Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic 114 review

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V2, 1868 cm3, 94 hp at 5020 rpm, 155 Nm at 3000 rpm, 330 kilos, from 24,460 €

Iconic version of 1950s America becomes significantly more dynamic !

It bears its name damn well, this Heritage Classic! Because if there is a motorcycle of absolute classicism in the range of the manufacturer of Milwaukee, it is it ! Already, it has been in the catalog for so long (1988, it does not make us younger!) That it has known all the evolutions of the Big Twin: first launched in 1340 cm3, it was then declined in 1450 (said 88 ), 1584 (96) and 1690 (103). The 2017 evolution, which gives it access to the 107 (1745 cm3) and 114 (1868 cm3) engines of the latest Milwaukee Eight generation may therefore appear to be part of the implacable logic of things: decrease, in the US, it is is not their thing, evidenced by the slogan "nothing replaces displacement" (nothing beats the cm3) strongly anchored in the local culture. New engines that go hand in hand with a completely revised Softail chassis, the ins and outs of which are detailed a bit later in this article which promises to be very complete.

On the look side, we find our brands. Although: as we have said, this machine was classic. Super classic, even more in its livery in bright colors, like emerald green, turquoise blue, purple pink…. and white. With its generous studded fringed saddlebags and whitewall tires, the Heritage Classic was a neat reminiscence of 1950s America, Harley Duo Glides and Cadillac Eldorados, banana milkshakes and big-seat diners. red skai.

Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic review

That’s it: the new Heritage Classic doesn’t change its shape, but its posture: basically, if we refer to the Happy Days series: the one before, it was Richie. The news is Fonzie. And what’s he like, Fonzie? He is cooool ….

Discovery

This new posture, Harley-Davidson defines it with an expression: "Young Elvis". Not the sweaty, obese Elvis Presley in his pink suit, who sang My Way. No, the young Elvis, slim, sexy and punchy in his perfecto, singing Be my teddy bear. Admit, it’s not the same.

Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic 114

Thus, the Heritage Classic evolves in subtlety and enters the dark side of the force: the spoked wheels are black, the engine is black, the handlebars are black, the faired fork is black. Here, if my name was not Philippe G., but Phil G. Davidson, I would have pressured the exhausts to be black too, just to tone it up all the way.

Mufflers of the Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic

Folklore has disappeared from the saddlebags: finished, the nails, the fringes, the frills. The lower part of the windshield is adorned in black: an excellent idea, which refers to police motorcycles or military motorcycles and which gives a little authority to this machine. In the same vein, the color palette has changed: no more tangy candy and whitewall tires (those who are fans of this type of nostalgia will console themselves with the new Softail Deluxe 107), make way for dark, gray tones. , black, bottle green, or this beautiful mat brown from my testing machine. We also note the LED lights and fog lights, as standard. It gives it a hell of a look, no ?

Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic headlights

However, the equipment is a bit behind. Indian sells the double branch selector as an accessory; Harley-Davidson does the same on this Heritage Classic. Not all ideas are good to take. Likewise, the older Heritage Classic had a sissy bar and crash bars, as well as larger saddlebags..

In the saddle

The 330-kilogram weight can be intimidating, but the only 680mm high saddle, low center of gravity and narrow tires help make the set easy enough to pick up. The riding position is a bit peculiar with the handlebars high enough, but the footrest platforms are not too far forward, so it’s okay. In any case, the machine demonstrates good self-stability at very low speed..

Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic 114 speedometer

The Heritage Classic retains the instrument console on the tank. The main needle is dedicated to the speedometer; in the small digital window below, there is a fuel gauge, the clock, two trips, the remaining range and the tachometer. All this information scrolls by pressing a button on the left stalk. It’s very useful.

Also note the standard presence of a speed regulator.

Engine and transmission

107 or 114? This model of the new Softail range offers both mechanicals which are, in both cases, from the latest generation of eight-valve Milwaukee Eight engines. The cooling is mixed, air and oil, with a radiator well hidden in the front pillars of the frame.

The big twin Milwaukee Eight 114

From engine to engine, the data changes. We have 86 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque for the 107 and 94 horsepower and 155 Nm of torque for the 114, data obtained in both cases at identical speeds of 5020 and 3000 rpm. The engine is rigidly mounted in the frame, but unlike the blocks fitted in the Touring range, it has a second balancing arm.

The price difference is 1700 € between the two, it’s up to you to see if the game is worth the candle !

The transmission is entrusted to a belt and the box 6 is actuated by a single branch selector. Pity.

In the city

For a heavy, bulky machine, the Heritage Classic does the workout very well. Good turning radius, good stability at low speed, it is not that wide and squeezes well between cars, which is no small surprise.

The Heritage Classic in a straight line

On the boulevards, the big V2 cruise at 50 km / h at 2000 rpm in third. When the traffic intensifies, the rear cylinder then lets up some heat ….

On motorways and main roads

With an 1868cc block and cruise control, we can already say that the prospects are good enough to consider swallowing kilometers by the hundreds. And this is indeed the case: well installed on board, well wedged in the hollow of the saddle, we approach the road with, let’s say it, a certain gluttony !

The Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic on the road

On the main roads, whether we are at 110 km / h (2500 rpm in 6th) or at the legal speed on the motorway (130 km / h in 6th), the Heritage Classic is absolutely imperturbable and is found perfectly in its element. Nibbling a bit, I would have liked a bubble a little higher by a few centimeters, just to give a large rider protection right up to the top of the helmet. Finally, we would have possibly appreciated saddlebags with a little larger capacity, just to be able to do more than go on weekends with two spare underwear and a toothbrush. But a real biker is satisfied with little and knows how to get to the basics.

On departmental

So now is the time to bring out the fanfare! Because it is here that the evolutions of this 2018 vintage are fully revealed. And, let’s say it without false modesty or convoluted turns of styles: the gap between these two generations of Heritage Classic is just hal-lu-ci-nant !

The Heritage Classic on the road

Before, the Heritage Classic was a lazy motorcycle aimed at an aging and placid clientele. Now it can be suitable for motorcyclists more attracted to dynamic driving. Yes, I know I just put “Heritage Classic” and “dynamic ride” in the same sentence and that alone is downright amazing. And yet! From the first turns, you are under the spell of its precise front axle, which allows you to roll up the turns with consistency and tighten a safe trajectory. The ground clearance, of course, we end up finding the limits. But with a clean ride, you can keep up a good pace without rubbing and roughing the machine up and down without feeling the slightest wiggle in the steering column, which proves just how much more efficient the new chassis is. In short, the pleasure felt is incomparable with that of the previous generation, which was certainly agile with its high handlebars and narrow tires, but which squirmed and was frozen forward in the turn..

The Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic in a curve

At a more leisurely pace, knowing that who can do more can do less, it’s caviar. The 114 engine can be flexible or downright responsive on demand.

Corner socket of the Heritage Classic

Part-cycle

All new Softails have a new frame and the Heritage Classic is no exception: a good thing, especially since it is 34% stiffer and on the road it really makes a difference. The fork is new and the rear shock can be adjusted under the saddle. No remote wheel here, it is reserved for machines with a wide swing arm (Fat Bob, Breakout).

The Heritage Classic in curve

Brakes

A single disc at the front for this bike and we will say that overall, it does the job well, even if with the increase in power, we can arrive quickly on a bend or an obstacle. But given the philosophy of the machine, that’s fine. Moreover, what matters most is the feel of the controls and the fact that the ABS is not too intrusive..

Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic brake

Comfort and duo

Compared to the previous generation, the Heritage Classic has lost its sissy-bar: the passenger is therefore a little less well installed, but it is still not that bad, with a generous saddle and footrests implanted enough low. For the rider, it’s also good: the fork dampens well, the rear is correct although a little stiff in relaxation sometimes on the dry irregularities of the road (but without commonality with the sometimes frozen rear, on the bump estates, from previous Softails). As we have said, a large pilot may want a slightly larger bubble on the motorway: this protects the shoulders, but not the top of the helmet..

Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic seat

Consumption & autonomy

Good news: while most new Softails have seen their fuel tank shrink, the Heritage Classic retains a nice capacity of 18.9 liters. With the Milwaukee Eight engine supposed to be more fuel-efficient on the road, it is therefore well over 300 kilometers that are possible. The minimum to claim the status of long haul.

Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic tank

Conclusion

The air of nothing, what has changed, this Heritage Classic! Her more manly look suits her well and she represents a form of purity in the way she cuts the road: the touring light, without extras, but with the minimum to travel well and ride for a long time, without fatigue. The most impressive thing is that its weight is forgotten in motion and that its chassis is healthy, with a front axle in which we immediately have confidence. This is typically the kind of machine that makes you want to hit the road.

On the other hand, the price begins to enter the upper echelons: from 24,660 € in version 114, this allows us to say that we have access to much more sophisticated machines, like a BMW K 1600 GT and its captivating six-cylinder engine. But it is above all a question of philosophy, a niche in which Harley-Davidson has no lessons to be learned. !

Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic

Strong points

  • Engine 114 full of pleasure
  • Overall comfort
  • Modernized look
  • Relevant "Young Elvis" strategy !
  • A refined vision of the Touring Light
  • Chassis in clear progress

Weak points

  • Equipment in decline
  • Capacity of suitcases a bit weak
  • Bubble too low for motorway use
  • Price which starts to climb in 114

The Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic technical sheet

Test conditions

  • Itinerary: a good hundred kilometers on the mountain roads of the Barcelona region (E)
  • Motorcycle mileage: 800 km
  • Problem encountered: none

Competition: Indian Chief Vintage

Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic video test

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