Harley-Davidson Softail Street Bob: Detailed Specs, Background, Performance, and More

Harley-Davidson has never abandoned any of their model series, and they have always kept the essence of similarity in all of their motorcycles. You might have noticed one similar thing among all the Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and that is their heart (engine).

Despite the fact that these babies were introduced with different power series, they fit every chassis perfectly. The Harley Street Bob is the perfect example of this. After the discontinuation of the Harley Dyna series, the Street Bob jumped up to the Softail series with a whole new evolutionary style. More power, more modern style, better handling, and most of all, a whole new look with extraordinary design and graphics.

This article are all about the journey of the Harley-Davidson Softail Street Bob, including the detailed specs, background, performance, and much more.

The Harley-Davidson Street Bob has gone through a number of changes recently. The only alteration from its debut in the Dyna series in 2006 to 2016 was a step up from a Twin Cam 96 to a Twin Cam 103 in 2014.

Later on, H-D decided to discontinue making the Street Bob motorcycles, for whatever reasons they had – didn’t specify. However, almost 3 years later, Harley-Davidson came up with a jaw-dripping surprise for its riders. The whole new evolutionary Street Bob motorcycle turned the table upside down with its stylish, extraordinary looks.

Over time, Softail Street Bob has also seen various changes. Although the shape remained the same, the powerplant underneath its tank was getting some drastic power-wise changes. Like…

In 2017, the Street Bob became a Softail and acquired the Milwaukee-Eight 107 powerplant. For the time being, the 107 engine was used on all Harley cruiser motorcycles. Therefore, the rider reviews regarding this were not supposedly good. So, the company decided to take a big step to meet the demand of motorcycle enthusiasts.

In 2021, Street Bob had the ignominious experience of being functionally identical to the back-in-the-fold Softail Standard. Stepping back out on its own, the 2021 Harley-Davidson Street Bob 114 gets the Milwaukee-Eight 114 motor and a few differentiators from the Softail Standard. Let’s go riding.

Well, at first glance, the big and powerful Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine grabs your attention. In comparison to the old Dyna engines, this is far superior to them and is better by all means. However, the blacked-out tone of this V-Twin baby provides it with an exceptionally sporty look.

In this application, Harley claims the M-8 114 engine is 9 percent faster from 0 to 60 mph and 13 percent faster from 60 to 80 mph in fifth gear than the previous model equipped with the Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine. It's also probably assisted by the fact that it's the lightest Softail with the 114 engine. For riders looking for even more power, H-D or Screamin' Eagle offers a wide array of aftermarket add-ons.

What makes the Softails better than the previous Harley-Davidson models is their Softail frame. The frame retains the classic Softail lines, but its lightweight design and stiffness translate to a responsive ride, unlike anything you’ve felt before.

The high-performance rear monoshock is easily adjustable and allows for dynamic cornering while preserving the hardtail look. Although a new generation engine has been installed and the frame is stiffer than the previous variant, what makes this bike a Softail series Street Bob is its graphics and stylish new colorways that give motorcycle enthusiasts an extensive choice. It comes in four distinct paint schemes, each with the trademark "Number One" symbol on the fuel tank.

There's no reason to believe that the more powerful and slightly heavier 2021 Street Bob 114 model's overall stopping power is any better than the 2020 107 engine version; thoughts were that the last year's model was just "average" in that category. Anti-lock brakes, unfortunately, are an extra-cost option.

The Street Bob's riding position is best described as constricted, especially for riders taller than 5 feet, 9 inches, due to the lack of ergonomic changes this year. The low 26.8-inch seat and a mid-mount control layout (technically, a forward-biased midst) can make for a tight hip-knee-foot triangle for those with longer inseams, though the tall bars will please riders with greater wingspans. This year, solo riders searching for companionship will like the fact that there is a pillion pad outback.

Overall, the Harley Street Bob seems to be looked at as a perfect motorcycle with a vintage touch, but it has a whole new technology and modern style.

It looks great, handles even better, and is comfortable. The DSB is not exceptionally fast but does the job. If you are a beginner and think you can handle a fairly heavy motorcycle, this is the bike for you. Brakes are a little tricky but if you are okay with that, the Harley Softail Street Bob is the best choice.

Harley-Davidson motorcycles can last for well over 75,000 miles approximately if they are well-maintained and ridden responsibly, and there are many Harleys on the road with over 100,000 miles on them. Based on an annual mileage of 4,000 miles, one can infer that a Harley-Davidson can last for more than 25 years.

Harley-Davidson motorcycles are built to last a long time in comparison to other motorcycles. If a bike has good maintenance records, no signs of damage, and no oil leaks, even a bike with 40,000 to 50,000 miles can be expected to last a long time.

The Harley Street Bob is the most dynamic motorcycle in the Softail series, as it has a stylish and modern look with a powerful Milwaukee-Eight engine that enhances the likeness of motorcycle enthusiasts and attracts them. The overall look and ergonomics of the Street Bob are exceptional and provide a comfortable riding position on short as well as long motorcycle rides. The stock passenger seat also makes it a unique bike in the Softail family, as now you can ride around the boulevard with your better half without the need to add an extra seat.

However, if you are not satisfied with the stock look of your Harley Softail Street Bob, you can always make some changes to satisfy your enthusiastic desires. You can add premium-quality motorcycle saddlebags to carry your stuff and riding essentials around the state, like important documents, keys, rain suits, and riding gear. 

And if you are riding with your partner, you can have a sissy bar installed at the tail end of your motorcycle. This will provide support to the passenger, and you can also mount your sissy bar bags on it if you have any.