Harley-Davidson Softail Standard

The modern Harley-Davidson Softail Standard is powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine, which has a displacement of 1,923cc. This air-cooled V-twin engine replaced the older Twin Cam engines when Harley migrated everything to the Softail frame. It delivers significant low-end torque, making it ideal for city cruising and highway passing.

While the Softail Standard has a relatively low seat height and an upright, comfortable riding position, its heavy weight and the power of the 117 engine make it a handful for total beginners. It is often recommended for riders stepping up from smaller bikes who want a classic cruiser. The lack of a fairing also means beginners will feel a lot of wind buffeting at highway speeds.

The Softail Standard utilizes Harley's modern Softail chassis, which features a hidden rear mono-shock suspension that gives the hardtail look of classic choppers while retaining actual shock absorption. This significantly improves ride comfort over bumps and cornering clearance compared to older Dyna models. However, the suspension is quite stiff by default to handle the weight of the bike.

The Softail Standard features a classic 3.5-gallon fuel tank, which is smaller than the 5-gallon tanks found on larger touring bikes like the Street Glide. Riders can generally expect to get around 45 to 50 miles per gallon, depending on riding style and terrain. This gives the bike a realistic cruising range of about 130 to 150 miles before needing to fill up.