Harley-Davidson Softail Custom reviews

After riding Japanese bikes since I was 16, I decided to buy my first Harley, at the age of 49, for my retirement in Bulgaria. What a fantastic bike. On the poorly surfaced motorways or up in the mountains, it's a pleasure to ride solo or with the girlfriend on the back. But there is a problem with spares, as there are no dealerships in Bulgaria.

It's a very comfortable ride. I can go eight to nine hours easily. The high end torque is acceptable for passing. I can cruise at 75 mph. with no vibration. I get approximately 46 to 50 mpg. I live near mountains and it performs surprisingly well, although I don't challenge the mountain curves. My only complaint is I wish the rear fender didn't flair straight out but rather curved down over 1/3 of the rear tire. By the way, that fat rear tire really helps with the comfort level touring down the interstate.

The bike is big but not overly so. There is enough weight that it will soak up the road yet is fairly nimble enough to take mountain roads with confidence. Not aggressively, mind you, but you won't need to use a turn out to let traffic pass. Harley's are well known for their torque and you will not be disappointed and you'll welcome it when crusing at highway speed in "6th" gear. All the controls are easy to use. The seats for both the rider & passenger are very comfortable especially on those long rides. The forward controls help the riding position as well but may be a stretch for someone under say 5'10". I don't have anything really negative to say about the bike except maybe they could find a better way to protect the front fork lowers. The clear coat gets pitted and then starts to oxidize and looks terrible after a while. Other than that the real shocker was the cost of accessories and what the dealer wanted for servicing.

When I first saw this bike on the dealer floor, I had to have. It fit me perfectly like an old jacket. The motor is smooth and vibration free. Fuel mileage is great if you ride normally. Spirited acceleration will dent your mileage considerably. The tranny could be smoother during shifting. Gear ratios are very well spaced. The seat is amazingly comfortable. With two up cruising, the ride is smooth and it handles additional weight with no issues. Build quality is very good as is the paint, pin striping and chrome finish. There are no oil leaks and engine oil use is nominal.

I've ridden my bike as much as possible since purchasing it in Jan of 08. This is hands down the best bike I've ever owned. I've ridden since 1962 and have owned a number of bikes. Flat track racing TT Scrambles and street riding. This bike has never let me down starts first time every time. Oil, filters, and gas is about all I've done to her. I kick the tires and light the fires and we ride. I have added a number of accessories and a full stage one. This is one fine scooter....

One of the best bikes I've ever owned. Great sound, even with stock exhaust. The front tire loses air pressure fast, but that's most likely due to the fact the front wheel is spoked and uses an inner tube. Worth the money, and very, very comfortable!

I've had the bike for 2 years already and not a major problem yet. This is a nice looking Harley with the looks and lines of the older choppers with the Ape Hangers rake, forks and 21in 90 tire. The seat is one of the most comfortable Harley makes and is also reminicent of the old school chopper seats in style. Bike handles great with power to spare and corners excellent with the 200 rear tire. Not much chrome to add to this beauty. I placed the turn signals on the forks, some Vance Hines Big Radius Pipes and front axle spikes and that was it. What I love about this model is that you don't see one everytime you go out for a ride like you do the the sea of other softails like FatBoys etc. and touring bikes like the the Road Kings. You are styling in your and people are always glad to also see the change.

Thought I'd finally get around to buying a Harley before I hit retirement age. Not into Geezer Glides (maybe when I get older, like 80 or 90). I was leaning toward the Night Train just because of its sinister looks. But the dealer suggested I sit on the Softail Custom for the heck of it. Talk about comfortable with the King and Queen seat. Da wife got on and agreed. This was the bike for me - I mean us! It's only April and the weather here in Chicago is still pretty wet and cold. Got to ride it a little though and this is one sweet bike.

I bought this bike on June 16, 2007. I have put over 15,000 miles in 11 months. No problems of any kind. I purchased the 5 year extended warranty plus pre-paid scheduled maintenance by the dealer for 25,000 miles. I love the Electronic Fuel Injection, 96 cubic inch engine and Six Speed transmission. Plus I love the comfortable seat and beautiful limited edition color scheme (Burgundy & Creme / Gold Pearl, available only Jan-Mar 2007). Also the Harley Security System for peace of mind is great. The big 200 mm rear tire for is awesome for looks. Everything chromed. Ape-hanger handlebars. Big bright halogen headlight. Nice sound even with stock mufflers. It is powerful, fast and reliable.

I too always liked the Dyna. Then I went to my Harley dealer and he let me sit on the 2007 Softail Custom. Two hours later I was in my driveway clearing out ice and snow so that I could get my bike in the garage. It was one cold ride home. I put 8200 miles on it from Apr. to Oct. 2007. I rode in the mountains, Myrtle Beach and all from Michigan. It is great for long trips with the 6 speed tranny. Put on Vance and Hines Big Radius exhaust, Screaming Eagle Race tuner, Stage 1 air cleaner with K&N filter and 4 hours on the dyno. That made it seem like I added another cylinder. It really woke her up. The only bad thing is it gets a little warm on the inside thigh from the rear cylinder, but I can live with it. Overall, this bike will be with me for a long, long time. I love it. I will be riding to Wisconsin next Aug. See you then!