2018–2020 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Chrome Dream, Deep Roots
The Softail Deluxe takes 1950s cruiser styling and sets it on the modern Softail chassis, with the Milwaukee-Eight 107 doing the work. That is 1745 cc of air-cooled 45-degree V-twin, solidly mounted with counterbalancers, good for 85 hp and 107 lb-ft with the torque peak sitting at 3,000 rpm, fed through a 6-speed box and a belt. What sells it is the shape: full fenders, the tombstone taillight, chrome laid on thick, fat 16-inch rubber at both ends. In a class where stance is the product, this one commits fully, and it still carries ABS, cruise control and an LED headlight.
On the road it behaves the way the numbers suggest. A 64.2 in wheelbase and 697 lb wet make it steady and unhurried, and the 26.8 in seat puts your boots flat on the pavement at every light. It ages well because most of what you are buying is metal and finish rather than fragile trim, and the parts support runs deep if you want to rework the look later. It is for riders who want presence, sound and a relaxed pace, in that order. The honest caveat: the front fork offers no adjustment at all, and this much weight asks for respect below walking pace.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 85 hp (63 kW) @ 5,020 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 107 lb-ft (145 Nm) @ 3,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1745 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front tire | MT90-16 |
| Rear tire | MU85-16 |
| Wheelbase | 64.2 in (1630 mm) |
| Seat height | 26.8 in (681 mm) |
| Wet weight | 697 lb (316 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (18.9 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Lighting
Safety
This part isn't my ride report. It's what I've picked up over years of listening to riders: conversations in parking lots, owners cornering me at club nights, and the messages and emails that land in my inbox after someone has lived with a bike for a season. On the Softail Deluxe the chatter runs unusually consistent. Owners talk about a big twin that behaves itself, and about a bike that surprised them once the road stopped going straight.
The engine leads every conversation. Riders describe strong, easy pull from low revs and a motor that stays smooth rather than shaking the fillings loose, and that combination comes up more often than anything else. Close behind it: how much better this thing corners than they expected, with more room to lean before something touches down. Owners who spend real hours in the saddle report the seat and riding position hold up through long days. The look draws its own praise, classic shapes carried off with lighting that reads modern at night. On the gripes, a heavy clunk dropping into first from neutral gets mentioned, described as normal for the breed rather than a fault. A few riders would like to dial in the front end and find there is nothing to adjust.
Rear shock preload adjuster mounting tab fracture
A mounting tab for the rear shock preload adjuster can break, allowing the adjuster to contact the rear tire and potentially cause a sudden loss of tire pressure.
Difficulty finding neutral when engine is hot
Some owners report that shifting into neutral becomes very difficult after the engine reaches operating temperature, particularly in stop-and-go traffic.
Where this Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe FLDE pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Softail Deluxe FLDE is actually built for.
This is the machine the ride is built around. Stance, sound and chrome all land exactly where you want them, and it will sit in a row at Sturgis or Daytona without looking borrowed.
Made for Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Small towns, old routes, no hurry. It fits that rhythm exactly. Plan fuel stops around a 5.0 gal tank and accept that it is a heavy bike to shuffle around a crowded overlook.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
It runs calm and stable at highway speed, but you start from an unfaired cruiser with 5.0 gal of fuel. Two-up across a park loop means adding luggage and wind protection yourself.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2014–2015
Factory Custom, No Apologies
Compare to the previous model →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 Deluxe FLDE. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
