2005–2006 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
All Black, No Apology
The Night Train is Harley's stripped, blacked-out reading of the Softail idea. The rear shock lives out of sight under the transmission, so the back end reads as a rigid triangle instead of suspension, and the whole bike sits long and low behind a 21-inch front wheel. Power comes from a 1449 cc air-cooled 45-degree V-twin making 62 hp and 82 lb-ft, fed through a 5-speed box and a belt. Minimal chrome, black wrinkle finish on the cases, drag bars up top. It is an image bike built with real hardware, and it never pretends otherwise.
On the road it works from torque, not revs. There is a long, lazy pull available in any gear and no reason at all to chase the top of the rev range. It ages well: the finish holds up to close looking, and the aftermarket for this platform runs deep enough that owners keep these bikes personal and alive for decades. It suits the rider who wants stance, sound, and presence, and who takes maintenance seriously. The honest caveat is a pair of them. The cam chain tensioner shoes wear, and there are no rider aids of any kind. Nothing here catches a mistake for you.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 62 hp (46 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 82 lb-ft (111 Nm) |
| Displacement | 1449 cc |
| Engine | 45° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 292 mm |
| Front tire | 90/90-21 |
| Rear tire | 150/80-16 |
| Seat height | 26.0 in (660 mm) |
| Wet weight | 672 lb (305 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (18.9 L) |
| Top speed | 118 mph (190 km/h) |
Equipment check
Chassis
What follows isn't from a spec sheet. It comes from years of talking with people who actually own these bikes: conversations in parking lots, at club nights, over coffee at rallies, plus the steady stream of messages and emails riders send me directly. For the Night Train, the chatter falls into a clean split. Riders love how it looks and how it pulls, and they put up with what it asks of their body.
The look comes up first, every time. Riders talk about the all-black treatment, the wrinkle-finish engine, the black fork lowers and tank console, and the way the bike gets noticed without trying. Right behind that is the engine. Owners describe effortless grunt down low and that V-twin note as the reason they bought in. The finish work draws steady praise too; paint and chrome hold their depth over the years. Values stay firm, and the owner community around these bikes shares knowledge freely.
The rear end is the recurring gripe. That hidden shock passes road imperfections straight through, and long days on rough pavement wear riders down. Braking draws similar comments: one front disc, wooden lever feel, and a heavy bike to slow. Some owners mention the stretch to the drag bars and forward controls getting tiring, and the weight making tight turns and traffic a workout.
Premature cam chain tensioner shoe wear (2005 models with Twin Cam 88)
The spring‑loaded cam chain tensioner shoes can wear out, especially after ~20,000–40,000 mi (32,000–64,000 km), potentially leading to chain derailment and severe engine damage if the debris blocks oil passages. Harley later replaced this with a hydraulic system on the 96B engine.
Where this Harley-Davidson Softail Night Train FXSTB 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
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Softail Night Train FXSTB is actually built for.
This is squarely your bike. It looks right parked in a row on Main Street, it sounds right rolling in, and the parts catalog means it can be unmistakably yours before the next rally.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Two-lane roads at an unhurried pace suit it well. Plan your stops around 5.0 gal, make peace with the drag-bar lean, and the character pays you back on every mile of it.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
Straight answer: look elsewhere. No cruise control, no luggage, no wind protection, and a 5.0 gal tank turn long interstate days into more work than they should be.
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.
