We’re only a few days into the brand new 12 months, and Harley-Davidson has already began delivery 2023 fashions to dealerships. These are primarily carry-over fashions, returning for 2023 with new colours, which ought to put together sellers forward of Harley-Davidson’s launch occasion on Jan. 18.
Harley-Davidson’s web site already has the brand new colours (just like the White Sand Pearl Highway Glide ST pictured above) and pricing for perusal, and with no vital adjustments from 2022. With not a lot to speak about for these returning fashions, we will anticipate Harley-Davidson to have extra up its sleeve for the launch occasion. Because of newly launched regulatory filings, Motorbike.com can affirm Harley-Davidson shall be releasing a minimum of 4 new bikes, along with seven one hundred and twentieth anniversary version fashions.
We’ve already coated a little bit of this earlier than the vacations, confirming a new Nightster variant, anniversary version fashions, and the 2023 CVO lineup plus a possible new Icon mannequin. We now have extra data on these new fashions, plus affirmation of a Chinese language-manufactured X350RA mannequin and the return to the U.S. market of the Breakout, now with a Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine.
Automobile identification quantity (VIN) data submitted to the U.S. Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration lists three of those fashions:
We consider most of those fashions shall be introduced on Jan. 18, however in case you can’t wait, right here’s what to anticipate.
2023 Harley-Davidson Nightster Particular RH975S
The Nightster variant was confirmed earlier with automobile homologation filings in Australia, embrace two pictures of the mannequin. The VIN decoder additional confirms it will likely be marketed because the Nightster Particular.
The U.S. and Australian information each affirm the RH975S will use the identical 975cc engine because the Nightster, claiming 90 hp. From the pictures, we notice new wheel designs, passenger lodging and a black shade scheme with throwback tank graphics.
On nearer inspection, we discover the spherical instrument cluster seems to be the identical four-inch TFT show used on the Sportster S and never the analog speedometer with inset LCD discovered on the RH975 Nightster. The addition of a TFT display screen suggests the Nightster Particular can have extra subtle electronics than the common mannequin.
2023 Harley-Davidson X350RA
Harley-Davidson has been engaged on a small-displacement mannequin with Chinese language producer Qianjiang since 2019, and regardless of proof the bike has been prepared for a while, neither firm has mentioned a lot publicly in regards to the venture.
Early in 2022, we uncovered VIN information from Qianjiang {that a} launch was imminent, however after some regulatory delays in China, it now seems the brand new mannequin is able to go. The more moderen VIN information confirms the mannequin shall be referred to as the X350RA, and it’ll make use of a 353cc liquid-cooled Parallel-Twin engine claiming 23 hp.
The VIN submitting additionally confirms the X350RA shall be produced at Qianjiang’s manufacturing facility in Wenling Metropolis, China.
As if having a Parallel-Twin engine isn’t sufficient, the X350RA’s Chinese language origins will certainly draw the ire of the Harley trustworthy. There are clues, nonetheless, that the X350RA might not be meant for client use within the U.S. Qianjiang can also be reportedly making ready a X350 and X500 mannequin for China, seemingly with the identical 500cc engine because the QJ-produced Benelli TRK 502 journey bike which claims an output of 46.9 hp at 8,500 rpm.
It’s attention-grabbing that solely the smaller X350 was included in Harley-Davidson’s U.S. VIN information. This, plus the “RA” within the title, could point out that it gained’t be bought on to the general public, however as a substitute shall be used within the Harley-Davidson Driving Academy. We’ve seen this earlier than previously, with the Harley-Davidson Road 500 and Road 750. The 750 mannequin was supplied to the general public whereas the smaller Road 500 was used within the Driving Academy. With the Road fashions being discontinued, it is sensible for the X350RA to be the academy’s new coaching bike.
2023 Harley-Davidson Breakout FXBR
The Breakout has been absent from Harley-Davidson’s U.S. lineup for a few years, although it continued to be accessible internationally by means of the 2022 mannequin 12 months. The brand new VIN decoder signifies the Breakout will return to the U.S. with an improve to the Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine.
The bigger engine is similar 1,923cc displacement because the engine within the Low Rider S, Low Rider ST, Road Glide ST and Highway Glide ST, plus Harley-Davidson’s CVO fashions. Beforehand, the Breakout was supplied with the 107 engine and as an “S” mannequin with the 114 engine, however its return to the U.S. market together with a bump in displacement is a giant shock.
The VIN submissions don’t present any additional element in regards to the new Breakout, however we anticipate it should get different updates along with the massive engine.
2023 Harley-Davidson FLHFB Electra Glide Freeway King
We beforehand revealed Harley-Davidson was including a mannequin designated the FLHFB, which we suspected could be a brand new Icon mannequin. The mannequin code was beforehand used within the ’60s for the Electra Glide (pictured above).
Because of new information launched in Switzerland, we will affirm the FLHFB shall be referred to as the Electra Glide Freeway King, and it will likely be powered by a Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine.
What’s attention-grabbing in regards to the FLHFB is that it’s going to run on 16-inch wheels, with a 90B16 72H entrance tire and a 180/65B16 81H rear tire. All of Harley-Davidson’s different touring fashions run on 17 inch or bigger entrance wheels, with solely the Police Highway King and Electra Glide fashions using a 16-inch rear.
The listed 57.8-inch top is comparatively tall, and if the unique FLHFB is an inspiration, which may be the results of a tall windscreen. Using the “Freeway King” in its title could additional recommend the same windscreen to the now-discontinued Highway King. The Swiss paperwork listing a weight (absolutely geared up plus a 165-pound rider) of 1,014 kilos, so we anticipate a curb weight of about 849 kilos. That’s fairly near the load of the Highway Glide Particular, however a lot lighter than any of the fashions geared up with a Tour Pak.
2023 Harley-Davidson one hundred and twentieth Anniversary Fashions
Including to our earlier report, the latest VIN decoder confirms six one hundred and twentieth anniversary fashions: the Heritage Traditional Anniversary, Fats Boy Anniversary, Extremely Restricted Anniversary, Road Glide SP Anniversary, Highway Glide SP Anniversary, and Tri Glide Extremely Anniversary.
The VIN decoder doesn’t embrace any of Harley-Davidson’s CVO fashions, however filings in Australia and Switzerland additionally affirm a CVO Highway Glide Restricted Anniversary mannequin.
Discontinued Fashions
Whereas most of Harley-Davidson’s 2022 fashions are returning, there are a few notable absences. The air-cooled EVO Sportsters are lastly discontinued, with the Forty-Eight and Iron 883 lastly bowing out.
The Electra Glide Commonplace and the aforementioned Highway King are additionally absent from Harley-Davidson’s 2022 lineup. Each fashions used the Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine, and their removing leaves the Softail Commonplace, Road Glide, and Highway Glide because the final to make use of the 107 engine. The 114 fashions, together with the Highway King Particular, are all returning for 2023.
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