2011 Blackline Review

 

 

The Harley Softail ® debuted in 1984… and seemed destined for a historic run. For the first time, H-D aficionados could have the rigid look without the rigid feel…or so it was advertised. As we all know, Harley has built countless models off of this product line and has made as much money as possible from it. The Softail ® was, for all intents and purposes, the most popular and best selling Harley until the Touring craze hit a couple of years ago. Never one to sit on its laurels and wait for the next big thing, Harley has developed the Dark Custom brood of two wheeled terror designed to invoke animal magnetism from the younger generation Y. While having a black bike stripped of all its chrome extras became the norm for the younger crowd, Harley decided to throw their hat in the ring offering a stripped down Softy that comes with a warranty; sounds interesting to say the least.

 

Craig Slovak, GM of Republic Harley Davidson, recently asked me to ride a couple of his bikes to give the reader’s of Bikernet a real look into an everyday ride review. I am not the guy who will bore you with details about the firing of which cylinder combined with the timing and ESFI, because frankly, I don’t understand that stuff all that much. I am the guy who jumps on a bike, starts the engine, and rides wherever I am going as fast as I can get there…period. Bottom line is Bandit wants real experiences with these bikes and Craig has given me the opportunity to ride a few of them. The latest has been the 2011 Harley Blackline ®.

 

 

This bike isn’t one that attracted me too much from the first pictures I saw online. Honestly, it looked a lot like a parts bin cleanout bike, removing all of Harley’s old swingarms and narrow frames and making a bike. Once I saw the Blackline in person, I have to admit I was surprised at how cool it was.

 

 

The model I was given already had a set of Vance and Hines blacked out shorty pipes to give the bike a little more rumble. It at least reminded me I was riding an H-D. The key was inserted into the ignition which is mounted in the grenade shaped ignition housing, which sits under the left side of the gas tank. I was laughing at the notion of turning on a grenade to start my “safe” mode of travel.

 

 

 Once I started the bike and let the engine warm up, I took a few minutes to learn the controls, as there are subtle changes to the hand controls and speedo on this model. The hand controls are a little different than years past because the buttons are not as thick, meaning they don’t protrude out as far. Also, the left hand control has a button for tripometer, so you don’t have to search under the dash for the button to check mileage, gas usage, or to use the tripometer.

 

 

The gauge cluster sits directly between the two handlebars, which fasten directly to the top tree. I thought these looked a little thin, but found them to be very comfortable on the ride.

 

 

The metal console that replaces the area that used to be covered by a dash REALLY made this bikes’ tank look completely different for me. The orange sunburst exploded in the sunlight and the contrast between the top and bottom of the tank made the “nostalgic” look seem even greater, especially when you compared it with the blond and black motor. It reminded me of an old Panhead in looks, but not so much in the ride. The fit and finish were quintessential Harley-Davidson. All the lines of this bike point directly in the direction of the current trend of bikes…if it was 2008. While H-D has always had a 5 year gap between what was hot and what they are producing, at least the gap has shrunk to 3 years. I know it’s a much more difficult task to take an idea from conception to the assembly line than it is for us to modify bikes in our garage, but seriously, this bike could’ve been put out at least 3 years ago. If Harley wants to attract the younger crowd, they need to lower the MSRP, 15-16K for this bike is insane, as it should be in the 11-12K range…EASY! Let’s break it down logically, comparing a few of the other bikes in the Dark Custom platform.

 

Let’s assume all these bikes are vivid black, (cheapest option), running order motorcycles right off the showroom floor. The Blackline Softail costs $15,499 , weighs 667 lbs, and makes around 70 hp, right? Well, the Street Bob costs $12,999, weighs 667, and makes the same hp. So you have a comparative HP of weight ration of around 9.5 to 1 vs. 9.7 to 1 favoring the Street Rod. So, I really do not understand why the Softail would cost $2500 more as there’s no performance gain, the seating position is very similar, and the accessory availability is about the same as well. Neither bike would ever be a touring machine without serious modification, so where’s the justification in price. For me, if I was shopping for a bike in the same price range and was insistent on getting a Harley, I’d go with the Sportster 48. Hell, it has an msrp of only 10,499, weighs 567 pounds, and makes around 80 hp. That’s a much more respectable 7 to 1 ratio. If I was too big for the Sporty, and still wanted to stay under the 15k range, shit, there’s no question I’d wrap into the nast V-Rod which weighs in at 14,699, weighing 676 lbs, making 120 hp for a scary 5.6 to 1 power to eight ratio! That’s ridiculous, but isn’t that the point of buying a stripped down black motorcycle? Guys buying the Backline aren’t going to be blinging the bikes out with stereos and saddlebags. They want the coolest bikes they can get and want to have something that performs as well as anything else comparable.

 

Back to the main issue at hand, which is what I thought of the Blackline, not Harley’s skewed view on pricing. With my previous statements holding true, and absolutely being stuck on a Harley, I’d recommend buying a used bike for 8-10K and dumping the other 5k in performance or accessory modifications. At the end of the day, you may not have a warranty, but you could easily have a one of a kind machine that would scare the hell out of “Dark Custom” yokels trying to impress people with their shiny new Blackline and new Dark Custom t-shirts. Hahahaha, I’m really getting off track with this one.

 

The Blackline on the road, and that’s what really counts, is actually a lot of fun to ride. No, I can’t ride it like a sportbike, but it reminds me of an older rigid framed bike in the ergonomics. The hands forward grabbing the spindly bars makes you believe you could be riding a very well put together garage build. The bike handles everything the road throws at it, but there’s just enough travel in the rear to prevent you from being paralyzed when hitting large bumps in the road, while still waking up every nerve in your spinal cord.

 

The bike really moves when you need it to, but the power bursts are low duration. The pipes were wonderful, but they unfortunately reminded me I was riding a stock bike as it seemed like there were times I was making a lot of noise, yet I wasn’t going very fast. I’d love to ride one of these with the 103” upgrade, some nasty cams, and a good tune downloaded onto a Screamin’ Eagle Pro Super Tuner.

 

 

One aspect that I was really impressed with were the brakes. The Blackline I rode had Harley’s wonderful anti-lock braking system and surprisingly, this bike stops much better than any Softail I’ve ever ridden.

 

 

I was surprised when I had to change lanes at the maneuverability and agility this bike exudes while sill retaining a stiffness that Harley’s are known for. I really liked the front end feel as it was very nimble without having a lot of flop or cumbersome heaviness. The newly designed trees are exceptional and accentuate the bikes profile as well as handling capabilities.

 

 

Overall I liked this bike as a whole, but sadly Harley’s missing their target audience by about 5K in price. It’s a very ice bike, but If I were in the market shopping for a bike with this price range, there are better bikes for the same money. Hopefully this isn’t my last test ride article ever, but I had to give you, the readers on Bikernet, my true opinion on the bike. Until next time…..

 

 

 

 

Pricing 1
MSRP
Vivid Black	$15,499
Color Option	N/A
Two-Tone Option	$15,998
Custom Color Option	N/A
Special Edition Color Option	N/A
Security Option	$370
Wheel Option	N/A
ABS Option	Only offered as part of Security Package
Reverse Option	N/A
Cruise Control Option	N/A
California Emissions	$200
Freight	$335
Power Pak™ (103 engine, Security, and ABS)	N/A
Security Package (Security and ABS)	$1,195
DIMENSIONS	U.S. Units
Length	93 in. 2362 mm
Seat Height
Laden 2	24 in. 610 mm
Unladen 2	26.1 in. 663 mm
Ground Clearance	5.25 in. 133 mm
Rake Steering Head	30 ° 30 °
Trail	4.84 in. 123 mm
Wheelbase	66.5 in. 1689 mm
Fuel Capacity	5 gal. 18.9 L
Oil Capacity	3 qt. 2.85 L
Weight
Dry Weight	638.5 lbs. 290 kg
Running Order	682.5 lbs. 310 kg
Luggage Capacity
Volume	N/A N/A
Weight	N/A N/A
POWERTRAIN
Engine 3	Air-cooled, Twin Cam 96B™ Air-cooled, Twin Cam 96B™
Displacement	96 cu. in. 1584 cc
Bore x Stroke	3.75 in. / 4.38 in. 95.3 mm / 111.1 mm
Engine Torque	J1349 J1349
Engine Torque 4	89 ft. lbs. @ 3250 rpm 121 Nm @ 3250 rpm
Fuel System 5	Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
Compression Ratio	9.2:1 9.2:1
Primary Drive	Chain, 34/46 ratio Chain, 34/46 ratio
Fuel Economy
Fuel Economy City 6	35 mpg 6.72 l/100km
Fuel Economy Hwy 6	54 mpg 4.36 l/100km
Gear Ratio (Overall)
1st	9.03 9.03
2nd	6.259 6.259
3rd	4.649 4.649
4th	3.764 3.764
5th	3.207 3.207
6th	2.706 2.706
WHEELS / TIRES
Wheels
Front 7	Black Anodized, Profile Laced Aluminum Black Anodized, Profile Laced Aluminum
Wheel Option 7	N/A N/A
Rear 7	Black Anodized, Profile Laced Aluminum Black Anodized, Profile Laced Aluminum
Tire Size
Front	MH90-21 54H MH90-21 54H
Rear	MU85B16 77H MU85B16 77H
ELECTRICAL
Instruments	Triple clamp-mounted electronic speedometer with odometer, time-of-day clock on odometer, dual tripmeter, engine diagnostics readout, low fuel warning light and mileage countdown feature, low oil pressure indicator, 6-speed indicator, ABS indicator (optional), LED indicator lights Triple clamp-mounted electronic speedometer with odometer, time-of-day clock on odometer, dual tripmeter, engine diagnostics readout, low fuel warning light and mileage countdown feature, low oil pressure indicator, 6-speed indicator, ABS indicator (optional), LED indicator lights
Indicator Lamps 8	High beam, neutral, low oil pressure, turn signals, engine diagnostics, security system (optional), 6-speed, low fuel warnings High beam, neutral, low oil pressure, turn signals, engine diagnostics, security system (optional), 6-speed, low fuel warnings
CHASSIS
Brakes	4-piston front and rear 4-piston front and rear
Parking Brake	N/A N/A
Lean Angle	24.4 / 25.9 ° 24.4 / 25.9 °
Exhaust System	Chrome, over/under shotgun exhaust with slash-cut mufflers Chrome, over/under shotgun exhaust with slash-cut mufflers
COLOR OPTIONS
Color Options	Vivid Black Cool Blue Pearl / Vivid Black Sedona Orange / Vivid Black Vivid Black Sedona Orange / Vivid Black

·                     1 Prices listed are the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices. Options such as color are available at additional cost. Prices exclude dealer setup, taxes, title and licensing and are subject to change. Dealer prices may vary.

·                     2 Measurement reflects 180 lb. (81.7 kg) operator weight.

·                     3 Recommended 91 octane or higher fuel (R+M)/2.

·                     4 Values shown are nominal. Performance may vary by country and region.

·                     5 Standard and optional fuel systems may vary by country.

·                     6 Estimated from fuel economy tests on a sample motorcycle from the corresponding family conducted by Harley-Davidson under ideal laboratory conditions. Not all motorcycle models undergo fuel economy testing. Fuel economy and mileage may vary among motorcycle models within a family. Your mileage may vary depending on your personal riding habits, weather conditions, trip length, vehicle condition and vehicle configuration and other conditions. Break-in mileage may vary.

·                     7 Standard and optional wheels may vary by country and region.

·                     8 North America security system includes immobilizer; outside North America the security system includes immobilizer and siren.

·                     9 See motorcycle owner’s manual for complete details.

Vehicles depicted may differ from vehicles manufactured and delivered. Specifications and prices listed may differ from specifications and prices of vehicles manufactured and delivered. All product descriptions (including depictions, specifications, dimensions, measurements, ratings and competitive comparisons) are based on available information at the time of publication. Although such descriptions are believed correct, errors and changes can occur and complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Harley-Davidson may make changes at any time to prices and specifications, and may change or discontinue models, without notice and without incurring any obligation. Attention: Vehicles in the configurations shown and many of the accessories described in this catalog may not be available for sale or use in some locations. Please check with your dealer for complete product details and the latest information. All models feature 6-speed transmission (VRSC™ models and Sportster® models are 5-speed) and carbon fiber belt final drive; multi-plate clutch with diaphragm spring in oil bath; and 2-year unlimited mileage warranty.

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