HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET BOB 114 2020

23 tripsExcellent 5/5

Feel the rumble, feel the power. This black stallion sounds great and looks great.

Some history, back in the early 1980s, a mechanical engineer by the name of Bill Davis had been experimenting with a V-twin frame design that gave riders the custom chopper look with the added benefit of some hidden rear shocks. Harley-Davidson liked Davis’ design so much, in fact, that they bought his design patents and brought him onboard to perfect the concept.

Come 1984, Davis’ frame finally made it to production in the form of the Softail. Like his design, it appeared to be rigid at first glance; beneath the curvaceous rear fender, however, it featured some pull-shocks. Needless to say, the bike proved immensely popular — it quickly became one of the best-selling models in Harley-Davidson’s lineup. Between the added comfort and the improved performance, it was — in a word — a revelation.

For the engine, Harley took the opportunity to debut its 1,340cc Evolution V-twin. Along with some added displacement, it boasted better build quality and sounder engineering. In practice, this meant that it leaked less, ran cleaner, and idled cooler. Output came in at 58hp — enough to take riders to a top speed just over 100mph. Fast forward to 2018 and the Street Bob left the Dyna family and became part of the Softail lineup.