With refinements to ergonomics and a big motor to take it to the next level of performance, the 2023 Harley Breakout is no longer defined by its appearance... Photography: Incite Images.
Bright, Victoria, the scene of the launch of Harley-Davidson’s latest iteration of the King of the Softail range, the 2023 Breakout. Now in its 10th year, it has has scored a bevy of updates to improve the ride experience while maintaining those awesome looks…
2023 sees some refinements to the Breakout chassis, along with a capacity hike… Shown here in Vivid Black.
Launched back in 2013 as a CVO model only, the Breakout was an instant success Down Under, with a follow up 2014 CVO model. Then 2015 would see the release of the first standard model powered by the 103 Twin Cam motor.
With a larger tank and a new rider triangle, longer rides are not off limits on the Breakout… What a nice shot!
The Breakout returned in CVO guise in 2016, before receiving the Milwaukee-Eight treatment in 2017, initially being marketed with the 107 and 114 variants before becoming a 114 variant only as customer data indicated that buyers really wanted the muscle factor of having the bigger cubes in their Breakout.
Surprisingly the Breakout was not as big of a sales success in other market regions for the motor company, with Australia and parts of Europe the only regions experiencing strong sales for the model. We’ve certainly always had a soft spot for the Breakout, and have had a lot of fun on them over the years as you can see above… Check out our other Breakout reviews and videos here…
What a sight… Atlas Silver Metallic, Vivid Black, Baja Orange and Black Denim… Great new colours for 2023…
The 2023 Breakout has been relaunched into America due to strong dealer interest and it easy to see why. Looking back the 2023 model Breakout has a strong resemblance to the debut 2013 and 2014 CVO models, which commenced the Breakout craze here locally. It’s great news on the USA front.
With a focus on adding practicality to the stunning looks of the Breakout, Harley-Davidson have been able to build and produce a more refined motorcycle for 2023, due to changes in the rider triangle, a larger capacity fuel tank and of course the introduction of the bigger more performance orientated 117 motor. They are the first major changes since the initial switch to the M-8 powertrain.
The upgrades don’t stop there either, stunning 26-spoke gloss black custom 21in contrast turbine wheels reminiscent of earlier models are present and chrome is back baby, matched with four new colour options that hit the mark and make an impact as a motorcycle like this should. There is also now cruise control and of course ABS. Traction Control is available in overseas markets but not here.
Read all about the Breakout Boss competition here…
In fact all of the styling cues present on the 2023 Breakout mirror custom trends that have been present in Harley-Davidson’s Breakout Boss competition. Big front wheel, in your face paint schemes and of course more performance. The Heavy Breather intake looks great, too.
Harley-Davidson have combined those customer wants in a showroom package you can buy straight off the dealership floor and in our opinion have produced a bike that is far more capable and practical than previous models without sacrificing the look and attitude of the bike.
Check out our Road Test Review of the 2024 Breakout here…
The regions around Bright proved the perfect riding area to test the mettle of what the new Breakout had to offer. Backroads would provide the perfect blend of twisty tight corners and switchbacks, as well as open sweeping bends, long straights and of course some good bumpy country roads to test the Softail suspension out.
“After spending a fair amount of time riding previous Breakout models, the real test for this new model for me was going to be the handling.”
Our test loop would see us heading out of Bright to Yackandandah for lunch before heading up to Tawonga Gap for a good fang through the twisties and some footpeg scraping action and a few more happy snaps before heading back to Bright.
“The Breakout holds a line through sweeping bends much better now as well, but we can’t really explain why”…
After spending a fair amount of time riding previous Breakout models, the real test for this new model for me was going to be the handling. Traditionally I have felt previous Breakout models to sort of handle like a sled. They feel long with minimal ground clearance and minimal lean angle and generally after a long days riding I would feel it in my lower back.
For 2023 there has been a change in the rider triangle, with the handlebars 19mm taller and closer to the rider. With the new shaped seat, it puts the rider in a more commanding position. And most importantly this is noticeable as soon as you start throwing the bike around in the twisty stuff. No longer do you need to glance at a corner and the footpegs are rubbing on the bitumen as the bike flops on its side, but now you can actually lean in to the corner before they kiss the pavement.
“No longer do you need to glance at a corner and the footpegs are rubbing on the bitumen as the bike flops on its side, but now you can actually lean in to the corner”…
The Breakout holds a line through sweeping bends much better now as well, but we can’t really explain why, as it has the same wheelbase, geometry, tyres and suspension as before. We can only put this improvement down to rider position and weight distribution. In nutshell this bike is much better and nicer to ride.
Harley continue the same front and back braking package that featured on the previous model. This package offers reliable braking when pulling up the Breakout. It feels nowhere near as aggressive as the twin disc setup that features on the Low Rider range. Possibly this could be a trick that Harley has missed with the performance of the 2023 Breakout, however, performance may have taken a backseat to aesthetics in this particular instance.
The other noticeable difference is the backend suspension is not as harsh, but no changes are listed, so again I am left scratching my head. The bike has more ability to soak up bumps and I actually felt pretty good at the end of the day after I hopped off the bike not experiencing any back stiffness at all.
The front-end remains the same set-up as previously but again, feel and ride are improved and even steering feels better to me, so again, I can only put this down to the ride position changes.
“The other noticeable difference is the backend suspension is not as harsh, but no changes are listed, so again I am left scratching my head”…
Although lean angle is decent for a cruiser and the bike as a whole handles better you will still notice the length of the Breakout when flipping from tight corner to tight corner enthusiastically. That being said this is not really the Breakout’s natural habitat or intended purpose.
The 117 Milwaukee-Eight is a thing of beauty. Launched last year with the introduction of Harley’s ST models, this motor suits the Breakout perfectly. It provides plenty of power both in the upper and lower rev range allowing good acceleration at the twist of the throttle even if you are travelling in a tall gear.
“The 117 is my personal favourite, not only due to the larger cubes but also performance and delivery of power and torque”…
Producing a 167Nm of torque@3500rpm and 76kW[102hp] the 117 pulls like a freight train straight out of the box. Fitted standard with a very stylish and schmick looking heavy breather embossed with 117 the Breakout means business…
“roviding smooth and crisp acceleration the 117 has plenty of oomph on tap at the twist of the right wrist and lends itself well to both cruising and more spirited riding endeavours”…
Providing smooth and crisp acceleration the 117 has plenty of oomph on tap at the twist of the right wrist and lends itself well to both cruising and more spirited riding endeavours. The 117 is my personal favourite, not only due to the larger cubes but also performance and delivery of power and torque.
The six speed gearbox and clutch are standard Harley issue and remain unchanged. This is the same combination that features across the Softail range and feels solid with the customary Harley thump as you go through the gears or when selecting first. Neutral is nice and easy to find when stopped, the clutch doesn’t feely overly heavy when pulling away from a stationary start. It’s all good.
With a plethora of aftermarket accessories available from exhausts to cams, further increased performance from this motor is inevitable among customisers and we can’t wait to see it introduced to further models across the range.
The stance of the new Breakout and our favourite colour, Baja Orange. Just can’t be beaten in terms of eye candy…
One of the new elements I was most intrigued by with the new model release was the addition of the bigger 18.9L fuel tank. Would it detract from the low sleek styling of previous Breakout models? After seeing it in the flesh, anything but. And with our calculations, running at 5.6-5.9L/100km should see up to 330km range from a single tank. That’s over 100km more than last year’s model!
With our calculations, running at 5.6-5.9L/100km should see up to 330km range from a single tank. That’s over 100km more than last year’s model!
The 2023 Breakout, in my humble opinion, looks hotter than previous models and remains the undisputed best looking bike in the 2023 Harley-Davidson model line up. The 21-inch front 26 spoke gloss black contrast turbine wheel matched to the 18-inch rear look exquisite. The wet weight is up 5kg thanks to the fuel load increase, but that is nothing to worry about.
Chrome is back and I must admit again personally I prefer chrome over the blacked out bikes that have been the rage in recent years and the chrome looks Mickey Mouse, as it shines and glistens majestically against the 2023 paint colours that give a real hot rod feel to the model.
AJ says the Breakout is his favourite looking H-D, with its Hot Rod feel and new shaped tank…
Styling cues are minimalistic, allowing the focus of the Breakout to be the hero elements, the shape, colour, motor and wheels of the new model. Bright colours, chrome features and big wheels are always a hit on a cruiser.
Styling cues are also minimalistic, allowing the focus of the Breakout to be the hero elements…
The speedo is a nice LCD Unit that mounts into the handlebars displaying only the information required clearly and brightly for the rider. There is a new seat that is sculpted to the new fuel tank, which works well for rider comfort and support.
Also new for 2023 is the introduction of cruise control as a standard feature. This has not been offered on the Breakout model previously and again is a feature of the Breakout becoming a more complete and practical motorcycle in our opinion, particularly with the longer range.
Colour choices for 2023 include Vivid Black, Denim Black, Atlas Silver Metallic and the hero colour for the year Baja Orange. Picking a colour for the launch photos was a hard task as all colours look superb – however for me it would be Baja Orange I would be taking home.
Pricing for the 2023 Harley-Davidson Breakout starts at $37,995 ride away for Vivid Black with the other 3 colours attracting a $365 price premium. Harley-Davidson’s Breakout is backed by a 2 year unlimited kilometre warranty.
The Harley-Davidson Breakout is no longer a bike defined by its appearance. With improved range, handling and rider comfort it now finds its way further up the Softail order in rideability, not lagging at the back with previous models, and now it has the grunt to take anything on.
“The Harley-Davidson Breakout is no longer a bike defined by its appearance”…
The addition of the bigger fuel tank and mighty 117 motor ensures that the Breakout lends itself to touring and not just city cruising anymore. Street kerb appeal has increased, which is no small feat considering this was probably the best looking bike in the Softail range for most punters.
The 2023 model Breakout will continue to replicate the model’s sales success for the brand with the Breakout leading Australian cruiser sales for 2021and 2022. In my opinion with the new model being superior to the previous model I fully expect this trend to be replicated in 2023 and beyond.
Check out more of AJ’s reviews here at Two Wheel Addicts…
Andrew Jenkin is Founding Editor of TwoWheelAddicts.com.au and a long term contributor to BikeReview…
2023 Harley Davidson FXBRS Breakout 117 Specifications
Price: From $37,995 Ride Away ($365 for special paint*)
Colours: Vivid Black, Denim Black*, Atlas Silver Metallic*, Baja Orange*
Warranty: Two-years unlimited km
Service: 1600km then every 8000km
Fuel Consumption: 5.6L – 5.9L/100km
Claimed Power: 76kW[102hp]@N/Arpm
Claimed Torque: 1167Nm of torque@3500rpm
Wet Weight: 310kg
Fuel capacity: 18.9L
Engine: Air-cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-Twin, 1923cc, 103.5 x 114.3mm bore x stroke, 10.2:1 compression ratio, ESPFI, two-into-two exhaust
Gearbox: Primary drive: 34/46. Six-speed ratios – 1st: 9.311, 6.454, 4.793, 3.882, 3.307, 6th: 2.79 Final Belt 32/66
Clutch: Wet multi-plate, cable actuation
Chassis: Mild steel tubular frame, rectangular section backbone, stamped – cast and forged junctions, MiG welded, alloy fender supports
Rake: 34°
Trail: N/Amm
Suspension: 49mm inverted forks, N/Amm travel, Monoshock rear end with remote preload adjustment, N/Amm travel.
Brakes: 300mm rotor, Four-piston fixed caliper (f), 292mm rotor, two-piston floating caliper (r), ABS
Wheels & Tyres: Machined alloy wheels, 130/60 – 21in (f), 240/40 – 18in (r), Michelin Scorcher II
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 1695mm
Seat height: 665mm
Ground clearance: 115mm
Overall Length: 2370mm
Instruments & Electronics: Multi-function analogue and digital LCD displays, handlebar mounted, cruise control, ABS
2023 Harley-Davidson Breakout 117 Gallery
The Verdict | Launch: 2023 Harley-Davidson Breakout
Refined...
With just the right refinements to take the Breakout to the next level of performance and flexibility, AJ says the bike is no longer defined by its appearance…
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