Harley-Davidson Softail Springer FXSTS: Detailed Specs, Background, Performance, and More

Harley-Davidson has evolved significantly over the past century. From the beginning, the company made classic motorcycles, and they are constantly improving and introducing new bikes based on  the traditional machines. Here we’ll talk about an iconic motorcycle from the Harley-Davidson Softail series.

Softail is a lineup of H-D motorcycles that has rear suspension springs or shock absorbers hidden from direct vision to look like a hard-tail motorcycle. The term Softail is a registered trademark of H-D and was introduced in 1984. But now Softail has become a common trademark for many other brands of motorcycles with hidden rear suspensions.

The frames of Softails are designed to look like stiffer frame bikes of the past, but still have the comfort of rear suspension. The shock absorbers are placed along the axis of the motorcycle and stuffed under the transmission on models from 1984 to 2017, and under the seat on 2018 models. There is a wide range of models with Softail frames, including the Softail Custom, Springer, Deluxe, Standard, Night Train, Fat Boy, etc. Every model of Sportster has the same engine, transmission, and frames, but they differ in accessories, fork, and wheels.

In this article, we’ll be discussing Harley-Davidson Softail Springer, a vintage collector's piece. Jump down to read everything about this bike.

Old is gold. To start the topic, this line has a powerful meaning and an interesting history as well. The story starts back in 1948 when Harley-Davidson discovered the source of motivation for the Springer Softail. In those early times, the company had abandoned a front-suspension design in favor of telescopic forks.

Harley engineers designed this bike by borrowing the abandoned design and connected it to the Softail chassis from the late 1980s. Springer Softail made its debut in 1988 as a bike that merged both old and new. It has since then become one of Harley’s most well-known models.

Unquestionably, this method of designing a new model could only work for Harley-Davidson because it was the only brand where ideas never grew too old to resurrect. Furthermore, H-D has done a lot more than just combining an old front end onto a newer-model motorcycle.

There was a complete re-engineering done by the company while developing the Springer, updating the design with the modern technology of suspension and metallurgy. Despite being too old, the Springer concept works very well.

Since the bike was launched in 1988, there were several remarkable changes made to the Sportster Springer. For the first few years, the bike remained unchanged until 1993. Later on, the bike got its first major update when the company added a new gearbox and belt drive.

• In 1995, Harley-Davidson upgraded the bike with a smooth exhaust and vacuum fuel tap.
• In 1997, the rear wheel hub was replaced with an aluminum-made hub.
• In 1998, the clutch was re-imagined and it received nine plates to enhance operational performance and longevity.
• In 2002, the bike received an update of bullet-shaped indicators and an immobilizer alarm.

It was the last update that Harley Softail Springer FXSTX had received.

The Springer Softail is designed with a strong styling tradition that is classic amongst Harley-Davidson models. The Springer is powered by the Twin Cam 88B™ engine and highlighted by a chrome bullet headlight. This bike has a buckhorn handlebar and a 21-inch laced front wheel. And its wide bobtail fender covers a fat, 200mm rear tire. There's no mistaking that a skinny tire on the front end and a wide tire at the rear of the Softail Springer is a perfect balance of style and engineering.

The majority of the time, anyone who has ever ridden a traditional forked Softail wouldn’t feel much difference between its front suspension and the Springers front suspension. There is an up and down movement of the coil spring package which is visible between the handlebar risers. The ride is stiff but not abusive. Although the steering is precise and easy, the overall handling is quite agile for a bike of this length, weight, and front-end design.

In terms of overall ride quality, the Springer fork is quite similar to the suspension in the earlier models of the Sportster. Neither offers as much distance as its traditional rivals, but the Springer offers a balanced ride. While traveling on this bike, you usually arrive at your destination with a pretty good feel of the curves on all the roads you passed over along your trip.

This bike has a low seat at a height of 26 inches from the ground and with comfortable width for greater comfort. This is the most notable feature which most riders identify while riding the Springer for the first time. And again, after the first surprise of being lower to the ground, the rider's eyes turn to the Springer fork with its glowing chrome windings which give the bike a stunning look. The actual reason for Springer's popularity is the improved maneuverability it provides.

Springer is a term used for customizable motorcycles. This classic motorcycle has several options for personalization which makes it attractive to riders who want to fully customize their bike with an unique and admiring look.

Harley-Davidson is a company that always considers its customer's needs and suitability while producing its bikes. No doubt Springer is a good bike, but the handling, weight, performance, and characteristics of this machine are not matched for hydraulic front forks. A hydraulic fork has damping capabilities that a springer fork does not.

Springer FXSTS is a Softail model manufactured by Harley-Davidson. Estimated the bike weighs around 315.0 kg (694.5 pounds) and it is powered by a V2, four-stroke motor.

This versatile motorcycle has several possibilities for customization, which makes it a part of what makes it attractive for most riders. This magnificent feature about Springer makes it a popular choice in the used motorcycle market. Sometimes, you can find them fully loaded, but if there’s anything you need to suit your tastes, there are still plenty of options available in the market to further customize your bike.

This bike has a long, raked custom look that inspires customization among Softail Standard riders. This is the model with simple styling and clean lines that make this machine ideal for personalization.

You can customize your bike by attaching a pair of good quality saddlebags to carry your daily essentials or you can add a premium quality luggage bag for your one-day trips or camping trips. While some riders always want to give their rides a sporty look, attaching durable sissy bars to their bike and wearing a backpack while riding is also a good idea.