Harley-Davidson FXS Blackline Softail – Click above for high-res image gallery
The minds at Harley-Davidson have just unveiled the newest creation to arise from the company's Dark Custom project. Called the FXS Blackline, the new take on the Softail wears resculpted tin, including a bobbed rear fender and an asymetric tank design that departs a bit from the bike's standard look. Get a little closer and you're likely to notice that the big V-twin at the heart of the Blackline has been powder coated black in all the right places. HD's designers also dropped in a compact headlight and a tiny speedometer for more custom look.
Of course, this particular Softail is defined by two things. First, Harley-Davidson says that the FXS Blackline wears the lowest seat that the company has ever installed on a bike. The rider sits a mere 24 inches off the ground, and combined with unique "split drag" handlebars, the Blackline looks to have a personality that's a good deal different from the rest of the Dark Custom creations. Hit the jump for a look at the full press release and a quick video.
[Source: Harley-Davidson]
The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience.
NEW HARLEY-DAVIDSON® BLACKLINE™ IS SOFTAIL® STRIPPED TO THE CORE
Dark Custom™ Softail Features New Fuel Tank Styling and Split Drag™ Handlebars
MILWAUKEE (January 21, 2011) Lean as wire, hard as iron and dark as a
tar road at midnight, the new Blackline motorcycle is a
Harley-Davidson Softail model pared to the bone. A rebellious creation
of the Dark Custom movement, the Blackline celebrates three
fundamental elements of motorcycling: mechanical beauty, internal
combustion, and the long black line of the road ahead.
The Blackline balances allegiance with rebellion, discarding previous
conventions of color and chrome for a Dark Custom look that's honest,
functional and attainable. Visual elements of the original bobber
movement are combined with the raw, hand-hewn style embraced by
today's young builders. The Blackline throws new fuel on a fire that
burns across generations, an unquenchable desire to ride.
Lean and Tight
The rear fender is bobbed high-and-tight over a slim, 144mm tire that
emphasizes an authentic hardtail profile. The compact headlight and
speedometer are tucked low into the wide, FX front end, and there's
just enough shine to make the black parts look blacker. Black-rimmed
laced wheels complete a look that's tough, tempered and undeniably
Harley-Davidson.
The styling spotlight shines on a Big Twin engine dressed in black and
silver, and on a fuel tank shaved smooth and low. Aboard the
Blackline, the rider hugs the frame on the lowest two-up seat ever
offered by Harley-Davidson, and reaches high for new Split Drag™
handlebars that bolt right to the top triple-clamp.
The Softail chassis utilizes rear suspension control provided by
coil-over shock absorbers mounted horizontally along the frame rails
below the powertrain, where they are out of sight. So while the
swingarm section replicates the lines of a vintage hardtail frame, the
Blackline delivers suspension performance and handling that are
thoroughly modern. The internally counter-balanced Twin Cam 96B™
engine is rigid-mounted within the frame, creating a solid connection
between rider and the power that moves the motorcycle to enhance the
emotional experience of riding.
Key features of the 2011 Blackline include:
· NEW Powertrain styling
Ø Powertrain is finished in gloss black powdercoat on the rocker
box covers, the crankcase, the outer primary cover, and the
transmission side cover. The cylinders are silver powdercoat with
machined highlights. The derby cover and timing covers are chromed.
Ø Rigid-mounted, counter-balanced Twin Cam 96B™ V-Twin engine
with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI), rated at 89
ft. lbs. peak torque at 3250 rpm.
Ø 6-Speed Cruise Drive® Transmission.
· NEW Round air cleaner cover in brilliant chrome.
· NEW Black Denim powdercoat frame and swingarm.
· NEW Profile Laced Aluminum wheels with black anodized rims.
Front wheel is 21 x 2.15 inches; rear wheel is 16 x 3 inches. Dunlop®
D402 tires are MH90-21 front and MU85B16 rear.
· NEW FX front end with black powdercoat triple clamps and
black painted fork lowers.
· NEW Split Drag™ internally-wired handlebars mount directly to
the top triple clamp.
· NEW Asymmetric five-gallon Softail fuel tank is clean on the
left side, with a low-profile fuel fill on the right. Die cast
"Blackline" trim panel flowing down the center of the tank is just
high enough to cover the fuel pump hardware.
· NEW Analog speedometer on a triple-clamp mount that also
holds indicator lights. LCD screen on the speedometer includes
low-fuel warning and "miles to empty" display function.
· NEW Bobbed rear fender with combination stop/tail/turn lights
in black housings, and a new composite license plate holder and light
module that mounts on the lower edge of the fender.
· NEW Raw forged rear fender supports are finished in Black
Denim powdercoat.
· NEW One-piece, two-up seat and passenger pillion. Laden rider
seat height is 24 inches, the lowest two-up seat offered by
Harley-Davidson. Gap between the nose of seat and fuel tank exposes
the top of the frame.
· NEW 5.75-inch diameter headlamp in gloss black shell.
· Polished forward foot controls.
· Over/under chrome shotgun exhaust.
· Optional Security Package with Anti-lock Braking System and
Smart Security System
Dark Custom™ Softail Features New Fuel Tank Styling and Split Drag™ Handlebars
MILWAUKEE (January 21, 2011) Lean as wire, hard as iron and dark as a
tar road at midnight, the new Blackline motorcycle is a
Harley-Davidson Softail model pared to the bone. A rebellious creation
of the Dark Custom movement, the Blackline celebrates three
fundamental elements of motorcycling: mechanical beauty, internal
combustion, and the long black line of the road ahead.
The Blackline balances allegiance with rebellion, discarding previous
conventions of color and chrome for a Dark Custom look that's honest,
functional and attainable. Visual elements of the original bobber
movement are combined with the raw, hand-hewn style embraced by
today's young builders. The Blackline throws new fuel on a fire that
burns across generations, an unquenchable desire to ride.
Lean and Tight
The rear fender is bobbed high-and-tight over a slim, 144mm tire that
emphasizes an authentic hardtail profile. The compact headlight and
speedometer are tucked low into the wide, FX front end, and there's
just enough shine to make the black parts look blacker. Black-rimmed
laced wheels complete a look that's tough, tempered and undeniably
Harley-Davidson.
The styling spotlight shines on a Big Twin engine dressed in black and
silver, and on a fuel tank shaved smooth and low. Aboard the
Blackline, the rider hugs the frame on the lowest two-up seat ever
offered by Harley-Davidson, and reaches high for new Split Drag™
handlebars that bolt right to the top triple-clamp.
The Softail chassis utilizes rear suspension control provided by
coil-over shock absorbers mounted horizontally along the frame rails
below the powertrain, where they are out of sight. So while the
swingarm section replicates the lines of a vintage hardtail frame, the
Blackline delivers suspension performance and handling that are
thoroughly modern. The internally counter-balanced Twin Cam 96B™
engine is rigid-mounted within the frame, creating a solid connection
between rider and the power that moves the motorcycle to enhance the
emotional experience of riding.
Key features of the 2011 Blackline include:
· NEW Powertrain styling
Ø Powertrain is finished in gloss black powdercoat on the rocker
box covers, the crankcase, the outer primary cover, and the
transmission side cover. The cylinders are silver powdercoat with
machined highlights. The derby cover and timing covers are chromed.
Ø Rigid-mounted, counter-balanced Twin Cam 96B™ V-Twin engine
with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI), rated at 89
ft. lbs. peak torque at 3250 rpm.
Ø 6-Speed Cruise Drive® Transmission.
· NEW Round air cleaner cover in brilliant chrome.
· NEW Black Denim powdercoat frame and swingarm.
· NEW Profile Laced Aluminum wheels with black anodized rims.
Front wheel is 21 x 2.15 inches; rear wheel is 16 x 3 inches. Dunlop®
D402 tires are MH90-21 front and MU85B16 rear.
· NEW FX front end with black powdercoat triple clamps and
black painted fork lowers.
· NEW Split Drag™ internally-wired handlebars mount directly to
the top triple clamp.
· NEW Asymmetric five-gallon Softail fuel tank is clean on the
left side, with a low-profile fuel fill on the right. Die cast
"Blackline" trim panel flowing down the center of the tank is just
high enough to cover the fuel pump hardware.
· NEW Analog speedometer on a triple-clamp mount that also
holds indicator lights. LCD screen on the speedometer includes
low-fuel warning and "miles to empty" display function.
· NEW Bobbed rear fender with combination stop/tail/turn lights
in black housings, and a new composite license plate holder and light
module that mounts on the lower edge of the fender.
· NEW Raw forged rear fender supports are finished in Black
Denim powdercoat.
· NEW One-piece, two-up seat and passenger pillion. Laden rider
seat height is 24 inches, the lowest two-up seat offered by
Harley-Davidson. Gap between the nose of seat and fuel tank exposes
the top of the frame.
· NEW 5.75-inch diameter headlamp in gloss black shell.
· Polished forward foot controls.
· Over/under chrome shotgun exhaust.
· Optional Security Package with Anti-lock Braking System and
Smart Security System
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