The 2025 Harley-Davidson Breakout, Street Bob, Fat Boy, Low Rider ST, Low Rider S and Heritage Classic ride on the Softail chassis, but each has its own personality... Photos: Incite Images
There’s something about riding into a coastal town like Kiama that just makes sense on a Harley-Davidson Softail. Rolling hills, the coastal breeze was thick with anticipation, and a bunch of fresh bikes begging to be let loose on twisty backroads, it’s the perfect playground.
Adam Cranstone headed to Kiama, NSW, to test the entire 2025 Softail range for BikeReview.com.au
This year, HD isn’t rewriting the rulebook, but they’ve gone through the range with a red pen. The Softail range now benefits from a host of refinements: updated powerplants, better suspension, smarter electronics, and a more comfortable, performance-focused ride across the board.
A host of refinements: updated powerplants, better suspension, smarter electronics, and a more comfortable, performance-focused ride across the board”…
All six models—Breakout, Street Bob, Fat Boy, Low Rider ST, Low Rider S, and Heritage Classic, ride on the same Softail chassis, but each has its own flavour and target rider in mind. And yes, we rode them all.
2025 Breakout
We kicked things off with the 2025 Breakout, that stretched-out front end, massive 240mm rear tyre, and drag ‘bars scream street presence, and nothing’s changed in that department. What has changed is what sits between your legs, the updated Milwaukee-Eight 117 Custom engine, now making 126lb-ft of torque and 104 horsepower. That’s an 11 per cent bump in ponies and 6 per cent more torque compared to last year’s 114 model. It breathes through a Heavy Breather intake and rumbles out of a 2-into-2 exhaust, tuned to bring the thunder at low revs.
“What has changed is what sits between your legs, the updated Milwaukee-Eight 117 Custom engine, now making 126lb-ft of torque and 104 horsepower.”
The riding position felt comfortable straight away, you feel like you’re part of the bike. Maybe it’s the forward controls, but I just loved the feel of this model, until I hit the twisties. Ground clearance is still minimal, and scraping pipes and ‘pegs becomes a soundtrack of its own. The Breakout lives for the straight and narrow, ideal for cruising the strip, less so for carving through Kiama’s winding hill roads.
“The Breakout lives for the straight and narrow, ideal for cruising the strip, less so for carving through Kiama’s winding hill roads.”
2025 Street Bob
Next in line, the Street Bob, a stripped-down, back-to-basics bobber that’s light on its feet and ready to party. It felt nimble and agile straight out of the carpark, the narrow ‘bars and mid controls giving it a distinctly different vibe to the Breakout.
“The Street Bob, a stripped-down, back-to-basics bobber that’s light on its feet and ready to party”.
Handling was a standout, the Street Bob darts through corners with ease and would be a perfect commuter or weekend warrior. But the ergonomics weren’t quite there for me. I started feeling a pinch in the hip early on, likely due to the tighter riding triangle. It’s suited for shorter stints or smaller riders, but there’s no denying how flickable and fun it is in the tight stuff. We would be adding forward controls to make the ride even more enjoyable.
“Handling was a standout, the Street Bob darts through corners with ease and would be a perfect commuter or weekend warrior.”
2025 Fat Boy
Throwing a leg over the Fat Boy is always a moment. It’s the icon. The poster bike. For 2025, the Fat Boy gets the same Milwaukee-Eight 117 Custom treatment as the Breakout, meaning that signature torque-heavy grunt is very much alive and well.
For 2025, the Fat Boy gets the same Milwaukee-Eight 117 Custom treatment as the Breakout.
Peak output now sits at 126 lb-ft and 104hp, and you feel every bit of it. The 2-into-2 exhaust is tuned for a deeper, richer sound with more low-end presence. It’s pure Harley muscle.
Comfort-wise, the footboards felt great, planted, natural, and easy on the joints. I did find myself wishing the seat would let me sit an inch or two further back. In terms of handling, the Fat Boy is definitely a heavier turn-in compared to the others, but once you’re settled into the corner, it holds a line well. Not the sportiest in the range, but it wears its heritage with pride, and that paint job YES please.
“In terms of handling, the Fat Boy is definitely a heavier turn-in compared to the others, but once you’re settled into the corner, it holds a line well.”
2025 Low Rider ST
Then came the Low Rider ST, and what a contrast. This thing is an animal. With the updated Milwaukee-Eight 117 H.O. under the tank, sport mode engaged, the Low Rider ST growls and snaps with urgency and becomes a completely different beast.
“With the updated Milwaukee-Eight 117 H.O. under the tank, sport mode engaged, the Low Rider ST growls and snaps”.
Harleys tuned this motor to deliver a sharper mid-range kick and a torque rise that pulls all the way to 5,000 rpm, 120 lb-ft and 114hp, but it feels faster thanks to the aggressive throttle mapping and upgraded air and exhaust flow. We were totally surprised by the note produced from the standard exhaust, it had a snarl and bite that’s usually reserved for aftermarket pipes.
The handling was tight and composed, and unlike the Breakout, it had clearance for days. You can really lean into corners with confidence. My only gripe, the footpegs are a tad high for my liking. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it did feel like I was perched a little awkwardly on longer stints. That aside, this thing is a performance cruiser through and through and it delivers.
“The handling was tight and composed, and unlike the Breakout, it had clearance for days.”
2025 Heritage Classic
From hooligan to highway, the Heritage Classic was next. And after a full morning of riding, photo passes, and quick bike swaps, the Heritage Classic was a welcome change of pace, honestly, it might’ve been my favourite of the day.
“the Heritage Classic was a welcome change of pace, honestly, it might’ve been my favourite of the day.”
The riding position just clicked for me, ergonomic, upright, and natural. Everything fell into place. This is the bike I’d take if I had to do a few hundred kays, well actually any amount of kays. It’s built for cruising comfort, and it shows. Suspension, now with straight-rate springs front and rear for 2025, soaked up bumps like a champ, especially over rougher rural sections.
“Suspension, now with straight-rate springs front and rear for 2025, soaked up bumps like a champ, especially over rougher rural sections.”
Power delivery was smooth, predictable, and perfectly suited for laid-back touring. I did cop a bit of wind buffeting at freeway speeds, another two inches of screen height would’ve fixed that, but otherwise, out of all the bikes in the lineup, this one suited my body and riding style the best. Put the HO engine in this bike and I’m sold.
After a solid morning of back-and-forth riding and photo sessions in the hills, we rolled into Berry for a well-earned coffee and cake stop. The first break of the day and it couldn’t have come sooner. There’s something about good coffee, good company, and a lineup of Harleys parked out front that makes you sit back and really appreciate the moment.
2025 Low Rider S
Then it was back onto the Low Rider S, this time focusing on the electronic ride modes. Jumping between Rain, Road, and Sport modes, the changes were noticeable but not jarring. Rain mode cuts the power and softens throttle response for wet conditions. You can feel the safety net kick in, less punch off the line, more measured delivery. Ideal for those slippery rides home.
Sport mode, though, is where this thing earns its stripes, it benefits from the Milwaukee-Eight 117 High Output motor and handling like the ST with a stripped-down feel. The throttle becomes razor-sharp, and the bike feels angry in the best possible way. Road mode lands somewhere in between practical for everyday riding with a good balance of performance and comfort.
“Road mode lands somewhere in between practical for everyday riding with a good balance of performance and comfort.”
On to the beautiful Milton Park County house Hotel and Spa in Bowral for an amazing lunch, more bike swaps and pictures before making our way back to our base and the evening wind down.
After wrapping up the ride around 3:30pm and filming a quick piece to camera back at the Sebel, it was back to our rooms for a freshen up before a solid Q&A session with Luke Mansfield from Harley-Davidson’s global HQ and Nigel Keough, managing director of Harley-Davidson Australia, with some insight into the brand’s direction moving forward.
They took us through the rationale behind the MY25 upgrades, better heat comfort for riders via enhanced cylinder head cooling, straighter suspension rates for improved feel under braking, and improved fuel economy thanks to the reworked four-valve combustion chamber design.
And for the first time, every Softail gets the full tech suite of rider modes, safety enhancements, LED lighting, and USB-C ports as standard. It’s Harley doing what they’ve done best for decades, listening to riders and evolving without selling out.
The 2025 Softail range is a clear statement that Harley-Davidson isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, they’re refining it. Each bike has its own distinct personality, and it’s less about which one is better, and more about which one is yours.
The 2025 Softail range is a clear statement that Harley-Davidson isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, they’re refining it…
If you want a showstopper cruiser to turn heads, the Breakout is hard to go past. If agility and lightweight simplicity are your thing, the Street Bob has your name on it. Need heritage and comfort for big miles? The Heritage Classic is calling. And if you want performance with proper attitude, the Low Rider ST is the one to beat.
For me, the standouts were the Heritage Classic for its comfort and old-school charm, and the Low Rider ST for its performance and aggression and the Fat Boy continues to carry the cruiser torch with pride and a legendary reputation.
Big thanks to the crew at Harley-Davidson Australia for the invite and for the beers after a huge day. Another ride in the books, another launch wrapped. We will road test the lot over the coming months.
Over winter and spring, we will test the bikes individually so stay tuned for our articles and videos…
For individual specifications on each of the Harley-Davidson 2025 Softail range, click here…
2025 Harley-Davidson Softail Tech Talk
If you’ve been waiting for Harley to do more than just slap a new badge on the Softail range, the 2025 lineup will put a grin on your face. This year isn’t about bold new colours or minor chrome tweaks. It’s about real, mechanical refinement and smart, rider-focused tech that elevates the Softail experience across the board.
At the core, the Milwaukee-Eight 117 now powers every model in the Cruiser family, in one of three unique tunes, Classic, Custom, or High Output (H.O.), each built to suit the personality of its respective model. Let’s talk engines first. Under the skin, all variants get the same core upgrades, new four-valve heads, oval intake ports, and a revised aluminium intake manifold for smoother airflow and improved combustion. It’s a setup borrowed from Harley’s Touring and CVO range, now adapted for the Cruiser segment. Add in a reworked air/oil cooling system, circulating oil through frame-mounted coolers and the cylinder heads, and you get better thermal/heat management, especially in traffic or during low-speed cruising.
Sound has also been fine-tuned. New mufflers use lightweight acoustic material to tame harshness and enhance that deep, signature Harley rumble. Intake and exhaust setups vary by model, helping shape the feel and sound of each bike.
The Engine Variants
- Classic (Street Bob, Heritage): Tuned for a flat torque curve with street-friendly power. You’re looking at 98hp and 120 lb-ft, a 4% bump over the 114 from 2024, now breathing through a 2-into-1 system and a classic round air cleaner.
- Custom (Fat Boy, Breakout): Makes 104hp and 126 lb-ft, thanks to a high-volume 4.0L airbox and 2-into-2 exhaust. Power is up 11% from last year’s 114-powered Fat Boy.
- High Output (Low Rider S, ST): Tuned for the thrill seekers. 114hp and 128 lb-ft, a redline bumped to 5900rpm, and a heavy breather intake paired with a 2-into-1 system. Feels like a muscle bike disguised as a cruiser.
Ride Modes & Safety Tech
- All 2025 Softails now come with selectable Ride Modes, Road, Rain, and Sport—each one programmed to suit the character of its engine tune. Road is your go-to daily setup. Rain dials back torque for confidence in sketchy conditions. Sport is where things get spicy, especially with the High Output tune.
- Backing it all up is a full suite of Rider Safety Enhancements, including cornering ABS, traction control, drag torque slip control, and tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS).
Suspension & Handling
Gone are the multi-rate springs. In come new straight-rate springs front and rear for improved damping balance and more predictable front-end dive under hard braking. The difference is immediate, better ride quality over bumps, more composed handling, and sharper response mid-corner. We noticed a considerable difference in ride quality over previous models, especially on rough country roads.
Dash & Displays
Instrumentation gets a much-needed update across the range. The Heritage Classic and Fat Boy now feature a 5-inch console-mounted analogue speedo with an integrated multi-function LCD. It’s cleaner, sharper, and easier to read, with new fonts and layout improvements. The Low Rider S, Low Rider ST, Breakout, and Street Bob come equipped with a compact 4-inch digital display that sits up front and centre. It now shows ride modes, gear position, TPMS alerts, and heated grip settings (if fitted). It’s minimalist but functional, just enough info without turning your cruiser into a tablet.
Finishing Touches
All models now come standard with LED lighting, including indicators, which gives the bikes a sharper, more contemporary look while improving visibility. New switchgear improves ergonomics, with tactile buttons, cruise control, and a USB-C charging port on every model. The brake lever is also adjustable for reach, finally.
Harley’s 2025 Softail lineup doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it just makes it roll better. With smarter engines, proper ride modes, and upgraded suspension, the range finally delivers the kind of refinement modern riders have been asking for. It’s still all-American steel with attitude, but now it’s got the brains to match the brawn.
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