Harley Unveils Softail Cross Bones in Hollywood

Hollywood's world famous Viper Room was the scene of the unveiling by Harley-Davidson of its latest creation, the Softail Cross Bones. Powered by the latest Harley engine, the Twin Cam 96B with 6-speed transmission, the Cross Bones nevertheless invokes a much earlier era of custom motorcycles.

Together with the Nightster, Night Train, Night Rod Special and Street Bob, the Cross Bones joins a new family of "dark customs". Follow this link to find out more about this group of motorcycles.

Here is Harley's press release on the Cross Bones.

Willie G and Bill Davidson were on hand at the Viper Room to introduce the Cross Bones

MILWAUKEE (January 21, 2008) - The new Harley-Davidson FLSTSB Softail Cross Bones cuts the aggressive profile of an authentic custom bobber, but with some dark twists that deliver a wickedly fun and emotional riding experience.

The new Softail model was announced today at the Harley-Davidson Winter Dealer Meeting in San Antonio. With the retro look of a Springer front end and other post-war era bobber styling cues like a sprung solo seat, half-round rider footboards, Gloss Black round air cleaner cover and chopped front fender, the Softail Cross Bones rides with a Black and Polished Twin Cam 96B powertrain, 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission and truly unique Softail suspension.

"Only Harley-Davidson could do this bike," said Bill Davidson, Harley-Davidson Vice President, Core Customer Marketing. "It's a motorcycle inspired as much by our early Knuckles and Pans, as by our desire to deliver innovative technology and content to make the ride today as magical and transforming as only a Harley-Davidson can. Cross Bones is a bike that makes me want to strap a blanket across the handle bar, hit the campgrounds on my next road trip and get totally in touch with what's right about this land."

As the latest of several Harley-Davidson Dark Customs, Cross Bones melds stripped and chopped custom creativity with rough and raw finishes. Soul mates of the Cross Bones include the Nightster, Night Train, Night Rod Special and Street Bob. Check out more on Dark Custom motorcycles at www.harley-davidson.com/darkcustom.

As each Harley-Davidson Softail motorcycle declares its styling independence with exclusive components and inspired craftsmanship, the Cross Bones is a bold addition to an already free-spirited family. Many features of the Cross Bones and other Softails are reminiscent of restless riders of the past, whose defiant attitude resonates with those who march to their own beat in any generation.

The Softail name originates from its rear suspension design, with a swingarm section that honors the lines of a vintage rigid frame, while delivering a smooth, comfortable ride. Hidden horizontal coil-over rear shock absorbers are strategically mounted out-of-sight below the powertrain. The counter-balanced Twin Cam 96B powertrain is rigid-mounted in the Softail frame to give the rider a core connection to the motorcycle. Harley-Davidson Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) is standard on all Softail models, as is the 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission with its accommodating clutch lever effort.

The Softail Cross Bones takes on the road with a rebellious expression accentuated by a Gloss Black painted Springer front end with chrome springs, black bucket headlamp and black mini ape-hanger style handlebar. While the chopped front fender exposes more of the front wheel, a Bobtail fender does the same for the wide 200 mm rear tire. Tires with matching treads ride on Steel Laced wheels with Gloss Black painted rims.

 The sprung solo seat, gloss black round air cleaner cover and old-style half-round rider footboards form a nostalgic focal point of the Cross Bones, recalling images of a classic era on this contemporary motorcycle. With two coiled springs underneath, the adjustable two-position Cross Bones seat rides in modern comfort at a height of 26.6 inches. A distinctive Softail horseshoe-shaped oil tank with the time-honored Harley-Davidson patent badge is located below the seat.

An authentically designed five-gallon fuel tank sports a gloss black "cat-eye" styled console with accessible ignition switch and a new speedometer face. A hand-laced leather tank panel on the console compliments the sprung solo seat. A straight shot exhaust system with chrome slash-cut mufflers provides optimum performance and stands out in contrast to the Cross Bones' many darker components.

The FLSTSB Cross Bones is available in premium custom graphics with wicked striping and paint featuring new Dark Blue Pearl, Dark Blue Denim, as well as Vivid Black, Black Denim, Olive Pearl and Pewter Denim.

FLSTSB Cross Bones features:

• Rigid-mount, 1584 cc Twin Cam 96B balanced engine
• 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission
• Black powder-coated engine with polished rocker box covers and pushrods and untreated fins
• Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI)
• Gloss Black painted Springer front end with chrome springs
• Gloss Black mini ape-hanger handlebar
• Straight shot exhaust with chrome slash-cut mufflers
• Adjustable sprung solo seat with leather lacing
• 26.6-inch seat height
• Chopped front fender with striping
• Bobtail rear fender with striping
• Gloss Black cat-eye tank console with new speedometer face
• Gloss Black round air cleaner cover, oil tank and rear fender supports
• Distinctive five-gallon fuel tank with hand-laced leather tank panel and striping
• 200 mm rear tire
• Laced Steel front and rear wheels with Gloss Black painted rims
• Half-round old-school foot boards
• Horseshoe oil tank with Harley-Davidson patent badge
• Optional Smart Security System

Harley-Davidson Softail

In Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the softail frame is designed to look like the hardtail bikes of the past, while still offering the comfort of rear suspension. The shock absorbers are positioned along the axis of the motorcycle, tucked away under the transmission.

There are several Harley-Davidson models with the Softail frame, including the Softail Standard, Custom, Springer Softail, Heritage Softail, Heritage Springer, Night Train, Deluxe, Deuce, and Fatboy. These motorcycles have the same engine, transmission and frame with the exception of the Deuce, which has a 2" backbone stretch, but differ in the choice of fork, wheels and accessories.

Front forks

The Softail range is the only range of Harley-Davidson motorcycle that offers a choice of front suspensions within the range. The Sportster and Dyna models use the thin X-type telescopic forks, the VRSC models use a fork unique to the VRSC line, and the Touring models use the fat FL-type telescopic forks. Softails models may use either the X-type or the FL-type, or may use the Springer leading link forks that have only been used on Softail models so far. The FXST designation is used when the X-type fork is used or when the Springer fork is used with a 21" wheel, while the FLST designation is used when the FL-type fork is used or when the Springer fork is used with a 16" wheel.

Engines

The Softail models do not have rubber-mounted engines. This led to more vibration in Evolution-engined Softails than in rubber-mounted Touring or Dyna models with Evolution engines. To compensate for this, current Softail models use a counterbalanced version of the Twin Cam engine instead of the regular Twin Cam engine used in the Touring and Dyna models.