2013–2017 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Old Chrome, Deep Low
The Softail Deluxe is Harley's nostalgia play done with a straight face. Underneath the vintage bodywork sits a counter-balanced, air-cooled 45° V-twin displacing 1690 cc, making 78 hp and a lazy 99 lb-ft that arrives low at 3,000 rpm. A six-speed box and belt final drive keep it smooth and quiet in the way a boulevard cruiser should be. It earns its keep on stance and detail: wide whitewall tires, laced wheels, and a tombstone taillight. In the cruiser class, this is one of the most complete looks the money buys.
It rides the way it looks, low and unhurried, with one of the lowest seats in the class at 24.5 in (622 mm) that lets most riders plant both feet flat. That confidence, plus a low center of gravity, hides a good chunk of the 724 lb (328 kg) once you're moving. It ages well because the appeal is built into the metal, not into electronics that date. Just be honest about what it isn't. This is a machine for presence and easy cruising, not for tight cities or big touring miles, and it rewards riders who want exactly that.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 78 hp (58 kW) @ 5,020 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 99 lb-ft (134 Nm) @ 3,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1690 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Front tire | MT90B16 |
| Rear tire | MU85B16 |
| Wheelbase | 64.5 in (1638 mm) |
| Seat height | 24.5 in (622 mm) |
| Wet weight | 724 lb (328 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (18.9 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
Settle into the low saddle and the Deluxe feels immediately friendly. Your feet reach the ground without a stretch, the bars fall to hand, and the riding position is upright and relaxed rather than laid out flat. Fire it up and the counter-balancer does its job: you feel the twin working through the seat and pegs, a steady pulse that talks to you without buzzing your hands numb on a longer ride. Roll onto an open road and it hunkers down, tracking straight and steady while the belt drive keeps the whole experience hushed under that unmistakable exhaust note. Wide whitewalls and spoked wheels fill your peripheral vision every time you glance down. It asks you to slow your pace and enjoy the theater, and once you do, it's genuinely satisfying company.
Where this Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe FLSTN 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 FLSTN is actually built for.
This is your kind of bike. The look, the sound, and the Harley presence land exactly where the Sturgis and Daytona crowds live, and it carries the brand identity you ride for.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
For two-lane runs through small towns and historic routes, the Deluxe fits your rhythm. Relaxed, classic, and easy to live with, it's happiest at an unhurried pace.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
The character is here, but this is a boulevard cruiser, not a dedicated tourer. With no wind protection or luggage and a 5.0 gal tank, long two-up park days will test your patience.
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 · 2005–2006
Chrome Dreams, Lowest Seat
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 FLSTN. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
