More traction to take advantage of the stronger brakesRIDING POSITIONS
Brasfield: From the first time I rode the Softail at the drag strip, I was impressed by the counterbalanced engine. The ultra-smooth mill cranks out decent power without making me think about seeing my chiropractor. Once I moved to the street, I had a hard time believing that the engine was solid mounted.
The rest of the bike is standard Harley fare—which neither offends nor thrills me. Still, this bike is a step in the right direction. What if Harley borrowed some other technologies from the import manufacturers, such as, say, liquid cooling? Since H-D now equips its machines with real brakes, the only thing I'd have left to complain about would be the non-standard turn signals. Where's the fun in that?
3.5 Stars
—Evans Brasfield
Tell Brasfield how to unkink his spine at his website.
Cherney: Pinch me. I rode the new Harley-Davidson Softail yesterday and all my teeth are still in place. That the Twin Cam 88B engine is smooth is almost an understatement; it may even be too smooth. But I shouldn't complain. The counterbalanced engine eliminates almost all traces of the infamous Harley vibration and pumps up the ponies a bit, also. On my short ride, I had the throttle pinned most of the way, and the big yellow beast actually railed through the five-speed tranny with gusto, even uphill. New four-pot brakes are a welcome addition for us skinny runts, and sealed battery and wheel bearings are a positively civilized touch. Man—a Harley-Davidson with usable rearview mirrors. What's next? A factory in Osaka?
I do hate the color yellow, though.
3.5 Stars
Art Friedman:
For years, Harley has quite successfully relied on styling and cachet to capture the lion's share of the cruiser market. Technically and often functionally, the bikes were a step or two behind most of the company's competitors.
Except for the Sportster series, that's all history. With the new Softail, Harley has an engine that is technically and mechanically the equal of any cruiser V-twin, and it's more powerful than most. The new chassis rigidity gives it handling parity, and the brakes are better than those on most of the other cruisers. There is room for improvement in suspension, and some Harley models have ergonomic shortcomings, but the severe vibration is finally banished from the entire Softail series. In short, having a Harley now means more than owning an icon. It means riding a vehicle that is as fun and functional as any competitor. And I really like yellow... Now if they just made them a bit more affordable....
3 Stars
—Art Friedman
Being a skinflint, Friedman isn't likely to pay for a stamp, but you might get an answer from e-mail sent toArt.Friedman@sorc.com.
SPECIFICATIONS
2000 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic
Designation: FLSTC
Suggested base price: $15,995 ($16,285 California)
Standard colors: Black
Extra cost colors: Blue pearl, orange pearl, bronze pearl, white pearl, red, yellow, add $240; blue/silver, orange/silver, red/black, add $585
Standard warranty: 12 mos., unlimited miles
Recommended service interval: 5000 miles
ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN
Type: Air-cooled 45-degree tandem V-twin
Valve arrangement: OHV, 1 intake, 1 exhaust valve per cylinder; operated by pushrods, hydraulic lifters
Displacement, bore x stroke: 1450cc, 92.25 x 101.6mm
Compression ratio: 8.9:1
Carburetion: 1, 40mm CV
Lubrication: dry sump, 3.5 qt.
Minimum fuel grade: 92 octane
Transmission: wet clutch, 5 speeds
Final drive: Belt. 70/32
CHASSIS
Wet weight: 736 lbs.
GVWR: 1160 lbs.
Seat height: 25.4 in.
Wheelbase: 64.5 in.
Rake/trail: 32 degrees / 5.8 in.
Front tire: MT90B-16 Dunlop D402 tube-type
Rear tire: MT90B-16 Dunlop D402 tube-type
Front brake: Double-action, four-piston caliper, 11.5-in. disc
Rear brake: Double-action, four-piston caliper, 11.5-in. disc
Front suspension: 5.1-in. travel
Rear suspension: dual dampers, 4.0-in. travel
Fuel capacity: 5.0 gal., (0.5 gal reserve)
ELECTRICAL & INSTRUMENTATION
Charging output: 416 watts
Battery: 12v, 19 AH
Forward lighting: 55/60-watt headlight, dual spotlights, position lights, fender tip light
Taillight: Single bulb taillight, fender light
Instruments: speedometer, LCD odometer/tripmeter, fuel gauge; warning lights for high beam, turns signals, neutral, oil pressure
PERFORMANCE
Fuel mileage: 38 to 46 mpg, 43.1 mpg average
Average range: 215 miles
200 yard, top-gear-acceleration from 50 mph, terminal speed: 71.9 mph
Quarter-mile acceleration: 14.28 sec., 92.2 mph
Additional motorcycle road tests and comparison tests are available at the Road Tests section of MotorcycleCruiser.com.