2026 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S Review
The 2026 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S is the two-wheeled equivalent to the all-American V8 pony car (Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro). The Motor Co. has fitted it’s big, burly engine within the frame of one of its smaller, simpler bikes, resulting in a thrilling, torque-first attitude that gives the Low Rider S easy, accessible performance.
The Low Rider can trace its roots back to the early 70s’ FX Super Glide – a bike that cobbled together components from each Harley’s larger and smaller bike line-ups to create a veritable in-house performance custom not unlike what owners were building on their own. Today’s Low Rider S stays true to that relatively stripped-down nature, giving it an old-school feel with modern features.
What’s New:
After the Dyna line was sent off into the sunset in 2018, the Low Rider name was affixed to a model in the Softail chassis family, and for 2025, it received the Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin, including the hopped-up High Output version. Mechanically, it’s all carry-over for 2026, with the biggest news for this year being the offering of a standard chrome trim package that rings in a the till a grand cheaper than the blacked-out version of our test bike.
2026 HARLEY-DAVIDSON LOW RIDER S
- Serious V-twin torque
- Classically cool style
- Plenty of customization options
- Options get pricey
- Heavy
- Compromised comfort for coolness
Styling / Aesthetics / Design: 9
Recognizing the blacked-out theme has been played out for many buyers, chrome is seeing a resurgence in popularity, and it works great on the Low Rider. Like most Harleys, the Low Rider leans heavily on the company’s heritage style, in this case the clean, simple and California-cool custom look the model has featured for decades. For those wanting to contemporize it, our test bike’smatte blue finish (called Aurora Blue Denim) adds some boldness against the stark black trim, but for your silver-fox reviewer, the choice would be Vivid Black paint contrasting against the chrome, making it look like a time machine from the 80s or 90s.
There’s a small bikini fairing around the circular LED headlight and the arched rear fender, unadorned by a pillion seat in standard form. The lines of the Low Rider, of course sweep down from the wide tank, through the saddle and follow through the frame to the rear hub, paying homage to the hardtails. The whole thing looks like it was constructed around an oversized engine, which is pretty much the case.
Powertrain / Engine / Performance / Acceleration: 8
The big V-twin isn’t just the visual centerpiece of the Low Rider, but unquestionably its heart and soul. With 117 cubic inches (or a whopping 1,923 cc), this High Output version of the Milwaukee-Eight engine is rated to deliver 114 hp at 5,000 rpms, and a monumental 128 ft-lb of torque at just 4,000 revs. It inhales through the serious-looking Heavy Breather intake in front of the rider’s right shin, and out through a two-into-one exhaust that shoots down the same right side.
Those are all just figures on a page, and what they don’t tell is how addictive this engine is. Feeling lazy and just puttering around town? No problem, get into second or third gear and cruise. Need to pass someone in a hurry? Effortless. There’s no real need to hammer the Low Rider hard to get around, but it’s darned fun to do so as the bike surges forward with massive urgency when that throttle is cracked open.
While it can be a bit twitchy at just off idle, for the most part there are no complaints about the throttle mapping. The engine itself is surprisingly smooth, and while there’s still the classic lumpy idle when you’re waiting for the light to turn green, once under way, it doesn’t threaten to numb your limbs and butt. Nor does it shake the mirrors to the point of redundancy.
The six-speed transmission’s gearing is tall enough that it never feels like the engine is getting fussed, until you’re traveling at very significant speed, and the belt drive keeps things smooth and low-maintenance. Clutch lever pull requires more effort than most modern bikes, but Harley riders probably expect it anyway. The shifter initiates cog-swaps with a decisive thunk.
Chassis / Suspension / Handling / Ride Characteristics: 7
The Low Rider’s front end is suspended by a pair of inverted 43 mm forks, while the cruiser’s secret weapon is the hidden single coilover rear shock with adjustable pre-load. The Harley’s ride is surprisingly supple for what’s meant to be one of the brand’s sportier machines thanks to particularly long travel for the rear end (by cruiser standards). All of this does a great job of consuming the heaved and pot-holed northern roads around here.
It also helps give the Low Rider S a decent amount of lean angle clearance of 31.3 degrees (again, by cruiser standards), and when attacking big sweepers or on ramps, there’s more room to lean before touching down than one might expect of a Low Rider. Still, it’s a long bike, and while it carries most of its 670 lb wet weight fairly low, it’s not exactly nimble. On sweepers it’s a dream, well-planted and tracking cleanly. But on hairpins, it’s no sport bike.
Brakes / Stopping / Brake Performance: 7
Unlike most of the Softail lineup, Low Rider S gets a pair of front brakes, each measuring 11.8 in and clamped by a four-piston fixed front caliper. The rear brake is an 11.5 in disc with a two-piston caliper. Together they provide formidable stopping power, and when ridden hard, they offer solid, consistent feel. There isn’t as much initial bite as one might expect, yet at slow speeds can be grabby. The rear brake requires a lot of effort to get any appreciable action out of it.
For a power cruiser, the brakes deliver exactly what you’d expect and hope them to do, as long as track day sessions or relentless canyon carving isn’t in the rider’s plans – which it most certainly shouldn’t be for a bike like this.
Rider Position / Ergonomics / Comfort: 7
The 28 in seat height makes it easy to plant both feet firmly at a stop, even for those lacking in the inseam department. The saddle itself is decently plush but not so overly scooped to force the rider into a perma-slouch position. The reach to the bars is only a slight stretch for my five-foot-nine frame, but even with my relatively short legs, the mid-mounted foot pegs force a 90-degree bend at the knee. Long-legged riders will surely feel cramped, but Harley also offers optional forward-mount foot controls, letting folks stretch a little more if they want.
Some riders (including yours truly) prefer the added control the mid-pegs provide, enabling more steering through the legs than when they’re splayed out in front. Other Low Rider owners report affixing a crash bar up front which gives the best of mid-mount controls, with a separate forward-mounted space to relax the legs when on a long haul.
The Low Rider S comes without a pillion seat, but an optional two-up seat is available, along with the requisite passenger pegs not affixed to the standard S. The tiny fairing does very little to redirect the wind blast around the rider. For those that want more wind protection, there’s the Low Rider ST.
Features / Technology / Safety: 7
A large part of the Low Rider’s charm is its simplicity. Choosing a Low Rider S means foregoing the lavish fairings, big screen displays, built-in navigation and audio systems for what’s arguably a purer, more analog riding experience. It’s just you, a big V-twin and only the essentials to get you down the road.
There’s a single round gauge with an analog speedometer and a tiny digital display for the odometer, fuel range, and indicators for the different ride modes (Rain, Road, and Sport). The differences between the modes are negligible, resulting in either a snappier or duller response to throttle inputs. Due to the display’s minimalism, working through options and menus can be a bit cumbersome, but with time a rider will develop familiarity of how to find the features they want. There aren’t that many functions that require regular fiddling anyway.
The only luxury feature found on the Low Rider S is cruise control which is standard equipment. Harley-Davidson hasn’t skimped on the safety features, though, with cornering ABS and traction control systems as standard equipment, along with Drag-torque Slip Control System (DSCS), which is basically an electronic way of doing what a slipper clutch does. There’s a tire pressure monitoring system here too, but wheelie control and hill-hold functions are up to the rider’s input.
Range / Fuel Economy / Energy Efficiency: 7
The Low Rider S has a 5 gal fuel tank, which, at its rated 47 mpg provides a theoretical range of 235 miles. Cruising around with a mix of urban commuting, and a few longer countryside cruises, plus some high-speed freeway riding meant I was filling up without quite reaching 200 miles. Optimizing fuel efficiency wasn’t Harley-Davidson’s top priority for the 117 H.O., and most buyers surely recognize that going into Low Rider ownership.
Value Proposition: 7
Within the Harley-Davidson family, the Low Rider S is a solid value. Starting at $18,999, a base spec Low Rider S gets the big engine, dual front brakes and the aforementioned amenities. Plus, the Harley name and high-quality finishes. Like any Harley-Davidson, it’s easy to get carried away with the option sheet and after adding some luggage, performance parts and different seating, it’s not long before the price is creeping toward 30 grand.
The Japanese motorcycle companies have nearly left the cruiser segment with the comparable Kawasaki Vulcan being more of a touring bike than a muscle cruiser. The BMW R18 starts a couple of thousand dollars cheaper, but its engine isn’t quite as powerful, and its boxer-twin engine gives it a different character. The closest competitor is the Indian Chief, which also starts several hundred dollars less than the Low Rider S, but again, arguably doesn’t offer quite the same overall experience.
Conclusion
The Low Rider S is exactly what it needs to be. It delivers tons of muscle from the sensational Milwaukee-Eight 117. And with a set of pipes, can offer up nearly all the character of the older generations, but with more refinement and power. The bike is easy to handle and can be customized to suit a rider’s particular tastes or use case, whether that leans more toward weekend cruises, road trips or a daily rider. The simplicity and purity of purpose is what makes the Low Rider S so appealing, and now with the availability of the chrome trim, it can be a virtual time machine despite its contemporary electronics and features.
Specifications
Marketplace Inventory
Jeff Wilson
You might also like
