2020 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S First Look

It was the penultimate Dyna. Twenty-five years after the first twin-shock, Big Twin, cruising-oriented Harley was released in Daytona in 1991, The Motor Company unveiled its Low Rider S model in 2016. It had everything performance-minded Harley riders were looking for and customizing on their own motorcycles already. Tuned suspension, 110ci engine, forward riding position, and some truly badass SoCal styling made the Dyna Low Rider S an instant hit. When the Dyna line was folded into the new monoshock Softail lineup just two years later, it became a rare instant classic.

Now, for its 2020 lineup, Harley-Davidson has just announced the return of the venerable Low Rider S, complete with all the go-fast goodies riders loved about the original. The 2020 Low Rider S has a base price of $17,999 and for the first time is available in two colors: Vivid Black and Barracuda Silver.

The uprated 114ci Milwaukee-Eight engine, the largest Softail engine offered from the factory, lies at the heart of the Low Rider S and delivers 119 pound-feet of torque. Vibrations are kept to a minimum thanks to dual internal counterbalancers, which are standard across the H-D lineup, while power and throttle response are improved with a Gloss Black Ventilator air intake with exposed filter element and a 2-into-2 shotgun-style exhaust system. The Eight's rigid-mounted design further improves acceleration and chassis stiffness over the previous Twin Cam models.

Like the other uprated Softail models, the Low Rider S uses a single coil-over shock with underseat hydraulic preload adjustment. The S takes suspension a step further than the other models with an inverted 43mm fork with single-cartridge technology. Front end rake was reduced to 28 degrees (down from 30 degrees on the standard Low Rider) for quicker, more responsive handling while dual brakes on 300mm rotors bring all that power to a halt faster than the regular Low Rider with its single disc brake. ABS comes standard as do high-performance Michelin Scorcher 31 tires. A 1-inch-diameter motocross-style handlebar mounted on 4-inch tall straight risers provides the rider with an aggressive riding position favored by performance FXR, Dyna, and new Softail riders. A color-matched headlight fairing and high-back solo seat also aid in rider comfort, performance, and style.

Vice President of Styling & Design Brad Richards’ team skewed the Low Rider S’s style more toward the original Low Riders of the 1980s with all blacked-out finishes and the iconic Harley-Davidson fuel tank graphic. “The look of the new Low Rider S is really rooted in the legacy of the Low Rider models of the 1980s, that has a devoted following which has spread worldwide from origins in Southern California, and in the recent Dyna-based Low Rider S model,” Richards says. “We’ve applied that coastal style and performance-first attitude to the Softail chassis to create a Low Rider S that’s more powerful and agile than ever, with a heavy dose of tough-as-nails attitude.”

Among the blacked-out components that would otherwise be bright on the standard Low Rider are the wrinkle black powertrain, primary cover, and tank console. The derby cover, intake, and lower rocker covers get treated to a gloss black finish while the mufflers and exhaust heat shields are Jet Black and the fork, triple clamps, risers, handlebars, and rear fender supports are matte black. Like previous Low Rider and Low Rider S models, the Radiate cast-aluminum wheels (19-inch front and 16-inch rear) are finished in Matte Dark Bronze.

In addition to the 2020 Low Rider S announcement, Harley-Davidson also announced several other new models including the long-awaited LiveWire electric motorcycle, Heritage Classic Softail, and CVO Tri Glide. Several other features and technology initiatives were also announced.