It was with some trepidation paultan.org attended the 2025 Harley-Davidson D.R.T. (Dirt. Road. Track.) at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit (SIC). The last time we rode the range of H-D Softtails in Antequera, Spain, just days before Covid-19 changed the world, reminded us despite many promises, Harleys remained… well… Harleys.
Change was needed because right after all the lockdowns, there was a surge in demand for motorcycles. Please note we said motorcycles, not chrome laden barges with the handling of a supertanker. We attended the second D.R.T. in Khao Yai, Thailand, and again, the assembled moto journalists were given more of the same, save the Pan American.
So, when we got the invite for the D.R.T. in Sepang, we wondered if we actually wanted to attend, especially if H-D was going to serve the same warmed over pirate cosplay formula in the guise of “lifestyle.” Please note, I despise the “bad arse biker” image some Malaysian riders seem to love, especially those riding American iron.
The reality of it is, there was a danger H-D was going to be left behind by developments in technology and customer taste (well, they were, but that’s another argument for another time). What cannot be denied is H-D, as a brand, has an international market recognition many other motorcycle makers envy and spend millions of dollars in the pursuit thereof.
Which brings us to 2025, and the current crop of H-D cruisers, notably the Softballs and Pan American, sitting before the assembled Asian media. During the technical briefing, we were told there were many improvements in handling, in ergonomics, in engine power delivery.
For the Softtail cruisers, there are now three Sport ride modes, specific to the model range, alongside the Road and Rain modes. The H.O. Sport ride mode is applied to the Lowrider ST and Lowrider S, carrying the Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin engine, that delivers power in the upper part of the rev range with heavy breather intake pointed directly into the air flow.
The iconic Fat Boy (no, Malaysia does not officially get the limited edition “Grey Ghost”) and Breakout come with H-D’s Sport Custom mode applied to the Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin. This gives the rider improved acceleration from standstill and roll-on torque, facilitated by the high flow touring air intake.
Finally, the Heritage Classic, that most vintage looking of Harleys, and the Street Bob, the stripped down blank canvas for the rider to put his or her special taste on, come with the Sport Classic ride mode. Coupled with the very traditional looking round air cleaner, the Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-twin on the Heritage Classic and Street Bod delivers power from down low, giving effortless overtaking power and cruising.
With the proof of the pudding in the eating, we were told by John McEnaney, Training Lead, Harley-Davidson Motor Company Asia Pacific, that the updated Lowrider ST would be much to our liking. And thus it proved to be so when we took the Lowrider ST out during the road session.
One thing was very apparent in that the top heavy, ponderous steering of the previous 2020 Lowrider S we ride in Spain was gone. In its place was a light, somewhat nimble (there’s only so much you can do to hide that long wheelbase) and balanced ride.
Using the word light is not a misnomer either, as the 2025 Milwaukee-Eight 117 (1,917 cc to those of you thinking in metric) is lighter that the previous 117/121 V-twins. A new intake tract is constructed from contoured aluminium, giving a direct air path and smoother transition from the throttle body the oval air intake port.
This results in 4% more power and 1.35 Nm more torque, translating to 98 hp and 162 Nm of torque. Mufflers are now a 2-to-i design, with lightweight sound absorption material, allowing for maximum exhaust flow while retaining that trademark H-D rumble under acceleration.
Speaking of rumble, there was an obvious difference between the 2024 model year H-Ds we rode and the 2025 line-up. This was the absence of overwhelming vibration, something riders have lived with since the advent of the Evo V-twins back in the 1990s.
Twisting the throttle hard on the Lowrider ST just gave this turbine like sense of power and acceleration, along with the speedometer building speed to something illegal. No, you’re not going to humiliate sportsbikes on a Harley, unless you’re riding the Pan America ST.
The lumpy power delivery is gone, along with that sense of momentum building to a point where the rider starts thinking, “this thing is going to take some stopping in an emergency.” That feeling of being this side of barely being in control of something weighing the best part of 300kg is something a lot of Harley riders tend to accept, and that feeling is now gone.
What you get instead is the very confidence building sense of control, along with the bike actually responding to handlebar input. Brembo brake callipers are now part of the equation, as is traction control, two-channel ABS and ride modes across the entire catalogue.
Along with the weight loss, the revised power delivery, the ride modes, the improved braking, changes to the engine internals, to the 2025 range of Harley-Davidsons, there are going to be the Harley purists who will scream, loudly, “that ain’t a Harley!” Well, more power to you, brother, but in these modern times, where nostalgia has a place, “ain’t nobody got time for that.”
There are enough demands on the time and attention for the modern rider, and H-D, as a company, does have to make a product that is more accessible for the ordinary rider, not treat Harley ownership as some sort of exclusive club while still retaining that heritage that makes a Harley, well, a Harley.
To this end, H-D has made the current range of Softtails easier to ride and easier to handle, with performance that approaches something of what a modern sports motorcycle would be capable of. Note, not a superbike, but rather, a motorcycle that behaves like a motorcycle and not a chrome laden barge.
Indeed, there is much to like about the 2025 Harley-Davidson, especially if you’re a rider more into the relaxed and long distance side of things. We are deliberately ignoring the fact that the H-D catalogue has several million Ringgit worth of apparel and accessories for your ride.
Because in this instance, the ride is the thing. The changes and improvements made are, indeed, a welcome change for H-D, and the Softtails are that much better to ride.
That is not to say there are no faults with engine heat, while much reduced, is still there. It is manageable at a level better than before, but if you’re going to be stuck in Malaysian traffic, be aware proper riding pants may be necessary.
Steering is still not the light touch we have come to expect from modern sports motorcycles, but then, a Harley-Davidson is not a sports motorcycle. Lighter and much more nimble than before, yes, no denying that, but you’re still talking about a long wheelbase that needs a very firm hand at the handlebars.
At the end of it, a H-D motorcycle is still iconic, with a fervent fanbase. The improvements made to the range for 2025 are far reaching, and serve the rider, and the bike, instead of the “lifestyle”.
So, what are you, the reader, supposed to do? If you’re a current Harley-Davidson rider, go ride one of the 2025 Softtails, it is a different experience in a good way, and you may just trade in your current ride. If you’re a rider wanting to get a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, take one of the 2025 H-Ds for a ride and prepare to be pleasantly surprised.