Think back to when you were a kid. Do you remember those old Choose Your Own Adventure books? The ones where you could pick a detail, jump to a specific page in the book, and continue on following the story after you'd chosen what to do. For a while there, those books were all the rage.
I remember going to book fairs in school and picking out new Goosebumps stories that had that feature, and recall countless others that would engage the reader in similar practices. They taught children the choices of their actions, and how you can affect the outcome of a story through those choices.
And all of this may seem to be an odd way of starting a review of Harley-Davidson's 2025 Softail lineup, but I don't do anything just to do it. I make choices, just like those books helped teach me. And so, the outcome of this storytelling is that after two days riding in Texas' hill country, I found that, like those Choose Your Own Adventure books, the new Softail's big attraction rests on similar attributes.
There are Softail baggers, Softail cruisers, Softail classics, and Softail go-fast models. You can have Softails with big engines and Softails with little engines. There are wide-frame Softails and narrow-frame Softails. Softails with mini-apes and Softails with regular bars.
And there are countless, and I mean countless, accessories that one can choose to further customize their Softail, if one of the six models offered from the factory isn't up to their own specifications.
This is a motorcycle that can be almost whatever you want. It's all in your choices.
Now, as some of you might know from my prior coverage, I'm not much of a cruiser kind of person. I prefer dirt to pavement these days. But the newest Softail lineup has the sort of customization capability that would allow me to build my perfect on-road bike. And that all starts with the individual models.
As mentioned above, there are six different Softail models to choose from this year. These are, in no specific order: Breakout, Fat Boy, Street Bob, Heritage Classic, Low Rider S, and Low Rider ST. And each of them is powered by Harley's 117 ci Milwaukee-Eight V-twin motor, which can be had in three different flavors; the 117 Classic, the 117 Custom, and the 117 High Output. Power output from those motors ranges from 98 horsepower and 120 pound-feet of torque to 114 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque, respectively.
This range of models do get different drivetrains. The Fat Boy and Breakout both get the brand's 117 Custom (104 HP and 126 lb-ft); the Street Bob and Heritage get the 117 Classic (98 HP and 120 lb-ft); and the Lowrider S and Lowrider ST get the 117 HO (114 HP and 128 lb-ft).
There's also a wide frame and a narrow frame, offering customers the choice between a small tire and fat tire bike. Everything in the Softail lineup, however, gets Harley's new rider modes and safety systems, ala the new traction control setup that I tested first-hand with the outriggers (linked above).
"But, Jonathon," you ask, "how do they ride and which one would you pick?" I'm glad you asked, fake internet person.
A few miles outside of Austin, Texas is practically another world compared to the hustle and bustle of that burgeoning city. This is Texas' hill country, where winding roads, stubby trees, and BBQ joints litter the landscape. It's where you can put miles on a bike, cruising from one coffee shop to another, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of this beautiful landscape. It's slow rolling, but a perfect area to see how these cruisers cruise.
I started out the first day on the Street Bob, as its yellow hue drew me in. The mini apes likely had something to do with it, too, as the whole bike has a menacingly fun quality to it. This is a motorcycle that says, "Look at me, I'm the captain now." And that's complimented by the thrummy V-twin between your legs—I always forget how great a V-twin's vibrations make a motorcycle feel after not riding one for a while. But that's something that translates to the bars, too, as it connects you further with the motorcycle's beating heart. Though at the same time, it never begins to tire your hands out.
Through the miles in the saddle, I was actually pretty surprised at how much I didn't grow tired of the mini apes, either. Those tend to have a habit of killing your arms—but luckily, that never arrived in this case. What I would change slightly if it was my bike, however, is the angle. From the factory, they're a little further back than I would want them. Still, that's an easy hex wrench adjustment away from being perfect.
From there, I hopped onto the Breakout, and then the Fat Boy—both of which caught me off guard.
They didn't do anything wrong, nor was I thrown off of either of these bikes. Rather, I was caught off guard by how different the two felt compared to the Street Bob.
Despite originating from the same Softail platform, the Breakout and Fat Boy both feature the wide frame, which allows for a way wider tire. Whereas the Street Bob wanted to lean over through a corner, both the Fat Boy and the Breakout just want to stand up straight. These motorcycles were clearly built for long-hauls, or flat land.
Still, by no means did I feel as though it was a danger or an issue. I could still lean both of them over through a corner, and routinely did along our route. Though I'd also hazard against choosing the floorboard options with the forward controls. In fact, I may owe Harley a few bucks from grinding down the bottom bolts.
It's just something to be aware of if your home riding area has twisty, carvy corners. I found the same issue with the Heritage Classic the following day, as these particular Softails are absolutely not meant for anything resembling a spirited canyon or corner-carving ride.
The two motorcycles in the Softail lineup that are meant for that type of riding, however, are my favorites of the bunch: The Lowrider S and the Lowrider ST.
Now, I could've ridden these two Softails forever. Not only are they the most powerful of the bunch, and feature a higher RPM redline, and are the loudest, but they're also the most comfortable for my 6'4" frame. Also, they both have front-mid controls, and—in my opinion—look the best out of the bunch. There's a menace to them that I strongly feel all Harley-Davidsons should have.
Like, if you were to close your eyes and describe a Harley, it'd probably look like these two bikes.
You've got the Lowrider S, which has all the hallmarks of a classic sporty Harley. It has a small front cowl headlight, the large tank, the full rear fender, and a single seat. And with the Lowrider ST, well, you've got the full front fairing and bags. If I had to pick between the two, it'd be the Lowrider ST every day of the week. It not only fits me physically, but it also fits my personality, my style, and more of my street riding habits. I could easily see riding this thing 1,000 miles and not batting an eye.
And if I picked that bike, I could further make it my own with all the Harley accessories available. No, seriously, all of them. While I was in Texas, a Harley representative told me that the company's accessories book is 800 pages long. 800 freakin' pages of aftermarket parts. Imagine the Lowrider ST you or I could build with an 800-page book of parts. Is a Harley rifle case that connects to your bags available?
"How much do those adventures cost, though?", I hear you asking.
The cheapest 2025 Harley-Davidson Softail is the Street Bob, which has a starting price of $17,199. The Lowrider S brings it up to $20,499, and the Fat Boy follows in line with $22,599. From there, the Heritage Classic rings in at $22,999, and the Breakout comes with a $23,099 MSRP. Up at the top of the list, the Lowrider ST rounds out the lineup with a $24,199 price tag.
But again, that's the beauty of this lineup. There are just so many starting places for you. You can lead with looks or power; you can start with a price; you get something that's classically good looking; or you can snag a bar fighter. Whichever you choose, the end product will be something unique, bold, and definitively yours. You can make multiple decisions, and then see how the story ends.
You can choose your own adventure. Are you ready?
