5 Things You Need To Know About The 2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard
Customizers, here is your canvas
We first learned about the impending release of the 2020 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard thanks to the excellent sleuthing of MO’s Production Editor, Dennis Chung, who dug the information out of the dark recesses of the CARB website. Only ten days later, Harley confirmed the Softail Standard, and now, as we take delivery of one for the full MO-review treatment, we thought you might like a little information about the newest member of the Softail family.
1. Least expensive Softail
With a $13,599 MSRP, the Standard is the lowest-priced member of the Softail family. That’s $1,000 less than the next closest Softail, the $14,599 Street Bob, but the numbers get closer if you opt for the $795 ABS package (and why wouldn’t you). For those of you who are counting, the king of the Softail family is the Fat Boy 114 at $20,599, a $7,000 difference!
2. Rides on the solid base of the Softail platform
Last seen in the 2007 model year, a lot has happened to Softails during its absence. First, in 2018, the Softail platform was completely revamped. The new chassis, which is a modular design to allow for differences between Softail models, is significantly stiffer than before. During the update, the shock was moved from below the engine to behind it, hidden in the frame. Powering the Standard is the Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-Twin engine, an impressive mill that has been wowing MO testers since it was introduced. The changes all added up to a higher-performance, better cornering motorcycle – all of which are included in the Standard’s package.
3. It’s for the rugged individualist
Don’t let the photo above fool you. On the standard, you’re riding solo. That’s right, the Softail standard has no passenger accommodations from the factory. There are, however, pillion accessory options available.
4. Harley considers it a blank canvas for customization
The stripped-down looks are the point of the Softail Standard. You get the clean lines to use as the starting point for creating your own vision of a Softail. You can choose to hop-up the Big Twin engine through one of the Screamin’ Eagle kits or go your own way in the aftermarket. When it comes to the visuals, the sky is the limit from the basic black bobber style.
5. Four accessory packages are available
Not everyone has the time or the inclination to build their own custom Standard. So, Harley has stepped up with four packages for customers to choose from, covering a wide variety of options from touring to profiling to bumping up the power output.
Like most of the best happenings in his life, Evans stumbled into his motojournalism career. While on his way to a planned life in academia, he applied for a job at a motorcycle magazine, thinking he’d get the opportunity to write some freelance articles. Instead, he was offered a full-time job in which he discovered he could actually get paid to ride other people’s motorcycles – and he’s never looked back. Over the 25 years he’s been in the motorcycle industry, Evans has written two books, 101 Sportbike Performance Projects and How to Modify Your Metric Cruiser, and has ridden just about every production motorcycle manufactured. Evans has a deep love of motorcycles and believes they are a force for good in the world.
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For all the whining, you actually get a lot of bike for the money from Harley now. Their prices are pretty much what they've been for over a decade. While the bikes are technically much more modern and functional. And they still look cool, sound cool and have a certain "all metal" feel and presence to them which most others have engineered out, in the quest for lighter weight.
All weight on the tailbone and 2" travel still kills it for my back, period, though. But aside from that, and for those blessed with a properly functional lower back, it's not as if the Motor Co is making "bad", nor particularly "overpriced" bikes anymore.
After the way Erik Buell and his employees were treated I would never buy a Harley. Add to that the ridiculous softail suspension and HD definitely goes into the do not want column.