in black. And I have some side covers being painted to colour match by Gunslinger in the US. They should be here in a few weeks. I did actually ask our local painter if he was up to the task of matching the beautiful El Diablo Paint, and he recommended I had it done in the States, the work is that intricate.
Gunslinger were already doing it for some of their customers, so we reached out to them and it’s under way.
But really, I’m not going to do anything too crazy to this bike because it’s a daily rider – mainly for commuting to and from work. And it’s great, I can throw my laptop in the pannier, it’s got a very effective fairing … it works really well.”
Comforts
My next question was, “Tell me about the forward controls.”
“I’m 6’2” and mid controls don’t do it for me. I’ve never had a softail with mids. These are the stock Harley forwards controls that only come in chrome finish, so we send them off to get painted to match the rest of the bike. I also fitted taller risers on the handlebars.
But so far, apart from detail stuff, that’s pretty much it. The standard clutch didn’t require changing, the belt drive is still stock, and the Milwaukee 8 engines are tough enough to deal with the extra output.”
To that end the bike makes a very respectable 151 horsepower and 165-foot pounds of torque with very smooth curves.
“We had the bike independently dyno’d too,” Rob adds, “Just to see that our numbers were correct. And they were.
Apart from that the plan is to just ride it. I’m going to keep this one. It’s that good.”
At which stage I gave a knowing grin. “We’ve heard that one before Rob!”
So he handed me the security fob and said, “See for yourself.”
The Ride
As I pulled out of the dealership, and headed to the M1 on-ramp, the first thing I really liked about the machine was how wonderfully comfortable it is.
The combination of the forward controls, Harley Badlander saddle and the stock H-D bars perched on nine and a half inch Thrashin Risers is indeed a perfect setup for the taller gentleman.
And I had to entirely agree with Rob’s assessment of the fairing. It has two large equalisation vents on the sides and one in the centre. As taller readers will know, stock screens and bodywork often produce bad buffeting and wind noise.
Not this unit. I experienced very minor turbulence, and zero buffeting at Freeway speeds, with a standard screen!
I also agreed with Rob regarding the gear changes. Where you would normally just roll it on with a stock M8, it does sometimes, as Rob said, “Get a bit ‘hunty,’” but the offset is that when knocked down a cog or two … jiminy!
And while on-song, the sound that emanates from the Jesse James Edition Titanium Red Thunder two-into-one exhaust is quite unique. It’s loud and very proud on freeway where the M8’s growl is quite joyous. With the lumpy cam it feels like it’s firing at every second telephone at lower speeds too.
The big rotors do work really well, there is a tiny little bit of vibe from the jagged rotors, but the stopping power is definitely enhanced.
While it may have been designed as a commuter, this is also a bike that can be ridden interstate with great comfort, capability, and style.
To that end the El Diablo paint is intricate and really stunning to see in the flesh. In fact the whole presentation worked perfectly, from the great sounding Rockford stereo to the compact bar-mounted gauges.
Conclusions
I simply loved riding it.
We can’t wait to see what difference the suspender upgrades make and the finished look with colour-coded side covers - and no matter how hard Rob protests “That’s it!”, whatever else he does to this beautiful machine.
The Australian allocation of 34 El Diablos was sold out off the plan and we assume the same for the 8 units that went to NZ. But to find out more about the capabilities of a Low Rider ST or S, give Gasoline Alley a call or visit their website.
They are devilishly good!
What I Like
The wonderfully comfortable tall-rider ergonomics, extremely effective fairing, very strong 132-cube engine and distinctive Red Thunder exhaust note. The large Arlen Ness rotors also deliver a worthwhile braking improvement.
What I’d Change
Upgrade the front and rear suspension as planned, fit the black Performance Machine wheels and add the colour-matched side covers to complete the presentation.
The Verdict
A wickedly fast commuter that is also capable of comfortable interstate travel. It combines serious performance, effective wind protection, carrying capacity and the spectacular El Diablo finish.
Guts & Bolts — FXLRST El Diablo
General & Engine
OwnerRob Keuning
ModelFXLRST El Diablo; number 484 of 1500
Capacity132 cu in
CamshaftS&S 550
Output151 hp; 165 lb-ft
Maximum revs6500 rpm
Engine Hardware
HeadsScreamin’ Eagle CNC-ported
Throttle bodyScreamin’ Eagle 64 mm
Cylinders / PistonsS&S 132 cu in / 11.1:1
Oil systemScreamin’ Eagle pump and cam plate
Air cleanerScreamin’ Eagle Extreme Heavy Breather
TunerMaximus
ExhaustRed Thunder Jesse James Titanium Series
Chassis & Brakes
FrameHarley-Davidson Softail
SuspensionHarley-Davidson front and rear
Wheels / TyresHarley-Davidson
Front rotorsArlen Ness 15-inch Jagged
Rear brakeHarley-Davidson
CallipersHarley-Davidson
Planned suspensionJRi rear; cartridge fork upgrade
Controls & Finish
Bars / RisersHarley-Davidson / 9.5-inch Thrashin
Grips / MirrorsH-D Empire / H-D Tribal
SeatHarley-Davidson Badlander
ControlsColour-matched H-D forward controls
LightingSmoked indicator lenses; H-D rear
BodyworkLay-down plate holder; flush fuel cap
PainterGunslinger
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