At the tech presentation for Harely-Davidson’s new 2025 cruiser lineup, H-D creative director and VP of design Brad Richards reminded the group that a good chunk of the brand’s DNA lay in its cruiser motorcycles. That might seem fairly obvious to anyone who grew up in the 20th century, but it’s a point worth revisiting when you look at all the attention lavished on The Motor Company’s Touring bikes, King of the Bagger race series, and Pan America models of late. With those other machines grabbing all the headlines, the Softail-based cruisers were getting the short end of the stick; other than the odd engine upgrade and a few suspension tweaks, the lineup hadn’t had a serious tech update since the redesign to the monoshock Softail platform back in 2018.Milwaukee is looking to change that for the 2025 model year, giving its cruisers not just a fresh Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin powertrain (in three states of tune), but a new-to-the-platform, IMU-based electronic rider aids, retuned front and rear suspension, and more. Six cruisers populate the series for 2025, ranging from the entry-level Street Bob with the mellower Milwaukee-Eight 117 Classic engine, to the top-of-the-chain Low Rider and its fairing-ed ST brother, both packing the 117 H.O (High Output) mill. To confirm those claims of improved performance and safety, we headed out to Texas Hill Country to ride both models (as well as a few of the others).

Milwaukee-Eight 117 EngineThe new cruiser engine is a version of the Milwaukee-Eight 117 powerplant we first saw on the 2023–2024 CVO and Grand American touring models, sporting new four-valve cylinder heads, a new combustion chamber shape, oval intake ports and intake manifold. The engine also employs a similar cooling system to the touring models, with a frame-mounted cooler routing oil through cylinder head cooling passages, but the cruiser M-8 117 weighs less than the Touring engine, is air/oil-cooled, and has a slightly different footprint. It also doesn’t need coolant system maintenance.The three variants of the 117 are each tuned to deliver performance characteristics that Harley says “matches the personality of each specific…(cruiser) model,” which H-D achieved via tweaks in intake, exhaust schemes, and ride mode programming (also new) to come up with the Milwaukee-Eight 117 Classic (with a claimed 98 hp), the 117 Custom (104 hp), and the 117 High Output (114 hp).Related: Harley-Davidson Low Rider S vs. Indian Sport Chief

Ride Modes and Electronic UpgradesWith other Harleys getting into the tech act—even the Sportster S recently added traction control, cornering ABS, and power modes—H-D knew it was long past due for the cruiser series to get on board too. We haven’t seen ride modes in the Softail architecture before, and thanks to the addition of a six-axis IMU, all six bikes also now offer a fairly robust electronics suite, with cornering ABS, cornering traction control, cornering drag torque slip control, and tire pressure monitoring, which, in H-D-speak, is known as Rider Safety Enhancements (RSE). In addition to the above RSE, 2025 cruisers get cruise control as standard as well.

The new ride modes control the 117 engine’s characteristics, leveraging a specific combination of power delivery, engine-braking, cornering antilock braking (C-ABS), and cornering traction control (C-TCS). Road mode aims for a flat torque curve and predictable throttle response; Rain mode is dialed to tamp down engine torque when it detects rear wheel slippage (like when it’s raining) and smooth out throttle response; and Sport mode gives a rush of torque at low engine speeds, full power at high engine speeds, and the quickest throttle response and engine-braking on deceleration.

H-D also touched upon suspension refinements for the cruisers, with the bikes’ front and rear internals now featuring straight-rate springs to replace the previous multi-rate units, and a rebalance between the fork and shock to improve performance. If you’re looking to tweak the preload, you’ll need to remove the seat to perform any adjustments; the external hand knob is gone for 2025.Instrumentation for the 2025 bikes underwent a subtle upgrade, with a round analog speedometer gauge with an inset LCD now standard on the cruisers; info is accessed via the Trip button on the left side, and a new Ride mode button is housed on the right. The Low Rider ST, Low Rider S, and Street Bobs get a 4-inch-diameter dial, while the Heritage Classic has a 5-inch-diameter console-mounted gauge. New switch housings also grace the cockpit this year, all bikes now feature LED lighting everywhere, and a new USB-C port replaces the old USB-A unit.At this point, you’re probably asking about styling updates—long a point of emphasis (and pride) for The Motor Company—but it looks like the cosmetics took a back seat to performance upgrades this year, with classic V-twin design cues holding steady and just a few minor changes to the finishes, badging, and paint options across all models.

2025 Harley-Davidson Street BobWith six different models and less than two days to ride them, we put our focus on the two models packing the most disparate variants of the M-8 engine. The Low Rider S with the High Output 117 engine has the most power and torque in the bunch, while the Street Bob packs a 117 in Classic tune.Stripped down and tipping the scales at 646 pounds, the, um, “lightweight” Street Bob leverages its new Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine quite effectively, even with the relatively less forceful Classic tune. We’ve always liked the Bob’s minimal feel, which manages to channel a vintage aesthetic without trying too hard, and the raw bobber look definitely gives off a nice dose of attitude. The solo seat, standard mini-apes, and chopped rear fender impart even more streetwise sensibility, with new styling cues this year including a diamond tank medallion, a brighter exhaust, air cleaner, rocker boxes, and engine covers, and black details on fender struts, wheel rims, handlebar, and headlamp bucket. There are also virtually no changes to the dimensions and riding position, though this year’s Bob is 9 pounds lighter than the 2024 model, and the exhaust is now a 2-into-1 unit, ditching the old dual staggered configuration.

Although the least expensive Softail purports to fit shorter riders better, the mid-controls and taller mini-apes paradoxically give you a rider triangle that’s compact on the bottom and more rangy up top—a mixed bag for those of us with stubby limbs, and also not ideal for long-legged types. After 30 minutes in the sit-up-and-beg position, our hip flexors were filing loud complaints; H-D was proud of the fact that it did not raise seat heights on any of the new bikes one iota, though we have to believe an extra 1/2 inch of cush on the saddle would surely have made our day more comfortable.Ergonomic gripes aside, we quickly remembered just what it was that we liked about the old Street Bob once we pulled away from the stoplight; this bike just loves to be whipped from side to side, and the excellent balance, great leverage at the bars, and easy handling all conspire to make it wicked fun on a backroad. The Bob steers easily and goes wherever you point it without complaint; input at the bars requires little effort and turn-ins are a stress-free affair, and chassis stability remains steadfast. The Showa dual bending valve internals also do a decent jump of staying composed in the rough stuff, and the new straight-rate springs handle fork dive much better, though the rear suspension, at 3.4 inches of travel, wasn’t nearly as compliant in harder-edged hits.The Bob’s agility has found a new friend in the M-8 117 engine’s crisper throttle response, with torque that comes on quickly and stays stout throughout. Harley says the 117 Classic variant delivers a claimed 98 hp at 4600 rpm, with a grunt peak of 120 lb.-ft. at 2500 rpm, or 4% more power than the 114 engine it replaces. All that torque low down makes it easy to power out of almost any scenario. In mellow Road mode, the 4 hp increase over the 2024 engine is almost negligible; for the most grins, you’ll want to level up to Sport, which serves up a flat torque curve that pulls harder in all gears and any speed. The new ail/oil cooling system did a great job in keeping heat off our legs on our 80-degree riding day. The fairly nondescript oil cooler mounted upfront between the tubes was barely noticeable. In all, a definite improvement over the outgoing bike.The clutch is still mechanically operated, and it would be nice to have an adjustable lever here, but the Street Bob shifts solidly, and winding the throttle out to the stops never feels like the wrong choice. Upgrading the Bob from the 114 to the 117 engine is a subtle move, but with less weight and a snappier throttle, the bike feels even more alive without being overwhelming. The brake system hasn’t changed appreciably, with a big 300mm disc upfront squeezed by a four-piston caliper doing the job adequately, though this year, the brake lever is adjustable, which helps immensely on panic stops.Related: 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Bob 114

A less-than-ideal 28.5-degree lean angle remains the Bob’s biggest limitation; the mid-mounted footpegs dig into asphalt far too early to fully enjoy the bike’s agreeable handling, which is a shame since the riding position practically begs you to go deep in the corners. We can sort of understand Harley’s reasoning here; with the Softail Standard gone, the Street Bob is now effectively the entry point to the Softail platform, and keeping the bike low and manageable to beginning riders is likely still on its list of priorities.

2025 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S STAt the other end of the ladder is the Milwaukee-Eight 117 H.O. powering Low Rider S and Low Rider ST models, and is tuned for better performance in the upper rpm range and a more aggressive sound. Of all the bikes, we feel the Low Rider S (and ST) offers the best combination of power, handling, and looks, with a muscular profile that frames the engine beautifully, a good lean angle, an inverted fork, and dual disc brakes.The rider triangle is our favorite of the bunch (except for maybe the Heritage) with a moto-style handlebar positioned on 4-inch pullback risers making for a comfortable reach, while still offering good leverage on winding roads. A taller solo seat makes the mid-mount controls feel less cramped than on the Street Bob, and it places you more forward and up for a better attack position, with a nice bolster to offer support for your back side. The Heavy Breather intake is revised, and the color treatments on the Low Rider S this year are especially sweet.

We saddled up on the Low Rider S with the ride mode initially set to Road, a good middle-ground choice when you’re just getting a feel for the different engine. Power delivery here is smooth and linear, with the default TC there but not in your face. Switching over to Sport mode on this High Output mill, though, really gives you a better idea of what this engine is capable of. With full output and reduced TC, the midrange hits harder and pulls quickly to 5000 rpm, pulling on your arms and giving you more punch, in almost a racebike feel. In Sport, you quickly forget that you’re riding a cruiser as you wail through sweepers, and as good as the engine is through the midrange, when you twist the throttle hard, the top-end delivery is even more pronounced, with spot-on fueling.

Snap the throttle, rev it out over 5000 rpm and the claimed 114 hp and 128 lb.-ft. peak torque make themselves felt—for 11% more power than last year’s Milwaukee-Eight 117 in the Low Rider S. You can thank a high-performance SE8-511 camshaft developed for the Milwaukee-Eight 121 High Output engine in the CVO Road Glide ST, with engine “redline” going up to 5900 rpm from 5600. The new Heavy Breather intake features an exposed forward-facing air filter element that also imparts a spirited intake sound on acceleration, and a 2-into-1 retuned exhaust handles the spent gases.With an inverted 43mm front fork and more suspension travel out back, the Low Rider is composed and stable over any road surface with less flex than any of the other cruisers. The 19-inch front wheel tracks predictably, and that stiffer fork makes for better feedback especially when you’re getting after it in the canyons. You’re still working with 5 inches of travel upfront and 4 inches of squish out back, as on the previous bike, and in the twisties, you can rail the Low Rider with abandon thanks to a healthier lean angle, which here is 31.3 degrees.Brakes are noticeably more powerful on the Low Rider than on the other bikes, with dual discs (though they’re still axially mounted) giving you more immediate bite and feedback, which is what you’d expect on the top-tier performance cruiser mode. But you might also expect, at this price level, a hydraulic clutch.

We spent the most time on the Low Rider S, appreciating its lower weight, easier handling, and leaner look, though we also got some seat time on the ST model, which other than the added weight of the FXRT-style fairing and side bags, is basically the same bike. Worth noting is the exhaust configuration for 2025 on both S and ST: It’s changed to 2-into-1, and with a single muffler. Now both side bags on the ST are symmetrical, with the same dimensions and capacity. Both bikes feature the same 4-inch round analog gauge, which honestly, is pretty generic, but it’s easier to read, and we’re pretty sure H-D will upgrade it at some point soon. Like the Street Bob, the Low Rider also gets redesigned switch pods that closely mimic those on the touring line, with cruise control on the left pod along with a new trigger switch on the top that you can pull to flash to pass. Functionally, the new switches are more intuitive and easier to access, and traction control and cornering ABS features are an especially welcome addition to the stronger High Output engine.

In short, the High Output engine is the powerplant of choice in the whole group, with an arm-stretching Sport mode that takes the custom-styled light-duty performance tourer to the next level. The 2025 Low Rider’s $800 price increase over last year’s model is more than reasonable considering the added performance and safety upgrades.

Evolutionary Updates Make for Better SoftailsAlthough H-D has opted for evolutionary updates to the cruiser lineup, they shouldn’t be diminished in light of how much better and more fun to ride these bikes are. Taken individually, the improvements may seem incremental, but when you look at the resulting package, the stepping-up in performance and safety is an impressive—and necessary—move.The refinements target obvious weaknesses, and go a long way toward getting the models more in line with the competition’s feature sets. The 2025 Street Bob and Low Rider are better balanced and safer motorcycles for a wider range of riders, even though they are also higher priced. Looks like a comparison test is on the way…Related: 2025 Harley-Davidson Touring Models and Trikes First Look

2025 Harley-Davidson Street Bob Specs