2016 Harley-Davidson Softail Slim®

Authentic Styling

• Narrow Rear Profile: The narrow rear tire and chopped fender with its integrated stop / turn / tail light and side-mounted license plate add up to a stripped-down profile that evokes the iconic, no-nonsense style of classic bobbers.
• "Hollywood" Handlebars and "Cat Eye" Console: A cutting-edge ride that's rich with Harley-Davidson history, the Softail Slim model's old-iron soul comes alive right up front. Unique retro-inspired handlebars call back to the glory days of 1940s bobbers, while the Gloss-black headlamp cover and the "Cat Eye" console with its retro speedo face add even more swing-era swagger.
• Hidden Rear Shocks: If you want a comfortable bike but love that rigid-suspension look, you've come to the right bike. We've kept all the modern comforts where they belong, below the surface of a rad, vintage-looking bike. You get the classic lines of a vintage 'hardtail' frame with the horizontal rear shocks hidden in the guts. It's a signature rigid look, and you'll only find it on a Softail model.
• New Round Air Cleaner Cover Design: The job of feeding air to the combustion process is key to getting you down the road, so the air cleaner cover gets special treatment when Harley-Davidson Styling goes to work on a motorcycle. Take a look at the center of the Softail Slim® model and you see the pure nostalgia of a gloss-black retro round air cleaner cover. It adds a raw old-school look to the minimalist, blacked-out styling of the High Output Twin Cam 103B™ engine. Modern power with old iron attitude.

Comfort

• Low Solo Seat: The low-slung solo saddle matches the motorcycle's clean, back-to-basics attitude, setting you "in" the bike so you ride like you're a part of it and the open road ahead of you.
• Half Moon Foot Boards: Cruise ahead with both feet in the past with this fresh twist on a classic design. The look may be vintage but the comfort is up-to-date: the chrome-plated steel surround and high durability raised rubber shapes are assembled to offer modern cast-in vibration isolation.

Equipment

• California emissions: $200

Handling

• Front Brake System: The front brake system on the Softail models this year delivers a 40 percent reduction in the amount of lever force required at peak braking. The handlebar master and front cylinders have been restyled. There's a new 4-piston fixed caliper with 32 and 34 mm pistons, premium caliper piston coating to minimize initial displacement and a larger 300 mm rotor. It all adds up to more stopping power with less effort.
• Dunlop® Tires: Whether you're crossing state lines or staying within city limits, you want sure contact with the road. The front end holds a premium touring tire with a three-ply polyester casing and two fiberglass belts. The back cruiser tire has an advanced tread pattern. Made from a specifically formulated compound, it delivers outstanding grip in wet or dry weather. And since they're from Dunlop, you know you're wrapping your premium rollers in quality rubber.
• Engineered for Easy Handling: The Softail Slim motorcycle may come on heavy, but it's been designed to handle like a dream, with easy jiffy stand lift-off and great low-speed maneuverability, so you're always riding in control. And when it's time to stop, the low-slung saddle means your feet easily reach the road.
• New Ergonomically Designed Hand Controls: When you've put as many miles as we have in the saddle, you get a strong feel for what’s right and wrong on a motorcycle. Even the smallest annoyances start to add up with each passing mile, and that’s especially true of the way the handlebar feels in your grip. So we worked over the hand controls with as much passion as we worked over the engine powering the Softail Slim motorcycle. The shapes feel good, and are angled to fall right under your thumbs. It’s just one more way each new mile feels even better than the ones that came before.

Iconic Engine

• New High Output Twin Cam 103B Engine: The knowledge of what makes an engine truly move a rider runs deep at The Motor Company, and it was put to good use when we created the High Output Twin Cam 103B engine. We sweated bullets perfecting every cubic inch, pushing design and technology forward. And we did it all without compromising one bit of Harley-Davidson's unique styling. Evolved, yet carrying on the legacy of the Flathead, Knucklehead, Panhead, Shovelhead, Evolution® and Twin Cam 88™ and Twin Cam 96™ engines that came before. The performance and durability are a direct result of the untold miles logged on the V-Twin since 1909 and the proud heritage that comes from a century's worth of commitment to life on two wheels.
• High Output Twin Cam 103B Engine Power: Asking riders if they’d like more power is like asking them “Would you like more beer in the pitcher?” when they've reached the end of a long day tearing up the roads. Everybody wants it, and the High Output Twin Cam 103B engine is 103 cubic inches of Harley-Davidson V-Twin you can rely on to deliver it. The airbox increases intake airflow and the cam optimizes phase and duration. The result: better low-end torque and faster 60 to 80 mph 5th gear roll-on to get you around that 18-wheeler. In other words, it gets you motivated in a hurry. In the tradition of the legendary Harley iron that came before it, the High Output Twin Cam 103 engine is once again raising the bar for the feeling an engine delivers to the rider. There’s a reason we’re called the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Once you send some fuel to this engine, you’ll have no doubt whose it is.
• High Output Twin Cam 103B Engine Innovation: Fire up the High Output Twin Cam 103B engine and feel the low-end torque unleashed. Thanks to the lightweight piston design, delivery of the added power is more refined than ever. Then put your foot on the shifter and feel how the engine and Six-Speed Cruise Drive® transmission were designed to work together. Six speeds. A strong driveline and strong internal parts. Low routine maintenance. And a low cruising rpm that couldn't feel better.
• Pure Harley-Davidson Styling: Feast your eyes on the High Output Twin Cam 103B engine and there's no mistaking its roots. This is authentic Harley-Davidson style through and through with an attention to detail you won't find from any other motorcycle company. Medium gray engine with black powder-coated cylinders and cylinder heads are topped off with polished rocker covers and an old school round air cleaner cover for a tough vintage Harley-Davidson attitude. It's a jewel machined out of metal. Pure. Dripping with power. From the classic edge of the cooling fins to the clean lines of cases and covers, the High Output Twin Cam 103 engine makes an ironclad statement about holding on to what's right and staying true to what satisfies.
• Six-Speed Cruise Drive Transmission: You want a ride that rumbles, not begs for mercy when you lean on it a little. The Six-Speed Cruise Drive transmission provides smooth, quiet shifting and reduces engine speed on the highway, so you get a better match between engine turnover and road speed. It's a rare ride when a bike responds like this, and a low growl goes a long way when you're opening up the road ahead.

Technology

• H-D® Smart Security System (Optional): The factory-installed next-generation security system features a hands-free fob that automatically arms and disarms the vehicle's electronic security functions as you approach and walk away from the bike. Stick the fob on your ignition key ring and let it do all the work. It's this attention to detail and security that make Harley-Davidson® motorcycles unique.
• Anti-Lock Brakes: You may be cruising with swagger, but you know safety counts.