![\"HD](\"http:\/\/motorcyclemojo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_6139-300x200.jpg\")
What you\u2019re left with is one fairly unassuming motorcycle. Its black-on-black paint and Magnum Gold wheels give it a Smokey and the Bandit quality. Sadly, without the flaming chicken on the hood and a mustachioed cowboy in the saddle, it also blends into the background amidst just about any company sporting chrome or custom paint. Seeing the bike in person for the first time outside Harley-Davidson Canada\u2019s head office only strengthened that impression, as parked right next to it was the firm\u2019s new CVO Pro Street Breakout looking long and low, and wearing an eye-catching colour scheme. In comparison, the Dyna-derived Low Rider S had more of a chopper look to it with the 19-inch front wheel and steep rake; your eyes drawn to the new high-mounted bars, then the tank and back to the abbreviated rear fender.<\/p>\n
![\"Low](\"http:\/\/motorcyclemojo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_6327-300x200.jpg\")
The Low Rider S is definitely a bare-bones, ride-hard kinda bike \u2013 common traits for the Dyna family over the years \u2013 but this one comes carrying what amounts to a concealed weapon in the form of a Screamin\u2019 Eagle Twin Cam 110 (1,803 cc) engine. This monster belts out 115 ft-lb of torque at just 3,500 rpm and manages to do it while returning 5.1 L\/100 km. When the boys and girls back in Milwaukee shoehorned this rocket launcher into the svelte waistband of the Dyna chassis, they may well have created the best Harley yet.<\/p>\n
Sitting on the low and deeply scalloped seat puts you in the bike rather than on it, with all the controls at chest level. Picking the Low Rider S up off the side stand will remind you there are 306 kg of motorcycle and fuel between your legs. That\u2019s only 4 kg heavier than the standard Low Rider, but I was still surprised by the heft of this relatively compact cruiser.<\/p>\n
Godsend<\/strong><\/p>\n Thumbing the starter summons the beast to life, kicking and shaking. The traditional gentle throbbing of the stock 103 engine is replaced by an oscillation that had the metal rear fender trying to shake the signals off like unwelcome rodeo riders. The bars, likewise, doing their best impression of a sparkler waving about on Canada Day. Grasping the grips sent the vibe through me as well, but it did not feel unwelcomed, and a quick rev of the engine hinted at a much smoother ride ahead.<\/p>\n On the road, the rubber-mounted powerplant showed off its ability to deliver immediate yet smooth power in any gear and at any time. Harley\u2019s electronic fuel injection keeps the throttle as crisp and responsive as any I\u2019ve ever tested, and I say that with great confidence, as even in torrential rains, the system never once missed a beat. That is of particular significance owing to the Low Rider S\u2019 high-flow air filter, which should have a sock-type cover (or even an actual sock in a pinch) placed over it to protect the element from water if rain is expected. At that point, I was in no mood to spare a sock, and so for a full hour, the bike happily ingested moisture without objection. On subsequent rides I became even more impressed by the flexibility of the Screamin\u2019 Eagle engine and its ability to be brutally explosive at the drop of a hat, then perfectly sedate a moment later.<\/p>\n Like Butter<\/strong><\/p>\n Integral to the performance and efficiency of this drivetrain is a six-speed transmission delivering power to the rear wheel via the traditional belt drive. Shifting from first to second gear comes with a familiar chunkiness, but from there on, it needs only a fan of the moderately heavy clutch and the slightest touch of a toe to engage the next gear.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a good thing the drivetrain is happy to chug along economically all day because the seating position, and the seat itself, allowed me to put on some serious kilometres between stops. The posture is aggressive for a cruiser, with the mid-mounted pegs just about even with my elbows when holding the grips. This positioning puts a 90-degree bend in the knees with arms stretched straight ahead. At speed, the small but effective fly screen encourages you to hunch forward a little farther, and once there, you\u2019re punching through the wind, knuckles first, chin down and shoulders up. If ever there was a motorcycle that wanted you to beat the road into submission and look the part while doing it, here it is.<\/p>\n Supporting Cast<\/strong><\/p>\n Thankfully, the brain trust at H-D realized they\u2019d created something special with this model and included a supporting cast, as it were, with the addition of upgraded front and rear suspension. The 49 mm single cartridge fork does an impeccable job of dealing with all types of road surfaces while still keeping the front end from diving excessively under hard braking. Despite having only 54 mm of travel on the rear shocks, which are adjustable for both compression and rebound damping, they weren\u2019t harsh. It\u2019s only when you approach some serious, peg-scraping cornering speeds that you feel the bike begin to lose its composure, and the back begins to buck around while the front tries to play catch-up.<\/p>\n Dual 300 mm front rotors with four-piston calipers and braided steel lines work well when the pace is sedate, but need a firm hand to get the Low Rider S slowed down quickly when speeds are higher. A stab with the right foot shows off a very effective rear brake setup that goes a long way toward reducing braking distances. The back brake has above-average feel, which is a good thing, because it has great bite, and locking up the rear would be way too easy if the ABS wasn\u2019t there to ruin the fun. In all seriousness, I did take the bike on some dirt roads that wound up, over and through the Ontario Highlands, and the ABS was much appreciated on approach to a couple of unexpected hairpins.<\/p>\n Plausible Deniability<\/strong><\/p>\n After spending a week riding the Low Rider S and racking up nearly 1,000 km on virtually every kind of road surface, I found myself \u2013 despite many attempts at denial \u2013 horribly sad about returning the bike. That\u2019s about the time I went back to the Harley website and started comparing models and options. And, after many hours and far more chrome, sparkly paint and superfluous bolt-ons than could ever be necessary, l stumbled upon the search strategy outlined previously, as well as a new outlook on the company\u2019s products.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no doubt this brand is polarizing; when I bring up the subject of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, there are very few people, even non-motorcyclists, who are indifferent in their view of the brand. Whether it\u2019s love or hate, both camps seem to be equally bullheaded in their opinions. I\u2019ve always tried to view the debate from atop the fence: On one hand, I like their comfort and character, and especially the quality of fit and finish. On the other hand, I\u2019ve always been left wanting more performance, more of a balance between the commotion and the actual amount of momentum achieved. I just haven\u2019t had that light-bulb moment, and so have never fully embraced the whole Harley thing.<\/p>\n Then this Low Rider S came along with its Screamin\u2019 Eagle 110. It has the performance to match its appearance, there\u2019s nothing on it that doesn\u2019t need to be there and it makes you feel like you\u2019re on the way to a bar fight you\u2019ve already won. To be perfectly honest \u2013 and terribly crude \u2013 I will say to you what I have said to anyone who has asked my opinion of the bike: It\u2019s badass!<\/p>\n Have I Got a Deal for You!<\/strong><\/p>\n So now I understand some of the allure, but at what price? Retail for the model we tested was $19,499, while the standard Low Rider is $16,799 \u2013 not much of a jump, really. When going through the spec sheet, you\u2019ll see that the S model also includes the security option ($455) and ABS brakes ($915). Just adding those two options alone brings a standard Low Rider to $18,169. Now comes the reason for my simplified search strategy. For what is now a difference of only $1,330, Harley-Davidson throws in the Screamin\u2019 Eagle 110 engine, 2-1-2 \u201cTommy Gun\u201d exhaust, high-capacity air intake, upgraded 49 mm single cartridge front fork, twin emulsion shocks with adjustable compression and rebound damping, and a blacked-out finish. It almost sounds like a no-brainer, yet I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if Harley-Davidson\u2019s web analytics showed that this model had the least views of all 41 offerings. Now that would be a shame, because in terms of value and performance, this model has to be at the very top of the heap. However, given the company\u2019s clientele and their affinity for chrome, custom paint and personalization, the total lack of options on the Low Rider S may see buyers turn to other variants. To those people I say, ride the Low Rider S first, and if it isn\u2019t quite right, hey, it\u2019s still a Dyna, and at last check, there are a few accessories available for one of those. Unfortunately, I won\u2019t be of much help on that search because I wouldn\u2019t change a thing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What you don\u2019t see matters most If you\u2019re in the market for a new, American-made cruiser and decide to pay a quick visit to Harley-Davidson Canada\u2019s website, you\u2019ll come face to face with 41 different 2016 models. Add to that an infinite number of accessory combinations, both factory and aftermarket, and you\u2019ll soon see the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":51014,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1123,366,1851,1843],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"low](\"http:\/\/motorcyclemojo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_6152-300x200.jpg\")
Pan around the cockpit and you\u2019ll see the usual Harley spec controls and gauges \u2013 thankfully, Harley subscribes to the philosophy of \u201cDon\u2019t break what\u2019s already fixed.\u201d The one pleasant surprise I found was a multifunction cruise control switch. A bonus, because I got caught in a very unexpected thunderstorm just minutes into my first ride, and once the cold had numbed my extremities, that little multifunction switch let me shake some feeling back into my right hand.<\/p>\n