Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout 117 (FXBR-MY2023)

The Machine's Character

The Breakout 117 is Harley-Davidson's factory hot rod: a long, low cruiser built around the Milwaukee-Eight 117. That 1923 cc air- and oil-cooled 45° V-twin makes 125 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm and 101 hp at 4,750 rpm, so the numbers lean hard toward torque. It sits in a steel tube frame with a 66.5 in (1,690 mm) wheelbase, a slim 130/60-21 front and a fat 240/40-18 rear. Seat height is just 25.6 in (650 mm). ABS, traction control, cruise control, a keyless system and an LED headlight all come standard. Dragster looks, modern safety net!

On paper, this hardware is built for the boulevard, bike night and long open highways rather than tight mountain roads. The long wheelbase, the wide rear tire and a torque peak at 3,500 rpm all point the same way: relaxed pull from low revs and a bias toward straight-line stability. At 683 lb (310 kg) wet it's a lot of metal, and in this segment that's intentional. The 5.0 gal (18.9 L) tank and the stretched-out riding position suit day rides and rally runs better than coast-to-coast touring. You buy a Breakout for its presence. That's the deal.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	101 hp (75 kW) @ 4,750 rpm
Torque	125 lb-ft (169 Nm) @ 3,500 rpm
Displacement	1923 cc
Engine	45° V-twin
Cooling	Air/oil-cooled
Gearbox	6-speed
Final drive	Belt
Fork	Telescopic
Front brake	300 mm
Front tire	130/60-21
Rear tire	240/40-18
Wheelbase	66.5 in (1690 mm)
Seat height	25.6 in (650 mm)
Wet weight	683 lb (310 kg)
Fuel capacity	5.0 gal (18.9 L)

Equipment check

Chassis

Rear Suspension Adjustable Standard
Cruise Control Standard

Comfort

Heated Grips Optional

Lighting

LED Headlight Standard

Safety

ABS Standard

The Truth on the Street

This section comes out of years of listening rather than reading: conversations in the paddock, long talks with owners at club nights, and the notes riders send me directly once a bike has spent real time in their garage. On the Breakout 117 that chatter lands in two clear piles. The motor and the look get talked about with genuine excitement, and the steering effort and the ride over bad pavement come up just as reliably.

What riders keep coming back to

The 117 leads every conversation. Owners describe massive low-end torque and a deep, characterful exhaust note that makes straight-line acceleration the part they remember. Close behind it is the look: the drag-strip stance, the chrome, and the wide rear tire read as a custom build without anyone touching it. A few riders add that the seating position is less extreme than they expected and that the 5-gallon tank cuts down the fuel stops on a long day.

Where the effort shows up

Steering is the most consistent gripe. Riders say the fat rear tire and kicked-out fork geometry make the bike resist quick direction changes, so corners ask for muscle. Ride quality is the next theme: sharp bumps come straight through, and broken surfaces turn jarring. A smaller group mentions the thin equipment list and the missing wind protection as the limit on touring or commuting.

Known issues

Crankcase pressurization recall (2025-2026, NHTSA Recall 26V-270)

cooling rare Recall

On 2025-2026 Breakout models, a blocked airbox backplate breather port can cause crankcase pressure buildup. When the dipstick is removed while pressurized, oil may eject, posing a safety risk. Affected vehicles have been recalled (NHTSA recall).

The Expert Benchmark

Where this Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout 117 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.

What kind of bike this is — character vs. the class

Metal-and-Muscle Presence

Rumble & Character

Low-Speed Confidence Despite Mass

Relaxed Boulevard Ergonomics

Living-Machine Feel

Relaxed Torque Authority

This bike Class average

The shape of the Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout 117 — numbers and character vs. the average Cruiser

Head-to-head: Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout 117 vs. its rivals

Power

101 hp This bike 180 hp Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R 100 hp Indian Scout 96 hp Moto Guzzi California 1400 Eldorado 125 hp Suzuki Boulevard M109R

Torque

125 lb-ft This bike 166 lb-ft Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R 72 lb-ft Indian Scout 89 lb-ft Moto Guzzi California 1400 Eldorado 118 lb-ft Suzuki Boulevard M109R

Displacement

1923 cc This bike 2458 cc Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R 1133 cc Indian Scout 1380 cc Moto Guzzi California 1400 Eldorado 1783 cc Suzuki Boulevard M109R

Wet weight

683 lb This bike 699 lb Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R 558 lb Indian Scout 743 lb Moto Guzzi California 1400 Eldorado 765 lb Suzuki Boulevard M109R

Seat height

25.6 in This bike 30.4 in Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R 26.5 in Indian Scout 28.3 in Moto Guzzi California 1400 Eldorado 27.8 in Suzuki Boulevard M109R

The 'Should I Buy It?' Score

Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Softail Breakout 117 is actually built for.

Aerial view of a winding asphalt road cutting through volcanic terrain on La Gomera, Canary Islands. The road curves through sparse green vegetation with rocky volcanic peaks visible in the background and a settled valley to the left. Clear lane markings, dry climate, partly cloudy sky.

Best cruiser for Sturgis?

This is your kind of Harley: long, low, chrome-heavy and built around a 1923 cc V-twin with 125 lb-ft. For Sturgis, Daytona and the ride in, it's the best fit of the bunch.

Made for Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week

Best retro motorcycle for road trips?

A good match if classic American style is what draws you. Just know it's a 683 lb hot rod with a 5.0 gal tank, so plan easy day legs between small towns, not marathon stints.

Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway

Best touring motorcycle for long distance?

Only a partial fit. Cruise control helps on long interstate stretches, but with a 5.0 gal tank and a stretched-out, style-first layout, this bike isn't built for two-up, fully loaded touring.

Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road

What's new versus the previous generation

If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.

Previous generation · 2018–2020

Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout FXBR (FXBR)

Factory Chopper, Drag Strip Soul

Compare to the previous model →

Alternatives to the Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout 117

If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.

Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout 117. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.