Motorcycle review: Softail Slim strips down to focus on the ride
Edgy, back-to-basics Harley is comfortable and handles well
Harley-Davidson’s 2013 Softail Slim is quietly perched in my parking spot. I am irresistibly drawn to it, despite today’s lengthy to-do list of chores.
The key fob is detected. (The Slim uses a keyless system, but a key is required if you want to put the bike in accessory mode or lock the handlebars in place when you stop.)
It’s time to fire her up. The head-turning grumble from the bike’s chrome pipes reverberates off the concrete walls. It fills the air with the sound of Harley’s Twin Cam 103, aircooled, 1,690 cc engine. She purrs as she idles. After putting my personal belongings in the saddlebags, I close the clips and throw my leg over and sit down. It’s gotime.
A low seat height of 650 mm instils confidence in me; my feet can actually touch the ground. And while it’s not the slimmest bike in the bunch, weighing in at 318 kilograms, it doesn’t feel unmanageable once it’s rolling.
There are a few things I was drawn to on this particular breed of Softail. One, its mattefinish paint — also known as Black Denim — gives it a sleek and edgy flair. As on its smaller sibling, the 883 Iron, the flat black finish looks darn good. But the Slim has a few more shiny bits than the Iron, helping it sparkle.
The raw, bobber-style bike remains true to form with its stripped-down look.
Its Hollywood handlebars give it an old-school-meets-new-school flavour, while keeping my arms at a comfortable angle. And I can’t forget to mention the Cat Eye console with its analogue speedometer.
There isn’t a lot going on when it comes to information displayed, which is a nice change. If I want to know how fast I’m going, I briefly glance and that’s it. If I want to know how much fuel I have left, I can see that, too. Otherwise, I’m happy just to ride.
Sitting in the low-slung saddle with my feet comfortably resting on the floorboards, I can easily manoeuvre my way through traffic. At low speeds, the Slim isn’t a chore to move around. The clutch, however, did take its toll on my left hand when in stop-and-go situations.
While on the open road, shifting through the six-speed manual transmission was business as usual, but felt a bit chunky. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The distinct sound and feeling of working my way through the gears added to the bike’s raw feel.
Is it the most refined? No, but it’s not without character.
Do be aware that when leaning into a corner with a steeper angle, you might hear a sound you don’t want to. The floorboards — positioned quite low to the ground — override the ability to turn aggressively into a corner, and can make contact with the pavement.
But overall, handling isn’t bad.
Its suspension isn’t too stiff, so I can enjoy the road without negative repercussions.
As far as Harleys go, the Slim is in my top three.
The MSRP of the 2013 Harley-Davidson Softail Slim is $17,829.