2025 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Blacked-Out Thunder With Backbone
The 2025 Low Rider S is the Softail for riders who want their cruiser to push back. Its 1923 cc Milwaukee-Eight High Output engine is a 45° air/oil-cooled V-twin making 128 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm and 114 hp at 5,000 rpm, and that torque figure shapes everything about the bike. The styling is dark, low and deliberate, and the build quality stands up to a close look. Underneath is a steel-tube frame, an upside-down fork and a rider-aid package with cornering ABS, traction control and ride modes. Plenty of cruisers sell on attitude alone. This one has the hardware to go with it.
On the road it feels planted and heavy in the good cruiser sense. At 670 lb (304 kg) wet it takes some care in a parking lot. Once you're moving, though, the low center of gravity and the 63.6 in (1615 mm) wheelbase keep it steady at highway speed, and the tall rear shock gives it more cornering clearance than the stance suggests. It suits the experienced rider who wants Harley sound and presence with some bite. The caveats: the fork has no adjustment at all and only the rear shock takes preload. Also, 2025 FXLRS models are covered by recall 26V234 because the rear brake line can chafe against the Body Control Module, so make sure the fix has been done on any bike you look at.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 114 hp (85 kW) @ 5,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 128 lb-ft (174 Nm) @ 4,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1923 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air/oil-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 300 mm |
| Front tire | 110/90-19 |
| Rear tire | 180/70-16 |
| Wheelbase | 63.6 in (1615 mm) |
| Seat height | 28.1 in (714 mm) |
| Wet weight | 670 lb (304 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (18.9 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Lighting
Safety
Rear brake line may contact BCM (recall 26V234)
Insufficient clearance between the rear brake line and the Body Control Module can cause chafing, leading to a brake fluid leak and potential rear brake failure. Affects all 2025-2026 FXLRS models built within the recall range.
Where this Harley-Davidson Softail Low Rider S FXLRS 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 Low Rider S FXLRS is actually built for.
This is your bike. It has real Harley sound and presence for Main Street, plus enough torque and stability that the ride to the rally is as good as parking it there.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
If you like historic routes at a slow rhythm, the low seat and easy torque suit you. Just know its dark, aggressive look reads more bruiser than classic.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
It's stable and relaxed at speed. But it has no luggage, no adjustable screen and a 5.0 gal tank, so big park loops mean adding bags and planning your fuel stops.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
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 Low Rider S FXLRS. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
