All Tests – Harley-Davidson Breakout Review: Softail hardass – An American in Marseille

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Harley-Davidson Breakout review: Softail hardass

All Tests - Harley-Davidson Breakout Review: Softail hardass - An American in Marseille

Harley-Davidson released a brand new model in 2013: the Breakout. All in muscle, this Softail is intended for experienced bikers, eager for thrills, concerned about their image … and who missed the CVO version a few months ago ! First try.

An American in Marseille

The first – good – surprise that we discover when sitting on the Breakout concerns the saddle: wedged well to the bottom at 66 cm from the ground, the pilot enjoys an incredibly good seat! The passenger will not be able to say the same for his – removable – pouf, a little too thin to be comfortable.

Good news for short legs who want to take control of this new Harley-Davidson: the footrests are placed less far than on the V-Rods. The "shortened arms" on the other hand will complain about the handlebars, flat and wide, which goes very far in front when you steer to the maximum.

For the majority of its users – tall, handsome and beefy bikers, of course! – the Breakout’s riding position will not pose any "major" problems, however. The 322 kg of the beast either: the center of gravity being placed very low, it is easy to release the side stand.

All that remains is to adjust the mirrors (they vibrate a little but offer a good field of vision) before starting the engine. Indeed, this Harley does not have adjustable spacing levers, nor a 2×200 W audio system, and even less mapping or suspension mode to select … !

The first turns of the wheel reveal a front axle which tends to engage. In the very small roundabouts leading to the main arteries of the Phocaean city, it is even necessary to force with the inner arm not to dive too much.

Fortunately, the front wheel stops dropping excessively as soon as the gait changes to a trot, but retains the ability to turn the bike more easily than what the big tires might suggest at first..

The flexibility and the trunk of the big twin are two other appreciable assets to circulate in the city. The engine pulls vigorously from idle and we like to navigate in 3rd in the flood of cars. If necessary, a slight rotation of the right wrist allows you to extricate yourself from a herd of motorists: trââânquilleuh, what !

However, we regret that the idle, so low, does not allow to circulate at very low speed smoothly. There are two solutions: press the step slightly if traffic allows, or take the hard left grip.

The great Escape

In heavy traffic, the left forearm heats up fairly quickly, as do the thighs adjacent to the rear cylinder head. In this cool early spring 2013, this little radiator was not too much … But what about this summer? ?

The sound of the original pots is another – good or bad! – surprise, since the number of decibels emitted at low speed is particularly low. The Breakout thus collects smiles rather than tears from the kids, attracts the benevolent glances rather than dismayed adults, and causes a dull indifference rather than heart attacks in the old.

Still in town, the biker is surprised not to be mistreated by this bike. Speed ​​bumps, bumps and other dips are well absorbed by the long fork, but also by the two Showa shocks hidden under the gearbox.

Because as a reminder, this 2013 novelty belongs to the family of "Softail" created by Harley-Davidson 30 years ago, which imitates the good old "hardtails" without taking back the slick character due to the absence of rear suspension !

The rear wheel travel of the Breakout is not very large – it is not communicated by the manufacturer "because it is not claimed by our customers, like the maximum power or brake diameters", assures us the director of marketing and communication of HD France – and the height of its tire is low (240/40), but the assembly offers a correct shock absorber, well helped it is true by the thickness of the saddle which protects not only the buttocks from fatigue, but also the spine from shock.

The work of the suspensions turned out to be better than expected when tackling the climb up the route des crêtes. We thought we were dealing with a pure and hard dragster, but it is not: from the first laces, the Harley wedges well on its rear wheel and encourages you to open more and more !

As the two large pistons stretch the connecting rods, the acceleration becomes hairier and hairier. The mill – air! – of 1690 cc (103 cubic inches) then catapults without any harm the 322 kg of the beast. Rather annoying for the pilot, who complains against this same weight during maneuvers with the engine off !

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