Harley-Davidson Springer Softail Fxsts
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPRINGER SOFTAIL FXSTS
CYCLE WORLD TEST
IN A DAY AND AGE WHEN EVERYTHING IS BECOMING MORE sophisticated, higher-tech and—for some of us—more difficult to understand, Harley-Davidson’s design philosophy is for its motorcycles to continue on a relatively low-tech path. When you look at a Harley, you understand what it is and how it works; all without needing an engineering degree from MIT. Now, with the Softail Springer, Harley has taken that design philosophy one step further—or one step back, depending on your point of view.
Harley last used a springer front end on a production motorcycle in 1949, after which the company followed the rest of the motorcycling world and made the switch to the telescopic front fork. The new springer front end, introduced on the 1988 Springer Softail, is a near-copy of that earlier unit, but uses better materials and improved design elements to make it work as good as, and in some cases better than, current telescopic forks.
Using a leading-link design, and a combination of six springs and a small shock mounted prominently out front, the Springer is as interesting to watch as it is to use. Under normal riding conditions, the acorn nuts on the very top of the fork constantly move up and down. Over small ripples and bumps, the fork performs flawlessly, soaking up minor road irritations with less movement transmitted to the bike than you get with telescopic forks. The fork gives a taut ride, and only on bigger bumps or under sudden, hard braking does the fork bottom, accompanied by a loud bang.
Perhaps where you notice the biggest difference between the Springer and the standard Softail, or most other telescopic-fork-equipped motorcycles, is under normal braking. Whereas most bikes will produce considerable front-end dive even under mild braking, the Springer reduces that tendency considerably. It is a strange feeling at first to grab a handful of front brake and not be pitched forward. The brake itself is quite good, although its performance is hindered by the high effort needed to squeeze the lever, and the narrow-section front tire.
Retro-styling takes the Softail into the future
From the steering head on back, the Springer is basically the same as the standard Softail. The hardtail-look rear end appears unchanged for 1989, but the twin Showa shocks are now adjustable. Before, the shocks bottomed easily, even with medium-weight riders aboard, so Harley provided the option of adjusting the ride height by cranking up the spring pre-load by means of a threaded nut on each shock. The addition of the pre-load adjustment doesn’t improve the ride, however, because the rear end still jolts and jars the rider on rough sections of pavement. Still, there is only so much improvement you are going to get with just under four inches of wheel travel.
Powering the Softail Springer is the same 1348cc Evolution V-Twin engine that has become standard on the Evolution Harleys. On the Softails, however, the engine lacks the rubber mounting system that makes the other machines seem so smooth, so at speeds above 70 miles an hour, the engine sends vibration rattling through the bike, making it difficult for riders to focus on anything but the horizon. All that vibration is actually a built-in speed limiter, because at between 60 and 65, the engine falls into a soothing, thumpa-thump rhythm that makes you want to put it in top gear, set the thumb-screw cruise control at 60 and ride forever.
The riding position of the Softail encourages longer rides, especially if you lash a duffel bag to the passenger section of the seat for some lower—back support. The footpegs are a long stretch forward, and the handlebar bends in a high, long arch back toward the rider. Around town, the position feels a little clumsy, especially when traffic is moving at a snail’s pace, but once rolling, everything is fine.
If your ride includes some twisty backroad sections, the Softail will stomach it until the turns get too tight or too rough. Ground clearance is limited, and, if pushed relentlessly, the Springer will leave metallic smears on the pavement as it bangs the exhaust pipes on the right side and the sidestand on the left. Still, at a relaxed, puttin' pace, the bike rewards with a solid, low-effort ride.
On the whole, the machine is about as “Harley” as a motorcycle can be; simply put, it is Harley-Davidson s Harley-Davidson. In terms of performance, it has no less or no more than the telescopically equipped Softail. That doesn’t matter. What this bike does is look different and feel different, and its low production numbers make it more unusual. But, above all else, the Softail Springer is for those riders who long for a time less dependent on technology and more appreciative of style.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPRINGER SOFTAIL FXSTS
$10,759
