SHORT SHIFT HARLEY-DAVIDSON LOW RIDERS-SOCAL COOL

The old faithful will cheer for the Low Rider S. Will it be loud enough?

- Anubhav Sharma

Despite the uncertainty around Harley-Davidson in India these days, a chance to ride one which almost everyone has been raving about is always welcome. As you may know, the Low Rider S is kind of special (pun intended; the S does stand for Special), with a big engine and a sporty stance. Well, at least sportier than what’s associated with a Harley, and that had my full attention. Most Harley models, when they are suffixed with this , lose a lot of their chrome and bling. An all-black theme replaces much of the chrome, though on the Low Rider S there are minor touches of chrome on the exhaust tips and engine fins complimenting the blacked-out look.

Harley says the Low Rider S is a hat tip to the Californian custom scene, and the low fender at the rear with a low single seat makes that clear, too. The riding position seems to be inspired by Sons of Anarchy, with mid-mounted footpegs and a wide handlebar that sits on top of a 4-inch riser. More on the riding position later, but as far as looks go, the Low Rider will definitely work for Harley fans. The blacked-out bits aside, what is genuinely special about Harleys which wear the S badge is they get a bigger engine than their normie siblings.